*Official* English Football Season 2012-13

[Pothas]

Sort of looking forward to the Brazil game because of the World Cup factor.

 

[sledger]

I suppose in theory it's a good time to assess your options, with no forthcoming club distractions. But it's also realistically going to be the time that players get that little bit of surgery on minor injuries.

It's also the time most of the players are running on fumes and can't wait to get away on their holidays, I suspect.

 

[GIMH]

Didn't we just play them?

Ox really should be scoring that

 

[Pothas]

Yeah, playing in Brazil this time.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Two average sides full of average players serve up average game full of average football.

Shock.

 

[Uppercut]

So much transfer news already this summer, many records going to be broken.

It'd be such a disaster for the Premiership, losing its two most exciting players to Real.

 

[GIMH]

Two average sides full of average players serve up average game full of average football.

Shock.

I actually thought the first half was decent tbf

 

[Jarquis]

Agree - he's still absolute class. I also can't believe Arsenal won't exercise the first refusal option. I've read though that the 50% sell-on clause is a myth, and has never been confirmed.

hmmm. Definitely widely reported. Arsenal's sense of loss from Cesc Fabregas' departure softened by clauses in his Barcelona contract - Telegraph

I don't really understand the details of Arsenal's first refusal option. If Fabregas wants to go to United, United want to buy him and Barca want to sell him, does it give Arsenal any right to stop it from happening?

Well yes and no. If Barcelona accept a bid from United then they have to accept an equal bid from us but Cesc's obviously well within his rights to turn us down.

 

[Scaly piscine]

That was like watching England's second/third team (in a general sense - because the first team is a bit **** anyway) playing England's sixth team.

The way Ireland camped themselves in the box with their total inability to string 2-3 passes together was very England.

 

[Eds]

Miguel Delaney ‏@MiguelDelaney 5m
Hodgson asked about formation/system and says he can't see how Dortmund's 4-4-2 is too different from England's 4-4-2.

 

[Uppercut]

Miguel Delaney ‏@MiguelDelaney 5m
Hodgson asked about formation/system and says he can't see how Dortmund's 4-4-2 is too different from England's 4-4-2.

 

[sledger]

The quality of the players playing in it might have something to do with it.

 

[Jarquis]

And that Dortmund don't plat 442?

 

[Uppercut]

And that Dortmund don't plat 442?

Their formations are pretty similar, Reus/Gotze and Rooney take up reasonably similar positions behind the striker. Call it what you want I guess. It used to always be described as 4-4-2.

They're miles apart stylistically, though. I don't think the quality of players is that much better at Dortmund, it's all about how they use them. Kagawa stood out for Dortmund and can barely get a game in his favoured position for United.

 

[sledger]

Dortmund's players are so much better technically than a lot of the players England had out there this evening.

 

[Pothas]

It'd be such a disaster for the Premiership, losing its two most exciting players to Real.

Really would and I think it would a shame in the sense that they are two of the best players in the world and both are currently at clubs that are currently not at elite level. Get the feeling that the concenrtation of really special players at the very richest clubs is only going to get more pronounced.

 

[Pothas]

Dortmund's players are so much better technically than a lot of the players England had out there this evening.

There is no way that if Hodgson managed Dortmund that they would play anything like they do under Klopp, but yeah the players are still largely better.

 

[Uppercut]

Dortmund's players are so much better technically than a lot of the players England had out there this evening.

Yeah but technique is England's weak point/Dortmund's strong point. England's players are generally a lot better at finishing, set pieces, and defending.

I dunno, it's pushing it to say England have better players. But I don't think the difference is as big as it looks because I think their system gets the absolute best out of their attackers. None of the players that have left them have looked half as good playing for anyone else.

 

[Pothas]

Fairly sure Reus and Gotze would be fantastic anywhere. Take the general point though, what are your thoughts on Kagawa as a United player out of interest?

 

[Uppercut]

I unreservedly love him. But he's clearly not as good as Kagawa as a Dortmund player. With United he's sort of a technically excellent utility attacker, not especially creative. It's harder to be that type of player at United, our off the ball movement isn't in the same league (not that anyone else's is).

All three have this unique skill that they've perfected, where they take control completely of a difficult pass and turn towards goal with one touch. I think it's something they work on a lot. At Dortmund there's always someone sprinting in behind from the wings when they do it, but at United he just ends up passing it sideways a lot.