The International Break
- Thread starter The Ides of March
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
I don't know whether to laugh at the score or cry at the performance. The inept triumphs over the incompetent.
What did you seriously expect? A magical 8-0 win? He's had 4 or 5 training sessions with the players.
It was a win away from home in the WC qualifiers which we deserved more than the opposition, though I feel for them letting in such a late goal. Job done, move on.
Bloody hell some people are miserable. A wins a win at the end of the day and we'd all take a 1-0 last minute win for Saints right now wouldn't we?
Call me naive, but what I expect to see is professional footballers able to control a ball, able to pass to a teammate, and make some movement off the ball. You know, like other professional teams seem to be able to do. Maybe I expect too much.
It's not just about tactics and formations.
Is Harry Kane an average striker who hit a purple patch?
Only saw the last five minutes of today's match, so can't comment on his performance today, but comments on here are not favorable.
Only saw the last five minutes of today's match, so can't comment on his performance today, but comments on here are not favorable.
The pitch wasn't good, and we looked a lot more cohesive than we did in the championships. We grew into the game, enjoy the misery of a win.
Had a golden opportunity in the first half that he totally fluffed and his control and hold up play wasn't too good. Although, he gave Skrtel a tough time which in turn got scary man the marching orders.
He was far better than his last England game. But he looks so out of his depth. Sam picking the same team is the biggest disappointment for me. Weak.
Wayne has such a hold over the FA, its almost bizarre. I'd drop kick him to america, can't stand the potato looking nob. Saying that, over the last four years, the England team have been more dislikable than ever before.
Every time we churn out yet another poor performance there are always people who trot out the same "a win is a win" or "it doesn't matter about how we get out of the group as long as we get out". Then we arrive at the tournament proper and as we sink into oblivion performances suddenly are important. We've seen this so many times and people still believe it will get better. Big Sam may get them to perform better (and I do really hope he does), but at the moment they are still ****e.
In all fairness there were a lot of examples of exactly what you just described - passes going astray, woeful first touches, horribly over hit crosses. Whether those errors were down to a basic lack of technique from the players I dont know. But I've come to expect that from England. And I can forgive them that if the team shows a bit of spirit, a bit of belief and a willingness to try things. I think we got that today, & deserved the last minute goal.
I saw the England game earlier. First half boring as usual. Second half got better especially when Skrtel finally got sent off. I thought Allardyce made some positive substitutions and England deserved to win in the end. Surprisingly I was pleased that Lallana got his first England goal - I must be going soft. 
No. Not really. If you're going to play Rooney at all (& I accept there is a case for not doing so), then you have to play him in a free role imo.
Before the game, Sam was quoted as saying that Rooney would not be playing midfield, for him, but playing as a striker or in the whole, behind the striker.
I would argue that Rooney's lack of discipline, with regards to constantly vacating his position, and dropping into a deep midfield position, was possibly the main reason for our very poor first half performance.
Lee Dixon highlighted it perfectly, at halftime, showing that we regularly had no one in the area that Rooney should have been in, so ball passing became sideways or backwards, or long hopeful punts.
If Rooney is not going to play in the position the manager has asked him to play in, then perhaps Sam should pick someone who will follow the team plan.
I was slightly worried when he came out and said Rooney had an excellent game though