England squad v Netherlands & Italy

[BCFC11]

1 hour ago, Moor2Sea said:

Well, may be in a minority of one here but the bloke was already half way down before impact on his foot. So he’d already launched himself into a dive before he was contacted. Certainly,  no way was that clear or obvious in my mind. Referees instinct -and he had a clear view -  was right. Should have been booked for ungentlemanly conduct, foul awarded to England and the referee stamp on his other foot. 

 

This. Totally agree never a foul in a million years.

As mentioned previously, if this is going to be the norm then the game really has gone.

[downendcity]

1 minute ago, BCFC11 said:

This. Totally agree never a foul in a million years.

As mentioned previously, if this is going to be the norm then the game really has gone.

The game ( as many of us knew it) went a long time ago when the ruling bodies started "interfering" with the rules, giving directives to referees and effectively reducing physical contact - or at least penalising anything that resembles physical contact but at the same time they increasingly allowed players to dive and cheat.

Based in  tonights aboration, it It seems to me that VAR will enable the adjudicator ( or whatever they will call them) the ability to look for the merest sign of something that justifies a punitive decision. Yes, Tarkowski "stepped" on the Italian's foot, but this was not as a result of a tackle, or even a challenge, but merely running back to cover and the Italian's run took him across the defenders path. If this is  penalty then place your bets on the penalty taker for Brazil/Argentina/Italy and a few others as top scorer at this year's World Cup.

[WolfOfWestStreet]

Gareth seems to be getting a lot of stick online but to be fair I'm impressed with the way he's setting his team out, good energy, and introducing young players - all stuff we've been crying out for, for ages. 

I'm actually really glad fat sam got binned I can't imagine the football we'd be playing under him. 

If we can set realistic expectations, R16/QF finish with this young squad I think we could call that progress. 

[ooRya]

Forget whether it was a penalty or not, we all have our own opinion, but what I want to ask is, is this really what football has come to? The referee stopping the game whilst he watches a TV screen? How on Earth is this adding anything to the game?

I absolutely hate it and hope this stupid VAR experiment crawls back up the orifice it came from.

I accept that some people will argue that it will help referees to get some decisions right, and no doubt it will. But personally, I would rather accept that, the same as everyone else on the pitch, referees will sometimes make mistakes. All part and parcel of football in my view.

[marshy]

11 hours ago, Moor2Sea said:

Well, may be in a minority of one here but the bloke was already half way down before impact on his foot. So he’d already launched himself into a dive before he was contacted. Certainly,  no way was that clear or obvious in my mind. Referees instinct -and he had a clear view -  was right. Should have been booked for ungentlemanly conduct, foul awarded to England and the referee stamp on his other foot. 

 

You have to ask what Tarkovski was doing running back where he was when there were already three players dealing with the situation.

[RUSSEL85]

9 hours ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

Gareth seems to be getting a lot of stick online but to be fair I'm impressed with the way he's setting his team out, good energy, and introducing young players - all stuff we've been crying out for, for ages. 

I'm actually really glad fat sam got binned I can't imagine the football we'd be playing under him. 

If we can set realistic expectations, R16/QF finish with this young squad I think we could call that progress. 

I couldnt agree more. There is so much negativity towards Southgate and I find it astonishing. Its a been a mess for years, Sven, McLaren, Postman Pat, Big Sam. Southgate is playing young players from teams such as Burnley, Leicester, Stoke and Everton and not all the "big teams" so find it a bit of a myth he is a "Yes man". We are trying to play the right way. I think there is a pretty good chance of a quarter final in Russia, our group isnt tough apart from Belgium and should we finish 1st or 2nd, we would play 1 of Poland, Sengal, Japan or Columbia. 

 

[WolfOfWestStreet]

57 minutes ago, RUSSEL85 said:

I couldnt agree more. There is so much negativity towards Southgate and I find it astonishing. Its a been a mess for years, Sven, McLaren, Postman Pat, Big Sam. Southgate is playing young players from teams such as Burnley, Leicester, Stoke and Everton and not all the "big teams" so find it a bit of a myth he is a "Yes man". We are trying to play the right way. I think there is a pretty good chance of a quarter final in Russia, our group isnt tough apart from Belgium and should we finish 1st or 2nd, we would play 1 of Poland, Sengal, Japan or Columbia. 

 

People wrongly think every tournament we will be contenders and that is just not the case. If you watch England like you do city it's a lot easier to enjoy. 

We know we won't win the league but we know that we can give anyone a game on the day, England is no different you just have to have a realistic mindset.

Gareth has experience working with young players, there are no journeymen in the squad. It will be interesting to see if they perform when it matters but as long as they give it a good go, if they come up short that's fine. 

[downendcity]

12 hours ago, JonDolman said:

You'd seriously have kane on the bench!?

18 months ago many City fans would have asked the same regarding Tomlin- arguably then our best player?

It was only when Tomlin was left out out that could play our most effective football by playing the best team- not the best individuals.

In the last 2 games we have looked pretty dangerous going forward - unlike the ponderous team at the Euros. 

Going into the 66 WC it was inconceivable that Jimmy Greaves would be anything but an automatic selection............................

 

 

[The Bard]

4 minutes ago, downendcity said:

18 months ago many City fans would have asked the same regarding Tomlin- arguably then our best player?

It was only when Tomlin was left out out that could play our most effective football by playing the best team- not the best individuals.

In the last 2 games we have looked pretty dangerous going forward - unlike the ponderous team at the Euros. 

Going into the 66 WC it was inconceivable that Jimmy Greaves would be anything but an automatic selection............................

 

 

Spot on. The best thing about the last couple of games is that it has made it plain to both Kane and Alli that they are not guaranteed a place and that there are excellent alternatives.  Either they react to show they deserve to start or they aren't starting.  

I'd keep Vardy in reserve for games against the better sides. He's got an amazing knack of scoring more against the best sides both for England and Leicester.  Kane is better at cashing in against weaker sides.  

[Mr Popodopolous]

Reasonable double header I thought. Ironically, one of the reasons VAR was introduced was owing to the Lampard disallowed/missed goal v Germany for us, so it's unfortunate about last night.

Holland, though not great- players of the calibre of Strootman, Wijnaldum, Van Dijk. Also, Depay went to United too soon, happens with a lot of young Dutch players who go abroad early but time is on his side and he is slowly reviving to levels of a decent player and De Vrij has attracted interest from amongst others Man Utd and Barcelona...not that bad a side. Not amazing but certainly not that bad, individually anyway! Anyway, under Koeman they look like more of a counter-attacking side in the making, and counter attacking sides can often be better on the road. An acceptable win/performance.

Italy. Thought we produced some good stuff going forward, though the defence was a bit ropey! Immobile missed some very good chances early on for them, ones I dare say he would have buried for his club. VAR pen seemed soft.

I probabl am outdated on this, but still think 4-3-3 would have been a good way forward- though I like what I'm seeing from Southgate, younger players and yes- a back 3. My ideal midfield would have been Dier holding, with Wilshere and Lallana central but more attacking, more technical.

[Red_Nine]

14 hours ago, JonDolman said:

You'd seriously have kane on the bench!?

Yep, just think vardy works with what England are trying to do, if Kane plays he will occupy the space in which sterling/lingard like to get the ball where as Cary is always looking to get in behind and stretch defences, it’s been a England problem for a long time, would be very tempted to play them together and maybe take lingard out in. 3-5-2, personal opinion just see vardy as the best fit and as said if we are pressing for a win/ plan A isn’t working there’s no better option than a world class striker on the bench

[Port Said Red]

23 minutes ago, Red_Nine said:

Yep, just think vardy works with what England are trying to do, if Kane plays he will occupy the space in which sterling/lingard like to get the ball where as Cary is always looking to get in behind and stretch defences, it’s been a England problem for a long time, would be very tempted to play them together and maybe take lingard out in. 3-5-2, personal opinion just see vardy as the best fit and as said if we are pressing for a win/ plan A isn’t working there’s no better option than a world class striker on the bench

The one place a top class striker can't score from..........

[McNasty Filth]

Can see where the ref watches the penalty call on the side of the pitch being binned TBH. Its the bit that slows the game down the most. Believe the VAR having the ability to call it  eventually, and taking the on pitch ref out of it.

What are peoples thoughts on Young? He's not what we need if we are gonna play through teams from the back, his technical ability and ball control is shocking and is getting shown up by young players coming through, Id have picked Mateland-Niles in the squad and chucked him in. From what Ive seen of him, would have no trouble handling the pressure.

[Red_Nine]

3 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

The one place a top class striker can't score from..........

Fair enough, just chuck all the best players we have on the pitch and see what happens..the usual England way

[Port Said Red]

47 minutes ago, Red_Nine said:

Fair enough, just chuck all the best players we have on the pitch and see what happens..the usual England way

Well no. But I am sure if Tottenham can play enterprising football with him up top then we can do something similar. It's not like he is an old fashioned target man, he is not slow, has great movement and is intelligent enough to play with some of the best midfield players in our league. 

 

[Chairman Mao]

On 27/03/2018 at 23:09, JasonM88 said:

It’s amazing isn’t it. For once, England have a truely world class striker, possibly ,or probably, the best in the world. Yet there’s a fair amount of people saying Vardy should start ahead of him. 

Bit harsh, I didn't rate him but Rooney was world class for a while. Likewise Owen and Shearer were no mugs.

[JasonM88]

8 hours ago, Chairman Mao said:

Bit harsh, I didn't rate him but Rooney was world class for a while. Likewise Owen and Shearer were no mugs.

Rooney was world class, as were Owen and Shearer, however Kane is more than World Class, and is probably the best striker on this planet today

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, JasonM88 said:

Rooney was world class, as were Owen and Shearer, however Kane is more than World Class, and is probably the best striker on this planet today

.............as was Jimmy Greaves in 66 ! 

Well he was certainly one of the best 3/4 strikers in the world at the time.

[Will Rollason]

So... now we kind of know Gareths mind a bit. If he sticks with the 3-4-3, which i lIke btw,  i have the starters like this;

                 pickford

  walker     stones    maguire

trippier  henderson  tbc    young/Rose (if fit)

sterling         kane         alli   ( rashford/ lingard/ vardy or combinations therein)

 

I'm not a fan of Henderson but i get it and he's ok in there doing a job... Dier as cover.... the question is who can add some ummmfff to the midfield? Who can pick a pass?

OX-  like his energy/ doing well for Liverpool/ midfielder?

Wilshere- injury prone/ light weight/ talented

Loftus cheek- mmmmm did very well against Germany but been out for a while

Lallana- more of a front three man, way off the pace atm

So who drops in there?

ideas?