Internationals 5th-11th October

[Saddleworth2]

There seems no method to how the England team want to play. Possession football? Counterattack? We just seem to round up the form players and send them out on the pitch expecting it all to gel. I know thats not what happens but it certainly looks that way.

Why doesn't the England manager define how he wants his team to play against given opposition and then pick a squad based on those players that most naturally fit the roles and tactics he has defined. At least that way you would get half the team playing in roles that actually match their experience and skill set. Rashford, Kane, Sterling should be a good front three if played to their strengths.

 

[Twingatz]

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.

I agree with this all up until you talked about city's style of play. The fact is that England has to create their own style of play that fits their own players. It doesn't have to be a style like Barcelona. I think England would benefit from a style that doesn't require as much of the ball, especially when playing teams that dominate possession. A more physical style that emphasizes on pressing which shouldn't be too bad at international level since very few games are played in tournaments. There are a lot of players that can play that hustling style in the team anyway so why not try it?

 

[blueincy]

England under yet another yes man...
Plays Sterling out of position brings on a rag who can't get a game at his club moves Sterling into his favoured position where he starts to play better then brings him off ffs clueless like the rest...


Only thing good that happened in the game last night...

 

[inchy14]

England under yet another yes man...
Plays Sterling out of position brings on a rag who can't get a game at his club moves Sterling into his favoured position where he starts to play better then brings him off ffs clueless like the rest...


Only thing good that happened in the game last night...

Only good thing that happened last night and up to now has been our resident hammer avoiding posting and telling us how wrong we all are!!

 

[KentBlue]

Until players are picked on merit instead of who they play for we will always be second rate. Not bothered, havent been to an England match in years and no intention of wasting my money which can be better spent watching City.

Same for me.

I watched about an hour of the game...fucking never again! If Jordan Henderson is our midfield general then not only the battle but also the war is lost. Absolutely shambolic performance. But he wasn't alone. The team I watched last night would struggle against a mid-table Championship team.

What the fuck is the point in even going to Russia next year?

 

[Len Rum]

Thought a bit more about the goal today.
It was Walker who made it through his interception, strong running and great low cross.
It was also a good finish from Kane, but because Walker is now a blue, it was Kane who got all the plaudits.
Now imagine if Rashford had cut out that clearance from the goalie and then gone on to do what Walker did. What would the narrative have been then?
No prizes for guessing.

 

[Henkeman]

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.

Excellent.

If you talk to foreign football fans seriously about it, they find England's underperformance over the years really puzzling. The side of the noughties should have been good. But it's also true that England's ineptitude with penalties has really cost them. Let's put it another way - say they had been as good as the Germans in that regard, we'd have reached a World Cup final in 1990, a Euro final in '96, a World Cup quarter final in '98, a Euro semi-final in 2004, a World Cup semi-final in 2006, a Euro semi-final in 2012. Now, without ignoring England's football weaknesses over the last 50 years, if they'd won those (and may have gone on from there) we'd be thinking about England's football history in completely different terms. We might even have won something.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Made the mistake of watching this game. The pundits went on and on about Rashford and criticised Sterling as usual but the obvious problem from the first minute was the lack of mobility in centre midfield. Henderson and Dier were truly appalling with just a sideways pass or a long aimless lump. I also thought Joe's distibution was shocking. Too slow and gave no chance for rapid attacks to develop. Southgate makes Pearce look like a tactical genius.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

England are the international equivalent of a premier league's team who's sole ambition is to qualify for the champions league, job done. So long as we win some hand picked easy group games and qualify the FA are happy. Money in the coffers old boy! They must be pissed off there are no pretty boy's like Beckham in the team to help with shirt sales and sponsorship. While I agree it isn't all down to the manager, some of the players are over hyped dross, he has to carry some of the can. Last night nobody seemed to have a clue what the plan was, if there was any. Our midfield was so unimaginative and slow I almost wished rug headed Rooney was there. We have been having this discussion about the England team for probably 20-30 years with almost everything tried and we look worse than ever.

Ahem,

 

[Magicpole]

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

Then good luck in Russia. Do you honestly think he us getting the best out of the players available to you? I would say no.

Is Strachan getting the best out of the players available to us? Yes he is. It may prove not to be enough, but if you give it your all we will not complain.

Will you if you crash out first round?

Didn't think so. :)