SEvolution
New member
Borat must be mad at Germans.
Anways, Victor Valdes absolute performance today.
Anways, Victor Valdes absolute performance today.
Jenks
Senior Member
i thought we played quite well in the first half, then whatever woy said at half time had the complete opposite effect and we were awful in the second
lucky to get a point.
I don't think we were any better in the first half, Montenegro were just worse. They came out and actually played and we looked shellshocked. Gerrard was woeful, giving the ball away under next to no pressure, and not having the mobility to track forward and back. I'd have taken him off for Osman. Personally I think the days of Gerrard being an ever-present have to end.
Banana-Rama
New member
average manager in charge of an average squad of players, not sure what you expect from england...
Ode to Django
You're not even a real journalism
Carrick has all the passing skills to dominate a game from deep, i wasn't watching much. Did he play the 2nd half?
Spain with an important win over France, only twice they've ever beaten them. (both recently) Pogba got himself sent off. Still bright future.
Spain with an important win over France, only twice they've ever beaten them. (both recently) Pogba got himself sent off. Still bright future.
G
Gannicus
Guest
banana-rama, if england are average you can't think much of man utd. 5 players who took part tonight was for your club.
as for gerrard, poor first half, good 2nd half still has a lot to offer international level....why as no one mentioned james milner? what does he contribute?
as for england overall, there's been an improvement with england in the last year, in the friendys we've played, we have outplayed and beat major footballing countrys...only ever losing once in around 10 games under hodgson & people are also forgetting england have had many injury's last 2 games.
as for gerrard, poor first half, good 2nd half still has a lot to offer international level....why as no one mentioned james milner? what does he contribute?
as for england overall, there's been an improvement with england in the last year, in the friendys we've played, we have outplayed and beat major footballing countrys...only ever losing once in around 10 games under hodgson & people are also forgetting england have had many injury's last 2 games.
Jenks
Senior Member
Carrick played both halves, but because Gerrard doesn't have the legs to get back or poise to keep possession he spent most a lot of his time with people running at him.
You never said average team, you said average squad. I was the one criticising team selection. We have do the players to dominate Montenegro.
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Gannicus
Guest
love how people are making comments who probably never watched the game 
england played some good stuff and controlled 70mins of the game....the progression as been good since the euros, baines needs to replace cole, get walcott and wilshere back and we'll be fine...also think if one or 2 of the u21's can step up even better for brazil (if we qualify)...zaha just get the feeling he's going to take the epl by storm next season so he'll probably be in the squad and a big asset, the ox needs to step up too, no good saying he is the best english talent since rooney, he needs to prove it.
if one or 2 more can step up that would be great, my money's on barkley, even though he's not getting games in the u21's he'll be playing for everton regularly next season and as amazing potential, maybe even rodwell if he sort his hamstrings out, looked decent for city recent games he played, then he got injured again
we need someone else for cleverley though or he needs to improve, you kinda egg him on to take risks and play that killer pass, but no always safe
seems the kinda guy who will long onto stat boards at the end of the game to see if his passing completion is him the 90% and up there with xavi's, but he's still young so let him off, but he needs excel in 1 area more if he wants to become great.
england played some good stuff and controlled 70mins of the game....the progression as been good since the euros, baines needs to replace cole, get walcott and wilshere back and we'll be fine...also think if one or 2 of the u21's can step up even better for brazil (if we qualify)...zaha just get the feeling he's going to take the epl by storm next season so he'll probably be in the squad and a big asset, the ox needs to step up too, no good saying he is the best english talent since rooney, he needs to prove it.
if one or 2 more can step up that would be great, my money's on barkley, even though he's not getting games in the u21's he'll be playing for everton regularly next season and as amazing potential, maybe even rodwell if he sort his hamstrings out, looked decent for city recent games he played, then he got injured again
we need someone else for cleverley though or he needs to improve, you kinda egg him on to take risks and play that killer pass, but no always safe
seems the kinda guy who will long onto stat boards at the end of the game to see if his passing completion is him the 90% and up there with xavi's, but he's still young so let him off, but he needs excel in 1 area more if he wants to become great.
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CatalinR10
Senior Member
Stric
New member
The double pivot is still a 4-3-3, though? Just for clarification's sake.
As far as Tito taking note, I'd definitely like to see more of Busquets+Song or even Busquets+Mascherano, but only to protect an existing lead. Iniesta-Busquets-Xavi (or Fabregas somewhere in there) to start with, then rest Xavi or Iniesta once we're in a comfortable lead.
Ursegor
World Champion
The double pivot is still a 4-3-3, though? Just for clarification's sake.
It's impossible to tell what it is.
4-3-3
4-2-3-1
4-2-1-3
4-2-4-0
Take your pick. Total football it is. The main thing however is that with the decline of Xavi and Barca's collective pressing itself (these players can't press like maniacs for 5 consecutive seasons), another strong physical body to provide more energy and defensive cover in the middle would be hugely beneficial. Pep utilized Keita often in Champions League away games for a reason and Keita wasn't even particularly world class. Busquets having to cover the whole pitch, left, right and center on his own, is a joke. More defensive balance is needed. We're not noticing the flaws at Barcelona as much week in week out because with Messi we have more firepower upfront than anyone else and can win games 4-1 easily against pretty much everyone but generally and against better teams we're so prone to counterattacks, it's ridiculous. Even when totally and utterly dominating Milan, they managed to get a 1 on 1 with Valdes.
Ideally, after Xavi calls it a day, I'd like a Pogba or Vidal type of player (Juventus stealing all the proper box-to-box midfielders, fss) to play alongside Busquets in central midfield. Maybe Sergi Roberto can become that kind of player. Who knows?
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