I don't think Wilshere should be going because he has done absolutely FA this season to warrant taking the place of anyone who's had a half decent season. Nothing to do with him playing for Arsenal (even if I do loathe the Woolwich franchise).
Would be disappointed if Wilshire goes at the expense of Drinkwater, but if you're asking me to choose between Wilshire or Henderson then i hope he takes Wilshire. If he's fit, he's a quality player and you can never have too many of them ion a squad.
Thought it was an excellent warm up for England - just the sort of quality and approach from the opposition they can expect in the group stages. not a vintage performance but flashes of what the team can do in attack and they got the job done, which is all that will matter in France.
Roy needs to work really hard over the next few couple of weeks on getting the back four organised. We don;t have any stellar talents, but they are all decent and decent can be enough if you are really well drilled. get the balance of the midfield right behind Vardy and Kane and we're definitely dark horses.
Defend like that vs a France or Germany, and possibly even Wales if Bale is on form, and it'll be curtains.
Time for Roy to earn his money on the training pitch.
I don't think Wilshere should be going because he has done absolutely FA this season to warrant taking the place of anyone who's had a half decent season. Nothing to do with him playing for Arsenal (even if I do loathe the Woolwich franchise).
The question is who is more deserving? Drinkwater should definitely go. He's had a great season, keeps possession well, and as Vardy is obviously our weapon it makes sense to take the guy who will instinctively play those quick, accurate long balls over. Dier should go as well, so that's the more defensive side covered. Who fills that creative central role though? Needs to be a player who recycles possession effectively and builds attacks. Milner works hard but he's one-speed in every sense. Henderson runs and runs and runs to little effect, Lallana can't do the defensive foraging effectively, Alli is both better suited to a more advanced role and more of a liability temper-wise than Wilshere so you wouldn't trust him to control the middle, Barkley is a 10 who switches off all over the pitch and doesn't know when to release and Delph has barely played any more football than Wilshere. If we were teeming with great midfield schemers then sure, leave Wilshere at home but he's got a level of class and composure on the ball that's just missing if he's not there.
Yes Wales have Bale but he cant be everywhere on the pitch... With our England team we just need to take the approach of we'll score more than you
They have other decent players.
But then also some terrible ones (churchinho).
Ashley Williams and Aaron Ramsey are the other two, Wales have too many poor players and the crawled over the line to Qualify.
i.e. Yes they beat Belgium but failed to beat Israel and Bosnia, you could even have wondered if they'd have made it had their final game not been against Andorra.
Want the Home Nations to do well but see the others struggling, either due to the Group their in or their Tournament inexperience
Yes Wales have Bale but he cant be everywhere on the pitch... With our England team we just need to take the approach of we'll score more than you
They have other decent players.
But then also some terrible ones (churchinho).
Ashley Williams and Aaron Ramsey are the other two, Wales have too many poor players and the crawled over the line to Qualify.
i.e. Yes they beat Belgium but failed to beat Israel and Bosnia, you could even have wondered if they'd have made it had their final game not been against Andorra.
Want the Home Nations to do well but see the others struggling, either due to the Group their in or their Tournament inexperience
Yes Wales have Bale but he cant be everywhere on the pitch... With our England team we just need to take the approach of we'll score more than you
They have other decent players.
But then also some terrible ones (churchinho).
Ashley Williams and Aaron Ramsey are the other two, Wales have too many poor players and the crawled over the line to Qualify.
i.e. Yes they beat Belgium but failed to beat Israel and Bosnia, you could even have wondered if they'd have made it had their final game not been against Andorra.
Want the Home Nations to do well but see the others struggling, either due to the Group their in or their Tournament inexperience
Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Andy King
Squad players though... None of them are regular starters for their respective clubs
Yes Wales have Bale but he cant be everywhere on the pitch... With our England team we just need to take the approach of we'll score more than you
They have other decent players.
But then also some terrible ones (churchinho).
Ashley Williams and Aaron Ramsey are the other two, Wales have too many poor players and the crawled over the line to Qualify.
i.e. Yes they beat Belgium but failed to beat Israel and Bosnia, you could even have wondered if they'd have made it had their final game not been against Andorra.
Want the Home Nations to do well but see the others struggling, either due to the Group their in or their Tournament inexperience
Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Andy King
Squad players though... None of them are regular starters for their respective clubs
Agreed but still good players nonetheless.
Sterling is a squad player at City but he's still a good player.
Yes Wales have Bale but he cant be everywhere on the pitch... With our England team we just need to take the approach of we'll score more than you
They have other decent players.
But then also some terrible ones (churchinho).
Ashley Williams and Aaron Ramsey are the other two, Wales have too many poor players and the crawled over the line to Qualify.
i.e. Yes they beat Belgium but failed to beat Israel and Bosnia, you could even have wondered if they'd have made it had their final game not been against Andorra.
Want the Home Nations to do well but see the others struggling, either due to the Group their in or their Tournament inexperience
Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Andy King
Squad players though... None of them are regular starters for their respective clubs
Agreed but still good players nonetheless.
Sterling is a squad player at City but he's still a good player.
Agreed and I hope they do well
I wouldnt take Sterling though... It was the one thing that Dixon got right after the match i.e. Its all well and good going past players but with his pace he should be doing that, its the fact he cant pick a pass into the box thats the problem
Yes Wales have Bale but he cant be everywhere on the pitch... With our England team we just need to take the approach of we'll score more than you
They have other decent players.
But then also some terrible ones (churchinho).
Ashley Williams and Aaron Ramsey are the other two, Wales have too many poor players and the crawled over the line to Qualify.
i.e. Yes they beat Belgium but failed to beat Israel and Bosnia, you could even have wondered if they'd have made it had their final game not been against Andorra.
Want the Home Nations to do well but see the others struggling, either due to the Group their in or their Tournament inexperience
Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Andy King
Average Joes (excuse the pun). If England slip up against themthen they really do want sending home. I seriously think anything other than 9 points and group winners is unacceptable. It would actually be nice for once to get to the 3rd game having qualified and able to rest players - something that I think we've really suffered from not being able to do in previous tournaments.
If we hit the ground running then we have a really good chance of semi finals. Hopefully we can avoid any injuries before hand. We usually get one, so let's hope it's not a key player.
In reality we will lose to Portugal or Italy on penalties in the QF, Have a perfectly good goal disallowed and let people who have never taken a penalty take one.
4 of us driving home now - really don't know why we bother. England v Turkey and was like being at a kids tea party. So sterile it was incredible. The change in England's support in 15 years is incredible.
Least we won I guess but we were ready to leave after 20mins, esp being sober. Hopefully home by 1am.
I don't think Wilshere should be going because he has done absolutely FA this season to warrant taking the place of anyone who's had a half decent season. Nothing to do with him playing for Arsenal (even if I do loathe the Woolwich franchise).
The question is who is more deserving? Drinkwater should definitely go. He's had a great season, keeps possession well, and as Vardy is obviously our weapon it makes sense to take the guy who will instinctively play those quick, accurate long balls over. Dier should go as well, so that's the more defensive side covered. Who fills that creative central role though? Needs to be a player who recycles possession effectively and builds attacks. Milner works hard but he's one-speed in every sense. Henderson runs and runs and runs to little effect, Lallana can't do the defensive foraging effectively, Alli is both better suited to a more advanced role and more of a liability temper-wise than Wilshere so you wouldn't trust him to control the middle, Barkley is a 10 who switches off all over the pitch and doesn't know when to release and Delph has barely played any more football than Wilshere. If we were teeming with great midfield schemers then sure, leave Wilshere at home but he's got a level of class and composure on the ball that's just missing if he's not there.
Very well put, the only thing I'd disagree with is that for that shuttling, box-to-box role I think Henderson is quite good (assuming HE'S fit). He had his best game for England against Germany, dropping back out of possession to cover the left side, and getting forward well trailing the play.
A lot of mediocre individual performances today, but made for a fun friendly. Alli looked off the pace and his touch let him down. Kane had some lovely moments and some not so lovely moments, same for Vardy and his decision making. Danny Rose as MOTM was bizarre. Walker still seems to get caught out a couple times a game.
Spurs combine to create the first goal, then a poor Alli header, Danny Rose getting completely lost, and Walker not tucking in well enough to cover led to Turkey's goal. Rose was given a tough time in the first half, though to be fair, with Wilshere and Vardy on his side, he got no support.
As for Wilshere, I'd take him no matter what, his drive from midfield and ability to pick little passes to pick apart defenses, along with his reading of the game and getting into passing lanes makes him unique in the England midfield. He, Alli, and Dier could be an excellent midfield trio. That said, apparently Woy told Wilshere he could go wherever he wanted today. Constantly ran beyond Alli (lead to a booking), popped up on the right wing (lovely cut inside, but still). With Rose and Vardy as the left side, he has to be more disciplined and provide cover there.
Don't understand why Sterling gets so much criticism. He's not an Aaron Lennon or Theo Walcott where he needs lots of space and isolation to beat a man. He has wonderful technique and footwork, and is a natural winger who is so good at finding or creating little pockets of space. End product is still lacking, but he's tactically flexible, he's tough in the challenge, he too is coming off an injury and a mediocre season in a dreadful City side. Not great today, but not terrible either, think he'll have quite a good tournament given that, unlike in 2014, he's not the only source of pace or creativity in the side.
Defensively...Gary Cahill seems to have lost a yard of pace and gets caught out of position too much. I'd start Smalling and Stones against Australia, They're young and both have a rick in them (though I don't think Stones has been helped playing alongside Jagielka having a bad year, Funes Mori, and in front of Howard), but so does Cahill, and both are more athletic than Cahill.
All-in-all I think it's a good, young England side. Decent performance given they probably had three-four days of training together, and are missing a decent chunk of the side.
The problem I have with Wilshere is his discipline. Not just in terms of fouls (which he does give away a lot of unnecessary ones) but more importantly his positional play. If we are to play a high pressing diamond formation then he can't go wandering around the pitch in that central role. It leaves the full backs far too exposed.
I don't hide the fact I think he's overrated. A decent player, yes. Worthy of being in the squad after 100 minutes of football this season, not for me. That said the alternatives are limited so I'd have him in the squad but not if one of Drinkwater (had an excellent season and able to play to orders better than Wilshere) or Henderson (a better all round player imo) is left out.
I would take Wilshere but if we play a midfield three of Dier Wilshere and Ali against a better side we will be overrun.
Dier shields the back four, you need someone disciplined alongside to allow Alli, Kane,Vardy and one other to have those roles. So for me it would be Drinky. Can do the leg work, defensively sound and a good passer and has that relationship with Vardy similar to that of Alli/Kane.
Knowing Woy it'll be Henderson, which I won't mind. Or Milner (god help us).
Pathetic? It's about 40000 too many for an England friendly. Hats off to those that support but I really don't know how they muster up the effort when they're nearly always drab and on the box anyway.
What tonight proved is Vardy has to play down the middle, not out wide. And that he can forn a very good partnership with Kane.
This suggests a 442 diamond with Dier at the base Alli at the top. And any two from Hendo, Lallana,Wilshere, Milner the the two in between.
However I am not keen on this as we will lose all width all together so I would play a lopsided 433. Dier shielding the back 4. Drinky alongside doing the leg work, Alli in his usual role. Kane and Vardy up front together. Vardy running beyond the two CBs as he does and Kane dropping to receive the ball. Then I'd have one winger, Sterling/Lallana/townsend switching wings and causing confusion. This will also allow Alli/Vardy to drift out wide as and when they want...
Comments
Good attack but needs to work on that defence.
They ask what the Defender is supposed to do in those situations... (1) Erm dont get caught out so the Striker gets past you (2) Dont FOUL!!
Thought it was an excellent warm up for England - just the sort of quality and approach from the opposition they can expect in the group stages. not a vintage performance but flashes of what the team can do in attack and they got the job done, which is all that will matter in France.
Roy needs to work really hard over the next few couple of weeks on getting the back four organised. We don;t have any stellar talents, but they are all decent and decent can be enough if you are really well drilled. get the balance of the midfield right behind Vardy and Kane and we're definitely dark horses.
Defend like that vs a France or Germany, and possibly even Wales if Bale is on form, and it'll be curtains.
Time for Roy to earn his money on the training pitch.
But then also some terrible ones (churchinho).
Ease?
i.e. Yes they beat Belgium but failed to beat Israel and Bosnia, you could even have wondered if they'd have made it had their final game not been against Andorra.
Want the Home Nations to do well but see the others struggling, either due to the Group their in or their Tournament inexperience
Sterling is a squad player at City but he's still a good player.
I wouldnt take Sterling though... It was the one thing that Dixon got right after the match i.e. Its all well and good going past players but with his pace he should be doing that, its the fact he cant pick a pass into the box thats the problem
If we hit the ground running then we have a really good chance of semi finals. Hopefully we can avoid any injuries before hand. We usually get one, so let's hope it's not a key player.
In reality we will lose to Portugal or Italy on penalties in the QF, Have a perfectly good goal disallowed and let people who have never taken a penalty take one.
Least we won I guess but we were ready to leave after 20mins, esp being sober. Hopefully home by 1am.
A lot of mediocre individual performances today, but made for a fun friendly. Alli looked off the pace and his touch let him down. Kane had some lovely moments and some not so lovely moments, same for Vardy and his decision making. Danny Rose as MOTM was bizarre. Walker still seems to get caught out a couple times a game.
Spurs combine to create the first goal, then a poor Alli header, Danny Rose getting completely lost, and Walker not tucking in well enough to cover led to Turkey's goal. Rose was given a tough time in the first half, though to be fair, with Wilshere and Vardy on his side, he got no support.
As for Wilshere, I'd take him no matter what, his drive from midfield and ability to pick little passes to pick apart defenses, along with his reading of the game and getting into passing lanes makes him unique in the England midfield. He, Alli, and Dier could be an excellent midfield trio. That said, apparently Woy told Wilshere he could go wherever he wanted today. Constantly ran beyond Alli (lead to a booking), popped up on the right wing (lovely cut inside, but still). With Rose and Vardy as the left side, he has to be more disciplined and provide cover there.
Don't understand why Sterling gets so much criticism. He's not an Aaron Lennon or Theo Walcott where he needs lots of space and isolation to beat a man. He has wonderful technique and footwork, and is a natural winger who is so good at finding or creating little pockets of space. End product is still lacking, but he's tactically flexible, he's tough in the challenge, he too is coming off an injury and a mediocre season in a dreadful City side. Not great today, but not terrible either, think he'll have quite a good tournament given that, unlike in 2014, he's not the only source of pace or creativity in the side.
Defensively...Gary Cahill seems to have lost a yard of pace and gets caught out of position too much. I'd start Smalling and Stones against Australia, They're young and both have a rick in them (though I don't think Stones has been helped playing alongside Jagielka having a bad year, Funes Mori, and in front of Howard), but so does Cahill, and both are more athletic than Cahill.
All-in-all I think it's a good, young England side. Decent performance given they probably had three-four days of training together, and are missing a decent chunk of the side.
I don't hide the fact I think he's overrated. A decent player, yes. Worthy of being in the squad after 100 minutes of football this season, not for me. That said the alternatives are limited so I'd have him in the squad but not if one of Drinkwater (had an excellent season and able to play to orders better than Wilshere) or Henderson (a better all round player imo) is left out.
Dier shields the back four, you need someone disciplined alongside to allow Alli, Kane,Vardy and one other to have those roles. So for me it would be Drinky. Can do the leg work, defensively sound and a good passer and has that relationship with Vardy similar to that of Alli/Kane.
Knowing Woy it'll be Henderson, which I won't mind. Or Milner (god help us).
This suggests a 442 diamond with Dier at the base Alli at the top. And any two from Hendo, Lallana,Wilshere, Milner the the two in between.
However I am not keen on this as we will lose all width all together so I would play a lopsided 433.
Dier shielding the back 4. Drinky alongside doing the leg work, Alli in his usual role. Kane and Vardy up front together. Vardy running beyond the two CBs as he does and Kane dropping to receive the ball. Then I'd have one winger, Sterling/Lallana/townsend switching wings and causing confusion. This will also allow Alli/Vardy to drift out wide as and when they want...