England Team Thread

[Kit]

Regarding players with technical ability; we have loads of them but unfortunately the Premiership style of football is more physical, and the number of players who possess both attributes is almost zero - so said technical players never make it far.

[nakamura]

The problem is simple, our players lack movement and real vision. Can you train this? I don't know.

What I do know is that my movement when I used to play appears to be considerably better than the current England midfield. It is like watching statues at times. Also when Rooney tries to get the ball moving, the rest of the team are in utter shock when the receive a short pass from him.

[parkinho]

Wayne Rooney has only scored 1 goal in the last 3 major tournaments that England have participated in (World Cup 2006, World Cup 2010 & Euro 2012). That isn't world class form in the slightest.

Very good on his day? Yes. World Class? Not for me, I'm afraid.

I agree, even looking beyond his goal scoring record he can be sloppy in possession and often has a poor first touch when he is not at his best. He lacks the consistency to be classed as 'world class' in my opinion.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Lol. Because goals are what it is all about.

My mistake. Goals don't win games at all, do they?

For somebody who considers himself to be a striker, Rooney's record isn't world class, especially at international level.

I'm sorry but the passing game hasn't produced any results

Perhaps not for England, but then they've never actually tried to improve that side of their game. Unless I've missed something over the last four years, the last three major tournaments have shown that being able to pass and keep hold of the ball competently (basic technical skill) can bring success, no?

http://bit.ly/OOVWzk

[nakamura]

My mistake. Goals don't win games at all, do they?

For somebody who considers himself to be a striker, Rooney's record isn't world class, especially at international level.

Rooney can't score all of the goals alone. When you have such rubbish as Welbeck and Heskey up front Rooney has to to pretty much everything. In fact, when Rooney plays for England he is the only player on the park with the talent to do anything of real quality. You are unfairly judging him in a **** national team. Messi and Argentina have been the same for years.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Rooney can't score all of the goals alone. When you have such rubbish as Welbeck and Heskey up front Rooney has to to pretty much everything. In fact, when Rooney plays for England he is the only player on the park with the talent to do anything of real quality. You are unfairly judging him in a **** national team. Messi and Argentina have been the same for years.

Who said I'm asking him to do everything? Please don't twist my words. I'm judging him on indisputable fact that he has played up front for England the majority of his international career and gone LONG periods where he has failed to impact in competitive matches. A very good player on his day for Man Utd and in small flashes with England. He simply isn't world class - I'm sorry. Your Heskey example is redundant as he hasn't seriously been part of the England fold for 3 years now.

As for Messi, I don't know if you've watched any of Argentina in recent times but there are signs that they appear to be starting to get more out of him.

[Team Andromeda]

Which (successful) Premier League teams play in this manner though? Most of our best players certainly don't play in 'direct' teams.

I don't know Man U done a good job of it over the years

Unless I've missed something over the last four years, the last three major tournaments have shown that being able to pass and keep hold of the ball competently (basic technical skill) can bring success, no?

And unless you've missed something the last few Major tournament have shown England can't play that style of game and win, even with International Mangers in charge , No ?

Rooney can't score all of the goals alone

Spot on too mush focus and pressure is put on Rooney - Its a shame I think that affects his game for England no helped a lack on a real striker partnership or the fact that England are lacking in the striker dept imo

[Nu-Eclipse]

I don't know Man U done a good job of it over the years

So you're comparing Club football to International football, then? GOOD JOB. Remind me what happened when Man Utd last met Barcelona in the Champions' League. Did their direct Premier League football work against a side able to pass and keep hold of the ball?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13576522

And unless you've missed something the last few Major tournament have shown England can't play that style of game and win, even with International Mangers in charge , No ?

Nope. I'm pretty sure that I've not missed anything. Clearly, the FA are trying to rebuild the English game from the ground-up to produce better technical players in the future - they don't seem to believe in "The Premier League way" working in International football, either.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/oct/06/st-georges-park-david-sheepshanks

[prinnysquad]

Always seems to be the case with us. I do think this batch is one of the more promising ones, with a lot of players playing outside of Poland. Lewandowski & Blaszczykowski especially are top notch.

What I did notice yesterday, was the ease with which we went past the English full backs. In fact, the whole defense was pretty poor. How many times were Cole & Johnson made to look mediocre? We could have easily won the match by 3 or 4 goals if the final ball was a little better.

And what's with the English way of playing? Pass it around the back a few times, then back to the keeper who hoofs it up field?

You English need to realise that you're nowhere near as good as you think you are. One 5-0 against San Marino does not the next world cup winners make. That's why I support the country of my parents, not the country of my birth. We know we'll never be world cup winners. We know not to get carried away. We aren't overpaid, overrated, arrogant, self righteous, pompous twats who think everything should be given to blah blah vomit

fattYDAd! Unbelievable. You weren't so quick to snuggle up to your heritage when Poland were totally ****. And remember all those years of demanding that Elbows Davies be selected for England? And when you splurged your ****ty kecks when he actually was? You damn film-flammer!

[Team Andromeda]

I'm pretty sure that I've not missed anything. Clearly, the FA are trying to rebuild the English game from the ground-up to produce better technical players in the future

That's decades away though .

Remind me what happened when Man Utd last met Barcelona in the Champions' League

Arsenal can beat Barcelona in the Champions league ; But I wouldn't say that means they're the best football Team in the world . And if you want to play that game, remind when England last appeared in a Final of a major Football tournament ? At least Man Utd get to to the finals of major tournaments more than once

[Nu-Eclipse]

That's decades away though .

Is it really? After their debacle at Euro 2000, Germany rebuilt their infrastructure to focus on better quality of player development. The results started to pay off around Euro 2008 and now they have a team that can expect to challenge for years to come. One decade? Perhaps. Decades away? Not if it's done properly.

Arsenal can beat Barcelona in the Champions league ; But I wouldn't say that means they're the best football Team in the world . And if you want to play that game, remind when England last appeared in a Final of a major Football tournament ? At least Man Utd get to to the finals of major tournaments more than once

Again, you're completely missing the point if you're going to keep comparing club football with international football - the world's best players come together more often in the club game, especially when you talk about the Champions' League. Also, your point is flawed in any case as Arsenal have been shown up the last several times that they've played Barcelona in the Champions' League, as have Man Utd.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

I wouldn't bother Nu-Eclipse, he'll probably ignore your actual point and triumphantly declare that Arsenal beat Barcelona 2-1 in the first leg of their Round of 16 match in the 2010/11 Champions League.

He ignored my previous comment about how international football is different to the Premier League and just challenged one debatable point as to whether or not Manchester United play direct football.

[Team Andromeda]

Is it really? After their debacle at Euro 2000, Germany rebuilt their infrastructure to focus on better quality of player development.

Germany have a past and recent history of doing well in the Major Tournaments, England don't. Germany are more off than not there or they about's . But it goes with out saying that every Team had a blip now and again

Again, you're completely missing the point if you're going to keep comparing club football with international football - the world's best players come together more often in the club game

I'm not . I'm saying we should use the speed and in your face style of the Prem to our advantage . The speed and style that makes it very hard for foriegn players to adapt too

Also, your point is flawed in any case as Arsenal have been shown up the last several times that they've played Barcelona in the Champions' League, as have Man Utd.

You keep going on about Barcelona when your point is flawed too - I mean how won La Liga last season ?

one debatable point as to whether or not Manchester United play direct football

Well I put to you that Man U are far more direct than the likes of Arsenal

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Well I put to you that Man U are far more direct than the likes of Arsenal

Is that the barometer for direct now? Being more direct than the least direct team in the league? On that basis, does every team in Spain other than Barcelona play direct football simply because they are more direct than Barcelona?

Again though you are nitpicking instead of discussing the responses that actually tackle you primary argument: that England should play a quicker, more direct style of football that replicates that of the Premier League. For example, I posted this a couple of pages back:

It is a lot harder to impose a quick pace in international football as teams are less likely to cheaply cede possession back to you when you lose it. To do so, you would also have to press high up the pitch to win the ball back, which is very difficult to do in an effective manner in international football as the coaches don't have enough time with the players to drill them in such a system. England also lack quick central defenders, so we'd be easy pickings over the top if we played a high line.

[EJG1980]

The overhead kick Ibrahimovic just scored against England... Absolute pure awesome What a show he's put on tonight.