England Team Thread

[sj33]

Job done, I think we should give England credit for putting in a more positive performance. They were entertaining to watch, rather than the painful slog that it normally is. We shouldn't get carried away - Poland more than held their own. But on a night when Belgium we held by the mighty footballing nation of Wales, I think we can feel positive.

[nakamura]

Considering how few goals are scored from corners now, I think it's time to stop committing big defenders forward and leaving huge gaps at the back. Other than that, a really good performance. We lack talent but certainly played some nice stuff. Townsend is raw but decent and fearless. We need to stop obsessing over pace to win games, you need control to win games. We try to do everything at maximum speed all of the time.

[EJG1980]

Job done, I think we should give England credit for putting in a more positive performance. They were entertaining to watch, rather than the painful slog that it normally is.

Other than that, a really good performance. We lack talent but certainly played some nice stuff.

Really, that's all I want from England. We're not a team packed full of great players but that doesn't mean you can't approach matches in a positive fashion and try to entertain your fans.

I've got no problem with England going out in the second round or quarter final of a tournament, that's our level, but it'd be so much more fun to see us giving it a go rather than slogging our way through.

It'd be nice to see performances like last night become the rule rather than the exception. I live in hope, if not expectation

[nakamura]

Exactly what I think. We are a solid team with an outside chance of winning. I want to feel pride of having a good go, taking a game to an opponent. We have been **** to watch since Hoddle left, bar the odd match.

[PaTaito]

Great result, however to put it in perspective poland did finish bottom of the group...and against decent opposition, i fear the confidence thing will still be our biggest obstacle.

Great news about getting through.

[Mayhem]

Great result, however to put it in perspective poland did finish bottom of the group...and against decent opposition, i fear the confidence thing will still be our biggest obstacle.

My brother mentioned this during the match... it must have been a graphical snafu as San Marino finished bottom with -53 GD heh...

[BaronSqwelch]

a big snafu at that because Moldova finished below Poland too.

[fallenangle]

Job done, I think we should give England credit for putting in a more positive performance. They were entertaining to watch, rather than the painful slog that it normally is.

I'm with you and EJG1980 on this. I'd much prefer to see England going for it, in a sensible way, and being entertaining whilst doing that rather than trying to grind through a tournament.

Lets face it they're not going to have any hope of winning the WC unless the more likely teams have a melt down. It could happen but I just want to see them play with the same sort of commitment and spirit, putting on a good show and if they do lose at least go down fighting having given their best.

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

Great result, however to put it in perspective poland did finish bottom of the group

We're not THAT bad!

[prinnysquad]

Shut up fammyDoDd.

[PaTaito]

bloody ITV...proper unreliable lol!

[fallenangle]

I could only bear to dip in and out of it during advert breaks but that looked like a lousy game against Chile with an England team more like a Championship side than the best in the Premiership. What Hodgson might have gathered from this performance and why he played who he did only he knows. Just seemed to me to be more than a bit of a waste when you realise how few games they're going to play before the WC.

He should be honing the side not experimenting. Perhaps a better team will be selected for the Germany match, certainly hope so.

[Team Andromeda]

Exactly what I think. We are a solid team with an outside chance of winning. I want to feel pride of having a good go, taking a game to an opponent. We have been **** to watch since Hoddle left, bar the odd match.

I don't think you were great under Hoddle tbh . England is just a very ordinary team with average players and have been for decades . The sooner the press, the public and more so the players accept that , the better.

[DeathAdder]

I agree about Hoddle. The best I can remember England playing for him was the 2-0 win over Columbia in the 1998 World Cup, iirc.

Since 1990, I can't remember many really good performances at all, particularly the Euros on foreign soil seem to bring out England their worst and dullest.

Good times. Perhaps the 1993 3-0 win over Poland, some parts of Euro 96, and the hammering of Germany in 2001. There were patches of good play in the 2002 World Cup.

Mostly it's been poor for a long time.

[EJG1980]

I think the point being made was that, win lose or draw, at least Hoddle got the team to TRY and play good football and to TRY to win with a decent style. England weren't (and aren't) an amazing side so it didn't always happen, but at least there was a reasonable chance of seeing something enjoyable to watch when he was manager.

It doesn't matter if England are great, average, or ranked 100th in the world; any team can choose to try their best to play attractive football and give their public something that isn't a complete slog to watch (as most England matches have been in the past ten or so years).