Is it just me?? - England!!

[Tangled up in Blue]

He played for Fulham when he was 18 and was fantastic. IMO he hasn't made more international caps because he has been unlucky with injuries, but he did nothing wrong in the game.

He was indeed fantastic with Fulham as an eighteen year old.Best young defender I've seen for Fulham since Tony Gale made his debut.

Smalling will come good for England.It's just a matter of time.

 

[ozzie]

Fair points. I still think that too many changes mean the new lads do not get a feel for being in the actual England team. If Roy played nine of his first eleven in each friendly, six new players plus maybe a sub or two get to show what they can do. But what they can do, surrounded by regular first choice players. Not what they can do in a never before tried team, with an experimental feel. How can you judge players under those circumstances? As admitted by ..Roy Hodgson! You can't!

true,what we always read or hear,is that we will learn from this!!but we dont,otherwise we would be the most intelligent team in the world.too many changes,then hodgson changes things in the 2 nd half,with players he has played often & makes it worse!! dont forget,this "top" world team(chile) had players playing,so i read,who are bit players for wigan & forest!!and can easily out play us at wembley,in europe.

 

[chapperzUK]

We were never going to name a full strength squad because of injuries.

As for Chile, they might have players from Wigan and Forest but they also managed to get results against Brazil and Spain in friendly matches in the last year. They also had Alexis Sanchez who has been in top form for Barcelona. Did they outplay us? Not really, they managed to pass the ball easily at the back when under very little pressure with Forster having very little to do.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

We were never going to name a full strength squad because of injuries.

As for Chile, they might have players from Wigan and Forest but they also managed to get results against Brazil and Spain in friendly matches in the last year. They also had Alexis Sanchez who has been in top form for Barcelona. Did they outplay us? Not really, they managed to pass the ball easily at the back when under very little pressure with Forster having very little to do.

Where it counts they did,which is why they scored twice and we didn't.Even Roy admitted they were much the better team.

Be interesting to see if ther's a repeat performance against Germany.

 

[EastStandBlue]

John Terry to Brazil? Because the last time we took an East End-born defender/captain extraordinaire with a penchant for thievery to a World Cup in South America, it all went swimmingly?

Hodgson, it would seem, can't win. If he rotates and experiments, he's ridiculed for indifferent team performances, criticised for not taking opponents seriously and reminded that This Is England, and we always win at home. If he plays a full strength team, he's lambasted for relying on fading superstars and accused of stunting England's growth as football superpower by shunning the veritable conveyor belt of top, top, top, top youngsters we have coming through.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

John Terry to Brazil? Because the last time we took an East End-born defender/captain extraordinaire with a penchant for thievery to a World Cup in South America, it all went swimmingly?

Hodgson, it would seem, can't win. If he rotates and experiments, he's ridiculed for indifferent team performances, criticised for not taking opponents seriously and reminded that This Is England, and we always win at home. If he plays a full strength team, he's lambasted for relying on fading superstars and accused of stunting England's growth as football superpower by shunning the veritable conveyor belt of top, top, top, top youngsters we have coming through.

I was interesested to see Wayne Rooney claim that tomorrow's match against Germany will be "more like a premeir league game" than the Chile match.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/17/roy-hodgson-england-germany-wayne-rooney

Maybe,but I'll be suprised if we qualify for the Champions League.:winking:

 

[Jam_Man]

I care so little about Friendlies I didnt even bother watching it.

Not sure what is wrong with playing new players, this is exactly the sort of game to look at other options and give new players a chance.

Not a fan of Hodgson but Im glad to see him experimenting and giving players a chance.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Milner- why? What does he do?

 

[mrsblue]

Milner- why? What does he do?

Milner plays the tactical role where he runs up and down whilst putting in rare crosses which normally are poo and virtually never scores,Roy likes him.

 

[mrsblue]

John Terry to Brazil? Because the last time we took an East End-born defender/captain extraordinaire with a penchant for thievery to a World Cup in South America, it all went swimmingly?

Hodgson, it would seem, can't win. If he rotates and experiments, he's ridiculed for indifferent team performances, criticised for not taking opponents seriously and reminded that This Is England, and we always win at home. If he plays a full strength team, he's lambasted for relying on fading superstars and accused of stunting England's growth as football superpower by shunning the veritable conveyor belt of top, top, top, top youngsters we have coming through.

The England job has been a poisoned chalice for ever and every manager will be lambasted by the press and fans at some stage of their tenure.

The Chile game was IMO embarrassing at times with us huffing and puffing whilst Chile controlled the game,Too many of our players think they are better than they really are.

 

[bucket&spade.f.c]

I have listened to all the experts in the media say that Roy Hodgson should experiment for the Chile and Germany games as they are opportunities to have a look at different players etc..before Brazil in the Summer. I disagree and last night I feel was proof. Roy has been manager for over a year. He knows the players. With three games to go..why would you not play as near to your starting eleven as possible? In all three games? A consistent team. If you blood youngsters it should be within the first team. What is the point of saying to Llallana "well done son, you are an England player" and then select the reserves? He then gets his cap but looks around..and the England team is not in the tunnel..but the wannabee's! So he has not played for England. Select your strongest team..always. That means any young player is not an experiment..but worthy of his international cap!!

Couldnt disagree anymore! For me the friendlys are all about trail and error I would much rather see the a "lesser" side lose 2-0/2-1 then watch the "first" lose 1-0.

We will see a stronger team on wednesday when we face Germany, a lesser team Vs Denmark then we travel to the States for a least 1 game maybe 2 which in turm will see is going to Brazil.

I think we should bring back England B team to face a weaker counties.

 

[RobM]

Anyone giggle at Kyle Walker's free kick just after Germany first goal? It was awful!

 

[Ricey]

South Africa beat Spain! I wonder if their fans and press will get on the managers back, no probably not because it's a pointless friendly!

 

[chapperzUK]

Thought there were a few positives about tonight. Smalling and Jagielka looked to form a good partnership at the back, while Ashley Cole is showing how he is still our main left back. Townsend was lively too, but when he runs down the line he is very reluctant to use his right foot. Lallana had another decent game with some good bits of skill to create space. Hart did well with only one moment where he should have been more assured.

On to the bad, Walker is a typical modern day full back - loves to overlap the winger but poor defensively. Heard Gerrard picked up his 108th cap to go level with Bobby Moore's tally and how does he mark this occasion? Average performance with several wayward long passes and crosses.

That was my first England game at Wembley and don't think I'll be going back anytime soon, and it had nothing to do with the game. I go to games to watch football, not hear several gobby fans shouting at a professional football what he should be doing everytime he gets the ball and then moan and groan when he doesn't take it past several players and score.

In fact I believe that is why we will struggle to develop players if that is our attitude to when a players tries something. We want to watch amazing passing skillful football but as soon as a player fails we are straight on his back, and they wonder why players don't try it again.

 

[Jam_Man]

South Africa beat Spain! I wonder if their fans and press will get on the managers back, no probably not because it's a pointless friendly!

Was discussing it before the game with a mate, I really dont care about England friendlies, rarely watch them.

However there are two that always matter, Scotland and Germany. Neither of those is "just" a friendly.

Unfortunately we played an under strength German side at home and lost, that is a very disappointing result. The Chile one I couldnt care about, but this is different.

Not the end of the world, but shouldnt just be dismissed either. Friendlies arent important, but they arent totally pointless as they are either a good chance to try new players, like vs Chile, or to at least get a yardstick of how we perform against teams.

Beating Germany wouldnt mean we would go and win the World Cup, and losing doesnt mean we will lose every game either, but its hardly reassuring we couldnt beat them at home.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Beating Germany wouldnt mean we would go and win the World Cup, and losing doesnt mean we will lose every game either, but its hardly reassuring we couldnt beat them at home.

Germany should go on to have a good World Cup (they look a good bet for a SF place at least, with a full strength team).Whereas, England will strugggle to get out of whatever group they're in, (unless they're lucky enough to get drawn with Switzerland).

 

[Uncle Leo]

Was discussing it before the game with a mate, I really dont care about England friendlies, rarely watch them.

However there are two that always matter, Scotland and Germany. Neither of those is "just" a friendly.

The Germany one is a bit of a one way street though. They are far more interested in beating Italy (they haven't done so for 18 years) and the Netherlands.

That wasn't great last night though was it? Glad I switched over to Sweden v Portugal just before Zlatan's second!

 

[EastStandBlue]

Was at the game last night and thought it was fairly typical friendly fare... Strong performances from some of the usual candidates (Gerrard, Rooney), and some players seemingly intent on playing their way out of contention.

You know how people claim you can only appreciate how good certain players are by watching them live? It's like that with Cleverley, only you can only truly appreciate how out of his depth he is at international level when you're present to watch him get caught in possession and continually spin simple passes into the feet of opposition. Desperately poor.

Sturridge was also fleetingly anonymous and, when he did get the ball, his decision making was poor. There doesn't seem to be any form of understanding between him and Rooney and Sturridge just ends up on the periphery, not really doing a lot. Welbeck has his detractors, but I'd far, far rather have him in the side than Sturridge. He offers more all-round play that we lack and already has a working understanding with Rooney.

Overall I didn't think it was too bad. We played some decent stuff at times and look composed, but it all crumbled when Gerrard was replaced and we had to fit the midfield around three players - Wilshere, Cleverley and Henderson - who all pretty much fulfill the same role. Compare that to the many midfielders Germany brought on and included, the likes of the Bender brothers, Gotze, Draxler, Kroos... it makes for fairly depressing viewing.

Little incision and cutting edge. Townsend was found out last night I thought, it's easy to run down the flank with the ball at pace if opposition defenders are more than happy to let you do it because you're predictable. He needs to vary it up and combine that drive with something other than a cut back, or he risks losing his place in the squad very quickly.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

If Tom Cleverley gets a spot on the plane, then we have serious problems.

 

[Ricey]

If Tom Cleverley gets a spot on the plane, then we have serious problems.

I have that feeling about John Terry as more people are mentioning that he should go to Brazil!