Felt a bit sorry for Sterling last night, great pace, looks up, when he gets to the byline, and only Kane in the box, knew England fans would make him the fall guy, yet when he was taken off, England was winning 1-0.
Yeah we werent 1-0 up thanks to him though... About three times in the second half alone he just ran blindly into an alley of players or couldnt cross the ball past their first man.
I was there last night, buzzing atmosphere until to the end when for the first time I've actually been scared at a football match. Really terrible. Thankfully everyone I was with are ok.
We should have been 2 up at half time and a classic made to pay for not taking your chances. Gutted the way it happened. No idea how Kane didn't come off for Vardy and bringing Milner on baffled me all he did was slip over and watch us score. On to the next one and I am still confident of beating Wales although the game is going to be massive.
The problem is, to play that system at least, we don't have a whole lot of options instead of Sterling. We need some pace and ball carrying ability in the team, and probably only Sterling and Rashford offer that from wide. That's why Townsend should have gone as well.
Vardy offers plenty of pace, but he isn't a wide player and does his running without the ball.
Also, to play him and Kane, you have to drop one of Rooney or Alli imho, or at the very least play one of them in a position that badly stifles them.
I wouldn't be against Rashford starting for Sterling, he would add another goal threat at least, but I think it'll be the same XI vs Wales.
Apparently I'm the only one in the country (despite not being in the country) who thought Rooney was relatively poor. He charged around a bit, but he looked knackered from 55 minutes, and the Gerrard diagonals don't serve a purpose most of the time, and when he can't play them he simply plays a soft 4-5 yard pass to a teammate as if to say "here, deal with it." He seems to have a terrible case of too many touches, where he seems to need three, four, or five to make up his mind. When he was on for England, they looked "composed," but frankly, he should have been taken off ten minutes earlier because he was walking.
Sturridge is by far the best bet as a replacement for Sterling. Although it's not his position, he certainly couldn't do any worse than Sterling. That Roy didn't take another winger indicates he must have someone else in mind to play there at some point...
Woy wont drop Kane - he needs someone to take the corners !
Would be way too early to do that anyway. He had a below par game but not an absolute stinker. No one was suggesting he shouldn't play before yesterday and he's the most natural pivot for the neat and tidy football we were playing around their penalty area yesterday.
We were very close to a relatively impressive win, I hope Roy tweaks things but there's no need to do anything radical. One win from the next two will see us through, so there is time to give this side another game to bed in.
Woy wont drop Kane - he needs someone to take the corners !
Would be way too early to do that anyway. He had a below par game but not an absolute stinker. No one was suggesting he shouldn't play before yesterday and he's the most natural pivot for the neat and tidy football we were playing around their penalty area yesterday.
We were very close to a relatively impressive win, I hope Roy tweakrs things but there's no need to do anything radical. One win from the next two will see us through, so there is time to give this side another game to bed in.
It won't happen but to drop Kane would be ridiculous .. I guess the reason Kane was taking the corners and frees was because the only other reliable dead ball man Henderson was not in the team .. Kane needs to concentrate on the goal, not the corner flags and referees ten yard markers .. Sterling can't start against Wales .. as mentioned by a few, Sturridge should be the one
Sturridge is by far the best bet as a replacement for Sterling. Although it's not his position, he certainly couldn't do any worse than Sterling. That Roy didn't take another winger indicates he must have someone else in mind to play there at some point...
Agreed - used to play there a fair bit for Chelsea too so won't be alien to him.
Was out for the game but I definitely agree that Sterling is being ridiculously picked on by the media (and has happened since he dared leave Liverpool). Bound to lose the ball because he is the man in the team to take on players.
Noticed a few times where he did his man, got to the edge of the 18 yard box and no one was in the box for him to hit it to so what is he supposed to do. Kane was definitely the worst of the two.
I think Vardy should have come on earlier but I'd be happy to give that same line up a go vs Wales except Wilshere in for Rooney (won't happen though).
Sturridge isn't a winger, stop playing players out of position it doesn't work. How long does it take for people to get used to this after Gerrard/Lampard/Scholes
A few people in the pub last night still insisted Rooney was shit. He was the best player on the pitch! It does make me laugh!
The problem is, Rooney divides opinion so much, when he has a good game, people are blind to it and will still slate him. It's what England fans have always done with their top sportsman. It's the English way
Had we won 1-0 everyone would have been happy with a solid start.
Yes but, isn't that the point. Typical England. Can't hold on to a lead even when we get it. Same old.
while a victory would have been gratefully received, England's failure to break down opposition,which is a recurring theme, for me, is a worry. probably should have brought on vardy.
A few people in the pub last night still insisted Rooney was shit. He was the best player on the pitch! It does make me laugh!
The problem is, Rooney divides opinion so much, when he has a good game, people are blind to it and will still slate him. It's what England fans have always done with their top sportsman. It's the English way
Think Rooney was spraying some lovely passes about and a throughball he played was top class. Was thinking maybe he could be our Pirlo. Similar characters after all....
I'm normally really harsh on Wayne Rooney but he was fantastic last night and played very intelligently. The closest player we will ever have to that magician Andrea Pirlo was Paul Scholes. Although watching Pirlo now playing in the states makes me very sad. He cannot be arsed
I think we were too light in midfield in the second half, with Lallana and Sterling fading and Rooney starting to run out of steam, although the damage was really done in the first half when we failed to get our noses in front when we were on top. For all the hyperbole of the ITV commentator, we didn't really create a clear cut chance in that first half, save perhaps for the two good shots straight at the goalie and the one Lallana that screwed wide.
We should nevertheless have seen it out against what look like one of the tournament's more bovine sides. Hopefully Russia and the disgusting element of their support will be sent on their way by Slovenia and Wales.
I'd certainly be tempted to play Vardy against Wales to pull their central defence around and pin their full backs deeper, thereby giving us a potential advantage in midfield and depriving them of additional width going forward.Given the choice of facing Vardy's pace or Sterling/Lallana, I suspect they'd opt for the latter.
Think that this is the game where Vardy should be starting, if you put him up against the Wales cb's in the Premier League, then you would back him to score more times that not.
Definitely wouldn't pick him for every game, but this is the type of game that is made for him to make an impact.
The thing with someone like Vardy, is that at the moment he is covered with gold fairy dust and everything he touches turns to gold, we need to milk him for all we can now, because the odds are that come next season he won't be in this form again.
I'm not getting all the remarks about us being unlucky and deserved more etc. Russia set up to park the bus, so we naturally had the lions share of possession, but we didn't use it to any advantage. One decent free kick and a good low shot from Rooney was just about all we created.
Far too many passengers out there last night. Kane, Sterling, Delli Alli, Lalana (2nd half) all under-performed. It was like they were taunting us to try and break them down.
I understand not starting Vardy, as his game is all about playing into the space behind the back line and there wasn't one. But why not bring him on once we scored, as Russia were forced to finally push forward. Instead, we make negative subs and take the foot off the gas, then seem shocked that we've blown it yet again.
I still think we'll get out of the group (just), but not expecting anymore than that.............
England should have won this 4-0. Same old problems, panic in front of goal, inability to take chances .. Uncle Roy made an elementary mistake .. He's stood by Rooney as his captain .. just after we take the lead, Rooney is replaced, just at a time when a calm, older head was needed. Wales will be flying after their win, we'll need at least a point from Thursday .. however, the Slovaks look VERY weak. The Team: Sterling ? the quickest player on the planet to run up blind, dead end alleys .. Kane ? .. he is the main striker, how come he's taking corners and free kicks .. sort it out lads f f s, we should walk this group
Great point about Kane and taking corners Lincs (as indeed mentioned by others). It just does not make sense and is totally illogical. Just been listening to Terry Butcher, John Motson and Kevin Kilbane on 5 Live and they too are perplexed by this tactic/decision. Hodgson comes across as quite a stubborn fella so I can't see punditry and fan pressure making him see sense on this one.
Personally, he was tactically naive yesterday. If he had settled for the 1-0 (as it appeared), he should have dropped Dier into the central defence or brought on John Stones. For me, their aged defence was there for the taking in the latter stages so the ineffective Kane should have been taken off for Vardy, who in turn would have pulled them all over the place at the back, creating more space for Alli / Rooney as Russia pushed on to equalise.
Whether we like it or not (and in hindsight), removing Rooney was a poor tactical decision.
Yeah, a 67 year old bloke with every coaching qualification you can get, who has managed some of the biggest clubs in the world and been managing in international tournaments for 25 years is definitely "tactically naive" - you've nailed it there mate.
Whilst a layman fan, cant accuse Roy Hodgson of being tactically naive, I think you can accuse him of being innately conservative.
At 1-0 up it was a stick or twist moment, and Roy chose to stick and we paid the price.
The real problem he has of course is that the attack minded squad he has selected, is probably directly opposed to his natural conservative instincts, so we end up with the worst of both worlds.
Comments
We should have been 2 up at half time and a classic made to pay for not taking your chances. Gutted the way it happened. No idea how Kane didn't come off for Vardy and bringing Milner on baffled me all he did was slip over and watch us score. On to the next one and I am still confident of beating Wales although the game is going to be massive.
Vardy offers plenty of pace, but he isn't a wide player and does his running without the ball.
Also, to play him and Kane, you have to drop one of Rooney or Alli imho, or at the very least play one of them in a position that badly stifles them.
I wouldn't be against Rashford starting for Sterling, he would add another goal threat at least, but I think it'll be the same XI vs Wales.
We were very close to a relatively impressive win, I hope Roy tweaks things but there's no need to do anything radical. One win from the next two will see us through, so there is time to give this side another game to bed in.
Noticed a few times where he did his man, got to the edge of the 18 yard box and no one was in the box for him to hit it to so what is he supposed to do. Kane was definitely the worst of the two.
I think Vardy should have come on earlier but I'd be happy to give that same line up a go vs Wales except Wilshere in for Rooney (won't happen though).
Sturridge isn't a winger, stop playing players out of position it doesn't work. How long does it take for people to get used to this after Gerrard/Lampard/Scholes
The problem is, Rooney divides opinion so much, when he has a good game, people are blind to it and will still slate him. It's what England fans have always done with their top sportsman. It's the English way
We should nevertheless have seen it out against what look like one of the tournament's more bovine sides. Hopefully Russia and the disgusting element of their support will be sent on their way by Slovenia and Wales.
I'd certainly be tempted to play Vardy against Wales to pull their central defence around and pin their full backs deeper, thereby giving us a potential advantage in midfield and depriving them of additional width going forward.Given the choice of facing Vardy's pace or Sterling/Lallana, I suspect they'd opt for the latter.
Definitely wouldn't pick him for every game, but this is the type of game that is made for him to make an impact.
The thing with someone like Vardy, is that at the moment he is covered with gold fairy dust and everything he touches turns to gold, we need to milk him for all we can now, because the odds are that come next season he won't be in this form again.
Far too many passengers out there last night. Kane, Sterling, Delli Alli, Lalana (2nd half) all under-performed. It was like they were taunting us to try and break them down.
I understand not starting Vardy, as his game is all about playing into the space behind the back line and there wasn't one. But why not bring him on once we scored, as Russia were forced to finally push forward. Instead, we make negative subs and take the foot off the gas, then seem shocked that we've blown it yet again.
I still think we'll get out of the group (just), but not expecting anymore than that.............
At 1-0 up it was a stick or twist moment, and Roy chose to stick and we paid the price.
The real problem he has of course is that the attack minded squad he has selected, is probably directly opposed to his natural conservative instincts, so we end up with the worst of both worlds.