[Archived] Malta v England

[roverandout]

7 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

I spent the international break hoping that Mulgrew (!) and Evans came back uninjured.

I do enjoy the actual tournaments, but to have the qualifiers dragging on for two years, usually without much incident does nothing for the international game.

Why not group a load of qualifiers together in May and stop the palava of September and October games breaking the season up before it gets going,  then having a ridiculous timed qualifer in late March, often buggeirng up the Easter programme and run in.

 

I enjoy international football more than club football

[joey_big_nose]

On 04/09/2017 at 22:35, K-Hod said:

Yeah, Butland needs to replace Hart, but don't agree at all re Walker. Think he has to start.

We are glaringly short of a midfielder with guile and craft. Two holding midfielders in Dier and Henderson at home is painful.

I agree quality passer is required. Since Carrick went we don't have anyone. Hodgson tried to use Wilshire in the role at the Euros but it didn't work.

No idea on this one as there is no one coming through who is a real midfield passer. Just work horses (Henderson, Dier) or quick technical players (Sterling, Lallana). A Carrick or Scholes type would go a long way...

[ruggles1995]

29 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

No idea on this one as there is no one coming through who is a real midfield passer. Just work horses (Henderson, Dier) or quick technical players (Sterling, Lallana). A Carrick or Scholes type would go a long way...

Bang On.

[ruggles1995]

As much as it pains me to put 6 fingers in the team, I would go -

Heaton

Trippier Cahill Jones/Maguire bertrand

             Carrick Henderson

Rashford         ali                     ??                

                 Vardy

 

Subs -
kane
Crouch
jones/Maguire
walker
milner
sterling
dier
sturridge
Hart

[speeeeeeedie]

Interesting line up ruggles. A lot different to what I'd pick - although at this stage it's easier for me to tell you who wouldn't be in rather than who would be.

Vardy, Heaton, and Trippier aren't good enough. Vardy is quick but doesn't get space to run into at international level. We have much better available than Heaton and Tripper.

I wonder about Kane too. People talk about him like he's the second coming, and he has scored goals for England. I don't see it. Am I missing something?

England has a lot of middling players but no exceptional ones.

If Jones stays fit he could reclaim some of his early promise. Him playing a full season for Mourinho will really help him. I'm no fan of Cahill either but Stones is going the way of Jones. Again, if he can play weekly for Guardiola it will help England.

I also agree that England needs a tempo setter. Someone comfortable on the ball who keeps it ticking over. Wilshere would have been an answer but injuries, lifestyle, and mental fragility cost him and England both.

[joey_big_nose]

2 hours ago, ruggles1995 said:

As much as it pains me to put 6 fingers in the team, I would go -

Heaton

Trippier Cahill Jones/Maguire bertrand

             Carrick Henderson

Rashford         ali                     ??                

                 Vardy

 

Subs -
kane
Crouch
jones/Maguire
walker
milner
sterling
dier
sturridge
Hart

For me Kane has to play - he's arguably our best player. Not that praiseworthy a statement when the rest of the squad is so average. 

Interesting that you propose bringing Carrick into the team. At 36 it would be a bit late in the day...  also he hasn't played this season. Looking back - it's a shame really he got so few games for England given that he's been knocking around since 2001. If he had been in a different era to Lampard/Gerrard/Scholes he would have got many more caps. In many ways having Gerrard and Lampard at the same time prevented a good balance for the being found.

[bazza]

England's problem is they don't play as a team. Individuals are constantly going for glory.

The Germans play as a team. Our players are technically no worse than the Germans.

England players need to use their brains and play team football. Pass, move, move with and without the ball and if a colleague has a better goalscoring chance than you, ffs give him the ball.  Simples.

[ruggles1995]

15 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

For me Kane has to play - he's arguably our best player. Not that praiseworthy a statement when the rest of the squad is so average. 

Interesting that you propose bringing Carrick into the team. At 36 it would be a bit late in the day...  also he hasn't played this season. Looking back - it's a shame really he got so few games for England given that he's been knocking around since 2001. If he had been in a different era to Lampard/Gerrard/Scholes he would have got many more caps. In many ways having Gerrard and Lampard at the same time prevented a good balance for the being found.

I dont think age should be a factor, I watch the england teams nowadays and it almost feels inexperienced and oveglorified under 21s team. It feels like they have to be young and fast to be allowed to be picked for england. I think having the experience of Carrick in the middle would help, hes also the only one that can pick a pass. Look at the italians they got away with pirlo and did well. I also think a Crouchy with a great england record should be in the squad, he gives us something different also. This england  teams very much just a kick and run team with lots of pace, all similar type of players. Thats why i dont think it works with kane up front because theres no 1 to supply him service, the wingers are strikers, they just cut in and shoot. The CMs cant pick a pass apart from sideways and backwards, its like having 3 Gareth Barrys centre mid all at once. I predict a nother shambles at the world cup. Its all very to similar to the last one. Would of been good to of seen Alladyce take this as I think he would of had the balls to make a balance team that would be effective.

[speeeeeeedie]

15 hours ago, renrag said:

I find that a little difficult to understand. The way most get into football is being taken to watch the local team. All the time an infinity is developing, talking about them at school, pretending to be your hero in kick-abouts and not being able to wait to be taken to the next game, which seems an eternity away. The club becomes embedded in your heart and it's something which never leaves you because put simply, you belong to each other 

That's a very romantic view you have - I'm not knocking it though. I got into football by playing it as a kid. It was much more satisfying than watching. I started going to Rovers with my dad as I got older. Playing was still my favourite. I never felt that I belonged to Rovers or that I owe the club anything, nor them me. It's always nice discussing them, it always felt good the evening after a win, however living abroad and the club's current position doesn't warrant much of it.

I say regularly that it may be different if I lived in England but I'd suspect that I'd be involved in local football rather than going to Ewood and beyond every week.

I like England as they don't play as often, their game usually matters, and unfortunately I have that hope that one day we will win something.