Group B - Wales (Q), England (Q), Slovakia (Q), Russia

[Yorkie]

"Fair play Roy Hodgson." Nah, soz.

 

So close though. Team selection wasn't too bad, started well, very good first half... but then it all fell apart.

 

We've got good players and he set them up well for a change. The in-game management was rubbish.

[Dave]

Think everyone agrees Vardy should have been for Kane though, even ignoring the circumstances at the end. Kane was by far our worst player tonight, and I rate him highly.

[Jayson]

Irrespective of the equaliser, I was going to be the stick in the mud and post this:

 

I'd only be satisfied with that England performance if I had very low expectations or ambition for England. It was reasonable enough but they did not work the Russia keeper nearly enough. I'd attribute that not to poor finishing (although that was a little bit in evidence) but poor chances. The Rooney piledriver was good, but apart from that I can't think of many other great chances where I'd expect a team to score from tbh.

 

Kane barely had a touch of the ball in dangerous areas because he was isolated up top alone. I'd be incandescent if I were Vardy after the season he's had. Sterling has done sweet f*** all to justify his place on the plane let alone a starting berth. He's been shoehorned in because Vardy can't play winger (because Rooney's been shoehorned into the side). It's ridiculous. Such potential to actually slice teams open and it's just going to go begging. Again. Square pegs forever in round holes. They can't even entertain the idea of not playing Rooney and just having Kane and Vardy up top, so they'll try every possible permutation or just trudge along with some short-stop solution that is barely passable.

 

The idea of having Vardy on as a super-sup really annoys me, and is quite patronising. If he comes on does something brilliant, it's not great management. It's Pardew bringing on HBA when all else fails. A good manager f***ing starts his dangerous players from the off. Vardy has been destroying defences for the past 12 months who aren't leggy. He doesn't need for them to be leggy to be effective he just needs to be on the pitch (and not hamstrung by a system designed to accommodate a fat dinosaur).

 

I actually don't hate this England team. Cole, Terry, Gerrard are gone... but ffs. Keep playing Rooney, Sterling etc for no reason and I'll hate them again in no time.

 

Well said

[Klaus]

I can see Wales beating us now.

[Beren]

Irrespective of the equaliser, I was going to be the stick in the mud and post this:

 

I'd only be satisfied with that England performance if I had very low expectations or ambition for England. It was reasonable enough but they did not work the Russia keeper nearly enough. I'd attribute that not to poor finishing (although that was a little bit in evidence) but poor chances. The Rooney piledriver was good, but apart from that I can't think of many other great chances where I'd expect a team to score from tbh.

 

Kane barely had a touch of the ball in dangerous areas because he was isolated up top alone. I'd be incandescent if I were Vardy after the season he's had. Sterling has done sweet fuck all to justify his place on the plane let alone a starting berth. He's been shoehorned in because Vardy can't play winger (because Rooney's been shoehorned into the side). It's ridiculous. Such potential to actually slice teams open and it's just going to go begging. Again. Square pegs forever in round holes. They can't even entertain the idea of not playing Rooney and just having Kane and Vardy up top, so they'll try every possible permutation or just trudge along with some short-stop solution that is barely passable.

 

The idea of having Vardy on as a super-sup really annoys me, and is quite patronising. If he comes on does something brilliant, it's not great management. It's Pardew bringing on HBA when all else fails. A good manager fucking starts his dangerous players from the off. Vardy has been destroying defences for the past 12 months who aren't leggy. He doesn't need for them to be leggy to be effective he just needs to be on the pitch (and not hamstrung by a system designed to accommodate a fat dinosaur).

 

I actually don't hate this England team. Cole, Terry, Gerrard are gone... but ffs. Keep playing Rooney, Sterling etc for no reason and I'll hate them again in no time.

 

Lallana forcing a save first half with a well-struck shot? Rooney forcing a fabulous save onto the bar?

 

The Lallana shot wasn't one I'd expect a team to score from 8/10 tbh. The Rooney one is the "piledriver" I referred to in the bit bolded. We dominated a team with no attacking intent until the last minute, sure, but even if you call the Lallana chance a good one - is that really satisfactory? Not for me. Not if I think England can go further in the tournament, and just be the best they can be.

[BlufPurdi]

Irrespective of the equaliser, I was going to be the stick in the mud and post this:

 

I'd only be satisfied with that England performance if I had very low expectations or ambition for England. It was reasonable enough but they did not work the Russia keeper nearly enough. I'd attribute that not to poor finishing (although that was a little bit in evidence) but poor chances. The Rooney piledriver was good, but apart from that I can't think of many other great chances where I'd expect a team to score from tbh.

 

Kane barely had a touch of the ball in dangerous areas because he was isolated up top alone. I'd be incandescent if I were Vardy after the season he's had. Sterling has done sweet fuck all to justify his place on the plane let alone a starting berth. He's been shoehorned in because Vardy can't play winger (because Rooney's been shoehorned into the side). It's ridiculous. Such potential to actually slice teams open and it's just going to go begging. Again. Square pegs forever in round holes. They can't even entertain the idea of not playing Rooney and just having Kane and Vardy up top, so they'll try every possible permutation or just trudge along with some short-stop solution that is barely passable.

 

The idea of having Vardy on as a super-sup really annoys me, and is quite patronising. If he comes on does something brilliant, it's not great management. It's Pardew bringing on HBA when all else fails. A good manager fucking starts his dangerous players from the off. Vardy has been destroying defences for the past 12 months who aren't leggy. He doesn't need for them to be leggy to be effective he just needs to be on the pitch (and not hamstrung by a system designed to accommodate a fat dinosaur).

 

I actually don't hate this England team. Cole, Terry, Gerrard are gone... but ffs. Keep playing Rooney, Sterling etc for no reason and I'll hate them again in no time.

 

[Jayson]

Think everyone agrees Vardy should have been for Kane though, even ignoring the circumstances at the end. Kane was by far our worst player tonight, and I rate him highly.

 

You could have done that today perhaps, but Kane's a different animal with Vardy on there. If the defence are watching Vardy, which they would due to his pace - Kane would get far more freedom to affect play. If you play just him he has two cbs to cover everything he does.

[cp40]

didn't vardy finish the season in scintillating form?  Ive seen countries go to tournaments before, and pick their inform strikers, and they've scored goals and done well. Like a magic formula or something.

[Darth Crooks]

There's no dandruff!

[themanupstairs]

Sterling As if this mug is an international

[Dave]

Rooney played really well first half IMO, and before the game I certainly wouldn't have picked him. Sterling started well and lost his way, again a player I probably wouldn't have picked.

 

It was a good performance overall, let down by the sucker punch right at the end after we inevitably dropped too deep and asked for it.

 

And I'm normally the first to slag England off.

[KaKa]

Eric Dier what a well spoken dude man. England will be okay man. Just made it a bit tougher for themselves. Wales game is big now.

 

Y'all gonna debate Wales?

 

Going to be tense for England fans man. It's already a bit of a "derby" let's say, so Wales will be up for it, especially coming off the win. Unfortunately now there is added pressure on England.

 

You'll win. Wales has like three players. There was a dude wearing dress shoes playing for them today, ffs.

 

Nigeria been invited to the proceedings?

 

Just kidding. Would like to see England do well, as they have suffered too long. Obviously not as huge to me as others.

 

 

[RodneyCisse]

Think Vardy would have been perfect to bring on when Russia were pushing on.

[Incognito]

To be fair to Rooney he played well tonight.

[Klaus]

Had Vardy and Townsend been playing tonight, we would have won. Sterling shouldn't be in the squad, never mind starting. Russia are really not very good, and we couldnt beat them ffs.

[Hanshithispantz]

Rooney played really well first half IMO, and before the game I certainly wouldn't have picked him. Sterling started well and lost his way, again a player I probably wouldn't have picked.

 

It was a good performance overall, let down by the sucker punch right at the end after we inevitably dropped too deep and asked for it.

I could criticise the starting team but ultimately we looked absolutely fine for pretty much the entire game. We weren't amazing by any stretch and Russia look totally shite but I think everyone bar Sterling and Kane justified their place.

 

Not bringing on Vardy is genuinely worrying though.

[KaKa]

Sterling was not at his best today, but he does cause havoc and pushes defenders back.

 

Who replaces him in the team if he is dropped next game? The only option is seemingly Milner! Not cool. Andros should have gone.

 

Maybe Rooney on the left and Vardy and Kane up top? Tough call man. We all know Rooney will always be in there.

[triggs]

Lennon and Souness scathing of England on Irish TV

[colinmk]

Played well, just didn't quite finish the job. Two easily winnable games to go and always better to start a tournament a bit rusty and improve. Vardy instead of Kane.

[jollof rice and pea]

Milner such a predictably negative Hodgson sub

[HawK]

Lennon and Souness scathing of England on Irish TV

 

Haha can picture it now as Souness gives his horrifically honest and accurate analysis and shoots Lennon a glare who'd be like 'Yeah - Yeah.. and..."

[triggs]

Milner such a predictably negative Hodgson sub

Let the guy past him to get the cross in too easily for the goal

[colinmk]

Lennon and Souness scathing of England on Irish TV

 

That's quite a duo.

[HawK]

Hoddle pitchside just now :

 

"I DON'T THINK ROY COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING ELSE"

 

 

[Wullie]

I know I/we are biased but he made a real mistake not taking Townsend. There are only two attacking players in the entire squad with any pace at all, and only one who can play wide (who is in poor form).