Slovakia v England, 20th June, 8pm

[Jamie_SFC]

Buses have been well and truly parked in this tournament.

 

[JJ1532]

Yeah, making 6 changes had fuck all to do with it.

Sorry, are you trying to tell me that leaving both full backs and Rooney in the team would have made much difference? In case you hadn't noticed, we struggled like hell to break down both Russia and Wales. Tonight was no different, just lacked the late drama.

 

[Storzy]

Yeah, making 6 changes had fuck all to do with it.

We played exactly the same in the other two games as well... so nope?

 

[Blitzballer]

 

[TractorBoys]

At least this time we didn't make any fucking woeful defensive mistakes like the first two games.

Short term memory FTW. Smalling?!

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Sorry, are you trying to tell me that leaving both full backs and Rooney in the team would have made much difference? In case you hadn't noticed, we struggled like hell to break down both Russia and Wales. Tonight was no different, just lacked the late drama.

Leaving Walker and Rooney, two of our best players in the first two games, in the team would have made no difference, of course. You're right. Oh, and Rose in for the woeful Bertrand would have made no difference? Okay.

Not to mention disrupting the momentum of the team by making 6 changes, but we'll forget that, eh?

 

[sl1k]

Wilshere was subbed just as he was getting into a flow of things, Rooney should have come on for horrenderson and Lallana should have stayed on.

 

[JJ1532]

Leaving Walker and Rooney, two of our best players in the first two games, in the team would have made no difference, of course. You're right. Oh, and Rose in for the woeful Bertrand would have made no difference? Okay.

Not to mention disrupting the momentum of the team by making 6 changes, but we'll forget that, eh?

What momentum?! We'd just scraped by Wales with an extremely fortunate late winner. Take that Sturridge goal away and the performance was no different than the one we saw tonight.

Seriously, forget the scorelines and analyse each performance. Russia, dominated, struggled to score, needed a set piece to open them up. Wales, dominated, struggled to score, needed a lucky bounce off Williams to open them up. Slovakia, dominated, struggled to score, couldn't open them up. The performances have been carbon copies of one another, with minor differences in each(mostly lucky bounces).

The changes are irrelevant, because it excuses the players we had on the pitch. There was more than enough quality out there for long enough to open up Slovakia, but they simply didn't show it. Maybe its time for the players to cop some flak, not just Hodgson?

 

[Benji]

England drew with these? Awful team.

 

[Jockney]

The performance was fine. We made six changes. I agree, we need to be more clinical.

Everyone's eager to jump to judgements about this side but the real test will be how we fare against a decent team and the odds of progressing that far are good.

Tranquilo. I'm pleased.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Grand total of 64 shots England have had (29 of them tonight) in the group stages and only 3 converted. For a team with such a positive attacking threat, that's pretty poor.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

What momentum?! We'd just scraped by Wales with an extremely fortunate late winner. Take that Sturridge goal away and the performance was no different than the one we saw tonight.

Seriously, forget the scorelines and analyse each performance. Russia, dominated, struggled to score, needed a set piece to open them up. Wales, dominated, struggled to score, needed a lucky bounce off Williams to open them up. Slovakia, dominated, struggled to score, couldn't open them up. The performances have been carbon copies of one another, with minor differences in each(mostly lucky bounces).

The changes are irrelevant, because it excuses the players we had on the pitch. There was more than enough quality out there for long enough to open up Slovakia, but they simply didn't show it. Maybe its time for the players to cop some flak, not just Hodgson?

The players are, and have copped a lot of flack, but at the end of the day the system they play in, and them getting picked is down to old Woy.

What momentum? If you watch the two games, we improved from the Russia game to the Wales one, yes we required some fortune, but we still won, and had gathered a little momentum following the first game against Russia. This game was a carbon copy of the Russia game without the goals.

I fully get that we're playing teams parking the bus against us, and it's likely in the next round with Hungary or Iceland (chances are low that we'll get Portugal), but the thing is, with the team that played the second half of the Wales game, we were gathering a lot of momentum, that was wrecked today by making 6 stupid changes. We created next to nothing all game, it's all well and good saying that the players need to take some blame, but when Woy leaves potentially our best chance creators (Walker & Rose) out of the game, what can you do??

You think that the full backs would have made no difference, I beg to differ, much as Clyne did well today, he wasn't as adventurous or as creative as Walker has been in the previous two games. The less said about Bertrand the better. Henderson should be nowhere near this England team, and Wilshere clearly isn't fit. I'm sorry, but all of these choices fall down to one man. Roy Hodgson. No one else picks the team. No one else sets the system (well, apparently we don't play with one, but there we are). This does unfortunately fall to Woy.

 

[Veggie Legs]

Didn't mind that as much as some of you. We played well but lacked a cutting edge against a side that didn't want to come forward. It happens.

This. It's frustrating, but if a team plays for a 0-0 then sometimes they're going to get one.

 

[TractorBoys]

For me, irrespective of opponent Roy has to find a place for Walker, Rose & Rooney. Thankfully, I do believe he'll do this. I just fear we've made our path much more difficult and if it doesn't bite us in the SR it may in the QF's.

 

[JJ1532]

The performance was fine. We made six changes. I agree, we need to be more clinical.

Everyone's eager to jump to judgements about this side but the real test will be how we fare against a decent team and the odds of progressing that far are good.

Tranquilo. I'm pleased.

Ok, put aside the performances in the groups. What team do we pick for next week? I have Hart, Walker, Cahill, Smalling, Rose, Dier and Rooney pencilled in. But after that? Flip a coin. Lallana probably slots in, but where? Sturridge? Kane? Vardy? Who plays on the left wing? I think the fact nobody(including Hodgson) knows exactly who to pick upfront and in what position is a massive concern no?

My other concern is, we've gotten used to having all the ball and possession. We've not been tested defensively at all. How do they cope when suddenly they have to go for long periods without possession, or for periods when they are under pressure and having to sit back and defend? What's the game plan then? I think we're going into the knockouts woefully underprepared for them. The only consolation is that France and a number of the other teams look similarly out of sorts.

 

[T.A]

The performance was fine. We made six changes. I agree, we need to be more clinical.

Everyone's eager to jump to judgements about this side but the real test will be how we fare against a decent team and the odds of progressing that far are good.

Tranquilo. I'm pleased.

Is "fine" good enough at international level? You need to be at the top of your game all the time no matter who you play, bar maybe 1/2 teams.

We've played fine in all three games and drawn against a very poor Russia, scrapped a win v Wales and drawn another game against a team that had no intention of winning.

I just think that's the difference between us and a top team like Spain, France and Italy. They can grind out better results even when they play "fine"

 

[JJ1532]

The players are, and have copped a lot of flack, but at the end of the day the system they play in, and them getting picked is down to old Woy.

What momentum? If you watch the two games, we improved from the Russia game to the Wales one, yes we required some fortune, but we still won, and had gathered a little momentum following the first game against Russia. This game was a carbon copy of the Russia game without the goals.

I fully get that we're playing teams parking the bus against us, and it's likely in the next round with Hungary or Iceland (chances are low that we'll get Portugal), but the thing is, with the team that played the second half of the Wales game, we were gathering a lot of momentum, that was wrecked today by making 6 stupid changes. We created next to nothing all game, it's all well and good saying that the players need to take some blame, but when Woy leaves potentially our best chance creators (Walker & Rose) out of the game, what can you do??

You think that the full backs would have made no difference, I beg to differ, much as Clyne did well today, he wasn't as adventurous or as creative as Walker has been in the previous two games. The less said about Bertrand the better. Henderson should be nowhere near this England team, and Wilshere clearly isn't fit. I'm sorry, but all of these choices fall down to one man. Roy Hodgson. No one else picks the team. No one else sets the system (well, apparently we don't play with one, but there we are). This does unfortunately fall to Woy.

I disagree with almost all of that.

I don't think we improved against Wales, infact I think we were worse. We looked far livelier and far more likely to score against Russia than we did against Wales. We never fell behind against Russia, we never had to throw 2 changes on at HT in a desperate bid to get back into it. I felt like the game plan we opened the Russian game with was the same one we had right up until the last 10 minutes. But against Wales, it had to be scrapped at HT. I don't think we had any momentum. Maybe it felt like we did, but in terms of the performances, I think the general performance carried over. Don't forget that the changes Hodgson made in the Wales game that won it were Sturridge and Vardy. Sturridge was dogshit tonight, kept slowing things down by getting the ball in non dangerous areas.

I don't think Rose had done anything of note in either of the first 2 games, I think Walker had been way better. I probably wouldn't have dropped Rose, but I don't think we missed him. The midfield changes are less debatable, well Rooney anyway. But Alli had been pretty poor in the first 2 games, I don't think he deserved to stay in the team. Maybe he could have limited it to just Wilshere for Alli and not started Henderson.

Sorry, I just don't agree in any way shape or form that the changes had any impact tonight. What tonight was missing was a decent set piece delivery or an Ashley Williams esq mistake. We had no breaks at all, where as against Russia and Wales we did. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one I think.

 

[SALTIRE]

Only the Liverpool players could hold their head up high tonight, and I even include Skrtel in that!

 

[JaseTheVillain]

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one I think.

Definitely, or we'll be going round in circles all night.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Poor, we had 95 minutes to break down a Slovakia side with absolutely no intention of doing anything but park the bus, we should be winning that any other half decent national side would have put a few goals past them. It's all well and good having possession and constructing some nice passing play, but if there's no end product it's pointless, despite having 70% of the ball not once did I think we looked like scoring. Clueless.

We have some brilliant attacking options but it's ironic that defenders have been our stand out performers so far, while the forwards are misfiring. I thought the changes wouldn't have made a massive difference tonight but I was wrong, it's killed our momentum going into the last 16 and we as fans are hardly going in with the most positive thoughts. Fair play to Wales they've shown England how to break down poor teams in their games with Slovakia and Russia, we've certainly made the route to final harder for ourselves now.

 

[JJ1532]

Definitely, or we'll be going round in circles all night.

Fucking England eh? Do this to us every bleedin tournament!

 

[JJH]

Final ball was awful.

Not really got much more to add, I've moaned consistently about the formation and team selection; I'm just wasting my time.

England won't trouble the big boys at this tournament as I expected before the tournament under Hodgson, can't wait until he fucks off after the tournament.

 

[Big Bird]

Frustrating.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Final ball was awful.

Not really got much more to add, I've moaned consistently about the formation and team selection; I'm just wasting my time.

England won't trouble the big boys at this tournament as I expected before the tournament under Hodgson, can't wait until he fucks off after the tournament.

To be replaced by the footballing guru that is Gary Neville.......

 

[SALTIRE]

England won't trouble the big boys at this tournament as I expected before the tournament under Hodgson, can't wait until he fucks off after the tournament.

Who would come in though after him and vastly improve them, that is realistic?

 

[TractorBoys]

Final ball was awful.

Not really got much more to add, I've moaned consistently about the formation and team selection; I'm just wasting my time.

England won't trouble the big boys at this tournament as I expected before the tournament under Hodgson, can't wait until he fucks off after the tournament.

We won't trouble the big boys after tbf mate, irrespective of manager, for at least another 4-6 years.

 

[silkyman]

Hodgson, can't wait until he fucks off after the tournament.

Said England fans about every manager during every tournament...

I think the problems run deeper.

 

[tinpot]

Only the Liverpool players could hold their head up high tonight, and I even include Skrtel in that!

Saltire. I do hope you are not including Horrenderson. He was was effing crap!
What the fuck was Roy drinking last night? Must have gone to an absinth bar. Fucking idiot!
I listened to his post match interview. I just wanted to leather him.

 

[JJH]

Said England fans about every manager during every tournament...

I think the problems run deeper.

They really haven't this tournament, it's evident for all to see.

Who would come in though after him and vastly improve them, that is realistic?

Said it before and I'll say it again, would love to see young Eddie Howe given a go.

 

[Vale on Trent]

I think what we've needed to do in all 3 games is score in the first half. If we'd of took a lead into half time in any of the games I would have fully expected us to go on, score more and win convincingly. Every game has felt like we're just waiting and waiting for us to score and try to break the other team down.