Today's performance was a 3-1 in terms of performance - didn't get the breaks - no need for concern - it was a decent performance overall. Manager must be praised for the team but needs to be a bit braver when ahead.
It was only a 3-1, 3-0 performance if you have the ability to create/score the goals and that team clearly didn't. We were the better team by far but how many times did we actually look like scoring?
if you dominate play without scoring goals then that is a weakness .... x 10 with Vardy left benched. Unless playing us last season, 1-0 is always vulnerable.
Only supporting Charlton and England leaves you expecting not to win a match when leading in the 92nd minute. Soooooo predictable. Shouldn't be but is. Found myself laughing out loud as the ball hit the net. Resorting to chocolate now.
It was only a 3-1, 3-0 performance if you have the ability to create/score the goals and that team clearly didn't. We were the better team by far but how many times did we actually look like scoring?
Shot from Rooney that the keeper pushed onto the bar. Smalling header from corner. Rooneys shot in first half. Sterling run into box that was blocked by last ditch tackle. Llalana had 2 decent chances.
Only supporting Charlton and England leaves you expecting not to win a match when leading in the 92nd minute. Soooooo predictable. Shouldn't be but is. Found myself laughing out loud as the ball hit the net. Resorting to chocolate now.
The England fans were superb tonight. We'll finish on 7 points.
No we won't, draw against Wales and a mediocre scrappy win over Slovakia, limping into the last 16, based on that tonight. If you can't take chances against a lacklustre Russia then the top Euro sides will have a relatively easy time. Early days i guess and we haven't seen Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium yet but we weren't stand out today, not by a long stretch
In the Last ten minutes we should of keep a high line, because the Russians had no pace in their forward line, or put Vardy on to get behind the two 35 year old CB's as Kane looked knackered. Harry did not get a touch in the box in the whole game despite doing the runs. Sterling is such a poor finisher, and despite having a decent game Lallana is so weak in front of goal. We were a striker short against a very weak Russian team. Walker and Rose had good games as wing backs and Dier is very assured against this standard of opposition. Rooney long passes to both wing backs was good. England did play some good football but looked toothless in front of goal. the couple of occasion Rooney got forward he was unlucky not to score. England are well capable of beating a spirited Welsh team.
Wales are a good team with a few lesser players. They'll be pumped for it so hope we go out hard.
Bale aside, I would say only Ramsey, Williams and, maybe , Henderson would be in serious contention to get into the England squad and only Bale would definitely have started tonight's game.
It'll be a good game though. Wales are spirited and pretty well organised and would love to beat England. England should want it bad too though, especially after tonight - in fact the Russia result may help focus their minds a bit on this game and reduce the risk of complacency.
All very well talking about high lines and the like, fair comment as the may be, but lets not forget this is the youngest squad at the tournament - it has to be expected they may lack some in game smarts, but that is some of the price you pay for being able to play with the freedom in attack they showed first half.
I'm really encouraged by how well the shape worked for first half and how well Rooney and Dier played in the deeper of the three midfield. We've got to the tournament not sure if we would get a performance like vs Germany or vs Portugal, well it was much closer to Germany and probably at least as good as anything we've seen at a tournament since pre-Capello.
They do have to back it up with another good, and improving, performance vs Wales though.
@Exiled_Addick, I thought this was a really good post and agree with everything you've said.
I thought some of Rooney's cross field passes were amongst the best I've seen.
I've not watched any premiership or international football this year and Alli and even more so Dier were very good.
Kane slightly disappointed, if he gets a goal soon I think he could step on but would like to see Vardy as well. Both excellent finishers in the premiership, for me Kane bottled it slightly today and I think Vardy might do better.
Let's beat Wales and make sure we get out the group?
It's simple. Woy didn't get the starting line-up wrong, but he got his substitutions completely wrong. Despite dominating we went 1-0 up through a lucky goal, bad goalkeeping on a freekick .. this should not have sent us into the changes we made, Rooney should have stayed on - why take your captain off and the MOTM on the pitch? Sterling should have gone off at HT for Vardy - and then when we are 1-0 up late you can make a defensive substitution if needs be.
Kane slightly disappointed but he had nothing, one in 20 of Sterlings or Lallana's final balls were where he would have wanted it, and he had no one to pull defenders from him. More chance of someone sitting a little further back of netting, Alli or Lallana; with the defenders standing off them a shade.
Providing Roy learns from tonight I can see us winning the next 2 easily. Sterling is a waste of space and shouldn't be starting, Kane can't take a corner to save his life and Vardy (if he doesn't start) or Sturridge need to be brought on towards the end no matter what the score to run at the tiring defence.
Does the winner of our group play one of the 3rd best teams in the next round?
Thought we looked quite good first half. Second we didn't do too much and we were always open to the sucker punch at the end. Vardy should have been on before we scored. I expect us to beat Wales and Slovakia and then get knocked out to a decent side.
Very disappointed at the time, looking back on things though not the end of the world.
Positives The first half was about as good as I've ever seen us play Without being biased I think we may have the best attacking full back pair Rooney did suit his role Dier quality, feel so comfortable with him protecting the back 4
Negatives Roy made the wrong subs, Sterling should have came off, I think he gets more stick than he deserves but he was losing the ball far too often, we should have just took him off for Vardy, held the ball and looked to catch them and bury it.
We didn't get the Alli and Kane of Spurs, hopefully we will next game
Overall I just don't get what Roy was thinking, no balance in what he does. Takes off an attacker/midfielder for a midfielder, doesn't force his team to hold the ball though and to avoid needless passes, crosses and shots. He probably should have stayed attack minded and not held back, he took off imo one of our best three performers of the night for a midfielder when sitting back was always going to invite trouble. No doubt in my mind had we took off Sterling for Vardy instead and switched up the formation we would have been more comfortable and probably buried it.
I just don't think he knows when to play it safe and when not to. We played no different than a quality side like Spain tonight, major differences a) they would have been 3 up by half time with our chances and b) would never have been so clumsy with the ball 5-10 minutes away from three points, other than that our first half performance, if our players had their shooting boots on, I'd fancy our chances vs any side.
England were the better team, but imo that Russia team look the worst so far.
Russia had a decaying defence, awful passing, route 1 all game and they looked half arsed imo.
Don't understand why you wouldn't play extra pace next to Kane to run and stretch those CB's. They were there to be ran at.
Shutting up shop to invite pressure and not going for a second (which was there to get) was too negative.
Thought that all players barring Sterling and Lallana were decent and with more games will become better. Rooney needed a good performance last night and he gave one.
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.
We played well and deserved to win. On another night, those near misses, when the ball rattled around their goal, would have gone in.
If I have a concern it's that the better teams will not allow our full backs to rampage forward and that they will find a gap in our defence. Our style of play means that we could get picked off on the break, but Russia never really threatened with counter attacks.
It's hard to imagine that a squad that contains Church will be anywhere near good enough to hold us. However, the better teams ahead may be a different story.
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.
Comments
We were the better team by far but how many times did we actually look like scoring?
Unless playing us last season, 1-0 is always vulnerable.
First game disapointment
had no pace in their forward line, or put Vardy on to get behind the two 35 year old CB's as Kane looked knackered. Harry did not get a touch in the box in the whole game despite doing the runs. Sterling is such a poor finisher, and despite having a decent game Lallana is so weak in front of goal. We were a striker short against a very weak Russian team.
Walker and Rose had good games as wing backs and Dier is very assured against this standard of opposition. Rooney long passes to both wing backs was good.
England did play some good football but looked toothless in front of goal.
the couple of occasion Rooney got forward he was unlucky not to score.
England are well capable of beating a spirited Welsh team.
It'll be a good game though. Wales are spirited and pretty well organised and would love to beat England. England should want it bad too though, especially after tonight - in fact the Russia result may help focus their minds a bit on this game and reduce the risk of complacency.
All very well talking about high lines and the like, fair comment as the may be, but lets not forget this is the youngest squad at the tournament - it has to be expected they may lack some in game smarts, but that is some of the price you pay for being able to play with the freedom in attack they showed first half.
I'm really encouraged by how well the shape worked for first half and how well Rooney and Dier played in the deeper of the three midfield. We've got to the tournament not sure if we would get a performance like vs Germany or vs Portugal, well it was much closer to Germany and probably at least as good as anything we've seen at a tournament since pre-Capello.
They do have to back it up with another good, and improving, performance vs Wales though.
I thought some of Rooney's cross field passes were amongst the best I've seen.
I've not watched any premiership or international football this year and Alli and even more so Dier were very good.
Kane slightly disappointed, if he gets a goal soon I think he could step on but would like to see Vardy as well. Both excellent finishers in the premiership, for me Kane bottled it slightly today and I think Vardy might do better.
Let's beat Wales and make sure we get out the group?
Kane slightly disappointed but he had nothing, one in 20 of Sterlings or Lallana's final balls were where he would have wanted it, and he had no one to pull defenders from him. More chance of someone sitting a little further back of netting, Alli or Lallana; with the defenders standing off them a shade.
Thought we looked quite good first half. Second we didn't do too much and we were always open to the sucker punch at the end. Vardy should have been on before we scored. I expect us to beat Wales and Slovakia and then get knocked out to a decent side.
Hodgson isn't bold enough to make tough decisions
Positives
The first half was about as good as I've ever seen us play
Without being biased I think we may have the best attacking full back pair
Rooney did suit his role
Dier quality, feel so comfortable with him protecting the back 4
Negatives
Roy made the wrong subs, Sterling should have came off, I think he gets more stick than he deserves but he was losing the ball far too often, we should have just took him off for Vardy, held the ball and looked to catch them and bury it.
We didn't get the Alli and Kane of Spurs, hopefully we will next game
Overall I just don't get what Roy was thinking, no balance in what he does. Takes off an attacker/midfielder for a midfielder, doesn't force his team to hold the ball though and to avoid needless passes, crosses and shots. He probably should have stayed attack minded and not held back, he took off imo one of our best three performers of the night for a midfielder when sitting back was always going to invite trouble. No doubt in my mind had we took off Sterling for Vardy instead and switched up the formation we would have been more comfortable and probably buried it.
I just don't think he knows when to play it safe and when not to. We played no different than a quality side like Spain tonight, major differences a) they would have been 3 up by half time with our chances and b) would never have been so clumsy with the ball 5-10 minutes away from three points, other than that our first half performance, if our players had their shooting boots on, I'd fancy our chances vs any side.
Russia had a decaying defence, awful passing, route 1 all game and they looked half arsed imo.
Don't understand why you wouldn't play extra pace next to Kane to run and stretch those CB's. They were there to be ran at.
Shutting up shop to invite pressure and not going for a second (which was there to get) was too negative.
Thought that all players barring Sterling and Lallana were decent and with more games will become better. Rooney needed a good performance last night and he gave one.
If I have a concern it's that the better teams will not allow our full backs to rampage forward and that they will find a gap in our defence. Our style of play means that we could get picked off on the break, but Russia never really threatened with counter attacks.
It's hard to imagine that a squad that contains Church will be anywhere near good enough to hold us. However, the better teams ahead may be a different story.
Easily gone backwards since 2014 World Cup