Internationals 5th-11th October

[ell]

Two holding midfielders at home to Slovenia

 

[waspish]

When Pep’s arrival was announced, not a few neutrals (and even a few hostiles) said that it would be good, not just for City, but for the game in England. I wonder, if we blow everything away in the next three to four years, and if Pep extends and really spends a decent (say, six-year) period here, whether there will be some effect on the England national team.
I didn’t watch the game last night, I’ll admit it. That’s how bothered I was. I remember watching England against West Germany (against Team Müller!) in Mexico and being absolutely gutted for weeks about that match. Same for England against Germany in Italy in 1990. Devastated... In fact, I first got into football because of the summer of ‘66.
Where did that passion go, I wonder.

Has Pep says he has good players and England don’t especially in Midfield.

We should play counter attacking football and learn to defend and keep the ball.

 

[meeesh]

Delighted with our result and hopefully we can make it to the Play Offs.

As for England? This is the worst team in 30 years. A lot of form needs to improve or balls will be parted in Russia and I don't mean the fans against the Russians hooligans.

Southgate is a twat. Get rid or rue.

Lol he does come across as a bit of a twat,but always polite,and never sarcastic,now remind me again who manages the national team where you come from ? Oh yes that little rag tosser,who thinks he's clever,and funny,of which he is neither,I know who I'd sooner have as a manager,even though there is little between them as far as managerial skills are concerned

 

[BLUEYESTU]

Sky Sports website talking points on the game last night - “Rashford Impresses, England’s most dangerous player....” what game was I watching? I thought he looked very average and didn’t get a single decent cross in! Yes he’s big, quick and confident but I genuinely thought he was bang average. That lob was something u try at 2 nil up, not when u need the first goal. I agree with Sky on Ox though - absolutely shockingly bad. I feel for him - he looks totally out of his depth right now.

 

[bluemonkey71]

Hoddle last night nearly had me kicking the tv in. Harry this Harry that. Awful performance and typically no recognition for walkers inch perfect cross.

 

[Pell]

When are we going to get past this 'blame the manager' approach all the time? Hodgson might be no great shakes but if I'd told the players to spread out a bit against Iceland it should have been enough. Eriksen had a great club record, and did little with England. Capello was deemed one of the best in the world. Shambles.

All very well to say 'Southgate must go' but then what? You think England will magically improve with someone else? Not going to happen. Every time it's been let's sack the manager, and every time England have shown no sign of getting any better. How many do we need to go through here?

I agree with what you're saying. Looking back, England have never been great in International tournaments. In our first World Cup, we were beaten by the USA, which was a bigger embarrassment then losing to Iceland. Since then we've won it once, with the help of every game being at Wembley, a dodgy sending off against Argentina, Eusebio getting injured in the semi, and a dubious goal in the final. We've only reached three semi's in major tournaments since. It seems that despite producing good players, who are good for their clubs, we don't produce good national teams. We missed out on back to back World Cups in the 70's, and did little of note in the early 80s, despite the likes of Forest, Liverpool and Villa winning European Cups, with teams full of English players. The all English Champions League final of 2008, both teams had English players who were the spine of their respective teams, but no England in the Euro's of that year. We haven't suddenly declined, we just haven't really gone anywhere. Personally, I think we need a proper team structure, and a style of football, and stick to it. Appoint managers, and play players that fit it. That's whats happening at City, we're modelling ourselves on the Barcelona blue print, our football is based on that style, from the academy to the first team, and we're going to appoint managers who fit that mold. For England its been a sense of darts thrown in the hope that it just happens. The managerial appointments reflect that. After Keegan, we went for a big name foreign manager. Didn't work out, an Englishman will get the best out of English players. Didn't work out. Big name foreign manager again. Didn't work out. An old experienced English manager with tournament experience. Didn't work out. They next go for a proven Premier League manager, who plays a style of football similar to the one that won Portugal the Euro's (so it will work for us, right?), but he gets caught doing something dodgy, now we go for a young, enthusiastic ex player who relates to the players. We jump from different spectrums, believing it will just fall into place. The thinking has also been 'well all these players play well in the Premier League, just stick them all in a starting 11, and we should be fine'. Football is a team game at the end of the day, but we don't appreciate that.

 

[MarsLlama]

You wouldn't think playing your players in their natural positions would be so hard.

 

[worsleyweb]

Hoddle last night nearly had me kicking the tv in. Harry this Harry that. Awful performance and typically no recognition for walkers inch perfect cross.

On the replay of Walkers excellent cross he said something along the lines of - only thing he has done well all night.

By the way how shit is the international break?

 

[dadnlad]

Danny Higginbotham on Sky with a tactical masterclass on England.

It's all rather dull.

id give him the job as he has the answer for every team
plus get him off TV spouting shit everyday

 

[ZanteWeatherman]

Barney Ronay had it right in The Grauniad - 'two lumbering central midfield wardrobes'. Absofuckinglutely awful. Almost two hours of my life that I'll never get back.......