Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Robert Barnes

England

Recommended Posts

Did anybody watch that game last night.And if so can yountruly belive that we will even score a goal let alone win a game it was a pathetic performance

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
''Pathetic'' is a little harsh. In general, England moved the ball well until the final third but then couldn''t find the final pass in order to actually fashion a large amount of chances. The main issue was a lack of width, particularly when Honduras went down to 10-men. They knew all they had to do was congest the centre of the pitch and make it hard for players like Barclay and Lallana to find that space to limit England creatively. Part of the reason for this lack of width was that both England''s more traditional wide-options (Sterling and Oxlade-Chamberlain) were unavailable, meaning England really didn''t have an option that could come on and stretch the play. Where Hodgson got it wrong was that he should''ve told the full-backs to move higher up the pitch and to try and overlap their midfielders more often in order to provide the width that England were lacking. Of course, it didn''t help that the few times England were able to do this the full-backs made the wrong decisions. Also, we shouldn''t forget that Sturridge had 3 clear chances and you would normally expect him to score at least 1 of them.   

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It was one game. We scored 5 in the previous two, against better sides. Do you even have any sense of reality?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think that the fact that we managed a 0-0 draw against a 10 man Honduras team and the main comment from the management team was how delighted they were that '' we didn''t get any injuries'' sums it up really.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Marchant"]I think that the fact that we managed a 0-0 draw against a 10 man Honduras team and the main comment from the management team was how delighted they were that '' we didn''t get any injuries'' sums it up really.[/quote]
Yeah, it shows how little they care about world cup warm up games. They''re not the only coaching staff either!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 game against a poor Honduras side playing with 10 men and we failed to really create any scoring chances so how will we do against a team like italy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Robert Barnes"]1 game against a poor Honduras side playing with 10 men and we failed to really create any scoring chances so how will we do against a team like italy[/quote]
Sturridge had 3 scoring chances. 
1 from the counter-attack just before play was suspended.
1 relatively early in the 2nd half where he was played through by Barkley, but then chose to attempt a chip rather than strike across the keeper.
1 near the end of the game when Glenn Johnson crossed in the ball and Sturridge headed over the bar.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Robert Barnes"]1 game against a poor Honduras side playing with 10 men and we failed to really create any scoring chances so how will we do against a team like italy[/quote]

So you still refusing to acknowledge the previous two games? Because the whole WC is based on that one game... Well done. You know Italy drew 1-1 with Luxemburg and 0-0 with RoI?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Friendlies are almost meaningless, played in second gear at best. All teams turn it up for competitive games.

Also Honduras seemed intent on kickin lumps out of the England players at every opportunity and killing the game with negativity. And the thunderstorm didn''t help. In a tournament England would beat them (well struggle for seventy minutes before knocking a couple in).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Ridiculous thread. It was a warm up game to get used to the climate. People like Robert Barnes can''t wait to bash the national side.

The same sort of person that gets annoyed when Norwich don''t win every pre season game. Short sighted and pathetic.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
never mind, soon be overthen the real football starts againroll on August

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Gingerpele"]It was one game. We scored 5 in the previous two, against better sides. Do you even have any sense of reality?[/quote]

Er, Peru are not better than Honduras, their FIFA ranking is 45, Honduras are 33. Do you even have any sense of facts?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I''d say they are pretty even, them fifa rankings aren''t the most reliable. Honduras have played more games and have it easier qualifying for the world cup hence their better ranking.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
STFU. For most of the last decade we''ve been in top 10 rankings, yet loads and loads go on about how crap England are all the time.

The rankings aren''t a measure of quality. Peru have to play Argentina, Brazil, Uraguay, Columbia etc in qulifying. Honduras have to play USA, Mexico and a load of Island teams that aren''t anything compared to any of the South American sides.

Peru are definitely a better footballing side than Honduras. Well done for being so dense.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest
So what is the opinion of the two halves.

Personally, I thought we looked better in the 2nd when Barkley and Willshere came on.

Removing Rooney and Gerrard, I believe, released the younger guys to attack. And attack they did. Until they were chopped down.

Also Lallana pushed further up the pitch and found some space for himself.

But I just know that against Italy, Hodgson will be too frightened to replace any of his "stars" with I believe, more promising players with more endeavour to play attacking.

I always liked Eric Idle''s analogy of the World Cup. He loved the cut and thrust of league football but thought that tournaments were like going on holiday and should be played with the most enjoyment and the shackles removed. Nice if you win but domestic football is what counts most.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

From what I have seen it''s clear that Rooney is over rated and unfit, needs to be benched. Lampard should only be used as last resort as he slows things down to a dull boring game. Wellbeck can''t even make a second rate Man U team and yet get a starts for England, never an international.

 

For me it has to be Gerrard holding player and Lambert up top, he''s great at holding the ball up and bringin others into the game, with Sturridge playing off him, then I would start with Lallana or Barkley and Sterling or Ox, drpooing both Rooney & Wellbeck.

 

Time for the young guns and attacking football.

 

Hart,

Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines,

            Gerrard, Henderson

                     Barkley

Sturridge,                           Ox (or Sterling)

                        Lambert

 

That''s my starting 11 against a week Italy, put them to the sword and start off with intent, not this dull boring safe rubbish which we will no doubt start with and enad up losing 1-0 because we went with the previously failed Lampard, Milner & Rooney!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Any team that goes all guns blazing in Manaus will lose, and lose hard. Playing football in 70/80% humidity is just horrific on the body and will mean you have 11 players who can barely move by the 70th min.

 

England need to keep the pace down and slow the game down every chance they get. Keep the ball and try to work openings in the Italian defence with a little bit of pace - lumping balls forward to a big man will just result in turning over possession to the Italians who are most likely to play Veratti and Pirlo - two of the best passing midfielders in the game at the moment.

 

Also, Rooney and Welbeck are the two highest scorers for Hodgson''s England, dropping both is most likely to reduce the number of goals not increase it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest
I would go even further.

Being a bit obsessed sometimes, I decided to take some stats from the Honduras game.

Gerrard gave the ball away more times than he gave it to a team mate and on most occasions was in his own half.

Believing the pundits who say that keeping the ball will be important particularly in the opener, that leads me to believe that Gerrard and Johnson should be replaced.

I don''t know whether Shaw can be played on the right or not but I''ll gamble and say yes.

Hart

Shaw Cahill Jagielka Baines

Henderson Wilshere

Lallana Barkley Oxlaide

Lambert

I understand that some think we should start steady and then go for it in the 2nd half. That includes Hodgson.

I would like to see us go for it from the start and if we don''t succeed then all the die hard defensive attitude minded people can say I told you so.

I remember 1990 when it was obvious Bobby Robson''s tactics weren''t inspiring in the group games. The players told him they wanted to attack, he listened and we made the semis, riding our luck at times of course but nevertheless, created chances and entertained.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know the heat is a factor, but that''s the same for both teams and dropping the pace against Italy is like gifting them the game from what I have seen.

 

Rooney is not match fit and looks lost in the last 3 games for England. He will stuggle in that heat and humidity, off the bench if needed.

 

As for Wellbeck, looks a shadow of what he was last season and if goals per game is what Hodgeson is going for than Crouch should have been given a place, his goals per games for England is superb.

 

Young hungry players with high level of energy, get those goals early and then sit deep, but playing a slow game against this Italian side is just asking to play to their strength and not ours Bethnal.

 

But we both know it will be a slow boring start as Hodgson as previouse manager will play the older heads and we will end up losing and chasing the next two games.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Would not be dropping Sturridge after the season he''s had.

Agree with most of what Bethnal said, but I would say, yes Rooney and Welbeck were top scorers for qualifiers, but then they played the most minutes. I think we would have scored just as many with other guys in the side.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Indy"]

I know the heat is a factor, but that''s the same for both teams and dropping the pace against Italy is like gifting them the game from what I have seen.

 

Rooney is not match fit and looks lost in the last 3 games for England. He will stuggle in that heat and humidity, off the bench if needed.

 

As for Wellbeck, looks a shadow of what he was last season and if goals per game is what Hodgeson is going for than Crouch should have been given a place, his goals per games for England is superb.

 

Young hungry players with high level of energy, get those goals early and then sit deep, but playing a slow game against this Italian side is just asking to play to their strength and not ours Bethnal.

 

But we both know it will be a slow boring start as Hodgson as previouse manager will play the older heads and we will end up losing and chasing the next two games.

[/quote]

 

It''s true that a slow game suits Italy, but what would suit them even better is England exhausting themselves in the first 30 mins and being easy to pick apart. Italy in Manaus is pretty much a hiding to nothing for England - a 0-0 would be a great result and set England up for getting out of the group. Luckily for England Group C doesn''t have a standout team so being 1st or 2nd in Group D isn''t as much of a concern.

 

England have more U21 players than any other team in the World Cup so saying he prefers older, slower players isn''t be fair on him, especially when you consider the average age of international tournament squads tends to be higher than league football.

 

I''d start both Rooney and Welbeck, they will both work hard and Rooney still has the capability to create moments of magic - despite everyone constantly attacking him he scores more goals and creates more chances than any other England player. Welbeck provides strength and height to the attack and is a better option to start than Sterling - who would have a much greater impact from the bench against a tiring team.

 

England''s game plan should be to keep the game slow and tight for 70mins then inject a bit of pace through Barkley and Sterling to run at a tiring Italian defence.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"][quote user="Indy"]

I know the heat is a factor, but that''s the same for both teams and dropping the pace against Italy is like gifting them the game from what I have seen.

 

Rooney is not match fit and looks lost in the last 3 games for England. He will stuggle in that heat and humidity, off the bench if needed.

 

As for Wellbeck, looks a shadow of what he was last season and if goals per game is what Hodgeson is going for than Crouch should have been given a place, his goals per games for England is superb.

 

Young hungry players with high level of energy, get those goals early and then sit deep, but playing a slow game against this Italian side is just asking to play to their strength and not ours Bethnal.

 

But we both know it will be a slow boring start as Hodgson as previouse manager will play the older heads and we will end up losing and chasing the next two games.

[/quote]

 

It''s true that a slow game suits Italy, but what would suit them even better is England exhausting themselves in the first 30 mins and being easy to pick apart. Italy in Manaus is pretty much a hiding to nothing for England - a 0-0 would be a great result and set England up for getting out of the group. Luckily for England Group C doesn''t have a standout team so being 1st or 2nd in Group D isn''t as much of a concern.

 

England have more U21 players than any other team in the World Cup so saying he prefers older, slower players isn''t be fair on him, especially when you consider the average age of international tournament squads tends to be higher than league football.

 

I''d start both Rooney and Welbeck, they will both work hard and Rooney still has the capability to create moments of magic - despite everyone constantly attacking him he scores more goals and creates more chances than any other England player. Welbeck provides strength and height to the attack and is a better option to start than Sterling - who would have a much greater impact from the bench against a tiring team.

 

England''s game plan should be to keep the game slow and tight for 70mins then inject a bit of pace through Barkley and Sterling to run at a tiring Italian defence.

[/quote]Agree with this post 100%, excellent summary.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Agree with what other people are saying - England would be stupid to knacker themselves out in the first half.

 

Keep the tempo (and Italian score) down until they get to the last 20-30 minutes and then they''ve got a real chance with the pacey/direct attacking options.

 

England have got the talent to hurt teams. They''ve just got be careful not to go too much too soon and also not to leave the back door open when they do venture forward.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No I''m not saying going gung ho, but playing young pace players with talent on form and fit. Rooney is not fit, he slows things up and has been awful of late. Wellbeck well I''m sooty Bethnal anyone who has the knowledge you have, just brings nothing to the table but a bit of pace, his ball control and brain can''t handle international football. Yep he has scored goals but so would Lambert and he for me is the key against Italy, someone to hold the ball high up the pitch allowing us to push up and compress the pitch.

 

What ever we think, we all know what is going to happen, the norm, Gerrard & Lampard and probablu Milner on the left with Rooney all over the middle, leaving us with nothing much up top, but Wellbeck and Sturridge wide and central like they did against Hondourus and it looked toothless.

 

Still stange things happen and we might just get a shock or two.

 

All our players are proffessionals and won''t tire themselves out in 30 minutes, it''s more likely to be the older and those comming back from injury which will tabd to tire.

 

Still I appreciate that we all have opinions and mine differs, I would like to bury Italy in the first 25 minutes and then play a holding game.

 

It will be fun to see the set up and the style, if he does want to play the Liverpool way then it won''t be with Rooney, Lampard & Milner in the team IMO.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Indy"]

 

What ever we think, we all know what is going to happen, the norm, Gerrard & Lampard and probablu Milner on the left with Rooney all over the middle, leaving us with nothing much up top, but Wellbeck and Sturridge wide and central like they did against Hondourus and it looked toothless.

[/quote]

 

I highly doubt that all those players will be on the pitch together at any one time. Hodgson has made it fairly clear that Henderson and Gerrard will be in centre mid, with Welbeck of the left, Rooney in the middle and Lallana on the right. Sturridge will play center forward, but rotate positions with Rooney and Welbeck.

 

I think Lampard is the lowest choice centre midfielder and is mainly in the squad as a ''good tourist'' and providing a bit of experience to the younger players (this England team is one of the youngest at the World Cup). He might come on if England are leading and they want to maintain possession well, which Lampard is good at, but Wilshere and Henderson are both ahead of him in midfield.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Lampard also has a big goal threat in him, he''ll be coming on if we are chasing a goal or looking like extra time and penalties later on in the tournament.

I really hope Sterling starts. He''s our brightest spark.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Against Italy I truly hope we start with the team from Sat against honduras.     We need to pass better but its a good hard working unit that is our best platform - I though wellbeck played an strong disciplined game and is one who has performed better for england than manu,  seemingly thriving on competetive interantional football.

 

I would use sterling to add a real injection of pace against a solid capable italian defence that is likely to tire and be vulnerable to direct pace after an hour or so to replace a tiring wellbeck or lallana.     It may have been a moment of madness but we can also do without a tackle like the one against valencia,  which I suspect wellbeck would not commit.        If its a draw after an hour and depending on how the game is balanced I can see us not using sterling or barkley at all,  a draw would be a good start,  a defeat simply increasing pressure.

 

Bring on saturday! 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...