England vs Iceland - Euro 2016: Last 16 - 27/06/16

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

I think we are all disappointed and lots of pessimists who love predicting we will fail probably gloating a little bit too much... are Icelands player's more talented than ours? Do they have more passion? Or any other nonesense? No I don't believe any of those things. Nor do I believe that players such as Kane, Ali, Rooney, Vardy become better players only when they have better foreign players next to them... that's just rubbish, if you are performing at the top of the Premier League(ie one of the best players) you are good enough for international level... people go over the top with results in these tournaments we do have a lot of decent players compared to some nations(who have done much more with far less). Look at Argentina their bench is better than most starting 11s and it's been like that for years yet they always come away empty handed(they do better than us sure but they never perform like they should be doing against the better teams). It's the curse of the English, good in qualification turn to shit as soon as a tournament starts or as one progresses, probably a hoodoo that will not be lifted in our lifetimes by the looks of it.

It's not just about the results. It's the way we obtain said results. Players that can't do the basics and cannot play
anything resembling football. As for hoodoo, that's the funniest excuse yet.

 

[JULES]

let's face it , Noble would have made that midfield.

totally agree

 

[Metalartin]

It's not just about the results. It's the way we obtain said results. Players that can't do the basics and cannot play
anything resembling football. As for hoodoo, that's the funniest excuse yet.

So you are telling me those players really cannot do the basics off the back of that game? That's equally ridiculous. The things that were happening in that game were not normal for those players anyone using that as a gauge for the level they are at when they've all shown they can do those things and more week in week out... fickle is the word one game and some people get football player amnesia forgetting everything about them. They were shit but it's more funny watching the over the top reactions to it for me. I myself was shouting why can't any of them head a ball straight for example, not a single header from that back four went to any place that was useful for the team(out for a throw-in, right to their player again or straight up in the bloody air). Now that I think of it I have seen Cahill handle highballs perfectly in the past the others I'm not so sure I have come to think of it, so that's probably a bad example apart from taking the time to think back to what they've already shown before this tournament started.

As for it not being about the result I disagree I think if we had scored in the first 3 games with the chances we made(the shooting accuracy has been awful), a lot of people would have looked at the performances totally differently. Iceland was a game on it's own where they actually fell to pieces during it and lost all composure, the people trying to lump it all together as a: "See I told you so", just don't get it IMO. We didn't look anything like that in the previous games, it was pretty bizarre that they all started doing the same mistakes all at once tbh, I'm so glad Sterling wasn't on the pitch when that happened. They looked very much like they weren't enjoying their football in that half and that can affect the very best of players... ask Messi if he agrees with me.

 

[malg]

Just listening to Waddle and Murphy on 5Live and it's the usual shite every time England go out of a tournament. Grass roots etc, etc. Now saying not enough English players to abroad and wondering why? Is it money? No you pair of fuck wits, it's because they're not good enough......and the money.

Also saying Academies are taking players too young and ruining them. So, we needed Academies to improve the players, and get them in early to teach them the favourite buzzword 'technique', now it's fuck them off! Guess which Academy was mentioned by name, the only one mentioned by name? Yep, City. Waddle said we're taking players at 4 years old. Is that true?

 

[MeatnSpudsMCFC]

The media and ex-players are taking the piss in all this. The warning signs were there from the very start and it has taken this long for them to reach the conclusion that Hodgson is pretty ineffective. They should've forced him out after the world cup but he was let off far too easily.


The only game I can recall under Hodgson where England looked remotely good was the second half against Germany, that's it.

As for the solution with the national team, there is none.

 

[Metalartin]

I agree Hodson was backed by the press but what did he do differently? The only thing I can think of is he actually brought in players that might not have had a look-in in the past and they did most of the good work for him in qualification... not Roy's brilliant tactics because they looked far from well drilled.

Solution? Well we have even less reasons to look forward to Russia 2018, is it possible to pull out of a tournament and give it a miss? Spend all of that time building a team for the future that actually looks like they've trained together?

 

[Mike N]

If only England could have got a few more free kicks for Harry Kane to take.

 

[chaddblue]

They should pick a formation, one that most successful teams employ, then every single team from under 15's up should use it and stick to it until it's second nature

Then the senior team should pick the best player for each position to suit that formation...not the form player, or the players who play for the best teams.....no more fitting square pegs in round holes

Is that too obvious!??!

 

[cleavers]

nearly all of these players are average at best

Correct, not in the least bit surprised we lost to Iceland, who have had commitment all the way so far, unlike the English players.

Iceland won't beat France, who's players will have enough commitment to find a win.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

The fact that we went the whole way through qualifying and the warm up games without knowing our best lineup or formation says it all.

Everyone knew England didn't have the best players, but Iceland and Italy have proven that tactics, organisation, workrate and passion can overcome that.

Whoever takes over as England manager, they need to get the basics right. Pick a formation that plays to our strengths (whatever the hell they are these days) and select the players best suited for that system.

Hodgson did well to make such a mess of this tournament though, by English standards we had no expectations and we're still disappointed!