England v Russia, 11th June, 8pm

[cufc17]

Gutting.

 

[CEngelbrecht]

You have got to be fucking joking.

 

[mente captus]

Unlucky.

Beresutsky man of the match.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Should've brought Vardy on as soon as the 2nd went in, what an inept manager.

Honestly why did the FA not sack him after the WC.

 

[Jockney]

That was an encouraging performance but a fucking shit, shit, shit result and it puts unnecessary pressure on us to get a result against Wales.

 

[Storzy]

Russia were so bad in that first half and we just didn't have the composure to put them to bed there and then.

I would have liked to have seen Vardy on and Stirling not being taken off for bloody Milner! Keep some pace and a counter threat on the pitch while Russia are forced to push for a goal.

Still we had enough chances to win that game even with conceeding a goal. Bring on Wales then.

 

[JoshBCFC]

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

I don't think anyone can blame Hodgson for that leveller, or much else really. We had plenty of chances to score.

 

[Modernist]

Anyone really surprised?

We're an average side with an average manager, even if we somehow get out of the group we'll soon be on the way home.

 

[GodsGift]

Jesus, how have we not won that? Russia were awful, they offered absolutely nothing. It should have been put to bed after 45 minutes, never mind 90. Every one played well bar Kane, Alli and Sterling - if just one of those turn up we win that 2/3-0.

Why did Roy keep Kane on? Why? If he's not at it, then change it. For once we have the luxury of having some good strikers, so fucking use them. Gah. Now fucking Wales will do us.

 

[Super_horns]

Poor marking at the corner.

Too easy to cross and get the header in..

 

[GodsGift]

I don't think anyone can blame Hodgson for that leveller, or much else really. We had plenty of chances to score.

He has the ability to change games with his substitutes though, and he got them badly wrong.

 

[Pagnell]

Woy is just an older version of David Moyes.

 

[mente captus]

Who had to cover Beresutsky? Kane? I am pretty sure it shouldnt be Walker

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

He has the ability to change games with his substitutes though, and he got them badly wrong.

How so?

 

[Veggie Legs]

We don't have to find a scapegoat. We don't have to blame the manager. Russia had one chance in the last minute and they took it, it doesn't mean that we did anything wrong at the end.

 

[Nath]

I don't claim to be a manager, but it was painfully obvious that Vardy should have came on there.

 

[G.B]

the equaliser makes lallana's "excellent" first half look more like 2 great chances fucked up. if only woy could have brought on a clinical finisher to take advantage of our dominance and see the russians off.

 

[Nath]

Why was Rooney taken off aswell? He was excellent.

 

[SALTIRE]

Well thats a shame...

 

[Ciderhead]

It wasn't like we just sat right off and they piled the pressure on though, they just had one chance and scored. Unlucky, frustrating, it happens sometimes. We still played well. We'll just have to go and beat Wales

 

[silkyman]

What the fuck was Smalling doing for the goal? He couldn't have got in the way more without actually doing anything if he'd tried.

 

[Storzy]

Why was Rooney taken off aswell? He was excellent.

He was good in the first when Russia offered nothing, but I think he faded once they started pushing up and getting closer to him.

I don't think taking him off was the wrong decision.

 

[Stevencc]

We don't have to find a scapegoat. We don't have to blame the manager. Russia had one chance in the last minute and they took it, it doesn't mean that we did anything wrong at the end.

Spot on. We should have capitalised on the pressure we had Russia under but overall the performance was excellent. No need to panic and organise a witch hunt just yet.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Different year, same old England.

 

[SALTIRE]

Different year, same old England.

Yeah on and off the pitch...

 

[JimJams]

It looks to me like Hodgson got his starting line up right, despite me being disappointed Vardy didn't start. We played well, really well at times. The trouble is that Sterling and Lallana aren't particularly confident or potent in front of goal so the threat is limited to Kane. And he had a real off day.
But we played good football, Russia didn't get a sniff and the opening goal looked likely on the balance of play, despite it taking a set piece.
But then you get down to the issue with Hodgson. He doesn't listen to his own pre match ramblings. He knows our defence is a weakness, he wants us to go all out attack. So why, with a one goal lead, do we revert to defending a slender lead dropping further into our own half, making negative subs (though Wilshere for Rooney isn't a negative move) or not making subs at all.
This is where having Vardy on the bench makes no sense. He will not be a useful sub if we are behind as he thrives on space. The kind of space that comes when a side tries to chase an equaliser. So the only instance you shoud be using him from the bench is if you have an injury or you've got a slim lead. He'll either get a chance to exploit the space on a break or he'll keep the opposition pinned in.
Saying this if we defend that cross, we win 1-0 everyone is happy and the outlook is positive.
I just don't see what Roy is thinking with him.

 

[GodsGift]

How so?

Well for a start, it was screaming out for Vardy to be brought on. Kane was playing shit and it was a no-brainer to have someone who could get in behind. Taking Rooney off was a strange move as well, we could have done with having another midfielder who is good at keeping the ball.

We don't have to find a scapegoat. We don't have to blame the manager. Russia had one chance in the last minute and they took it, it doesn't mean that we did anything wrong at the end.

Well, if only it was that simple. We only scored one despite creating seven or eight clear chances - which, to me, suggests we did do something wrong. They should never have been in a position where they could get back on level terms.

 

[RavenBish]

We don't have to find a scapegoat. We don't have to blame the manager. Russia had one chance in the last minute and they took it, it doesn't mean that we did anything wrong at the end.

That's a bit too '3 cheers for Ramirez' for my liking though. It's Russia, you can't just allow one chance in the last minute and then shrug your shoulders when you could've easily done more to affect the result. We let them have that chance by going so negative for the last 10 minutes. You could use the 'everyone's a general after the battle' excuse but literally everyone knew Vardy had to come on and just sticking Milner and Wilshere on was a bizarre and overly negative move. It's not a one off either, he's looked clueless as an England manager for a long time now.

 

[WAP]

Hodgson is very much to blame, defensive subs at the end. Milner ffs. The game was crying out for a Vardy or a Sturridge to come on.