Do people think we should start Wellbeck and Sturridge instead of Rooney next game?
Given that the group is a breeze, I'd go 4-2-1-3 with all three up top and Sterling the one between the midfield and attack. Back to the wingless wonders.
I dont know if we should treat every game as a breeze though, we should go to win. For all we know, Switzerland could win at Wembley (Unlikely but still)
Given that the group is a breeze, I'd go 4-2-1-3 with all three up top and Sterling the one between the midfield and attack. Back to the wingless wonders.
Surely we should use this time to find the formation so we can perform better when it really counts in the Euros?
Surely we should use this time to find the formation so we can perform better when it really counts in the Euros?
That was my underlying point - if we're better suited to a more attacking formation given the players at our disposal, then now's the best time to bed it in. Our best players being in forward positions and our pace suggest a positive, counter-attacking style may be the way to go - not sure if Hodgson is the best man to deploy that plan, though.
...The midfield is looking barren right now, but having said that, it's refreshing to see us playing without the sluggish old guard that failed to achieve anything of note over the last decade.
Great result but we gave away too much ground again in midfield. We really need someone in there to boss that area and help start attacks off. I don't know if Henderson can develop into that player but I thought he did a great job getting across to one of the flanks to provide cover. I don'r want to be overly critical of Wilshere, it seems obvious now that he not a natural CM, his positoning was awful on many occasion. The trouble is that Roy has too many other options to give him an AM role.
That was my underlying point - if we're better suited to a more attacking formation given the players at our disposal, then now's the best time to bed it in. Our best players being in forward positions and our pace suggest a positive, counter-attacking style may be the way to go - not sure if Hodgson is the best man to deploy that plan, though.
Totally agree. Although I still feel we need a better DM because our "backs to the wall" ability is not great, and we need better protection to offset the risk involved in that style of play.
Ugh, remember when Owen Hargreaves had the little period of being "the perfect man"
The encouraging thing for England is that in their supposed weak area, defence, there are a lot of promising young players coming through. Give it a year or so, and Chambers, Stones and Dier will all be competing with Cahill and Jones for the centre-back spots. We'll have Shaw hopefully cementing himself as first choice left-back and the likes of Flanagan and possibly Clyne coming in at right-back, maybe even Richards too if he can get himself a run of games at Fiorentina and rediscover his old form.
Also take into account that we've got Barkley and Lallana still to come back from injury, and I think going into the Euros we've got an exciting young team there that could hopefully surprise a few teams. Wouldn't rule out getting to the semis if everyone performs, although another quarter-final would be more than respectable.
I think that we'll struggle to maintain a narrow loss. Hope I'm wrong of course but it aint going to be a pleasant watch.
Glad to have been wrong. I have rarely, if ever, predicted an England loss in the past, so glad to be able to say sorry I thought we'd lose and I'll do better next time.
I reckon England could get a win here. I see 2-0 probably. Welbeck will likely get them both. First I'd guess from a Sterling cross in the 59th minute then probably a late breakaway to make it 2-0 in around the 94th minute (Lambert will likely be involved in the build up).
Pretty happy with my pre match prediction, think I nailed it.
the good thing about euro changes is that england will definetley qualify in some way(i nmy opinion)
so we can use all these games to improve performances, rather than playing for draws away from home to make sure we qualify like in past campaigns
we could and should be quite a good team by time euros roll round.
Within those 2 years, a good handfull of young players currently in the England Squad will also have gained first time experience on big stages such as Champions League Football, if's and buts I know, CL football isn't guaranteed to better a player...but it can only be seen as a future positive for now, such experiences in top competitions could propel a player to another level and establish themselves even more, this could easily happen to some of our youngsters we've got as theres no doubt that theres decent talent amongst them, can only be a good thing for England to have more players in these elite competitions
The only player I thought was really below par was Wilshere. I don't have it in for Jack, I was a big fan of his a couple of years ago, but he doesn't seem to be living up to the potential he was promising. He misplaced far too many passes, and was dispossessed on far too many occasions. Perhaps part of that is down to the holding position he was playing, but I still expect more from him.
I don't think he has the passing range for that position (maybe he does but he's just not confident enough to play longer passes very often) and also I don't think he's keen playing with his back to goal, as if he's not comfortable with being part of a defensive triangle just keeping the ball moving. He was certainly playing the plausible deniability game of marking his opposition number nice and tightly when he should've been making himself available an awful lot.
I thought everyone in front of him played well in varying degrees.
Sterling looked naive a couple of times (e.g. the corner at the end where Rooney clearly just wanted to play for time) and didn't look quite used to the amount of attention he was given, but otherwise did well. Great pass to Welbeck for the first goal.
Rooney made some sharp passes in tight spaces, didn't give the ball away clumsily as he is sometimes wont to do and generally looked happier than he has for a few games, but playing in that kind of position and keeping out of Sterling's way doesn't allow for him to influence the game as much as he theoretically could (and wastes his passing range, imo).
Henderson played the kind of game that will have journalists rating him a 6 because he didn't do anything spectacular. I thought he was excellent... whilst not doing anything spectacular.
Delph was a liability for about 25 minutes then settled down and started looking pretty good as the game went on.
Welbeck did well scoring twice, but he still sometimes looks like a newborn giraffe that hasn't sorted its legs out yet and made some awful decisions a couple of times.
As for the defence, it is still far and away the worst England have had for as long as I can remember (about 30 years). None of them are bad players, but Baines has been defensively unconvincing for England for several games now, Gary Cahill is a good player but not at all world class and whilst Phil Jones might develop into a world class defender if he stays injury free and has a club manager not chopping and changing his position all the time he had a couple of seriously dodgy moments last night. John Stones was no worse than Glen Johnson has been recently, but that's not difficult and since he's playing out of position it's hard to be too critical.
Comments
Not me.
We have to accept that Rooney is always going to start. If anyone is going to play alongside him it should be Welbeck.
I don't rate Sturridge for England at all.
Given that the group is a breeze, I'd go 4-2-1-3 with all three up top and Sterling the one between the midfield and attack. Back to the wingless wonders.
England looked good tonight. Think a 3 suits the strikers available and helps to bring the best out of Rooney as he gets more space.
IF Hodgson sticks with the 3, England will cause teams problems.
Just needs to find a RB and a CB now.
Jones looked good which was nice to see. He's very capable if he could just find some consistency and cut out the silly errors.
Calum Chambers for one of those positions?
Surely we should use this time to find the formation so we can perform better when it really counts in the Euros?
That was my underlying point - if we're better suited to a more attacking formation given the players at our disposal, then now's the best time to bed it in. Our best players being in forward positions and our pace suggest a positive, counter-attacking style may be the way to go - not sure if Hodgson is the best man to deploy that plan, though.
Totally agree. Although I still feel we need a better DM because our "backs to the wall" ability is not great, and we need better protection to offset the risk involved in that style of play.
Ugh, remember when Owen Hargreaves had the little period of being "the perfect man"
i love myself.:D
Also take into account that we've got Barkley and Lallana still to come back from injury, and I think going into the Euros we've got an exciting young team there that could hopefully surprise a few teams. Wouldn't rule out getting to the semis if everyone performs, although another quarter-final would be more than respectable.
Glad to have been wrong. I have rarely, if ever, predicted an England loss in the past, so glad to be able to say sorry I thought we'd lose and I'll do better next time.
Pretty happy with my pre match prediction, think I nailed it.
Lol, good one.
so we can use all these games to improve performances, rather than playing for draws away from home to make sure we qualify like in past campaigns
we could and should be quite a good team by time euros roll round.
Yeah but you also said england to beat norway 3-0;-)
Within those 2 years, a good handfull of young players currently in the England Squad will also have gained first time experience on big stages such as Champions League Football, if's and buts I know, CL football isn't guaranteed to better a player...but it can only be seen as a future positive for now, such experiences in top competitions could propel a player to another level and establish themselves even more, this could easily happen to some of our youngsters we've got as theres no doubt that theres decent talent amongst them, can only be a good thing for England to have more players in these elite competitions
and i went to bed with no supper that night.
I don't think he has the passing range for that position (maybe he does but he's just not confident enough to play longer passes very often) and also I don't think he's keen playing with his back to goal, as if he's not comfortable with being part of a defensive triangle just keeping the ball moving. He was certainly playing the plausible deniability game of marking his opposition number nice and tightly when he should've been making himself available an awful lot.
I thought everyone in front of him played well in varying degrees.
Sterling looked naive a couple of times (e.g. the corner at the end where Rooney clearly just wanted to play for time) and didn't look quite used to the amount of attention he was given, but otherwise did well. Great pass to Welbeck for the first goal.
Rooney made some sharp passes in tight spaces, didn't give the ball away clumsily as he is sometimes wont to do and generally looked happier than he has for a few games, but playing in that kind of position and keeping out of Sterling's way doesn't allow for him to influence the game as much as he theoretically could (and wastes his passing range, imo).
Henderson played the kind of game that will have journalists rating him a 6 because he didn't do anything spectacular. I thought he was excellent... whilst not doing anything spectacular.
Delph was a liability for about 25 minutes then settled down and started looking pretty good as the game went on.
Welbeck did well scoring twice, but he still sometimes looks like a newborn giraffe that hasn't sorted its legs out yet and made some awful decisions a couple of times.
As for the defence, it is still far and away the worst England have had for as long as I can remember (about 30 years). None of them are bad players, but Baines has been defensively unconvincing for England for several games now, Gary Cahill is a good player but not at all world class and whilst Phil Jones might develop into a world class defender if he stays injury free and has a club manager not chopping and changing his position all the time he had a couple of seriously dodgy moments last night. John Stones was no worse than Glen Johnson has been recently, but that's not difficult and since he's playing out of position it's hard to be too critical.
And Joe Hart did well.