There are many City fans who feel that Hart has a major weakness to his left. They will probably not be surprised by that one
Could be worse. Could be matched up with Iceland.And the parting gift is... Germany.
In the round of 8.
Fuck this tournament.
If it's 9 one of them IS on the national football team.Just saw a tweet: "In Iceland, if 5 people are sitting in a bar, one of them knows someone on the national football team."
Let's not overlook that Buffon, Chiellini, Bonucci, and Barzagli have lost to Barca in the 2015 CL Final. .Has to feel pretty good for Italy. I'm sure they remember when Spain was showing off a little up 3-0 or 4-0 to the echoing "ole" going around the stadium.
This is certainly a great question but I try not to get into the mind of Hodgson because I'm sure it's a scary and dark place.Here's my thought. If Hodgson wanted to play 4-3-3 with 2 wide players supporting a central striker, why did he only take one winger-ish type player (Sterling)?
'Cause he sucks. Duh.Here's my thought. If Hodgson wanted to play 4-3-3 with 2 wide players supporting a central striker, why did he only take one winger-ish type player (Sterling)?
Yeah, he should swap sides with Sturridge for a while, see what happens.Sterling's inability to do anything but successfully walk with his left foot absolutely murders him when played on the left. He always waits for that overlap because he can't shoot with his off foot when played into space like that
This is probably the thing that irritates me the most in professional football and particularly at international level - outside of a genius like Maradona or Messi, how the hell can someone be considered a decent player when 50% of their armoury is incapable of being used. It makes it so easy to plan and defend against...I so wish I had better coaching as a kid *sigh*Sterling's inability to do anything but successfully walk with his left foot absolutely murders him when played on the left. He always waits for that overlap because he can't shoot with his off foot when played into space like that
Welbeck and Ox played there quite a bit during qualifiers but then both got hurt in the spring, as you know. Then I guess Hodgson decided that Theo and Andros Townsend were both pretty shit and shouldn't make the team, which is hard to blame him for.What were England's other winger options? Theo?
Understood. I just hate the music for our anthem. It's a strange, strange tune.It's a song asking an anthropmorphic God (which cannot exist) to save a person who is rich and powerful and is likely to see 100. It's crass to ask such a God to save such a person, who clearly does not need saving and is neither gracious or noble. And if the royals had any class, which they don't, they'd get a new anthem. at least the Star Spangled Banner has a narrative and goes somewhere and is about the country not some out of reach whoor in a palace.
Because he's a hack. Also he has a strong commitment to the status quo in English football, which means taking big names from the "top" teams. It's why he took Henderson, Wilshere, Milner and Rashford over players in better form from clubs like Leicester, West Ham, Sunderland etc. even though those players were better fits for how he wants to play.Here's my thought. If Hodgson wanted to play 4-3-3 with 2 wide players supporting a central striker, why did he only take one winger-ish type player (Sterling)?
Agreed.To be fair Townsend had a decent end to the season at Newcastle. I think he has a better final ball than Sterling.
It's especially dumb to bring 5 strikers when your system calls for only a single striker. At least if there were playing 2 center forwards, having 5 might make sense.Actually, my post above needs to be amended. I forgot they also brought Rashford. Are any other teams bringing 5 strikers to a tournament? Typical dumb English star fucking really. Rashford had an incredibly bright end to his season. Was it really a crime to leave him home in the name of roster balance?
This is true. But isn't that the way of the England manager, pick from the traditional top teams cos they are the top teams. Henerson and Whilshere should have been left at home, if only cos their match fitness is debateable. Mark Noble is a player I didn't pay much heed to, until some started calling for him to get a nod for England...and then you watch him and realise he's a really classy player and a hard worker too.Because he's a hack. Also he has a strong commitment to the status quo in English football, which means taking big names from the "top" teams. It's why he took Henderson, Wilshere, Milner and Rashford over players in better form from clubs like Leicester, West Ham, Sunderland etc. even though those players were better fits for how he wants to play.
Understood. I just hate the music for our anthem. It's a strange, strange tune.
Problem with our anthem is not just the music, but also that it's only a small piece of a longer poem, and so the version that we sing at events ends in a cliffhanger. What kind of fucking anthem ends with a question? It's horrible. Maybe if it were a rhetorical question, but it's not. It's an honest question -- he's truly worried about whether the flag is still there. You find out in later verses that yes, indeed, it is there. But that's the big fucking reveal. We sing an anthem that doesn't even make it to the story's climax let alone it's denouement.at least the Star Spangled Banner has a narrative and goes somewhere and is about the country not some out of reach whoor in a palace.
No flies on Kompany's arse. He was doing the Spain Italy game for the BBC. Somebody's got a good agent.Ooh good panel on ESPN. Kompany and Martinez will certainly know the English players. Plus Kompany potentially having to badmouth teammates.
Well played.BREXIT results coming in heavily for leave in early results
It's already flipping to cheering for Iceland as its so dumbI need an English pub live feed to watch side by side with the second half of this game.
Rule Britannia > all the others, although it's Britain-specific and will be obsolete once Scotland secedes.Problem with our anthem is not just the music, but also that it's only a small piece of a longer poem, and so the version that we sing at events ends in a cliffhanger. What kind of fucking anthem ends with a question? It's horrible. Maybe if it were a rhetorical question, but it's not. It's an honest question -- he's truly worried about whether the flag is still there. You find out in later verses that yes, indeed, it is there. But that's the big fucking reveal. We sing an anthem that doesn't even make it to the story's climax let alone it's denouement.
Fletch is right that God Save the [enter gender appropriate title of Monarch] is a horrible anthem, but the tune kicks ass. To the extent they think about it at all, when subjects of the Commonwealth sing "God Save the Queen," do they think literally of Elizabeth and see it as a pledge of heavenly allegiance to her, or is "Queen" more understood to simply be a stand in for the nation itself?
I really believe that enough of them are thinking about the monarch. Football players, i don't think really care too much about the monarchy when they are about to play a match. But i reckon they are geed up to rep their nation. I used to love watching Stevie G and Rooney mumble away, before they put pressure on the players to sing more emphatically. Isn't God Save The Ruling Monarch an actual dirge?Problem with our anthem is not just the music, but also that it's only a small piece of a longer poem, and so the version that we sing at events ends in a cliffhanger. What kind of fucking anthem ends with a question? It's horrible. Maybe if it were a rhetorical question, but it's not. It's an honest question -- he's truly worried about whether the flag is still there. You find out in later verses that yes, indeed, it is there. But that's the big fucking reveal. We sing an anthem that doesn't even make it to the story's climax let alone it's denouement.
Fletch is right that God Save the [enter gender appropriate title of Monarch] is a horrible anthem, but the tune kicks ass. To the extent they think about it at all, when subjects of the Commonwealth sing "God Save the Queen," do they think literally of Elizabeth and see it as a pledge of heavenly allegiance to her, or is "Queen" more understood to simply be a stand in for the nation itself?
Agree completely with this. People fixate on the wide players and the wingers but the team is really broken down the spine. They have two CBs who can't pass, a DM in Dier who is pretty good in his role but not a deep lying playmaker, two AMs in Rooney and Alli who can't really pass and have one assist and zero goals between them in open play in four games, and a CF in Kane who hasn't produced all tournament.Everything from England is wide. There's no creative central passing. They so desperately need someone to successfully make a dangerous pass in central areas. Wilshere for Dier is a decent start (IMO it should be for Rooney but he's never getting the half time yank) and Stones for Cahill would be another. England may be able to find another goal or two through open play but they make it awfully easy on the defenders the way they attack right now
edit: Barkley is incredibly one note but I'd be tempted to give him a chance as well.Kane has been poor but I don't think any striker is going to look particularly good when everything goes wide outside the 18 and your best bet is to try to run onto a low cross