England v Italy

[jay_mcfc]

It is good to see a young and exciting England team but let's not fool ourselves, there are weaknesses all over the place. I think there has been a huge exaggeration of how well Sterling played and for me he should have been sub and come on after 55 mins against tired legs. Barkley must start, he is the best player in the squad. I think you have to find a place for Milner as well, we are far too vulnerable at the back and he is our fittest player so he'd be in for me.

 

[i8rags]

We played with ten men, thought we did good and I expect us to qualify with ease, if Italy win all their games we could even afford to draw with Uruguay. No chance of winning the cup though.

 

[baildon blue]

I thought we played quite well last night . We even had the ball for long periods last night . Even Welbeck was good last night . Still think we will struggle to get out of the group .

 

[Rammyblues]

Sorry but even Costa Rica looked a better side than us. I am in the played three lost three, back on first plane home.

 

[MeatnSpudsMCFC]

Still can't believe how clueless Hodgson was last night. Midfield was completely overrun and he did nothing about it... Then of course allowed Rooney to continue to make a dick of himself.

Worst part is we knew all this would happen before the game kicked off.

 

[Marvin]

Unusually England's performance has been talked up after a defeat.

Yes they were in the game until the final whistle. Is that because of England's youthful exuberance and attacking play? No, it's because retreating after Italy score is an Italian trait. They always do it and it often back-fires.

Raheem Stirling is quick and direct, but ideally you'd want him playing wide with a midfield schemer playing as No. 10. Surely that's where Barkley, Lallana or Rooney should play?

I think England can qualify with 4 points, but am I impressed? No

Henderson and Gerrard are not good enough, and the back 4 is rubbish. There are attacking options, but the improvements up front are negated by weakness at the back and in midfield

 

[stonerblue]

Still can't believe how clueless Hodgson was last night. Midfield was completely overrun and he did nothing about it... Then of course allowed Rooney to continue to make a dick of himself.

Worst part is we knew all this would happen before the game kicked off.

see mine and others posts on page 11.

 

[blue12]

Hope Mario doesn't end up at the tarquins..

Me to mate ,it's strange as I'm glad he is no longer a City player as he brought to much baggage and trouble. but I will be devastated if he signs for another English club.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Still can't believe how clueless Hodgson was last night. Midfield was completely overrun and he did nothing about it... Then of course allowed Rooney to continue to make a dick of himself.

Worst part is we knew all this would happen before the game kicked off.

England simply do not have the players to try to go toe-to-toe with that Italy midfield, they are technically on a different planet to our players. So we played to catch them on the break and it nearly worked. The midfield battle wasn't a big problem in the game.

What was a big problem was the constant out ball that Italy had down England's left all night. That nothing was done about this for the duration of the game, and that it contributed to their winning goal which everyone knew would come down that flank, was criminal.

 

[blueinsa]

Final ball missing, technically bereft midfield, Gerard never got over the half way line all night he was so fucked, wazza dog shit and whilst we huffed and puffed, our young lions where out on their feet for the last 20 mins whilst Pirlo showed them all how to do it.

We are years behind the rest of the world and last night was yet another advert for why most. Prem teams opt for the foreign option, rather than having their pants taken down for the inferior English player.

Root and branch reform needed to our coaching system if we are ever to have a sniff again I'm afraid.