Road to Russia 2018

[wpdavid]

Yeah, I rate Lallana quite highly. His approach play has always been good, but he seems to have improved what he does in the box now. I couldn't understand why he didn't play in our last match, unless he was injured. Hard to disagree with Hoddle making him our MOTM.

 

[wpdavid]

Sterling had a staggeringly bad game, even for him. Makes you long for the days of Kieran Richardson.

Oddly enough he seemed to deteriorate once the game was won. I thought he was OK in the first half, but after missing the open goal his confidence just seemed to evaporate again. Maybe the open spaces just gave him more opportunities to show how poor his decision making is.

 

[MW1304]

Maybe I wasn't paying too much attention in the first half - thought we were poor all round then - only settled after the third went in. But even then Sterling was killing every counter, pointless flashy dribbles resulting in nothing, non-existent in the link-up play. Not sure, my eye was drawn to his mistakes all night.

Oh and concur, Lallana our best player at the moment.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Yeah, I rate Lallana quite highly. His approach play has always been good, but he seems to have improved what he does in the box now. I couldn't understand why he didn't play in our last match, unless he was injured. Hard to disagree with Hoddle making him our MOTM.

Yes his finishing in particular used to be awful whilst he has indeed always been good quality in the build-up play.

 

[Furball]

I'd ****ing love to be Gordon Strachan. Must be great to have no accountability, where you get rewarded for failure and where people don't care that you recall your mates who walked out of the job 3 months ago because they couldn't be bothered.

 

[Cabinet96]

Really hope Southgate's plan for Russia isn't a Dier/Henderson midfield.

 

[Cabinet96]

So Alexis strapped his hamstring up and scored twice to beat 2nd placed Uruguay 3-1. What's the Chilean equivalent of a knighthood?

 

[sledger]

Wonder what damage he has done to himself...

 

[auditor]

Who from forum will come to Moscow?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Although I don't expect us to lose to Slovakia on Monday it's not beyond the realms of possibility. If that were to happen we wouldn't be top of the group and might not qualify. It probably won't go that way but we are absolutely dire with zero chance of making an impact at the World Cup. Southgate out.

 

[wpdavid]

Although I don't expect us to lose to Slovakia on Monday it's not beyond the realms of possibility. If that were to happen we wouldn't be top of the group and might not qualify. It probably won't go that way but we are absolutely dire with zero chance of making an impact at the World Cup. Southgate out.

Silk purses and sows' ears, isn't it?

In happier times, Sterling would be viewed as a promising youngster who would be one for the future if he could learn how to cross and shoot, ditto Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Henderson would be one of those worthy club stalwarts who is highly regarded at domestic level but never seriously seen as a regular in the national side. Walker's even worse, but we've always produced crap right backs tbf. Is Clyne injured at present? I can think of no other reason for Walker's presence.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Silk purses and sows' ears, isn't it?

In happier times, Sterling would be viewed as a promising youngster who would be one for the future if he could learn how to cross and shoot, ditto Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Henderson would be one of those worthy club stalwarts who is highly regarded at domestic level but never seriously seen as a regular in the national side. Walker's even worse, but we've always produced crap right backs tbf. Is Clyne injured at present? I can think of no other reason for Walker's presence.

I don't particularly blame Southgate, though I also don't think he's capable of getting the best out of an average squad (I refuse to call footballers a group) of players. Our record at tournaments is pathetic and we're getting worse. Those age restrictioned tournaments we won are meaningless. The only plus side is that even the most optimistic/deluded fans no longer think we have a prayer at tournaments. Sven and his relentless quarter-final nonentities would now be a luxury.
Anyway I'm off to Walsall to watch some real football.

 

[andruid]

Alternatively you could get behind the fairy tale run Uganda are on at the moment. Plenty of Good cheer there

 

[Uppercut]

I don't particularly blame Southgate, though I also don't think he's capable of getting the best out of an average squad (I refuse to call footballers a group) of players. Our record at tournaments is pathetic and we're getting worse. Those age restrictioned tournaments we won are meaningless. The only plus side is that even the most optimistic/deluded fans no longer think we have a prayer at tournaments. Sven and his relentless quarter-final nonentities would now be a luxury.
Anyway I'm off to Walsall to watch some real football.

Southgate was a really weird choice, has he ever had a job he didn't bomb? His record is so much worse than (e.g.) Howe that there will probably never be a time at which immediately firing him and getting someone competent in isn't an obviously good move. Players probably find his training sessions a bit embarrassing when they're used to working with Pochettino or Klopp.

I think the squad is OK. Enough to work with that a manager who knew what they were doing could build a competitive English outfit.

Other news, Isco is incredible.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

There's something a bit odd about a poor quality group like England's and even more so the Wales group when you're watching a qualifying match between Spain and Italy. I'm sure they'll both end up qualifying but it shows that groups are not guaranteed to be easy. France and Holland in the same group as well - Holland struggling to qualify.

 

[marc71178]

It is all a bit odd isn't it. That said, the world rankings (on which apparently seedings will be based) are worse. The power houses that are Poland and Switzerland in the top 5?

 

[wpdavid]

Other news, Isco is incredible.

Indeed. It was the first time I've watched Spain in a while, so I hadn't realised how impressively they have been rebuilding. And Isco was, as you say, quite superb.
I wasn't fussed about watching the match, as I assumed it would be a fairly dull affair, but wpjunior insisted, and he was quite right.

 

[Uppercut]

Indeed. It was the first time I've watched Spain in a while, so I hadn't realised how impressively they have been rebuilding. And Isco was, as you say, quite superb.
I wasn't fussed about watching the match, as I assumed it would be a fairly dull affair, but wpjunior insisted, and he was quite right.

Yeah in my head Isco was a sort of very tidy and effective attacking midfielder. I didn't realise he was so spectacular. I don't even know who to compare him to, he looks like he could reach a level above guys like Silva and Iniesta.

 

[Furball]

No chance Isco is better than Iniesta.

 

[Pothas]

He is probably my favourite footballer.