Maybe they should do away with Qualifers and Friendlies and just combine them into one;
i.e. the top 14-FIFA Ranked Nations qualify from Europe for the World Cup, the top 24-FIFA Ranked Nations in Europe qualify for the Euros. To get yourself in the qualifying ranks you're given two years to improve your FIFA Ranking... Maybe it'll force the likes of Lithuania to improve and try and win matches rather than coming to England and being happy with a point.
Maybe they should do away with Qualifers and Friendlies and just combine them into one;
i.e. the top 14-FIFA Ranked Nations qualify from Europe for the World Cup, the top 24-FIFA Ranked Nations in Europe qualify for the Euros. To get yourself in the qualifying ranks you're given two years to improve your FIFA Ranking... Maybe it'll force the likes of Lithuania to improve and try and win matches rather than coming to England and being happy with a point.
Most international qualifiers are similar, with the lower teams parking the bus and keeping the score down, you can see that with most of the other scores this weekend
I think Southgate will be a very shrewd appointment by the FA. He embodies everything they're trying to implement at grass roots youth level and he buys into it and was previously U21 and held a youth development role. I'm a big fan of the way he gets his sides to play and he's quietly making improvements with players that suit the desired style and forward, positive, creative football.
I think Southgate will be a very shrewd appointment by the FA. He embodies everything they're trying to implement at grass roots youth level and he buys into it and was previously U21 and held a youth development role. I'm a big fan of the way he gets his sides to play and he's quietly making improvements with players that suit the desired style and forward, positive, creative football.
I like in his interviews how he's trying to see beyond the results and concentrating on how well we play, he comes across as someone trying to build a style of play,
was quite impressed that they sold over 70k for a game like that on Mother's Day, me and a pal went purely for the caps, went to the globe before which was surprisingly empty then heading to the ground back bexley by 8.30 so not too bad, saw a couple of charlton flags there which is always good to see, next up jocks away.
was quite impressed that they sold over 70k for a game like that on Mother's Day, me and a pal went purely for the caps, went to the globe before which was surprisingly empty then heading to the ground back bexley by 8.30 so not too bad, saw a couple of charlton flags there which is always good to see, next up jocks away
What? Are you flying there in a WW1 biplane from Biggin Hill?
I think Southgate will be no better than any of the others. Was on eThe team needs ore goalscorers in it. Yesterday wasa great opportunity to test out some other strategies to break down defensive sides - especially after we went 1-0 up.
One of the more enjoyable matches at wembley that I have attended.
Probably because of the nice weather and playing the match at an earlier time.
I don't think England ever got out of 2nd gear. I am not sure what we have learnt that we did not know before the match bar Keane stepping up and looking like a good England international.
I think Keane looked fine, but it wasn't really a test. I would like to see the development of a plan B but no signs of thinking that way. I think games like this are a good opportunity to do this.
Listened to 606 last night whilst driving and fans were calling in saying we "have turned the corner" "a young team going places" & "we will make the last four in Russia"
Lol, 2-0 against the mighty Lithuania and we are world beaters.
Listened to 606 last night whilst driving and fans were calling in saying we "have turned the corner" "a young team going places" & "we will make the last four in Russia"
Lol, 2-0 against the mighty Lithuania and we are world beaters.
Just wait until we beat a major nation in a meaningless world cup warm up friendly, all the flags and bunting will be out in anticipation! Then 2 weeks later the whole team will be useless cunts as we lose in the last 16 to Angola.
England have two problems. The opponents who are technically better than them - in World football there are about 8-10 of these and the well organised team who set out to frustrate them. Lithuania weren't good enough to keep us out, but the problem is when we play a side that is a little better than them as we did when we drew 0-0 to Slovakia in the Euros.
As we are likely to face this challenge in the early stages of a World cup competition, it would surely make sense to work out how to play against it. Yesterday's game whilst being comfortable was also frustrating in places. Is there a different formation that is effective against these sorts of sides, different players or styles (more direct for instance). I think it is criminal an England manager not identifying this issue from the past and using games like this to work out a plan.
Yes, we will qulaify comfortably- We did for the Euros, but how are we going to address the issues we face in major tournaments? Southgate is destined to be a failure, unless he is very fortunate! I can tell him one thing - he has too many players in the side who are not natural scorers. The two goals came from players who are and one replaced the other. I would class Alli as the only other one. We need more of them in the side.
England have two problems. The opponents who are technically better than them - in World football there are about 8-10 of these and the well organised team who set out to frustrate them. Lithuania weren't good enough to keep us out, but the problem is when we play a side that is a little better than them as we did when we drew 0-0 to Slovakia in the Euros.
As we are likely to face this challenge in the early stages of a World cup competition, it would surely make sense to work out how to play against it. Yesterday's game whilst being comfortable was also frustrating in places. Is there a different formation that is effective against these sorts of sides, different players or styles (more direct for instance). I think it is criminal an England manager not identifying this issue from the past and using games like this to work out a plan.
Yes, we will qualify comfortably- We did for the Euros, but how are we going to address the issues we face in major tournaments? Southgate is destined to be a failure, unless he is very fortunate! I can tell him one thing - he has two many players in the side who are not natural scorers. The two goals came from players who are and one replaced the other. I would class Alli as the only other one. We need more of them in the side.
The frustrating fact is we dont play them enough... We've had the draw out in Slovenia and were lucky with the win in Slovakia for current World Cup Qualifying campaign but then until the World Cup we should have a pretty straight forward list of fixtures coming up (i.e. We only have to go to Scotland | Lithuania | Malta on our travels now). Means that we wont actually know if we can break teams down until we actually get to the World Cup.
I said it after the World Cup and Euros that the FA's only concern when it comes to the friendlies is to get the big sides and constantly play them over and over again every couple of years as it gets bums on seats at Wembley which means more money for the suits yet we need to use Friendlies to our advantage.
Yes they're pointless at the moment but why not look at the teams from around the world who are potentially going to qualify for the World Cup, look at the Nations from Asia | North America | Africa | South America... Go out to Russia this summer and consider the conditions and then come back to England and try to organise friendlies against the likes of Japan | Algeria | Costa Rica (the teams that look like qualifying), then face them in neutral venues in a hot (or cold) environment and get the players acclimatised to their surroundings.
A Cyclist won't go to the Tour de France look at Ventoux and think s**t thats high, they'll have gone out there in the preceding months and will have trained cycling up there so they knew what to expect... Just look at Andy Murray, he goes out to Miami every winter to get ready for the hot conditions in Australia yet what do we do here in England...? - Nothing!!
England have some technically gifted players (Alli, Lallana etc) and against sides that give these players space to play they will shine and we should have a system for those games, say a 4231 that transitions to a 4411 in defence. Against the smaller nations who are gonna pack the defence, however, we need to have another option. It seems like England are too scared to be seen to be playing football the 'wrong' way. Play 442, take a big lump like Carroll and have a goalscorer like Vardy or Defoe running off them.
England have some technically gifted players (Alli, Lallana etc) and against sides that give these players space to play will shine and we should have a system for those games, say a 4231 that transitions to a 4411 in defence. Against the smaller nations who are gonna pack the defence, however, we need to have another option. It seems like England are too scared to be seen to be playing football the 'wrong' way. Play 442, take a big lump like Carroll and have a goalscorer like Vardy or Defoe running off them.
I think you are right - either too scared or too thick. I do know that squads don't seem to be picked with a plan B in mind - Carroll is an excellent example. He may not be our best striker - but he offers something different and sometimes you need something different!
What frustrated me yesterday was the lack of real intensity after our first goal. I was really hoping we would up the tempo for the next 5 mins and try and put them to the sword.
It is difficult though - because our opponents let us have as much of the ball as we wanted until we got into the attacking areas. I always think you should be seeing as many as your shirts as opponents shirts in those danger areas when there isn't a major threat to you.
Comments
'England at Wembley. You can't describe it.'
Bloody hell.
i.e. the top 14-FIFA Ranked Nations qualify from Europe for the World Cup, the top 24-FIFA Ranked Nations in Europe qualify for the Euros. To get yourself in the qualifying ranks you're given two years to improve your FIFA Ranking... Maybe it'll force the likes of Lithuania to improve and try and win matches rather than coming to England and being happy with a point.
Just another typical England home match
Seemed like we tried walking it in sometimes and wish the atmosphere was really good but it doesn't happen with England too much.
At the end of the day, was my first time at an England game at Wembley, and had a good day!
How many did they have for sale?
Hope she enjoyed the game.
Probably because of the nice weather and playing the match at an earlier time.
I don't think England ever got out of 2nd gear. I am not sure what we have learnt that we did not know before the match bar Keane stepping up and looking like a good England international.
Lol, 2-0 against the mighty Lithuania and we are world beaters.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has definitely got worse though.
As we are likely to face this challenge in the early stages of a World cup competition, it would surely make sense to work out how to play against it. Yesterday's game whilst being comfortable was also frustrating in places. Is there a different formation that is effective against these sorts of sides, different players or styles (more direct for instance). I think it is criminal an England manager not identifying this issue from the past and using games like this to work out a plan.
Yes, we will qulaify comfortably- We did for the Euros, but how are we going to address the issues we face in major tournaments? Southgate is destined to be a failure, unless he is very fortunate! I can tell him one thing - he has too many players in the side who are not natural scorers. The two goals came from players who are and one replaced the other. I would class Alli as the only other one. We need more of them in the side.
I said it after the World Cup and Euros that the FA's only concern when it comes to the friendlies is to get the big sides and constantly play them over and over again every couple of years as it gets bums on seats at Wembley which means more money for the suits yet we need to use Friendlies to our advantage.
Yes they're pointless at the moment but why not look at the teams from around the world who are potentially going to qualify for the World Cup, look at the Nations from Asia | North America | Africa | South America... Go out to Russia this summer and consider the conditions and then come back to England and try to organise friendlies against the likes of Japan | Algeria | Costa Rica (the teams that look like qualifying), then face them in neutral venues in a hot (or cold) environment and get the players acclimatised to their surroundings.
A Cyclist won't go to the Tour de France look at Ventoux and think s**t thats high, they'll have gone out there in the preceding months and will have trained cycling up there so they knew what to expect... Just look at Andy Murray, he goes out to Miami every winter to get ready for the hot conditions in Australia yet what do we do here in England...? - Nothing!!