So what do you suggest?

Get some Spanish players to become British citizens :lol:

 

Only joking, i don't know maybe they should try to play more passing and possession style of football.

Well yes, that's widely acknowledged.

Well yes, that's widely acknowledged.

 

It's one of these great British things that's constantly been ignored for a good few years though. The FA would rather throw money at over-paid managers to fix the short term job. There's a massive forthcomings between us and most of the world at grassroots level. Hopefully this training centre at Burton will make massive strides in to creating better coaches for the future. Doesn't held with Roy Hodgson in football who has no clue about anything over than 'stick the ball in the back of the net by any means'! I don't think England have a chance at the World Cup, but if we qualify we'll probably do OK. By-passing the midfield for most of the game works 60% of the time.

 

As we've already discussed though, I only think about 25% of our current England squad would be comfortable in possession based football, or something more tactically astute. Lampard couldn't do it at Chelsea. Gerrard is really struggling at Liverpool. Terry no chance. There's too many big name players who the media want to play that would not suit possession based football at this moment in time.

It's one of these great British things that's constantly been ignored for a good few years though. The FA would rather throw money at over-paid managers to fix the short term job. There's a massive forthcomings between us and most of the world at grassroots level. Hopefully this training centre at Burton will make massive strides in to creating better coaches for the future. Doesn't held with Roy Hodgson in football who has no clue about anything over than 'stick the ball in the back of the net by any means'! I don't think England have a chance at the World Cup, but if we qualify we'll probably do OK. By-passing the midfield for most of the game works 60% of the time.

 

As we've already discussed though, I only think about 25% of our current England squad would be comfortable in possession based football, or something more tactically astute. Lampard couldn't do it at Chelsea. Gerrard is really struggling at Liverpool. Terry no chance. There's too many big name players who the media want to play that would not suit possession based football at this moment in time.

Is it the training centre that they showed on football focus? if so then i think that training centre looks really state of the art but it won't make any difference on the pitch.

Ironically what should have been our home World Cup in six years time would have been a good target to aim for in terms of winning a tournament.

Walcott [illness] and Terry [injured] out. Sturridge out with stomach cramps, but still hopeful of playing

 

Raheem Sterling, Jake Livermore and Adam Lallana called up to gain experience

 

Hodgson says the same team that started vs. Modolva will be selected again with Cahill/Jagielka in for Terry

Seems strange he's called up players that he's said won't play when we're so low on attacking options, only really Ox, Defoe and Welback can be considered attackers.

Sterling will play. The FA obviously want to get him capped before Jamaica come for him.

Not keen on the idea of calling up Raheem just yet. He's 17 years old and has only made 2 premier league starts for Liverpool

 

Rodgers insisted that he stayed with the Under 19's rather than be moved up to the Under 21's. So what do The FA do instead? Promote him to the seniors instead

 

Why create unncessary pressure?

Not keen on the idea of calling up Raheem just yet. He's 17 years old and has only made 2 premier league starts for Liverpool

 

Rodgers insisted that he stayed with the Under 19's rather than be moved up to the Under 21's. So what do The FA do instead? Promote him to the seniors instead

 

Why create unncessary pressure?

I suspect had Jamaica not reiterated that they want him to choose them over England over the weekend then he wouldn't be in there. It's about giving him assurances, let him know he's part of the future. If necessary give him a competitive cap.

 

Jagielka in for Terry the only change, as suspected for tonight.

Jermain Defoe denied what was a clear goal thanks to some theatical antics from Andriy Yarmeolenko. Still 0-0

 

Also England and Rep of Ireland look set to meet in a friendly at Wembley next May. The last time England and Rep of Ireland met was 1995 at Lansdowne Road which I believe was abandoned due to crowd trouble wasn't it?

Unlucky for England with the disallowed goal, than the Ukrainians shot a blinder on goal. We had so many chances in that half, especially from Cleverley, hitting the woodwork once, they need to find the net in the second half.

Can't wait for all the excuses to be rolled out.

Painful. Got away with that but think we were good enough for a draw, Welbeck changed the game, he was excellent apart from the dive. Utterly daft sending off from Gerrard, and could've already been off anyway. He was terrible tonight, we badly needed Carrick in there to keep the ball and give a bit of discipline and composure. Johnson, Baines, Defoe and Cleverley (minus the finishing) all positives. Lescott, Gerrard-Lampard combination the main negatives tonight.

Painful. Got away with that but think we were good enough for a draw, Welbeck changed the game, he was excellent apart from the dive. Utterly daft sending off from Gerrard, and could've already been off anyway. He was terrible tonight, we badly needed Carrick in there to keep the ball and give a bit of discipline and composure. Johnson, Baines, Defoe and Cleverley (minus the finishing) all positives. Lescott, Gerrard-Lampard combination the main negatives tonight.

 

We're shit. 4-4-2 does not work, and especially not with our central midfield. Neither Lampard or Gerrard are good enough at keeping the ball or defensively to play in a two man midfield. Cleverly impressed me, but he not good enough to be a #10. Really, really lucky to get a point. Again 4-4-2 does not work, and Hodgson will never play anything different to it. You can get away with so much, but it is such a risky formation to play.

The second half was a bit painful to watch, at least we got a point out of the match with the penalty. The sending off was coming, with the amount of yellow cards the referee was dishing out, some of them were unfair, Gerard misses the Sam Marino match, I think we still beat them without Gerard. At the moment Montenegro top the group.

We're shit. 4-4-2 does not work, and especially not with our central midfield. Neither Lampard or Gerrard are good enough at keeping the ball or defensively to play in a two man midfield. Cleverly impressed me, but he not good enough to be a #10. Really, really lucky to get a point. Again 4-4-2 does not work, and Hodgson will never play anything different to it. You can get away with so much, but it is such a risky formation to play.

Well if we're playing a #10 then we're not playing 4-4-2 :P (its 4-4-1-1 there is a difference)

 

'twas a bit of an uninspiring performance but a good game to watch, the substitutions really baffled me though! Bringing on Daniel 'I'm the best playa eva!11!11' Sturridge and replacing Leighton Baines who had been one of our best players with Ryan Bertrand were a mystery to me.

 

I really don't understand why Roy didn't start with Carrick in the two games. As for Cleverley he'll get there but he's just not there yet, the same with Welbeck. The player I really thought we could have done with wasn't Rooney, I'd say it was Carroll. We could do with Darren Bent hitting form again as well.

Again 4-4-2 does not work, and Hodgson will never play anything different to it.

 

Erm, were you watching the same game as the rest of us?

 

We did merit a point over the 90 minutes but dear god that was hard work. I think our main problem is that Plan A, how we started, isn't working since we currently don't have the players to play it well and our Plan B tonight is never going to work against top opposition. Sturridge and Welbeck made a difference but both Jagielka and Lescott were awful on the ball - other than Cahill I'm not sure who we could play who would be much better.

Well if we're playing a #10 then we're not playing 4-4-2 :P (its 4-4-1-1 there is a difference)

 

'twas a bit of an uninspiring performance but a good game to watch, the substitutions really baffled me though! Bringing on Daniel 'I'm the best playa eva!11!11' Sturridge and replacing Leighton Baines who had been one of our best players with Ryan Bertrand were a mystery to me.

 

I really don't understand why Roy didn't start with Carrick in the two games. As for Cleverley he'll get there but he's just not there yet, the same with Welbeck. The player I really thought we could have done with wasn't Rooney, I'd say it was Carroll. We could do with Darren Bent hitting form again as well.

 

 

Erm, were you watching the same game as the rest of us?

 

We did merit a point over the 90 minutes but dear god that was hard work. I think our main problem is that Plan A, how we started, isn't working since we currently don't have the players to play it well and our Plan B tonight is never going to work against top opposition. Sturridge and Welbeck made a difference but both Jagielka and Lescott were awful on the ball - other than Cahill I'm not sure who we could play who would be much better.

 

It is exactly the same formation we played at the Euros, with Cleverly playing the Rooney role. He's expected to play as a second striker when we have the ball, and drop off in to midfield when we don't have the ball. Except it's a lot easier said than done - especially for someone who is not used to playing that role. Hodgson plays a defensively compact rigid 4-4-2. Nicky is right, to play that right and get away with it you need a target man. Ukraine we're good, but come on they're hardly amazing. We should be beating them, especially at home. A point is not a good result, especially in such a good group as ours. The link-up play is not good enough, and although we were on top for all of the second half we had no clue how to break Ukraine down. The central players are not good enough to work the ball and run in to pockets of space. Having Carrick might have been different, but Gerrard and Lampard as a midfield too is just asking for trouble. Neither can dictate tempo, and Carrick can (albeit not brilliantly). Save for Leighton Baines fantastic run to put the ball over the crossbar, we'd have been well beaten. None of the central players are good enough on the ball when we have it. To sum it up we can play that formation well, just not with the players we play.

I don't understand the logic in playing Cleverley in a number 10 role. I would have played Carrick instead, which would have given Gerrard and Lampard more defensive support to get forward

 

It's laughable that we're even playing Gerrard and Lampard in a midfield two when it's been proven time after time that it doesn't quite work

 

and Wales are a shambles defensively. What has Chris Coleman done to this promising team? I watched the first 30 minutes or so and Serbia were made to look like world beaters despite not being that great