England v Wales, 16th June, 2pm

[tinpot]

Pagnell. I agree that Bale is the best player out of the two teams. No question.
But other than scoring from two free-kicks he's done fuck all. Fact.
As I said before, an eagle surrounded by pigeons.

 

[SALTIRE]

Bale is gash always has been always will be. Somehow he pulls the wool over people's eyes like Beckham did into thinking he's a half decent player.

 

[Pagnell]

Bale is gash always has been always will be. Somehow he pulls the wool over people's eyes like Beckham did into thinking he's a half decent player.

Be quiet. For example, you'd swap him for Coutinho without a second thought. And so would I.

 

[tinpot]

Saltire, I agree.
Pagnell, wind yer neck in. You know fuck all about football.

 

[Kopper]

Pagnell. I agree that Bale is the best player out of the two teams. No question.
But other than scoring from two free-kicks he's done fuck all. Fact.
As I said before, an eagle surrounded by pigeons.

Ramsay and Allen aren't pigeons. Neither is Ashley Williams.

 

[JJH]

Ramsay and Allen aren't pigeons. Neither is Ashley Williams.

By the same token, none of them would get into England's starting lineup.

 

[SALTIRE]

Be quiet. For example, you'd swap him for Coutinho without a second thought. And so would I.

Would I balls.

 

[Pagnell]

Saltire, I agree.
Pagnell, wind yer neck in. You know fuck all about football.

More than you do about comprehension it would appear.

 

[Kopper]

Bale is gash always has been always will be. Somehow he pulls the wool over people's eyes like Beckham did into thinking he's a half decent player.

2 Champion's League medals says different. Helping Wales to get to the Euros, confirms it.

p.s. Beckham was a great winger. One of the very best.
He's also got a medal or two.

 

[Pagnell]

Would I balls.

Then you're fucking mad.

 

[Storzy]

Wow that was nerve wracking! I think we deserved the win in the end as Wales were very passive, but much like the Russia game we really struggled to punish them. Luckily this time we got the break and the winner.

I don't want to be negative after a win, but I can't help myself! The squad we've taken to this doesn't really suit the formation we're playing. The 4-3-3 has looked like a good system for us, but we have no options to change the wide players because we've only got one winger. Stirling who is in awful form at the moment. In both games, it's not the system that's needed changing, just the personnel.

Funnily enough the problem lies with one of the success stories for England so far. Wayne Rooney (actually it's because Hodgeson is an idiot, but bear with me). Hodgeson has decided he must play Rooney and he also clearly decided that 4-4-2 diamond formation was the formation for England!

The problem with that is they don't match. Rooney doesn't have a place in that formation. We've tried him upfront and in the attacking mid position and England have looked slow and disjointed. We haven't seen him in the deeper positions, but the DM position seems ill suited to him and it's unlikely that he has the legs for the wider positions.

This gives Hodgeson his dilemma, he either tries to crowbar Rooney into a formation it's hard to get him into or he plays a formation that he lacks the players for. When you look at it like this, it's no wonder people are negative after a win. We're in a situation we should never be in, he's had all season to figure out a team and formation but here we are with no idea how best to set up.

 

[Kopper]

By the same token, none of them would get into England's starting lineup.

So Williams isn't on Stones' or Smalling's level? Ramsay and Allen aren't on Lallana's.

Leave it out.

 

[SALTIRE]

2 Champion's League medals says different. Helping Wales to get to the Euros, confirms it.

p.s. Beckham was a great winger. One of the very best.
He's also got a medal or two.

Your obviously one that both players pulled the wool over.

 

[Renegade]

Beckham wasn't in the same realm as Bale in terms of quality. Still a cracking player mind, both shit on Coutinho, the most patchy player in the Premier League. I wish he'd make his mind up, world class for a couple of weeks, useless for a month. Rinse, repeat.

 

[tinpot]

Pagnell. Have you been drinking?

 

[Kopper]

Your obviously one that both players pulled the wool over.

You wouldn't know quality if it punched you in the face.

p.s. stop drinking when you post!

 

[SALTIRE]

Beckham wasn't in the same realm as Bale in terms of quality. Still a cracking player mind, both shit on Coutinho, the most patchy player in the Premier League. I wish he'd make his mind up, world class for a couple of weeks, useless for a month. Rinse, repeat.

Agree about Coutinho on his consistency, but his heights far eclipse both of the others and thats why Liverpool should persevere with him.

 

[SALTIRE]

You wouldn't know quality if it punched you in the face.

p.s. stop drinking when you post!

I only go on the whisky in the wee small hours when I feel suicidal.

 

[JimJams]

Wether Sturridge starts against Slovakia is up for debate. But Vardy absolutely MUST start. Slovakia need a win. Which means that they will need to come forward, they will need to commit themselves and they will need to bend over and take it like a good un when he gets in behind.

 

[JimJams]

I only go on the whisky in the wee small hours when I feel suicidal.

After every Scotland game then?

 

[Renegade]

Agree about Coutinho on his consistency, but his heights far eclipse both of the others and thats why Liverpool should persevere with him.

 

[Pagnell]

Pagnell. Have you been drinking?
You're making a complete C U Next Tuesday of yourself.

Says the bloke who agreed that Bale was "gash", contradicting his earlier comment and then needing the obvious pointed out three times. Go look up the word irony and take the night off.

Oh, and try to avoid personal insults like calling someone a c***, it does you no favours.

 

[SALTIRE]

Your posting that against a team that was a bunch of has-beens then?

 

[JJH]

So Williams isn't on Stones' or Smalling's level? Ramsay and Allen aren't on Lallana's.

Leave it out.

Well, Ramsey wouldn't be playing out wide for a start so no - he wouldn't get in ahead of Lallana. Even if we were playing a midfield four like we should be doing - no, Ramsey wouldn't get into the side ahead of Dier, Rooney, Alli and Wilshere.

As for Williams - there's a reason he's been at Swansea City for eight years, and there's also a reason why Smalling and Cahill have been snapped up by two of England's 'big boys', taken from clubs similar to Swansea.

Neither would get into England's side.

 

[Storzy]

Ali has been shit in two games now. A headless chicken.

I think Ramsey would displace him from our team.

 

[Renegade]

Your posting that against a team that was a bunch of has-beens then?

He embarrassed one of the best right backs of his generation.

Come back when Coutinho becomes the most expensive player in the world, is two time Premier League player of the season and scores or assists more than Bale in any season.

He's only two years younger than Bale ffs.

 

[Pagnell]

I think Coutinho gets an unfair amount of stick from some. But the idea he's even comparable to Bale is comical. He isn't anywhere near as good as Bale, nor, likely, will he ever be.

 

[Kopper]

Well, Ramsey wouldn't be playing out wide for a start so no - he wouldn't get in ahead of Lallana. Even if we were playing a midfield four like we should be doing - no, Ramsey wouldn't get into the side ahead of Dier, Rooney, Alli and Wilshere.

As for Williams - there's a reason he's been at Swansea City for eight years, and there's also a reason why Smalling and Cahill have been snapped up by two of England's 'big boys', taken from clubs similar to Swansea.

Neither would get into England's side.

Ramsay has played football at a higher level than Dier or Alli. On a much more consistent basis too.
Rooney is a second striker being asked to do a job in midfield. It isn't his regular gig.
Ramsay might just squeeze past the injury prone Wilshere, into the England squad (if he were eligible).
As for Cahill and Smalling, they're good, but they aren't a world away from Williams. In fact many have lamented the lack of good English centre halves. I don't share this view, but it gives you an idea how hard it would be to walk into those positions, from some quarters.

 

[Matt_]

Well done to Hodgson for his brave halftime substitutions.

It seems the bloke can do no right for some. He was criticised in the past for playing too defensively and not introducing enough young players, but he's clearly addressed both those over recent times. Maybe expectation levels for some people are still way too high. England aren't a major force in World or European football and haven't been for a long time and, whilst our domestic game continues to be dominated by foreign imports at the highest level, that isn't going to change any time soon.

I also don't understand the criticism over lack of wingers in the squad when the width in the England side clearly comes from the full backs in the current formation, which is the intention.

 

[JJH]

Ramsay has played football at a higher level than Dier or Alli. On a much more consistent basis too.
Rooney is a second striker being asked to do a job in midfield. It isn't his regular gig.
Ramsay might just squeeze past the injury prone Wiltshere, into the England squad (if he were eligible).
As for Cahill and Smalling, they're good, but they aren't a world away from Williams. In fact many have lamented the lack of good English centre halves. I don't share this view, but it gives you an idea how hard it would be to walk into those positions, from some quarters.

Rooney hasn't been a striker for years - he's been playing in behind until the latter parts of this season, where's he's dropped deeper into the centre and has been a calming influence there for both United and England.

Alli's merely 20 years old - he's had one season in the PL and has excelled. What makes you think Ramsey would get in the side ahead of him? I don't even need to fight Dier's case, they're completely different players, wouldn't be a like-for-like swap.

I don't think Smalling and Cahill are particularly good - they're quite clearly the weak link in the England side; but they'd both get into any side ahead of Ashley Williams.