Match Thread England V Uruguay

[FOX Franks]

If you compare our performance to Chile (against Spain), it's totally different and the wrong way round. The prem is a tight, aggressive football and yet we play like it's the Italian league.

Where does this come from??

 

[spionfox]

Is Junior Lewis English?

His passport says 'Brazil'.

 

[pork pie fox]

My view:

It's easy to target Rooney, he's the player that most is expected of, and everybody loves to slag off those players. Blame Rooney (for example), and plenty of people will say that you are right.

However, I cannot see the sense in, for example, playing Sterling in the 'number 10 role' and Rooney out wide, like in the first game, when Rooney quite clearly isn't as effective out there. Sterling has, at least, played wide for Liverpool all season, so play him there and then Rooney can play in the middle, his preferred position. Obviously this refers to the game versus Italy.

Similarly, despite scoring, I imagine lots of people will join the Rooney was shite brigade, once we go out, when there are bigger problems with our side. Defensively we were a mess. Whether that be the back four, or the two ahead of them (Gerrard & Henderson). Going forward Gerrard & Henderson offered very little too, when ultimately they should be shaping the game. To me, that's where our problems lie, but Rooney was shit offers an easier excuse and so that will be the headline.

I'm not a Rooney apologist or lover, but I think it's too easy and fashionable to blame him. Rant over.

 

[GazLCFC]

My view:

It's easy to target Rooney, he's the player that most is expected of, and everybody loves to slag off those players. Blame Rooney (for example), and plenty of people will say that you are right.

However, I cannot see the sense in, for example, playing Sterling in the 'number 10 role' and Rooney out wide, like in the first game, when Rooney quite clearly isn't as effective out there. Sterling has, at least, played wide for Liverpool all season, so play him there and then Rooney can play in the middle, his preferred position. Obviously this refers to the game versus Italy.

Similarly, despite scoring, I imagine lots of people will join the Rooney was shite brigade, once we go out, when there are bigger problems with our side. Defensively we were a mess. Whether that be the back four, or the two ahead of them (Gerrard & Henderson). Going forward Gerrard & Henderson offered very little too, when ultimately they should be shaping the game. To me, that's where our problems lie, but Rooney was shit offers an easier excuse and so that will be the headline.

I'm not a Rooney apologist or lover, but I think it's too easy and fashionable to blame him. Rant over.

Agreed. England "fans" love to blame somebody.

There was a good piece in one of the papers a couple of weeks ago that pointed to all England games being played in London meaning that fans from other areas of the country didn't feel any connection to the players. Meaning that the bias from their club games stopped them supporting the team and certain players.

 

[Motown Fox]

Actually Wayne was one of the better players although I do think he should have scored before he actually did, rather than shoot straight at the keeper.

 

[Miles Away]

Rooney was our best player today.

But there were about 8-9 genuinely shit performances. The back five all included.

Just an absolute horror show defensively.

 

[Billyjof]

Well what did we truly all expect?

2 draws and the group would have been very interesting.

 

[Brown Nose]

Well what did we truly all expect?

Quite. I could never see anything other than two defeats from these matches. My hopes were raised after our performance against Italy and Uruguay's collapse to Costa Rica but it was all true to form in the end.

I'm sorry but RH has to take responsibility for setting the team up wrong. Baines is totally inferior to Cole. We have a shit keeper and three average defenders (and Cahill who I rate).

If you play Gerrard, you need three in midfield not two. As it was, his effectiveness was stunted and we were over-run too easily. Can you ever imagine Italy leaving Pirlo with only one other man in midfield alongside? It's just potty. Henderson never played like he does for Liverpool either.

In attack, we just didn't perform well enough. We have nobody like a Suarez or a Balotelli that will step up when it counts. Too many mistakes, too few players prepared to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Lambert should have been on at half time. We needed a focal point in attack as Sturridge was wandering all over the place. Sterling and Wellbeck were shite. Rooney was our best player on the night by a country mile.

Until we have a manager with a modern, insightful approach and a group of players that are hungry and focused, we'll never amount to anything. Everything about us last night was second rate.

 

[Blaarev]

His dad was England manager..

Senior Lewis?

 

[Matt_B]

Quite. I could never see anything other than two defeats from these matches. My hopes were raised after our performance against Italy and Uruguay's collapse to Costa Rica but it was all true to form in the end.

I'm sorry but RH has to take responsibility for setting the team up wrong. Baines is totally inferior to Cole. We have a shit keeper and three average defenders (and Cahill who I rate).

If you play Gerrard, you need three in midfield not two. As it was, his effectiveness was stunted and we were over-run too easily. Can you ever imagine Italy leaving Pirlo with only one other man in midfield alongside? It's just potty. Henderson never played like he does for Liverpool either.

In attack, we just didn't perform well enough. We have nobody like a Suarez or a Balotelli that will step up when it counts. Too many mistakes, too few players prepared to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Lambert should have been on at half time. We needed a focal point in attack as Sturridge was wandering all over the place. Sterling and Wellbeck were shite. Rooney was our best player on the night by a country mile.

Until we have a manager with a modern, insightful approach and a group of players that are hungry and focused, we'll never amount to anything. Everything about us last night was second rate.

I don't think they were much better than us yesterday, neither team are cup winners. The difference was that they had a world class play (two possibly with Cavani) and we had none.

 

[RHYDAL]

Rooney was our best player today.But there were about 8-9 genuinely shit performances. The back five all included.Just an absolute horror show defensively.

Strange, I thought Cahill had a great game covering his and Jagielka's positions. The rest were gash though.

 

[jb5000]

Not sure what could have been that different to be honest.

Baines wasn't great, but Cole is no where near the player he was even a year ago now and it would have been the wrong side of brave to select Shaw at this stage.
Rooney hasn't done a great deal in two games, apart from score one goal and create the other. He gets the kind of flack some gave to Yakubu when he was here, and I don't see a better alternative.
Gerrard was tired from the last match and poor, but who else in the squad could play that role? The younger midfielders all seem to play in much more advanced positions. Carrick was left at home, but had such a poor season few would have taken him.
The defence made mistakes, but Johnson is the only fit half-decent right-back in the country - and made a goal. Jagielka and Cahill are quite clearly the best centre-halves in the country, and that's including the aged-immobile-racist-thug.

 

[pork pie fox]

Strange, I thought Cahill had a great game covering his and Jagielka's positions. The rest were gash though.

I watched the game with a few mates, and we were saying that we thought Cahill was playing well. BUT, as I pointed out last night, if you look at the two goals we conceded last night and Balotelli's goal on Saturday, who was our nearest defender to the goal scorer each time? It was Cahill, and, whilst he did a lot right, and I am being picky, he was also the player who should have been tighter to his man on all three of those goals. Small margins decide big games like these and unfortunately we've played ok but come up that bit short.

 

[FryattFox]

I watched the game with a few mates, and we were saying that we thought Cahill was playing well. BUT, as I pointed out last night, if you look at the two goals we conceded last night and Balotelli's goal on Saturday, who was our nearest defender to the goal scorer each time? It was Cahill, and, whilst he did a lot right, and I am being picky, he was also the player who should have been tighter to his man on all three of those goals. Small margins decide big games like these and unfortunately we've played ok but come up that bit short.

To be fair, I think Suarez's first was unstoppable, in that it was an inch perfect cross and header.

But the second was woeful - he's got to pre-empt the flick on there! Any central defender would have seen it coming.

 

[pork pie fox]

To be fair, I think Suarez's first was unstoppable, in that it was an inch perfect cross and header.

But the second was woeful - he's got to pre-empt the flick on there! Any central defender would have seen it coming.

I know I'm being ultra picky there FF, and you are absolutely right that it's tough to blame Cahill, particularly for the first. I'm not blaming him totally, defensively we were poor as a unit. The cross could have been stopped etc etc. However, if Cahill was touch tight, and maybe (continental style) had a grip on his shirt, or blocks his run a bit, he doesn't get that header.

As I say, I'm not blaming him, as it's a team game and there were other errors leading to those goals (particularly Balotelli's), I was just pointing out that he happened to be the defender marking the goal scorer on all three of those goals.

Small details, but we seem to make those mistakes and others don't. Until we stop doing that, we're always likely to come up short.

 

[Arightfilbert]

Quite. I could never see anything other than two defeats from these matches. My hopes were raised after our performance against Italy and Uruguay's collapse to Costa Rica but it was all true to form in the end.

I'm sorry but RH has to take responsibility for setting the team up wrong. Baines is totally inferior to Cole. We have a shit keeper and three average defenders (and Cahill who I rate).

If you play Gerrard, you need three in midfield not two. As it was, his effectiveness was stunted and we were over-run too easily. Can you ever imagine Italy leaving Pirlo with only one other man in midfield alongside? It's just potty. Henderson never played like he does for Liverpool either.

In attack, we just didn't perform well enough. We have nobody like a Suarez or a Balotelli that will step up when it counts. Too many mistakes, too few players prepared to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Lambert should have been on at half time. We needed a focal point in attack as Sturridge was wandering all over the place. Sterling and Wellbeck were shite. Rooney was our best player on the night by a country mile.

Until we have a manager with a modern, insightful approach and a group of players that are hungry and focused, we'll never amount to anything. Everything about us last night was second rate.

I don't think they were much better than us yesterday, neither team are cup winners. The difference was that they had a world class play (two possibly with Cavani) and we had none.

Pretty much spot on, both of You. We haven´t had a decent keeper for years now.
I thought Sturridge was the only forward who showed any class though and the reason he was running about everywhere was due to lack of decent service from midfield.
I don´t give a pot of P### for our hypothetical chances of still getting through, since Italy v Uruguay (pending the results of Costa Rica´s remaining fixtures), has a draw written all over it.

 

[Miles Away]

Oh there is absolutely no chance the Italy Uruguay game ends in any thing but a draw.

Our only hope is our own incompetence and Uruguay think they'll need a win (and play for one) as Costa Rica could easily roll us over and end up with six points.

The Italians will rest Pirlo and a few others too.

And what's the point anyway, even if we did get out of the group this side is patently not good enough.

In short I've moved on.

Yoooouuuueessssaaaay yoooouuuessssayyy youessssayyy

 

[Lako42]

Sod The Italy v Uruguay game, the only issue worth taking note of is the fact England need to pick up 3 points.

For that reason, we're out!

 

[Blaby blue blood]

I watched the game with a few mates, and we were saying that we thought Cahill was playing well. BUT, as I pointed out last night, if you look at the two goals we conceded last night and Balotelli's goal on Saturday, who was our nearest defender to the goal scorer each time? It was Cahill, and, whilst he did a lot right, and I am being picky, he was also the player who should have been tighter to his man on all three of those goals. Small margins decide big games like these and unfortunately we've played ok but come up that bit short.

To be fair, I think Suarez's first was unstoppable, in that it was an inch perfect cross and header.

But the second was woeful - he's got to pre-empt the flick on there! Any central defender would have seen it coming.

Cahill had a decent game last night and I think it would be harsh to blame him for all of the goals, against Italy he was stranded, if Johnson hadn't have raced to the front post chasing his man, he could have passed him on to Cahill and gotten closer to Balotelli and made it difficult for him, instead Cahill had to back pedel and was never going to get there.

You can't blame him for Suarez first, purely because he was nowhere near the ball, it was Jagielka, not sure anyone could have stopped that tho. For the second, I agree he poss could have been closer to Suarez, but if Jagielka hadn't raced out of position and gotten caught in no man's land, he would have had Suarez covered and the 2 of them could have closed him out.

As for the performance as a whole it was pretty shocking, worlds away from the Italy performance and it deserved what it got. I hope they really attack Costa Rica, not because I think we can go thro, but I'd like to at least see them go down fighting, bring in the Ox for Welbeck and Wiltshire for Gerrard and go for it!

 

[fitz]

4 years ago Spain won it, we're now as good as they are. Be glad of that...plus we don't have to play the likes of Holland, Germany etc