Three Lions V Slovenia

Henderson :lou_facepalm_2:, Dier and Ox. Proper shit midfield that.

Rashford, Kane and Stirling are decent enough up top.

Hart is shit.

Stones is an accident waiting to happen.

Walker runs.

Cahill should be captain.

Bert Rand is solid.

We’ll do well to get out of the group stages by which stage our fans will have taken a pasting from deranged Russians.

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Agree with all of that, Goatster. Only saw the second half, and even then not all of it, but I thought Lingard livened things up quite considerably when he came on. I’d like to Rashford in a more central position, but with Kane in the team (as he clearly should be) that probably can’t happen, and Rashford’s certainly worth a place in a wider position anyway.

Is there really not a better holding midfiled pair available than Dier and Henderson though (especially Henderson)? Hard to believe.

There probably is but they don’t play for the big 6 so have no hope in hell.

What’s happened to Danny Drinkwater BTW?? Didn’t he join Chelsea??

Is that the Ken Burns one? I’ve been waiting for that to start. Is it on iPlayer?

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Yeah, but he’s injured atm I think.

England look a lot better when Lallana’s playing.

I’ve no idea what Oxlade-Chamberlain is for.

Its been England perennial problem…we dont have a midfield maestro… those players that can do it all, orchestrate the creative attack, yet be the first line of any defence… the calm general. … and we wont because, most clubs dont play that patient game, and those that do spend 80mil on a foreigner one… its no surprize to me that World Cups are won by sides that have these players- Spain with Inesta et al, Germany with Schweinsteiger/Kroos… but England with… Dier and Henderson :lou_facepalm_2:… And to be honest, its why Stephen Davis is great playing for NI, he looks to play that way, but through no fault is just not quite as gifted as a Kroos.

But more than that, we still dont have a TEAM… we have a collection of talented players who play at clubs playing different styles and with difefrent responsibilties… some of whom dont even play regularly because they would rather earn 100k a week playing 20 games a season, than 60k a week playing 40…

The matter how much will or investment there is by the FA, until the clubs align on strategy for youth development and style of play, we will always have talent without cohesion, whether its Southgate or whoever.

Barney Ronay really is a smashing writer…

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This

Can one of the Mod Gods change the Title to Lithuania V England

As we cant be bothered to start a new thread.

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Do we have to even talk about England any more? Even Bazza can’t troll them any worse than they are.

I haven’t seen the highlights from the other night yet.

Am I right in thinking the most memorable highlight was when the ref blew the whistle and everyone went home?

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England’s problem (for decades now) is that we play athletes instead of footballers.

Jordan Henderson is the perfect example (also see Smalling, Phil Jones, Cahill, Livermore, Dier) Physically put together like Mr Potato Head. Can run all day. Lacks any wit or invention with a football at his feet. A lumbering oaf.

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I like Rashford. :lou_is_a_flirt:

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I think most of the fans had gone already by that point.

International break.

Whenever I say these 2 words, I get the same reaction from the modern English football fan and it is a huge sigh! Normally followed by either, that’s another weekend ruined, or I think I will go and watch blank (fill blank in with local lower league side)

That is true. First time that I’ve been called modern for a while though.

I was born in Cardiff and grew up in Hampshire. Grew up watching England so have always supported them, even used to hope. Now it’s exactly the same despite my bluff.

The thing is that spent the last two hours drinking with no footy to watch.

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Some good news then.

MP has been practising (and talking about) switching to a back 3.

And Bert Rand looks like he will actually get a chance to test that new role out in the upcoming game against Lithuania. So not quite as much apathy for this upcoming game as I would have had.

(Which means Southgit will rotate his players and it won’t happen)

Hope it works out better than the cup game against Wolves when we were fucking awful. On paper I reckon it’s our best option though.

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Normal service is resumed - so far

Flat back 5, sideways and back passing…