Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

[grecian]

Oh and BTW Pirlo is still ****ing supreme, it's kind of amazing that it's taking until he's in his thirties for many of us to realise he's proper quality.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well Rooney was **** once again. Some things never change.

To be honest if we play like that in the other 2 games but don't qualify I won't be too upset. We aren't that good but we are giving it a go, all you can ask really.

 

[Cabinet96]

Oh and BTW Pirlo is still ****ing supreme, it's kind of amazing that it's taking until he's in his thirties for many of us to realise he's proper quality.

It's gone overboard though. Twitter was just a massive Pirlo wankfest tonight.

 

[Ikki]

Missing Ashley Cole, they ran rampant on that left side.

 

[The Sean]

Yeah Pirlo is unbelievable. Just sheer class.

 

[Ikki]

It's gone overboard though. Twitter was just a massive Pirlo wankfest tonight.

People don't actually realise how good the rest of the team now is. Italian footballers are just technically brilliant and also have the tactical mindset of when to attack, defend and just keep the ball.

 

[grecian]

It's gone overboard though. Twitter was just a massive Pirlo wankfest tonight.

Meh, I haven't checked it you could be right, but TBH, I'm not sure Twitter is a proper barometer of anything.

 

[Ikki]

I think Roy missed a trick. Would have taken Rooney off at around the 60th minute and brought up Lambert. England were getting to or near the box a lot and he links, as well as positions himself for the pass, back much better than the other forwards.

 

[grecian]

Missing Ashley Cole, they ran rampant on that left side.

Utter twaddle, Ashley Cole would have been just as exposed as Baines, no support for him down the left whatsoever.

 

[Cabinet96]

I'm just glad the world was spared of the Zlatan love-in for this tournament.

 

[Ikki]

Utter twaddle, Ashley Cole would have been just as exposed as Baines, no support for him down the left whatsoever.

There wasn't much help with Rooney but Baines was getting done 1v1. Ashley Cole does not get done like that. Look at the Balotelli goal...amateurish and sold himself. Even now, there should be little debate that Cole is a better defender than Baines. The reason Baines has the argument now is because he offers more going forward at this stage and he didn't offer much today. It wasn't a good game for him.

 

[grecian]

I'm just glad the world was spared of the Zlatan love-in for this tournament.

I'm guessing in his own house it's still pretty adoring.

 

[grecian]

There wasn't much help with Rooney but Baines was getting done 1v1. Ashley Cole does not get done like that. Look at the Balotelli goal...amateurish and sold himself.

Reasonably sure Ashley does, hence why he's not first-choice for Chelsea. I didn't like the defending for that goal, but there was no support, and I'm not sure there were any other incidents of him getting done like that. It's classic talking-up a player who isn't playing, like they've never made a mistake.

 

[Burgey]

I don't know that England's worries are their front third really. Seemed they created plenty of chances.

As FJ said, they're going about it in a really good way. Seriously, this WC has delivered the awesome so far.

 

[Spikey]

Oh and BTW Pirlo is still ****ing supreme, it's kind of amazing that it's taking until he's in his thirties for many of us to realise he's proper quality.

could it be directly related to growing the beard

 

[91Jmay]

Great game and delighted with how we tried to play. Attractive, exciting football and just beaten by a better team which happens. Think we will beat Uruguay, Costa Rica and either Japan or the Ivory Coast. Will almost certainly be knocked out then but keep playing this way and it will be enjoyable.

 

[Ikki]

Reasonably sure Ashley does, hence why he's not first-choice for Chelsea. I didn't like the defending for that goal, but there was no support, and I'm not sure there were any other incidents of him getting done like that. It's classic talking-up a player who isn't playing, like they've never made a mistake.

No, that's not an argument. Mourinho favours Azpi and didn't see Cole in his team for the future, that's why he was not first choice. Every time he played he was superb. Lest we also forget he was playing first choice in the champions league in the knock-outs for Chelsea.

It's not classic talking up a player in absence. How often did Cole have games like that? He's just a superb defender and has been throughout his career. Baines had several instances in the game when he was being attacked. He's not very fast and on the turn he isn't that agile either. Candreva and Darmian both had joy down his side. Putting this aside, Cole is just a much better defender, that's hardly controversial either.

Are you an Arsenal fan btw?

 

[Spikey]

enjoying going through the mentions of wayne rooney on twitter

 

[grecian]

No, that's not an argument. Mourinho favours Azpi and didn't see Cole in his team for the future, that's why he was not first choice. Every time he played he was superb. Lest we also forget he was playing first choice in the champions league in the knock-outs for Chelsea.

It's not classic talking up a player in absence. How often did Cole have games like that? He's just a superb defender and has been throughout his career. Baines had several instances in the game when he was being attacked. He's not very fast and on the turn he isn't that agile either. Candreva and Darmian both had joy down his side. Putting this aside, Cole is just a much better defender, that's hardly controversial either.

He was a much better defender, I've seen him skinned in the Prem constantly, so it is an argument, maybe not an argument you like, but it's an argument, that Jose sees this and doesn't pick him every match, when he did in his pomp. So it may not be controversial, buts it's immensely debatable.

 

[Ikki]

He was a much better defender, I've seen him skinned in the Prem constantly, so it is an argument, maybe not an argument you like, but it's an argument, that Jose sees this and doesn't pick him every match, when he did in his pomp. So it may not be controversial, buts it's immensely debatable.

Haha, yeh, ok.