England vs Nigeria

[Lanterne Rouge]

15 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

And all the other countries would laugh at us whilst playing all their cheating divers and beating us. 

Indeed they would but desperate times call for desperate measures. The softly, softly approach hasn`t worked up to now.

I hate VAR with a passion but if it stops this stuff.................................?

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

We’ve started alright - nice n slick

Trippier looking a threat bombing forward and Sterling looking a threat 

Thought Sterling had a good game, but just wish he had better composure in good positions.  Same will Dele Alli.  Neither look as comfortable in pressure positions with England as they do for their clubs.

Sterling does give us an option coming short and spinning, but I do wonder whether had Vardy started whether we might’ve been 3 or 4 up at half time.

Encouraging first half, where we played some lovely stuff.  Second half, Nigeria shaded it but we did played some alright stuff sporadically.  Some of it is about playing with purpose.  We were a bit laboured and with Nigeria raising their game, we lost that ability to get ahead in the game again.  But that’s international football, Nigeria are no mugs.  Take the win, take the decentish performance and move on.

[Bristol Rob]

Double impressive. Went to the pub 'to watch the game' half a dozen pints later, and I have seen none of the game and have lumbered back home because Er Indoors texted me to say she was going to order a Chinese, and that she has put a few beers in the fridge for me.

Anyone having a better Saturday than me?

I didn't think so.

[Natchfever]

17 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

Double impressive. Went to the pub 'to watch the game' half a dozen pints later, and I have seen none of the game and have lumbered back home because Er Indoors texted me to say she was going to order a Chinese, and that she has put a few beers in the fridge for me.

Anyone having a better Saturday than me?

I didn't think so.

Seriuosly I have but you are having a brommer mate.

[JamesBCFC]

29 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

Double impressive. Went to the pub 'to watch the game' half a dozen pints later, and I have seen none of the game and have lumbered back home because Er Indoors texted me to say she was going to order a Chinese, and that she has put a few beers in the fridge for me.

Anyone having a better Saturday than me?

I didn't think so.

I'm working a bar for a wedding so that rules me out.

 

Free buffet though.

[Natchfever]

1 minute ago, JamesBCFC said:

I'm working a bar for a wedding so that rules me out.

 

Free buffet though.

Bridesmaids fit and require preferential bar service ? Has promise mate. Apologies for assuming orientation.

[JamesBCFC]

2 minutes ago, Loon plage said:

Bridesmaids fit and require preferential bar service ? Has promise mate. Apologies for assuming orientation.

Fairly attractive, but a good 10+ years older than me (I'm 22)

But its not very busy- hence being on OTIB!

[Natchfever]

3 minutes ago, JamesBCFC said:

Fairly attractive, but a good 10+ years older than me (I'm 22)

But its not very busy- hence being on OTIB!

Lots of 30 + geezers hating right now haha

[Davefevs]

14 minutes ago, JamesBCFC said:

Fairly attractive, but a good 10+ years older than me (I'm 22)

But its not very busy- hence being on OTIB!

As Moxey from Auf Wiedersehn Pet said.

”an older woman is like an experienced footballer.....

.....just don’t get one who looks like Billy Bremner!”

[Midred]

2 hours ago, JasonM88 said:

Martial? French one? 

Whoever it was playing forr Manure that night? 

[The Bard]

Raheem Sterling

 

I don't care about his tatoos, how he left Liverpool, his agent, his timekeeping, what he spends his money on.  None of it.  

What concerns me is that Southgate (who I like) is shoehorning him into the team even though he doesn't fit the way we play.  If we'd had Vardy up front today instead of him it would have been carnage in the first half.  Bloke scores goals.  Sterling is a hopeless finisher and I say this in the knowledge that he scored 23 goals for Man City this season.  Thing is at least half of them were tap ins put on a plate by the likes of De Bruyne, Sane and Silva.  I'd have scored 15 for them this season if left on the pitch as much as Sterling.   He is being set up to fail.  Again.

I seem to remember Kane and Vardy playing as a 2 away to Germany for 30 minutes and us scoring 3 goals to come back and win 3-2. Since then they've barely been on the pitch together.  Today Kane was trying to play as a number 10, but we had Sterling as our 9...  If that's the plan then please lets have a bloke up front who can finish..

 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, The Bard said:

Raheem Sterling

 

I don't care about his tatoos, how he left Liverpool, his agent, his timekeeping, what he spends his money on.  None of it.  

What concerns me is that Southgate (who I like) is shoehorning him into the team even though he doesn't fit the way we play.  If we'd had Vardy up front today instead of him it would have been carnage in the first half.  Bloke scores goals.  Sterling is a hopeless finisher and I say this in the knowledge that he scored 23 goals for Man City this season.  Thing is at least half of them were tap ins put on a plate by the likes of De Bruyne, Sane and Silva.  I'd have scored 15 for them this season if left on the pitch as much as Sterling.   He is being set up to fail.  Again.

I seem to remember Kane and Vardy playing as a 2 away to Germany for 30 minutes and us scoring 3 goals to come back and win 3-2. Since then they've barely been on the pitch together.  Today Kane was trying to play as a number 10, but we had Sterling as our 9...  If that's the plan then please lets have a bloke up front who can finish..

 

Echoes my earlier post.  We created chances today and had Vardy been on the pitch we’d have been 3-0/4-0up at ht imho.

I think Sterling had a decent game, but in the cut and thrust of a WC I want Vardy up front.  In some respects maybe it’s Alli that should miss out?  Sterling and Lingard in those floating roles??

[Spoons]

5 hours ago, 123red1 said:

Is it me, or is there a good atmosphere for what looks a half empty Wembley ?

I was there today. 70,025 isn't half empty. Good atmosphere helped by 10,000 plus Nigerian fans.

Good crowd IMO considering half term etc lots of families away and people detoxing from football!

[PHILINFRANCE]

Does anybody know why both teams were wearing black armbands?

[joe jordans teeth]

6 hours ago, Spike said:

I suppose it depends on the individual... I genuinely detest it and if we won the World Cup by diving I'd see it as a tainted cup. I think the FA should fine players a minimum of 2 weeks wages if they're caught diving, not just in the game but in footage after it too.

I guess you were waving the city players to put the ball in the back of their own net all those years ago against palace when everyone knew it was in apart from the ref then

[joe jordans teeth]

3 hours ago, The Bard said:

Raheem Sterling

 

I don't care about his tatoos, how he left Liverpool, his agent, his timekeeping, what he spends his money on.  None of it.  

What concerns me is that Southgate (who I like) is shoehorning him into the team even though he doesn't fit the way we play.  If we'd had Vardy up front today instead of him it would have been carnage in the first half.  Bloke scores goals.  Sterling is a hopeless finisher and I say this in the knowledge that he scored 23 goals for Man City this season.  Thing is at least half of them were tap ins put on a plate by the likes of De Bruyne, Sane and Silva.  I'd have scored 15 for them this season if left on the pitch as much as Sterling.   He is being set up to fail.  Again.

I seem to remember Kane and Vardy playing as a 2 away to Germany for 30 minutes and us scoring 3 goals to come back and win 3-2. Since then they've barely been on the pitch together.  Today Kane was trying to play as a number 10, but we had Sterling as our 9...  If that's the plan then please lets have a bloke up front who can finish..

 

Nobody cares about his tattoos apart from the bleeding lefty’s,I’m sure if his father had got knocked down by a 18 ton truck and he had decided to have a Eddie Stobart truck tattoo up his leg they would bloody moan about that as well 

[BobBobSuperBob]

6 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Does anybody know why both teams were wearing black armbands?

Ray Wilson RIP

Ray Wilkins RIP 

[italian dave]

6 hours ago, joe jordans teeth said:

Nobody cares about his tattoos apart from the bleeding lefty’s,I’m sure if his father had got knocked down by a 18 ton truck and he had decided to have a Eddie Stobart truck tattoo up his leg they would bloody moan about that as well 

Not quite sure why you think the moral outrage is coming from the left. It was the Sun wot started it, and the Mail followed close behind. Hardly bastions of the left. One of the most vocal in sharing your view that it's a fuss about nothing has been Gary Lineker, normally considered pretty firmly in the 'bleeding lefty' camp. 

[DaveF]

8 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Not quite sure why you think the moral outrage is coming from the left. It was the Sun wot started it, and the Mail followed close behind. Hardly bastions of the left. One of the most vocal in sharing your view that it's a fuss about nothing has been Gary Lineker, normally considered pretty firmly in the 'bleeding lefty' camp. 

I’m not sure why politics are being brought into it at all to be honest!

[Northern Red]

I'll be very disappointed if the World Cup passes by without at least one England player using Sterling's leg as part of a pre-rehearsed goal celebration to 'shoot' either the crowd or another player.

The complete press meltdown over it would be wonderful to see.

[marshy]

Can't see any mention of Stones on this thread. He suffers from dreadful lapses in concentration and is an accident waiting to happen. An opposition manager should target him and pressurize every time he's on the ball.

[RUSSEL85]

11 hours ago, JamesBCFC said:

Fairly attractive, but a good 10+ years older than me (I'm 22)

But its not very busy- hence being on OTIB!

You don't know what your missing 

[Lanterne Rouge]

12 hours ago, JamesBCFC said:

Fairly attractive, but a good 10+ years older than me (I'm 22)

But its not very busy- hence being on OTIB!

Many a good tune played on an old violin mate.

[Sleepy1968]

1 hour ago, marshy said:

Can't see any mention of Stones on this thread. He suffers from dreadful lapses in concentration and is an accident waiting to happen. An opposition manager should target him and pressurize every time he's on the ball.

I think it's more like he suffers from occasional moments of clarity.

[Maltshoveller]

21 hours ago, hodge said:

Could hear Dele getting booed from the other room when he got subbed 

One of the only times his name got mentioned during the game

Gets the odd goal and odd assist but offers very little most games

Wouldnt have him in the squad let alone the team But then im only a fan not the manager

[chipdawg]

18 hours ago, The Bard said:

Raheem Sterling

 

I don't care about his tatoos, how he left Liverpool, his agent, his timekeeping, what he spends his money on.  None of it.  

What concerns me is that Southgate (who I like) is shoehorning him into the team even though he doesn't fit the way we play.  If we'd had Vardy up front today instead of him it would have been carnage in the first half.  Bloke scores goals.  Sterling is a hopeless finisher and I say this in the knowledge that he scored 23 goals for Man City this season.  Thing is at least half of them were tap ins put on a plate by the likes of De Bruyne, Sane and Silva.  I'd have scored 15 for them this season if left on the pitch as much as Sterling.   He is being set up to fail.  Again.

I seem to remember Kane and Vardy playing as a 2 away to Germany for 30 minutes and us scoring 3 goals to come back and win 3-2. Since then they've barely been on the pitch together.  Today Kane was trying to play as a number 10, but we had Sterling as our 9...  If that's the plan then please lets have a bloke up front who can finish..

 

Yup. That said, he's had an excellent season and needs to start imo. So I'd probably play him in the hole where Lingard played and have Rashford with Kane. Vardy is excellent at what he does, but aside from running a lot (and I mean that as a compliment), he offers little outside the 18 yard box. At least Rashford (though inconsistent) offers creativity to go with the pace

[chipdawg]

14 hours ago, joe jordans teeth said:

Nobody cares about his tattoos apart from the bleeding lefty’s,I’m sure if his father had got knocked down by a 18 ton truck and he had decided to have a Eddie Stobart truck tattoo up his leg they would bloody moan about that as well 

I'm a bleeding lefty and I don't care about his tattoo- other than it's really shit. Storm in a teacup because The S*n have decided he's to be their tabloid whipping boy (see articles about him using easyJet, buying his mum a bathroom sink and having a nice car)

[The Bard]

15 hours ago, joe jordans teeth said:

Nobody cares about his tattoos apart from the bleeding lefty’s,I’m sure if his father had got knocked down by a 18 ton truck and he had decided to have a Eddie Stobart truck tattoo up his leg they would bloody moan about that as well 

 The Sun is a right wing paper. I guess from your comments you're no leftie. I am and proud of it. The right wing paper is demonising the black man with a tattoo on his leg. No left wing person is involved in this. unless Raheem Sterling is a leftie. Which I doubt as he's a millionaire who is mostly concerned no doubt with having as low a tax bill as possible..

 

[JasonM88]

1 hour ago, Maltshoveller said:

One of the only times his name got mentioned during the game

Gets the odd goal and odd assist but offers very little most games

Wouldnt have him in the squad let alone the team But then im only a fan not the manager

Jesus wept. 

[Cowshed]

9 hours ago, marshy said:

Can't see any mention of Stones on this thread. He suffers from dreadful lapses in concentration and is an accident waiting to happen. An opposition manager should target him and pressurize every time he's on the ball.

He looked a little less than at his best maybe due to lack of match time but makes very few mistakes which lead to goals in reality. All players are a accident waiting to happen ... Kyle Walker makes more mistakes in a Man City shirt that lead to goals but he due to the manner he plays is not viewed as an accident waiting to happen.

Ball playing centre backs are a case of risk and reward. What is the risk? Stones actually with a massive passing accuracy when match fit is low. The risk of not playing out is harder to quantify.

In his 1v1 duels he is as good as Cahill, or Walker, his passing  is superior but he gets defined by the occasional consequences of how he is asked to perform.