Football: England

[Belgerath]

2 be fair Northern Ireland are the best playing team in the British Isles atm

Go Go NI O Yea Baby!

Not thats im the slight bit buyist ofc

 

[cHodAX]

Stevie G belongs in the middle, he showed that tonight. Lampard is a great player but him and Gerrard just don't work, we were poor tonight but at least they started to pass the ball forward after 60 mins so there is hope. I am pleased for Nugent, he is a good lad and I hope he gets another chance. The wings are a major concern for me, being a United fan I love to see attacking wing play and when you consider the options we have on the right wing it really is worry to see the lack of clear cut chances being created. As for Downing on the left wing... /puke

Seriously, give Gareth Barry a chance until Joe Cole is fit again, won't happen though.

 

[Gamah]

Never trust a man with 2 first names chod!

 

[cHodAX]

2 be fair Northern Ireland are the best playing team in the British Isles atm

Go Go NI O Yea Baby!

Not thats im the slight bit buyist ofc

NI certainly have alot of heart, they aren't the classiest side around but the work fucking hard and play as team not as a bunch of overpaid under motivated primadonnas like England. You could say much the same of Scotland as well, no big stars but lots of big hearts who want to turn things around for thier country.

 

[cHodAX]

Never trust a man with 2 first names chod!

That explains that fat **** Peter Kay!

 

[Jeremiah]

Seriously, give Gareth Barry a chance until Joe Cole is fit again, won't happen though.

And this really needs to happen if England are to play to their full potential. Joe Cole = Englands hidden superstar. This guy has way more talent than Lampard, and even Gerrard, but sadly isnt as consistent.

Garreth Barry performs so well against Premiership teams and never gets a look in. Same can be said for Kevin Nolan at Bolton. Until McClaren picks players who are playing at their peak, and who are real team players, the same lethargy will be there. Because some of the players in the England team play for clubs who still win even if they dont play well. They almost seem to expect a victory to "happen" to them rather than actually do something about the result. Andy Johnston is the first right pick McClaren has done, lets hope he finally sees the light.

 

[Marc]

Seems like the traveling england fans agree with me about Beckham

Every single player was poor in the 1st half. Gerrard was shocking in the first half, he seemed to give the ball away too easily, looking for the killer pass all the time. Still not convinced about downing. I blame Graham Taylor for our left sided problems we have had for years, picking Tony Daley over giggs so giggs went to play for wales. Tony fucking Daley!!

 

[Corran]

Well he played the 4-4-2 formation and the players I suspected he would (possibly should considering the squad available), however he seems to have forgotten in the first half to tell the players how to kick a ball forward, and that the aim is to put the ball between the posts.

We were dire in the first half and allowed them to get on our backs. We just knocked the ball about with no pace, much like on Saturday and we simply had no penetration. We really got to learn to deal with poor teams that sit back and just defend, and the only way to do that is knock the ball around with pace as they can not handle that. This you saw in the second half with Gerard controlling it.

He was the soul of the team in the second half, took the game by the horns and dictated what was to happen like he can when he plays in the middle. I think the first half he was still getting back to grips with being in the middle as he hasnt been there for so long for Enland. Good passing in general and really was getting stuck in.

Our forwards just lacked that bit of creativity when there was no space, but this has always been a problem. But even at Man Utd most the goals come from midfield, our forwards just often set them up.

And Keitan, where was Defoe's goal? It was the one that Nugent blasted in half a second before it crossed the line. And that was actually a well executed bit of play by him. Got in behind the defence which others couldnt seem to do and got the shot off. Wasnt the greatest shot but was good enough.

 

[Calaen]

Disgrace again

Lennon was lost playing behind the two strikers that prefer to drop off anyway lol Mclaren has not got a fucking clue.

Nugent looked like he was proud to wear the shirt when he came on, Dyer (who I hate) got involved as well. Until the manager understands that by picking wingers and keeping them on the wings rather than asking them to do other shit we are gonna struggle. The amount of times Cole, Downing and Lennon where over on the left side at the same time was a joke. Lennon is a right winger end of story.

Gerard while very poor in the first half came good and showed why he is better suited in the centre over Lampard. My only concern is that apparantly he was going to drop Hargreaves and play Lamps and Gerard in the centre last night, has he lost his fucking mind.

 

[Marc]

Disgrace again

Lennon was lost playing behind the two strikers that prefer to drop off anyway lol Mclaren has not got a fucking clue.

Nugent looked like he was proud to wear the shirt when he came on, Dyer (who I hate) got involved as well. Until the manager understands that by picking wingers and keeping them on the wings rather than asking them to do other shit we are gonna struggle. The amount of times Cole, Downing and Lennon where over on the left side at the same time was a joke. Lennon is a right winger end of story.

Gerard while very poor in the first half came good and showed why he is better suited in the centre over Lampard. My only concern is that apparantly he was going to drop Hargreaves and play Lamps and Gerard in the centre last night, has he lost his fucking mind.

As much as Fat Frank hasnt had a decent game for england since, well, ever, I do feel if he is ever gonna play well, it would be against the likes of Andorra and lets be honest, no point playing Hargreaves if we didnt have to, there is no need what so ever to play a holding midfielder against Andorra. That said, I would like to have seen Dyer partner Gerrard in midfield. People are quick to critisice Dyer, but from what Ive seen myself this year and from my Geordie friends he has been outstanding.

 

[Calaen]

I agree with you about the defensive midfielder, Dyer has been awesome tbh and it is about time.

 

[Corran]

As much as Fat Frank hasnt had a decent game for england since, well, ever, I do feel if he is ever gonna play well, it would be against the likes of Andorra and lets be honest, no point playing Hargreaves if we didnt have to, there is no need what so ever to play a holding midfielder against Andorra. That said, I would like to have seen Dyer partner Gerrard in midfield. People are quick to critisice Dyer, but from what Ive seen myself this year and from my Geordie friends he has been outstanding.

He is good at miss kicking though can think of at least 2 good chances he messed up.. but thing is, he actually got in the position which no one was in first half so i wont put him down to much. Just was funny.

To be honest though people spent more time on their arse then playing football, was a shit game in that respect. Just made England look even worse. At times though i wondered why we didnt just switch to a 3-4-3 formation (hell could have went 2-4-4 and been fine). We really didnt need the defence and terry/ferdi could easily cope with the apparent attack with hargraves protecting them from midfield. Even 1 vs 1 you would hope they be ok, considering they up against accountants and the like, heh.

 

[Marc]

He is good at miss kicking though can think of at least 2 good chances he messed up.. but thing is, he actually got in the position which no one was in first half so i wont put him down to much. Just was funny.

To be honest though people spent more time on their arse then playing football, was a shit game in that respect. Just made England look even worse. At times though i wondered why we didnt just switch to a 3-4-3 formation (hell could have went 2-4-4 and been fine). We really didnt need the defence and terry/ferdi could easily cope with the apparent attack with hargraves protecting them from midfield. Even 1 vs 1 you would hope they be ok, considering they up against accountants and the like, heh.

we did play 2-4-4 as Richards/Dyer and Cole spent 95% of their time in the opponents half, at times we played 1-5-4 as Terry made a couple of runs with the ball!

 

[Thadius]

Imo, Beckham needs to come back until Lennon learns how to cross like Beckham can

 

[Corran]

we did play 2-4-4 as Richards/Dyer and Cole spent 95% of their time in the opponents half, at times we played 1-5-4 as Terry made a couple of runs with the ball!

Was more like 2-6-2 that they played. And when terry went forward a midfielder/fullback stayed back. This just packed the midfield up way to much. What i would like to have seen was they do it with sense. Instead of 4 people standing on the 18yard box, you split them out completely, pulling people right out to the wing and thus leaving space in the middle. We were just playing too narrow i felt. And though we pushed people up, im refering to bringing more creative players on as subs (ie dyer for richards - that said i not checked about his injury. Better go see how he is now on news sites)