The Football.....

[Sale Madrid]

If you look at Chelsea's success in the Champions league I think it was down in part to a little luck but mainly down to their foreign players stepping up when it mattered - they were always at the races in those games whereas the England team were little boys playing against men.

I think they should have taken Young off, left Welbeck on and if Milner was tired, bring him off and play with 10 instead of putting Carroll on - the sight of that big oaf tripping over his daft feet must have had the watching continentals laughing their socks off.

 

[Sale Madrid]

I too was surprised by the non substitution of Rooney. He seemed both out of form and knackered. I guess the thinking was that maybe he might produce a moment of genius... though I think Wellbeck has shown he can do that. I reckon Hodgson has done well in getting the team to play to a system with the players he's got in a very short space of time. Just a shame it's not a particularly attractive nor successful system; men behind the ball, play deep and counter.

Still, the right team went through imho. Italy are out of sorts themselves, a shadow of the team they were, but still the better looking side, again imho. Pirlo was excellent and everywhere. Looks like a cyclist too!

Spain v Germany final then? Germany to take it is my pick.

Hodgson - Chose a Captain who is not only technically rubbish, but also couldn't lead the team. The tactics appeared to be, give the ball back to the Italians at every opportunity and let's give their playmaker Pirlo, all the space he needs to run the game. I think even I could have come up with a system like that !

 

[Inertia]

I support Liverpool so I have no great opinion on Hodgson

I thought he did a good job of making them play like a team its just a pity its a very negative team . They helped each other out and supported each other which is an improvement. He also didn't have much time to work with them so on the whole think he did a decent job, I don't think they should sack him, but this is the FA, its their fault English football is in this state.

I DO think that when you aren't very good at penalties, its probably a mistake to play for them. Id rather we attacked and went for it and get beat or win in regular time than playing negative. In hindsight Rooney shouldn't have been taken, he wasn't fit, Young hasn't performed in any game IMO, both should have been subbed.

I think we should do what Germany did, invest in the youth and build for the future.

 

[Inertia]

Hodgson - Chose a Captain who is not only technically rubbish, but also couldn't lead the team. The tactics appeared to be, give the ball back to the Italians at every opportunity and let's give their playmaker Pirlo, all the space he needs to run the game. I think even I could have come up with a system like that !

Are you saying Gerrard chose the tactics, or are those two separate points?

 

[Nearly there]

Good Job England didnt get to play that well organised and all round better team The Germans

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Well, if they were paid £300 a week, you could kind of forgive them for not being up to it. For £100k a week, I'd expect them to be able to pass the ball to each other a couple of times - something they couldn't manage for the last 75 minutes of the game. This is the all time worst England team. All we achieved was a lucky win against Sweden - a country with a population of just 4 million and a tin pot 3rd rate league of their own - England were a disgrace in football terms.

Trouble is last night,Italy hogged the ball.I was going to look up the stats,but I suspect Italy had 66% of the ball.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

[QUOTE 1904496, member: 9609"]Yes, it was really unfair and selfish of them!

They also seemed to have more players on the pitch than we did.[/quote]


I like the sarcasm.

They were the better team,end of story.That was my point,sarcasm not needed.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

[QUOTE 1904524, member: 9609"]I was more joining in with your sarcasm than aiming it at you

England were dreadful, Italy just overwhelmed us, we just couldn't seem to get any time or space with the ball, the Italians just seemed to want it so much more.

I think England were very lucky not to have lost two or three nil in normal time.[/quote]


No prob,sorry.

Im not even disappointed England lost.Think you are right that we were lucky that we didn't lose by two or three to nil.

 

[Inertia]

Bring back the good old days

 

[User482]

I thought that Hodgson did a good job in getting the team to play to its potential. You can't polish a turd...

 

[rollinstok]

Ashley Cole, John Terry, Stevie Gerrard and Glen Johnston were the best of a bad bunch imho
The Man U contingent were useless
The problem with English clubs is the fact that at youth level, physical strength, speed and size seem to be more important factors in a young players development than skill. I wonder how many English clubs would have let a young Messi go
The premiership consists of solid English players with almost all the flair being imported

 

[RedRider]

I thought that Hodgson did a good job in getting the team to play to its potential. You can't polish a turd...

Hodgson did a good job of getting the team to play to his potential. I dread to think the influence he's gonna have on England's young talent/the English game over the next year or two. Given enough time he'd have a Barca squad playing like West Brom (which he would see as a success).

 

[MrJamie]

My view is somewhat biased by watching it in a packed pub of loud England supporters, getting excited everytime we got the ball and celebrating each save/miss by the Italians as if we had scored. I thought we did alright though, although i dont watch football outside of internationals (i like the pub football atmosphere more than the sport), but it was the first tournament in a while I have had any faith in the goalkeeper and defense, not letting in a ridiculous goal or us going out to a disallowed goal or down to 10 men because rooneys stamped on someones balls.

I dont know what people expect from England, were not in the same class as the world champions and I thought nearly getting to the last 4 was a good result - we didnt even qualify for the tournament last time and only got out of the group twice before i think since 1980. I hope they keep Roy on for another tournament and see how well he can do with some time.

Im no expert on football, but I think since we dont really try to score from range or have a Ronaldo/Messi to make goals from nothing, theres too many wasted passes and dodgy crosses partly because the players arent used to playing with eachother and I think thats why Spain will win it

 

[Sale Madrid]

Are you saying Gerrard chose the tactics, or are those two separate points?

I'm saying Hodgson chose the wrong person to captain the team. Good teams have a great player as the captain, someone who leads by example e.g. Zidane, Maradona etc. Gerrard runs around like a headless chicken, gives the ball away and is technically crap, ergo, the rest of the team are set a bad example and have no proper leadership. I wouldn't have taken Gerrard anyway - too old and not good enough. We need a Paul Scholes in the middle of the park who can run the game and get the passing going. Gerrard and Parker in the middle of park means no football - they are both water carriers, not artists - Pirlo and Iniesta are artists, we didn't have any in that squad. It's Hodgson who selected Gerrard so it's his fault ultimately.

 

[Inertia]

I'm saying Hodgson chose the wrong person to captain the team. Good teams have a great player as the captain, someone who leads by example e.g. Zidane, Maradona etc. Gerrard runs around like a headless chicken, gives the ball away and is technically crap, ergo, the rest of the team are set a bad example and have no proper leadership. I wouldn't have taken Gerrard anyway - too old and not good enough. We need a Paul Scholes in the middle of the park who can run the game and get the passing going. Gerrard and Parker in the middle of park means no football - they are both water carriers, not artists - Pirlo and Iniesta are artists, we didn't have any in that squad. It's Hodgson who selected Gerrard so it's his fault ultimately.

Thanks for clarifying , I think Gerrard was that player a few years ago. The problem isnt that we took gerrard instead of our Iniesta, the problem is we don't HAVE an Iniesta.