I thought that we were lucky to win and Wales probably deserved a draw.
Setting that aside, sitting as deep as Wales did is always going to invite trouble, and their organisation which was impressive for most of the was undone by a direct run from Sturridge.
It was good to see Roy make positive changes although if we had held on against Russia I worry that he may have been happy to hold out for a draw and ended up being as negative as Wales in those closing moments.
Players:
Hart - rightly criticised for not dealing with the freekick better but giving bale a chance in the middle of the park is inviting trouble. With the power he can hit the ball with being further out is more of a blessing than a curse as it gives him more room to get the ball up and down.
Walker - my man of the match. Looked the most likely to make something happen in the second half. With Lallana sitting inside most of the game he offered our only real width.
Cahill & Smalling - barely tested but did well enough when called on.
Rose - similar to walker. I'm still concerned when he is called on to defend as he has a tendency to get too far forward and can get caught out relying on his pace to get back.
Lallana - average. Didn't offer too much, I think he should be taking corners.
Dier - tidy. Tried to put some balls through without effect but swept up in front of the defence well.
Alli - good first half, second half the tactics didn't suit him until he shifted back in behind Vardy.
Sterling - doesn't look half the player he was at Liverpool. Confidence gone? A glaring hole in Roy's squad that wasn't mentioned often was the fact that we only have 2 wingers. Maybe rose could play there with Bertrand behind him?
Kane - better than the Russia game. Started the move for the sterling chance. Was isolated at times and not as direct as Sturridge and Vardy.
Vardy - he's having a party! Had one chance and took it. Wales felt aggrieved but Williams did head it and I can only imagine the 5th/6th official saw it as there is no way that the linesman did. With Wales so deep the space for his runs was limited. We looked disjointed and I can't help but feel Drinkwater would have been useful in this squad.
Sturridge - frustrating for 40 mins with his penchant for blasting over the bar from distance and not looking to pass until it was too late. But he was direct and this unsettled Wales and got us the goal. Moved across the pitch without complaint and worked hard for the team.
Rashford - well at least he isn't another Walcott. A couple of decent runs at the RB but out of place on the left and was crowded out when he cut inside. Potential but was this a tournament too early for him?
Agreed... After he almost got an assist in the 2nd minute, I reckon we should try Lallana on corners as that was a lovely cross from him.
I get why we're using Strikers to take the corners as they know exactly where the ball should be played for an attempt on goal yet at the same time would like to have Rooney / Vardy / Sturridge / Kane / Rashford all in the penalty area because they'll have the instinct to strike the ball at goal when it drops in the area.
We shouldn't go overboard on Sterling - could still have an important part to play from the bench in the right circumstances. Lallana is a fantastic player who doesn't give you loads of goals. That becomes less of a problem if others around him do. There has to be a statistical as well as a tactical approach to football. Getting goals into the team doesn't necessarily mean you drop Lallana, but you do need to know where you can inject them. Woy did that in the second half by overloading the team with strikers! But the solution is to look at all positions and shouldn't be confined to strikers. John Terry is a centre half who at his peak scored goals at a similar rate to Lallana - having (a younger) him in the side would allow you to have less goals in other positions. But a balance has to be struck in any team - non league- lower league, premiership or international.
Ian Wright spot on about what Bale said after the game saying they deserved more for what they gave??? Gave what? One free kick? Hart was a bystander in the second half. Bale is very deluded.
Exactly. They defended well and dug in but offered nothing going forward.
Bale wants to keep up the confidence in his side. He seems to me to be a great leader on the pitch. I wish him and Wales all the best in the tournament, now we have deservedly beaten them. If you want to pick out a player who should be criticised, Bale has a team mate at Madrid, whose behaviour has been a disgrace!
Great day out in Lens capped by a last minute come from behind winner. Scenes when the 2nd goal went in were crazy.
Had to feel for the Welsh who defended well and restricted our chances.
Thought we were poor 1st half. Full back rarely if ever got forward and Rooney had re-found his usual tournament form.
But 2nd half we push Rose and Walker up and tried to make something happen. Did created that much and the long range shots sailing over the bar showed how well Wales held us. But it was nearly all England as an attacking force and they got the goal.
Just as the last minute goal v Russia didn't mean "sack Hodgson/they're all useless" this goal doesn't make us champions. Such as the fine margins in football but this is a decent group of players. Keep them together until the next world cup, please.
PS saw no trouble, fans happily mixing and lots of police who were visible but not intrusive.
Great day out in Lens capped by a last minute come from behind winner. Scenes when the 2nd goal went in were crazy.
Had to feel for the Welsh who defended well and restricted our chances.
Thought we were poor 1st half. Full back rarely if ever got forward and Rooney had re-found his usual tournament form.
But 2nd half we push Rose and Walker up and tried to make something happen. Did created that much and the long range shots sailing over the bar showed how well Wales held us. But it was nearly all England as an attacking force and they got the goal.
Just as the last minute goal v Russia didn't mean "sack Hodgson/they're all useless" this goal doesn't make us champions. Such as the fine margins in football but this is a decent group of players. Keep them together until the next world cup, please.
PS saw no trouble, fans happily mixing and lots of police who were visible but not intrusive.
Were you with one of the Charlton flags? I saw 3 around the ground - one in the corner near where I was sitting (by the tinted glass police box thing) and 2 by the steps in the opposite corner.
No flags. I was in the neutral area alongside the Welsh in the upper tier although there were plenty of English in there too. I saw those flags and have some bad long shots pics.
Can't believe the criticism Lallana is getting from some. Every team needs a 'water carrier' and Lallana supplies that and more.
I hope you are not including me in that statement, I have said he is an excellent player. I have been critical of his goalscoring record for an attacking midfielder, but I don't see how that criticism can be argued. It is based on clear fact. Of course teams need different attributes and a strong case can be made for Lallana's involvement but an issue for me is that Lallana's lack of goals are not compensated for elsewhere in the original starting line up. If you can put goals in the team elsewhere, that is fine and having attacking players like Sterling and Lallana with roughly 1 in 10 conversion rates, playing Rooney deeper and only one up front, makes us a bit toothless!
You are not going to look great against these teams who look like they would die for the cause. You just have to find a way to win and this time we managed it.
Slovakia can play a bit so looking foward to Monday.
Dont see Slovakia playing against us reckon they'll shut up shop against us like Wales and Russia to get that point...
Just mentioned on the Euro 2016 thread that 4-pts will be enough to see any third placed team through... Reckon thats why Wales took that approach yesterday, as despite the commentators saying, Wales were officially through until we won it.
I had to ask my mate if Wales had taken Bale off in the second half. He did nothing in the second 45. First half scored a free kick, second half glanced a header wide. What other contribution did he make? England made all the running and deserved to win.
I'm expecting Wales to run out of steam and Russia to finally put in a performance. If Wales don't win we'll just need a draw to win the group - we're more than capable of that if the side that started the second half yesterday start from the outset against Slovakia.
I had to ask my mate if Wales had taken Bale off in the second half. He did nothing in the second 45. First half scored a free kick, second half glanced a header wide. What other contribution did he make? England made all the running and deserved to win.
You would expect they'd leave him high up the pitch, so if they win the ball they can knock it up there and he can probably create something on his own. But no, he was behind the ball along with the rest of his team.
Sturridge had a few frustrating long range cracks but I thought in general he made all the difference. So calm on the ball, happy to hold it on the edge of their box. An unbelievable finisher and can't think that England have ever had a more skillful striker. I'm a big fan and when fit I think he'd get into any first 11 at this tournament.
I agree entirely with the Sterling criticism except the ones saying he has the brain the size of a peanut. His runs are intelligent and he knows how to work and find space. The problem is that after he's done all the hard work, he swings his foot at the ball and misses it. It's bizarre but not down to footballing intelligence. Psychology, maybe. Perhaps he's going to be a Walcott and never quite fulfill that potential.
Rooney is FINALLY playing well at an international tournament. I for one didn't think he should be playing but he's shut me up and good on him. You can tell how much playing for England means to him.
We must have the fittest full backs around. The way they get up and down the pitch is astonishing. Kyle Walker has grown from an average Premier League player to something quite better.
Lallana works hard and has unbelievable technical ability. People question his end product and I do think it's an issue but don't see anyone else in the side who deserves a place on the wing more.
Let's hope we've found our form, smash Slovakia and charge into the next rounds. I'm optimistic but realistic: it's still England.
Can't believe the criticism Lallana is getting from some. Every team needs a 'water carrier' and Lallana supplies that and more.
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
To be a good international player you need to do the following extra quickly: receive the ball, control it, pass it and find your man. The best at this are Llanana and Welbeck. They would always be the first two on my teamsheet.
I love that cartoon. The joke about the French police is great, and the parting shot of God is spot on when considering Kim Jong Un, Putin, Trump and Boris Johnson.
Can't believe the criticism Lallana is getting from some. Every team needs a 'water carrier' and Lallana supplies that and more.
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
To be a good international player you need to do the following extra quickly: receive the ball, control it, pass it and find your man. The best at this are Llanana and Welbeck. They would always be the first two on my teamsheet.
I'd expect everybody in my team to be able to do that!
I thought that we were lucky to win and Wales probably deserved a draw.
Setting that aside, sitting as deep as Wales did is always going to invite trouble, and their organisation which was impressive for most of the was undone by a direct run from Sturridge.
It was good to see Roy make positive changes although if we had held on against Russia I worry that he may have been happy to hold out for a draw and ended up being as negative as Wales in those closing moments.
Players:
Hart - rightly criticised for not dealing with the freekick better but giving bale a chance in the middle of the park is inviting trouble. With the power he can hit the ball with being further out is more of a blessing than a curse as it gives him more room to get the ball up and down.
Walker - my man of the match. Looked the most likely to make something happen in the second half. With Lallana sitting inside most of the game he offered our only real width.
Cahill & Smalling - barely tested but did well enough when called on.
Rose - similar to walker. I'm still concerned when he is called on to defend as he has a tendency to get too far forward and can get caught out relying on his pace to get back.
Lallana - average. Didn't offer too much, I think he should be taking corners.
Dier - tidy. Tried to put some balls through without effect but swept up in front of the defence well.
Alli - good first half, second half the tactics didn't suit him until he shifted back in behind Vardy.
Sterling - doesn't look half the player he was at Liverpool. Confidence gone? A glaring hole in Roy's squad that wasn't mentioned often was the fact that we only have 2 wingers. Maybe rose could play there with Bertrand behind him?
Kane - better than the Russia game. Started the move for the sterling chance. Was isolated at times and not as direct as Sturridge and Vardy.
Vardy - he's having a party! Had one chance and took it. Wales felt aggrieved but Williams did head it and I can only imagine the 5th/6th official saw it as there is no way that the linesman did. With Wales so deep the space for his runs was limited. We looked disjointed and I can't help but feel Drinkwater would have been useful in this squad.
Sturridge - frustrating for 40 mins with his penchant for blasting over the bar from distance and not looking to pass until it was too late. But he was direct and this unsettled Wales and got us the goal. Moved across the pitch without complaint and worked hard for the team.
Rashford - well at least he isn't another Walcott. A couple of decent runs at the RB but out of place on the left and was crowded out when he cut inside. Potential but was this a tournament too early for him?
Onto Slovakia!
So Wales deserved a draw but barely tested our centre backs?
Watched the game at the Irish bar, with some Welsh friends, had to listen to some yank moan about how boring football is for most of the game.....
What a great result! Get in! Neither Sterling or Kane can start next week, surely?
Was he an NFL fan? Probably not enough breaks in the game for him to pop out and get sodas and corn dogs. He had probably also allocated 4 hours out of his schedule for it.
Watched the game at the Irish bar, with some Welsh friends, had to listen to some yank moan about how boring football is for most of the game.....
What a great result! Get in! Neither Sterling or Kane can start next week, surely?
Was he an NFL fan? Probably not enough breaks in the game for him to pop out and get sodas and corn dogs. He had probably also allocated 4 hours out of his schedule for it.
Baseball, he kept banging on about the lack of goals, totally missing the point that a game not having 985349085094285 goals is what makes the game special.
Watched the game at the Irish bar, with some Welsh friends, had to listen to some yank moan about how boring football is for most of the game.....
What a great result! Get in! Neither Sterling or Kane can start next week, surely?
Was he an NFL fan? Probably not enough breaks in the game for him to pop out and get sodas and corn dogs. He had probably also allocated 4 hours out of his schedule for it.
Baseball, he kept banging on about the lack of goals, totally missing the point that a game not having 985349085094285 goals is what makes the game special.
He better not be there on Monday.
Did he shout "it's a home run!" when Bale's free kick went in?
Comments
Setting that aside, sitting as deep as Wales did is always going to invite trouble, and their organisation which was impressive for most of the was undone by a direct run from Sturridge.
It was good to see Roy make positive changes although if we had held on against Russia I worry that he may have been happy to hold out for a draw and ended up being as negative as Wales in those closing moments.
Players:
Hart - rightly criticised for not dealing with the freekick better but giving bale a chance in the middle of the park is inviting trouble. With the power he can hit the ball with being further out is more of a blessing than a curse as it gives him more room to get the ball up and down.
Walker - my man of the match. Looked the most likely to make something happen in the second half. With Lallana sitting inside most of the game he offered our only real width.
Cahill & Smalling - barely tested but did well enough when called on.
Rose - similar to walker. I'm still concerned when he is called on to defend as he has a tendency to get too far forward and can get caught out relying on his pace to get back.
Lallana - average. Didn't offer too much, I think he should be taking corners.
Dier - tidy. Tried to put some balls through without effect but swept up in front of the defence well.
Alli - good first half, second half the tactics didn't suit him until he shifted back in behind Vardy.
Sterling - doesn't look half the player he was at Liverpool. Confidence gone? A glaring hole in Roy's squad that wasn't mentioned often was the fact that we only have 2 wingers. Maybe rose could play there with Bertrand behind him?
Kane - better than the Russia game. Started the move for the sterling chance. Was isolated at times and not as direct as Sturridge and Vardy.
Vardy - he's having a party! Had one chance and took it. Wales felt aggrieved but Williams did head it and I can only imagine the 5th/6th official saw it as there is no way that the linesman did. With Wales so deep the space for his runs was limited. We looked disjointed and I can't help but feel Drinkwater would have been useful in this squad.
Sturridge - frustrating for 40 mins with his penchant for blasting over the bar from distance and not looking to pass until it was too late. But he was direct and this unsettled Wales and got us the goal. Moved across the pitch without complaint and worked hard for the team.
Rashford - well at least he isn't another Walcott. A couple of decent runs at the RB but out of place on the left and was crowded out when he cut inside. Potential but was this a tournament too early for him?
Onto Slovakia!
I get why we're using Strikers to take the corners as they know exactly where the ball should be played for an attempt on goal yet at the same time would like to have Rooney / Vardy / Sturridge / Kane / Rashford all in the penalty area because they'll have the instinct to strike the ball at goal when it drops in the area.
Exactly. They defended well and dug in but offered nothing going forward.
Had to feel for the Welsh who defended well and restricted our chances.
Thought we were poor 1st half. Full back rarely if ever got forward and Rooney had re-found his usual tournament form.
But 2nd half we push Rose and Walker up and tried to make something happen. Did created that much and the long range shots sailing over the bar showed how well Wales held us. But it was nearly all England as an attacking force and they got the goal.
Just as the last minute goal v Russia didn't mean "sack Hodgson/they're all useless" this goal doesn't make us champions. Such as the fine margins in football but this is a decent group of players. Keep them together until the next world cup, please.
PS saw no trouble, fans happily mixing and lots of police who were visible but not intrusive.
The winner was crazy in there, great moment.
The Wales celebration was equally as big.
You are not going to look great against these teams who look like they would die for the cause. You just have to find a way to win and this time we managed it.
Slovakia can play a bit so looking foward to Monday.
Just mentioned on the Euro 2016 thread that 4-pts will be enough to see any third placed team through... Reckon thats why Wales took that approach yesterday, as despite the commentators saying, Wales were officially through until we won it.
Sturridge had a few frustrating long range cracks but I thought in general he made all the difference. So calm on the ball, happy to hold it on the edge of their box. An unbelievable finisher and can't think that England have ever had a more skillful striker. I'm a big fan and when fit I think he'd get into any first 11 at this tournament.
I agree entirely with the Sterling criticism except the ones saying he has the brain the size of a peanut. His runs are intelligent and he knows how to work and find space. The problem is that after he's done all the hard work, he swings his foot at the ball and misses it. It's bizarre but not down to footballing intelligence. Psychology, maybe. Perhaps he's going to be a Walcott and never quite fulfill that potential.
Rooney is FINALLY playing well at an international tournament. I for one didn't think he should be playing but he's shut me up and good on him. You can tell how much playing for England means to him.
We must have the fittest full backs around. The way they get up and down the pitch is astonishing. Kyle Walker has grown from an average Premier League player to something quite better.
Lallana works hard and has unbelievable technical ability. People question his end product and I do think it's an issue but don't see anyone else in the side who deserves a place on the wing more.
Let's hope we've found our form, smash Slovakia and charge into the next rounds. I'm optimistic but realistic: it's still England.
To be a good international player you need to do the following extra quickly: receive the ball, control it, pass it and find your man.
The best at this are Llanana and Welbeck. They would always be the first two on my teamsheet.
The joke about the French police is great, and the parting shot of God is spot on when considering Kim Jong Un, Putin, Trump and Boris Johnson.
Me no understandee...
He better not be there on Monday.
Yank who likes baseball but thinks football is boring... Right o