England National Team Talk/News/Rumours

mike65

Get Rooney off and Sturridge down the middle or better still get all the LFC players off!

Luke Shaw on for Cole second half which will be good for him (should have started)

rob316

Gerrard is the holding player and he is getting the furthest forward, sonething wrong there. Sturridge is a better out and striker than rooney and is been shunted out to the wing not to mention he is the form attacking player and should be in his natural position.

Beefy78

Not sure about the tactics but I like the lineup. Swap Rooney and Sturridge and bring a defender in for Smalling and tonight's starting XI would be my starting XI against Italy.

Super-Rush

How many bloody times has Tyldesley called Sterling Sturridge?

mike65

Hart got something in the way alright! :pac:

Super-Rush

Too many wasteful shots from distance.

mike65

Finally the Sotonpool linkage works. Sturridge from Lallana cross from a Sterling won corner.

Super-Rush

Great cross and great header from Daniel Sterling.

mike65

Hart 7
Johnson 6
Cahill 6
Smalling 5
Cole 6 (Shaw 6)
Gerrard 7
Hendo 5 (Milner 5)
Wilshire 5 (Lallana 8)
Sterling 7 (Ox 5)
Rooney 3 (Welbeck 6)
Sturridge 7

Hodgson 4

Dozen Wicked Words

Hart look composed which is a good sign, not bombarded at any time though. Lallana was excellent, Cole looked good in the first half considering he isn't getting a sniff of club football. Dull game on the whole, but most friendlies are, and nice to get a win.

rob316

If Hodgson wants to get anywhere in the world cup he needs to play Sturridge as the focal point of his attack not a busted flush like Wayne Rooney.

MD1990

hard to believe Man Utd are paying Rooney 300k a week
Sturridge has to play through the centre

Y2KBOS86

MD1990 wrote: »

hard to believe Man Utd are paying Rooney 300k a week
Sturridge has to play through the centre

How the media don't get on his back.

He was useless again, his legs are gone, he makes Sturridge look like an olympic sprinter

United will regret paying him 300k a week shortly enough.

Fergie dropped him for Van Persie for a reason.

RoryMac

I'm a little biased in this as I would've liked to see Forster get some time on the pitch but is playing Hart for 90 mins in a friendly not a little strange given that none of the backup keepers have a lot of experience at this level?

If Hart was to get injured before the WC it'd leave England in a pretty awkward situation

eagle eye

This was the last game before the squad is picked and I think Hodgson started with a team that he likes and then put in players he sees being very involved.

The story of last night was Adam Lallana, when he came on he added a new dimension to the England mdfield/attack that was missing before his introduction. He has been doing this stuff all season for Southampton and its not about the assist last night but just what he does on the pitch. He is always looking to make himself available, he is not afraid to make a mistake which makes him very dangerous to opposing teams because he has the skill to make his little tricks work.

I think he has to start for England in the World Cup and I think he is the first name that should be on the teamsheet. I'd build my team around him.

blueser

MD1990 wrote: »

hard to believe Man Utd are paying Rooney 300k a week
Sturridge has to play through the centre

Staggering, isn't it? The way the English media talk about him, you'd think he was some sort of Messi/Ronaldo hybrid. He's done precious little for England in major tournaments since Euro 2004. Very, very poor last night. Then again, the same could be said for more or less the whole team last night. If they get out of their group in Brazil, they'll be doing well. And I say that as an England fan. They are a very average side, with a defence that doesn't inspire confidence. Not enough (any?) truly world class players in the side.

luckyboy

RoryMac wrote: »

I'm a little biased in this as I would've liked to see Forster get some time on the pitch but is playing Hart for 90 mins in a friendly not a little strange given that none of the backup keepers have a lot of experience at this level?

If Hart was to get injured before the WC it'd leave England in a pretty awkward situation

I think Hodgson felt he needed his six substitutions to be for his outfielders. He had 27 outfielders in the squad and could only use a maximum of 16 of them (10 outfield starters and 6 more off the bench)

shamrock55

I didnt see the game last night so could i ask how did gerrard and henderson get on, how did they play together, was gerard sitting deep and henderson roaming around, or how did they go about it?

Super-Rush

shamrock55 wrote: »

I didnt see the game last night so could i ask how did gerrard and henderson get on, how did they play together, was gerard sitting deep and henderson roaming around, or how did they go about it?

Gerrard was ok. Played some great passes and tackled well but Denmark were able to get past him far too easy. Henderson just ran around not doing anything good or bad.

rob316

Gerrard sprayed some lovely passes and made some good tackles, but Henderson was absolutely anonymous.

mike65

I'd say he was just told to sit and shield which given Denamrk came for a point with a clean sheet would be a typical misread from Hodgson - I think Hendo was in the opposition peno area once during open play.

unplayable

my starting england team for world cup

hart

johnson cahill jagielka baines

wilshere gerrard

sterling lallana ox

sturridge

impact subs
rooney,hendo,townsend.

queue mass hysteria about dropping rooney. i am a utd fan but he doesnt fit in this system. liverpool are best team this season who have a few english players so they should play like them just as italy play like juve. not rocket science.

KH25

unplayable wrote: »

my starting england team for world cup

hart

johnson cahill jagielka baines

wilshere gerrard

sterling lallana ox

sturridge

impact subs
rooney,hendo,townsend.

queue mass hysteria about dropping rooney. i am a utd fan but he doesnt fit in this system. liverpool are best team this season who have a few english players so they should play like them just as italy play like juve. not rocket science.

Rooney won't be dropped though. Honestly, can you see Hodgson doing it?

luckyboy

Wilshere may not recover in time either ...

GavRedKing

Also Wilshire has been poor the last few weeks so the CM position is up for grabs next to Gerrard IMO.

mike65

Johnson--Cahill-Jags-Baines

---

Gerrard

---

Hendo
Sterling----Lallana--Welbeck

---

Sturridge

would be my starting 11 and yes I'd also leave Rooney at home.

He is simply to badly conditioned to survive a world cup group stage in Brazil, never mind knockout games.

Beefy78

Rooney is the first name on the team sheet. Quite deservedly too.

Hart

Johnson Cahill Jagielka Cole

Henderson Gerrard Wilshere

Stirling Sturridge Rooney

Reganio 2

Beefy78 wrote: »

Rooney is the first name on the team sheet. Quite deservedly too.

Hart

Johnson Cahill Jagielka Cole

Henderson Gerrard Wilshere

Stirling Sturridge Rooney

If he was that good surely you would have him in his natural position and not just filling a gap? Rooney out wide is a terrible option.

djPSB

mike65 wrote: »

Johnson--Cahill-Jags-Baines

---

Gerrard

---

Hendo
Sterling----Lallana--Welbeck

---

Sturridge

would be my starting 11 and yes I'd also leave Rooney at home.

He is simply to badly conditioned to survive a world cup group stage in Brazil, never mind knockout games.

Brutal team Mike

---

Hart

Johnson--Jagielka--Cahill--Cole

---

Gerrard----Barry

Sterling

---

Rooney

---

Ox

---

Sturridge

rebelomar

Watching the game what struck me most was how far a part the England midfield trio was when they had possession.

Wilshire getting much too far ahead of the play far too early. Henderson looked to be playing with restraints on.

The trio should be much closer together or it completely defeats the purpose of the formation/ system.

As a result England in possession were laboured and predictable. If the three lads were playing little triangles it would be shifting the opposition around and creating space in front of the opp back fout for Rooney.

I thought it was fairly obvious what the issue was after 15 mins. Should have been corrected at ht.

England should go with a youthful quick and mobile squad for this world cup. Id leave Lampard at home. Lallana and Barkley could be inspired selections if Hodgson has the stones to make the big calls.

His conservative nature suggests otherwise.

Carcharodon

mike65 wrote: »

Johnson--Cahill-Jags-Baines

---

Gerrard

---

Hendo
Sterling----Lallana--Welbeck

---

Sturridge

would be my starting 11 and yes I'd also leave Rooney at home.

He is simply to badly conditioned to survive a world cup group stage in Brazil, never mind knockout games.

Wow, just wow, that comment about Rooney is mind blowing. As if you have any idea or authority to make a judgement like that. I respect that people have different opinions but something like this is just so misguided.

Augmerson

mike65 wrote: »

yes I'd also leave Rooney at home.

He is simply to badly conditioned to survive a world cup group stage in Brazil, never mind knockout games.

Jeez man you might see him not start a game but there is no way Rooney would be left out of the squad. The media would go into frenzy.

Lovely Bloke

Hiding to nothing tonight for England, win big and it's expected, don't win big and it's a catastrophe.

Beefy78

They're a horrible team to watch, San Marino. Most of the other minnows show some sign of improvement but these guys still approach every game seeing a 4-0 defeat as being a great result.

I'd love to see us tank them.

I appreciate England aren't a great team to watch either....

Lovely Bloke

Took England long enough to score!

Lovely Bloke

penalty!

Lovely Bloke

nice from Towsend.

4-0

Fuhrer

Chambers getting the run around by San Marino

Mars Bar

I love training videos!

Kirby

Brilliant video. Great to see them working.

Lovely Bloke

Sturridge injured - HK18 to start?

SlickRic

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Sturridge injured - HK18 to start?

I think he would have anyway.

So yes.

Lovely Bloke

SlickRic wrote: »

I think he would have anyway.

So yes.

nope, Uncle Roy said yesterday that he was starting on the bench.

SlickRic

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

nope, Uncle Roy said yesterday that he was starting on the bench.

Fair enough, missed that.

He surely starts now though.

Lovely Bloke

Where though?

Right up top, with Roo and Sterling either side.

As one of the two behind Roo?

SlickRic

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Where though?

Right up top, with Roo and Sterling either side.

As one of the two behind Roo?

I'd go Kane up top with Rooney and Sterling either side. Rooney and Kane could switch fluidly enough.

Having said all that, Roy may well just go Welbeck and Sterling either side of Rooney.

Lovely Bloke

yeah, probably, and bring on HK from the bench.

Sheepy99

Kirby

If I could unthank that, I would. :P

Dozen Wicked Words

A glorious England win, 5 nil.


I'd settle for any win tbh.