Should Hodgson go?

[Marvin]

I'm have low expectations of England, and every time an England manager gets sacked I usually point to the historical lack of achievement of the England national team, and the relatively poor technical quality of English players as compared to the foreign players we see in the Premiership but this time England managed to underperform even my low expectations.

I am not an England fan, but here are some issues

a) motivation and intensity of play.

Last night I watched Ecuador and Honduras play a very exciting open game with unbelievable commitment. Every English based player gave 100% more in their national shirt than they do for their club side. They too face huge pressures of expectation, but their players seem to rise to the occasion. It's not a one off game. Look at Australia v Holland. Australia were brilliant.

This is a huge phenomena. Players in a world cup playing at a far higher level than what they are typically capable of which is why it is usually a mistake to buy players based on a World Cup). But for England the only time I remember England rising to the occasion was at Italia 90.

b) Glen Johnson at right back. OK Walker was injured. Big blow. And right at the end Hodgson experimented with Milner, but most football fans knew that Johnson was one of the poorest right backs in the country. Richards, Smalling, anyone would do better.

c) Barkley. How can you play Sterling in the no. 10 role when you have Barkley in your squad who is made for that role

d) Why is Lampard in the squad? That is a sackable offence on its own.

e) Gerrard and Henderson in midfield. Gerrard was a great player but what has he done this season other than score penalties? He's not good enough to play in a two-man midfield. Not now. The manager should have known that. Much gnashing of teeth about where to play Rooney but he puts him on the left. He could have played in midfield instead of Gerrard. Rooney's range of passing and his first time and control far exceeds Gerrard. Italy use players like Pirlo in deep lying roles as they get older.

f) yet Hodgson did a good job at Fulham and has managed across Europe. Of the managers in the game he is as well-experienced an as good as most. Maybe he just made mistakes?

My conclusion is he should go. The England manager's job is an impossible job, but it was the worst performance I have seen from an England team at a European Championships or World Cup, and this time he had more attacking talent than usual but failed to se it: Rooney, Sturridge, Barkley. Instead he got caught up with Sterling who is not that good, and played him in a daft position in the crucial opening game wen he had players like Rooney, Lallana and barkley who were all better qualified to play there. .

 

[malg]

No, he's done a cracking job.

 

[tommybooth]

WHO

 

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

Yes.
He should have taken Cashley and the racist, plays folks totally out of position, is far too cautious and set in his ways, is hopeless at changing a game around, makes substitutions far too late, has the motivational skills of a terminally ill bi polar sufferer, and has had the worst campaign since 1958, despite a relatively easy group.
In any other walk of life you would be sacked for being that shite, so he should be fired.
He won't, though, because the FA are equally inept, and nobody will touch the job with a shitty stick, apart from that tax dodging twitcher Benttwat.

 

[scotty123]

Yes, should never have got the gig in the first place, team talks must be like being savaged by a dead sheep, hate to say it but the spiv and his dog could have done better

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Yes.

He is playing last years tactics with last decades players. Need a complete revamp, with the over 30 crowd kicked to the kerb and the best young talent we have on hand brought in to build a squad of hard workers with some technical ability. we are trying to play tiki taki without the guile or nous of the rest of the world, let alone the technical ability.

The game is too quick for England and the ONLY time we look half decent was when we were trying the quick attack….but even then the chances made went begging! The new game is the high press, big strong midfielders who can play both ways AND score double figures, and a back 3 with full backs who play half back/winger, so the middle 3 and front 2 are always overloading the old "4 on 2" for the opposing defence.

With the current system, a good central midfielder is being wasted when the FBs go forward, rather than a dedicated defender covering up at the back. England put Gerrard in that role, which proved ineffective to the point of ridicule.

England need some new ideas and to look at the teams that are doing well at this WC…..young, fast, technically superior, hard working, press when they lose the ball, confident in possession, strong counter attack.

It never used to be possible to have all of those things in a team, but now EVERY top team has at least 75% of that….otherwise they are not a top team.

 

[hgblue]

We need a radical rethink. We need a talented young coach who understands the modern game. We need to ditch the old guard and concentrate on our group of youngsters who will be more receptive to new ideas. None of the above will happen.

 

[scotty123]

We need a radical rethink. We need a talented young coach who understands the modern game. We need to ditch the old guard and concentrate on our group of youngsters who will be more receptive to new ideas. None of the above will happen.

Bang on the money mate

 

[Marvin]

Yes.

He is playing last years tactics with last decades players. Need a complete revamp, with the over 30 crowd kicked to the kerb and the best young talent we have on hand brought in to build a squad of hard workers with some technical ability. we are trying to play tiki taki without the guile or nous of the rest of the world, let alone the technical ability.

The game is too quick for England and the ONLY time we look half decent was when we were trying the quick attack….but even then the chances made went begging! The new game is the high press, big strong midfielders who can play both ways AND score double figures, and a back 3 with full backs who play half back/winger, so the middle 3 and front 2 are always overloading the old "4 on 2" for the opposing defence.

With the current system, a good central midfielder is being wasted when the FBs go forward, rather than a dedicated defender covering up at the back. England put Gerrard in that role, which proved ineffective to the point of ridicule.

England need some new ideas and to look at the teams that are doing well at this WC…..young, fast, technically superior, hard working, press when they lose the ball, confident in possession, strong counter attack.

It never used to be possible to have all of those things in a team, but now EVERY top team has at least 75% of that….otherwise they are not a top team.

I have never for one minute thought I was watching England play tiki-taka. If Hodgson could do that he'd deserve the job for life

Most England managers take the best players and fail because of the players. This one failed because he was too small for the job and let the media tail wag the dog. Rooney remains England's best player, yet he was farmed out to the wing amidst a tabloid inspired campaign suggesting he was past it. He maybe declining, but he's still the best. Then because Sterling did well in training he ended up starting and in a position central to the team, and in a role which he has not played before, Ridiculous. The best goal and the best individual performance against City this season came from Ross Barkley and he should have played. He reminds me of the young Rooney

Then he plays Jagielka in defence. That's asking for trouble. Out of his depth. I'd rather have Rio Ferdinand there if it's a straight choice, or Smalling or that matter.

England whilst I have been watching football always had one of the best defences in the game. Always. Now even that has gone.

 

[sir baconface]

His main attribute was the ability to make us hard to beat. Note past tense.

In fairness, I don't think he's got the best materials to work with. Most of the alternative player selections suggested on here are akin to shifting deck chairs on the Titanic.

Decent guy but bang average and uninspiring. Same as his squad.

We personify mediocrity and could do with a breath of fresh air. I'm not sure who.