Sorry I didn't mean it was him at fault for the goal, I agree it was the whole team sitting about 5m too deep. But in the build up it was him out of position that allowed France to compile the attack in the first place. I was just using it as an example of poor positioning not blaming him for the goal. And fair play on your other comments I do agree with
Would that be the one where Ribery ran through...? Johnson was too far away from the CB (maybe the CB was partly to blame too since it is a team game) and the French passed the ball through the gap for Ribery to ran on to. Johnson then jogged back into position. Fortunately, Ribery didn't go directly at goal, instead he chose to hold the ball up and wait for support.
Yeah I think that maybe it, I do stand to be corrected though. Although I have slated Johnson a bit as you say and I mentioned before it is a team game and they should all know each others deficiencies and help each other out.
Full backs staying back and being disciplined is something from the 70s/80s. Ever since Cafu and Roberto Carlos all full backs are required to be bombing forward at every opportunity. In most teams they provide the width for the team. Look at every top team in club football, they have attacking full backs. Madrid - Coentrao/Marcelo & Arbeloa/Ramos Barca - Alves & Abidal/Adriano Man Utd - Rafael & Evra Man City - Richards & Clichy Dortmund - Schmelzer & Pisczcezk (or w.e the spelling is) And no it wasn't his fault, he was bombing forward because England had an opportunity to counter attack, how is it his fault that England then gave the ball away incredibly cheaply meaning he was caught out high up the pitch?
I agree many teams play with attacking full backs but the way Hodgeson has set things up is to have disciplined defence designed to soak up pressure rather than commit to all attacks. That, while maybe limiting him going forward does not stop it all together and regardless if you go forward or not you must be positionally aware. I agree Englands inability to keep possession can cause problems such as this but I mentioned that before.
Watch again and I think you'll find young was "marking" Melberg for the first goal (although when the ball went to him I think Young was about 10 yards away and looking the other way). And for the second goal it was actually Gerrard that was initially marking Melberg but he got away fro him straight away. Therefore he was maybe slightly at fault for being a yard too deep from the free kick which allowed Sweden to be onside however was not at fault for the second. You could also say Cole (for letting the ball bounce) Carroll (for giving away the 1st free kick) and Milner (for giving away the second free kick) were at fault as well.
Aye, but being average in that team, was like burning like a beacon, amid the utter dire ****eness of Young, Cole, Milner and Parker. Theo did more in the time that he was on the pitch, than those 4 did all night. I really thought that Downing would have done a better job than Young, and that is saying something.
Oh you really need to stay out of it, Ashley young should have gotten -1 out of 10, you supplied the worst player on the pitch, you really need to keep your head down...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18462232 Johnson is described as "England's best defender on the night."
Where has this bollox come from that Glen's defensive interceptions were due to him being out of position in the first place? TWO of them (and another against France) are when he's come in from the right to cover his centre-backs when the team has been shredded down the left back. When Ashley Cole has done that through the years he's been lauded for his awareness: Johnno does it three times in two games and all some people on here and Fleet Street's finest alchies can muster is "he had to do several recovery tackles because he was out of position".
Well considering the defence let some old guy score 2 I dont think any defender can be said to of had a decent game. Also Glens an average player at best, he gets average rating and while 4/10 is harsh hes no better than a 6. Walcott got 8 as he played a 1/4 of the match. Welbeck scored the winning goal, automatically means hes going to get a high rating as goals win football matches.
Welbeck scored the winning goal, automatically means hes going to get a high rating as goals win football matches. No problem with wellbeck's rating - he's a class act. Even if you only give Glen a 6 though (and i think he deserves at least 7 for that cross that Terry muffed) there is no way on God's green earth that Young desrved a 6. Or even a 3. Not an anti-United thing (I slagged off Milner too) but anti-anti-Liverpool press/media thing. And yes, that does exist.
i thought our back 4 were shambolic all night honestly... terry and lescott were dire and cole was making error after error... so johnson actually was the only decent one of them! To say terry is heroic after his display is a joke.. terrible. yuong was surely awful to any fair minded person but welbeck was very good. the fact is there are som any things wrong with england that we are going to get handed our heads but if its johnson going to get blamed than its bollix. france played 4-6-0 v us. sweden had a retiree at cb and zlatan looking totally disinterested. we got lucky to come back honeslty haver gerrard yet again set us a goal lead for us. I'll be amazed if we finish top of the group and even more amazed if we don't lose 4-0 v spain.
