June 20, 201411 yr Yeah we're not progressing. Flop team just like Spain this year. Knew it'd be 2-1 Uruguay.
June 20, 201411 yr The results that would see us through are, in isolation, probably the most likely ones. It's just a case of them ALL occurring.
June 20, 201411 yr Because, as we, know, the only variable as to how a team plays is where two of its attackers are positioned. Rooney was our best player tonight, Sterling showed the other side of his game. Doesn't know what to do when defenders don't let him past. And am I missing something or was their second goal about a mile offside? Suarez gambled on all the mistakes happening. Just an amazing player, not sure Sturridge or Rooney would have made the same run if they had been in a similar position. Just think the system we play is the problem. Sterling doesn't play as a winger. I guess he was under instructions to stay wide and look to beat players with pace. He doesn't do that for Liverpool. He plays centrally, or if he starts of wide, he has license to come inside and link-up with players. We genuinely have the personnel to play a fluid front 3/4 who interchange positions.
June 20, 201411 yr Author The results that would see us through are, in isolation, probably the most likely ones. It's just a case of them ALL occurring. Indeed. It annoys me to see the press - including the Guardian - saying England need a miracle. I would classify a miracle as something rated by the bookies as 150-1 or more. In fact they are offering odds of 6-1 for England to qualify. As for the stat about no side qualifying after losing their first two games, I suspect England are also the first team in the top ten in FIFA's rankings to have started with two matches against teams ranked above them. We knew from the time the draw was made that elimination at the group stage was a distinct possibility and the order of the fixtures meant that elimination after two games was also possible. Now, where can I get an Italy scarf?
June 20, 201411 yr Indeed. It annoys me to see the press - including the Guardian - saying England need a miracle. I would classify a miracle as something rated by the bookies as 150-1 or more. In fact they are offering odds of 6-1 for England to qualify. As for the stat about no side qualifying after losing their first two games, I suspect England are also the first team in the top ten in FIFA's rankings to have started with two matches against teams ranked above them. We knew from the time the draw was made that elimination at the group stage was a distinct possibility and the order of the fixtures meant that elimination after two games was also possible. Now, where can I get an Italy scarf? Even 6-1 seems long. I think Italy are still being underrated - they still edged it against an England team generally acknowledged as having played really well. I'm actually a bit more concerned about their game against Costa Rica as the likes of Pirlo, De Rossi, Verratti and Motta will just pass around that Uruguay midfield for fun.
June 20, 201411 yr It is completely down to Hodgson, I'm sorry but last night was crap aside from a few faint glimours around the time of our first goal. Our match against Italy wasn't crap, but last night was weak. I just don't think Hodgson has a clue how to tactically manage the team in order to bring the best out of a strong set of players because we just were not at all threatening last night apart from as I said, a period of around 10 minutes when a slight bit of momentum came in our favour, and it's because he's trying so hard to accomodate for Rooney. If I'm honest, if we're going to have Rooney playing, then we needed Ross Barkley playing from the start. Gerrard was poor, and showed how the England side were just shit scared of Luis Suarez from the get go. Not helped by Hodgson's brain dead pre-match comments which as Suarez confirmed, totally riled him up. We just look like such an average side who have such a lack of direction, poor passing, poor conversion yet again, no excitement. Just really average.
June 20, 201411 yr It is completely down to Hodgson, I'm sorry but last night was crap aside from a few faint glimours around the time of our first goal. Our match against Italy wasn't crap, but last night was weak. I just don't think Hodgson has a clue how to tactically manage the team in order to bring the best out of a strong set of players because we just were not at all threatening last night apart from as I said, a period of around 10 minutes when a slight bit of momentum came in our favour, and it's because he's trying so hard to accomodate for Rooney. If I'm honest, if we're going to have Rooney playing, then we needed Ross Barkley playing from the start. Gerrard was poor, and showed how the England side were just shit scared of Luis Suarez from the get go. Not helped by Hodgson's brain dead pre-match comments which as Suarez confirmed, totally riled him up. We just look like such an average side who have such a lack of direction, poor passing, poor conversion yet again, no excitement. Just really average. Uruguay started well, and I think that panicked England. There didn't seem to be the same mentality, there was on Saturday. In general, I don't think the team plays close enough together, there are always huge gaps, meaning we're forced to go wide. Just think the praise for Rooney is off the mark. On reflection having seen the highlights again (and not caped in beer..) Rooney did play well. Just I think Sterling is, and was better in that role. If we're going to persist with this 4-2-3-1 then you have to drop Gerrard, and Rooney. Gerrard just isn't dynamic enough to play in a midfield two anymore. Henderson and Wilshere supporting him probably would cover the gaps in Gerrard's game, and allow England to benefit with the best of his ability, like Liverpool do. We've already seen it at the World Cup, things aren't going well for teams and they ping certain tactical changes, and get the victory. England were crying out to for shorter sell passes, and a slight raise in tempo. Instead we go and conflict some schoolboy defending against one of the best players in the world. Jagielka, is not cut out for this level.
June 20, 201411 yr Costa Rica won from Italy :drama: It was as if the Italians weren't even trying... Goodbye England, goodbye bets (Sorry guys)
June 20, 201411 yr Costa Rica will beat England. They're through now, after no-one gave them half a chance. Expect the Italians to go out now, think Suarez will be too much for them.
June 20, 201411 yr I actually hope Costa Rica beat us now we're out, I'm very happy to see them doing so well and of course the England-Costa Rica match counts for absolutely nothing now.
June 20, 201411 yr Costa Rica humiliating two World Cup winners is one of the best things I've seen at a World Cup, so I'm all up for them to do the same to a third. To think we'd completely written them off, they've truly showed us. :wub:
June 20, 201411 yr Italy were suspiciously shit today. Felt like they kept deliberately straying offside / not really trying with any of their crosses / generally just didn't seem like they could be arsed.
June 20, 201411 yr :mansoncheer: I suppose at least we can say we were equal with Spain this time, something that would've seemed implausible two years ago :lol: Srsly though, I never expected Costa Rica to do this well let alone win the group (for now at least), kudos to them. Edited June 20, 201411 yr by Chez Wombat
June 20, 201411 yr Costa Rica humiliating two World Cup winners is one of the best things I've seen at a World Cup, so I'm all up for them to do the same to a third. To think we'd completely written them off, they've truly showed us. :wub: I think "humiliating" is a strong word for a 1-0 win. Humiliating is both of Spain's matches to date.
June 20, 201411 yr Italy just couldn't cope with Costa Rica. Their energy levels were outstanding, and they defended excellently as a unit. Balotelli scores that chance and it's probably a different game mind. The teams from South America / CONCAF are doing really well. No surprise most of them are actually playing a system that accommodates their team, not just their star players.
June 20, 201411 yr Bittersweet as Costa Rica are my Buzzjack sweepstake team! :lol: Interesting to see whether Italy or Uruguay make it through...
June 20, 201411 yr I don't think the Italians weren't trying at all, I think that's really discrediting Costa Rica who totally outplayed Italy tactically there, and put our to shame. They wouldn't let Pirlo play and Italy were made to look every bit as average as we did last time. What Thierry Henry said at the end of that match was completely accurate, if you were asked to name a Costa Rica player, most people would struggle, but the World Cup is a team effort. So much of England's tactics centered around Wayne Rooney, a player who isn't strong enough to hold up a side. Costa Rica as a team played really well today and they do look like the best side in our group, so qualification is more than deserved.
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