[WC2014] Uruguay 2-1 England FT

[bunter]

personally if I was an england player id have a tough time getting motivated knowing that no matter what I did (other than winning every game) Id get slated by everyone watching.

No other country has the kind of expectations and media hyperdrive like we do.

[JAS78]

Originally Posted by bunter

No other country has the kind of expectations and media hyperdrive like we do.

All the big nations have huge media pressure.

[Gooders]

Originally Posted by bunter

personally if I was an england player id have a tough time getting motivated knowing that no matter what I did (other than winning every game) Id get slated by everyone watching.

No other country has the kind of expectations and media hyperdrive like we do.

An Irish colleague told me that he'd seen a survey in which only 4% of England supporters thought we could win the World Cup - the lowest result in the whole poll.

I think it's true that we had pretty low expectations this time around.

And even they weren't met.

[elgin eagle]

Originally Posted by Billyd

2 things have stood out for me at this World Cup.

1. Overall been a lack of decent defending. But the sides who are organised at the back have done well. (We should know this better than anyone what a difference this can make!).

2. A world class player has been the difference. Look at Messi or Neymar. Their teams haven't played all that well but they have been able to unlock the defence and win them matches. We havent got anyone close to this. Even the likes of Benzema, Muller or Robben seem miles apart from anyone in our squad.



Basically we are lacking both. We haven't been organised at the back and dont have anyone who can unlock a defence.

Pretty much how I see it. I think we might have done better with a more traditional set up at this event, but the defence never inspired confidence. I dunno who could be our cabaye at the euros if we make it, Lallana or Barkley I guess.

[Billyd]

Originally Posted by Gooders

An Irish colleague told me that he'd seen a survey in which only 4% of England supporters thought we could win the World Cup - the lowest result in the whole poll.

I think it's true that we had pretty low expectations this time around.

And even they weren't met.

Quite. I dont mind England not winning the World Cup. I dont even mind us not getting to the Quater or Semi finals. However the least id ask for is a decent account of ourselves and some organisation at the back. Sadly we lacked either.

We are really struggling for CBs at the moment. However we just had a CB who had the best season of his carear. Won all 3 end of seasons awards for his club. Statistically the second best defender in the PL this season. Unfortunately for him he plays for Hull.

Smalling and Jones play for Man Utd however....

[PALACEFAN]

Originally Posted by bunter

personally if I was an england player id have a tough time getting motivated knowing that no matter what I did (other than winning every game) Id get slated by everyone watching.

No other country has the kind of expectations and media hyperdrive like we do.

This.

[Oli28]

Tbf, I can understand Roy choosing those players because of their champions league experience and the fact that, until this season they've been playing for a team which is used to winning big games and train with top players.

Even if we took Davies, he wouldn't have got in the team over jagielka I wouldn't have thought.

[Baffled Bob 2]

Seriously, my expectations were pitifully low. I hoped we might get out of the group.

But I thought we might not.

Anyone else agree with me that Rooney has been England's player of the tournament so far? People talking about pensioning him off are mad.

When he first started, I genuinely thought he might be at that Messi/Ronaldo level. I was totally wrong but he's certainly worth his place in the team. Like Samy Khedira or someone like that.

[Joooe]

I thought everyone had gone into this one accepting where we were. It was clear that games against Italy and Uruguay would be tough, and as it is we ended up losing both narrowly.

We've scored two goals in the tournament, Rooney scored one and set up the other. He is still the single most likely England player to put the ball in the net.

[olly cromwell]

As a quick thought, I cannot understand how any player from outside of the EU can actually be allowed to play for teams below the championship, surely whilst greg dykes "big idea" of premier league b teams entering the football league was a bit strange the theory behind it wasn't, if we want to nurture English (and scots welsh etc) players then at least lets start by encouraging lower league clubs to do it
Also Premier league teams should be prevented from loaning out non eu players in the british leagues

[CharlieCPFC]

[QUOTE=bunter;11800480]personally if I was an england player id have a tough time getting motivated knowing that no matter what I did (other than winning every game) Id get slated by everyone watching.

No other country has the kind of expectations and media hyperdrive like we do.[/QUOTE]

You got be joking, the Itallian media is MUCH worse than ours.

[beveling8]

I think one point that has been overlooked is how many non-english players are coming through the top academy's. It really is criminal to think that we are developing players like Januzaj for other nations, that would be one of the first areas I would look at - perhaps even linking category 1 status to having a certain percentage of your youth teams as local boys in each age group.

[Gooders]

Originally Posted by Baffled Bob 2

Anyone else agree with me that Rooney has been England's player of the tournament so far? People talking about pensioning him off are mad.

When he first started, I genuinely thought he might be at that Messi/Ronaldo level. I was totally wrong but he's certainly worth his place in the team. Like Samy Khedira or someone like that.

To be fair, the bar has been set ridiculously low in this tournament.

[Halftime Gold]

Originally Posted by Baffled Bob 2

Anyone else agree with me that Rooney has been England's player of the tournament so far? People talking about pensioning him off are mad.

When he first started, I genuinely thought he might be at that Messi/Ronaldo level. I was totally wrong but he's certainly worth his place in the team. Like Samy Khedira or someone like that.

I'd say so, he looked most likely to pick out key passes to me and when the pressure was on ultimately the only player who got in goal scoring positions.

Smalling and Jones play for Man Utd however....

Considering the involvement they've had would it have made any difference?

I actually think both of these issues highlight a significant problem England have had for awhile, the national side being drawn into the strong anti Man Utd sentiment that's become the national obsession over the past couple of decades.

First we had Scholes forced into retirement, then Carrick barely getting a look in, then Ferdinand forced out and now the whole Rooney obsession rather than focusing on the more obvious issues at the back that might have ment actually criticizing Gerrard.

[PALACEFAN]

[QUOTE=CharlieCPFC;11800571]

Originally Posted by bunter

You got be joking, the Itallian media is MUCH worse than ours.

Yeah but they actually win things and get to finals. So it's not hyping them up way above their ability.

[Vince Hilaire's Afro]

Originally Posted by CharlieCPFC

You got be joking, the Itallian media is MUCH worse than ours.

Let's not even mention South America.......

[JDawg]

On reflection getting knocked out early doors is probably the best thing that could happen to us.

It shows (as does Spain and some other results) that we have no divine right to exit the group and it has to be worked for. The players all play club football in Europe after all.

The sooner this sinks in, the better shape we will go in going forward.

[Wycombe Eagle#2]

Originally Posted by JDawg

On reflection getting knocked out early doors is probably the best thing that could happen to us.

It shows (as does Spain and some other results) that we have no divine right to exit the group and it has to be worked for. The players all play club football in Europe after all.

The sooner this sinks in, the better shape we will go in going forward.

Fingers crossed! I just hope it's addressed but fear instead of taking ownership of the problem it'll be finger pointing elsewhere.

Question is is Roy the man to achieve this? Comes across as a lovely man but I wonder if his the person to change the mentality.

[philsick]

Sturridge ,sterling and co need a number 10 to feed them,lallana could do this job,but hodge chose rooney to do it.Not his game.

Also need a proper defensive mid to protect the dodgy centre backs.A butrnt out gerrard was given this job.Couldn't do it and should've been subbed.

England just seem to be so consevative,pragmatic and just too goddam straight compared to others.The manager,players and even our pundits just seem so dull when interviewed and even when they scored and tried to do the passionate celebration with subs and everything which is the mode atm,it seemed false and the physio tripped over and bust his leg.I was in france and when they showed hodgson cowering in the dugout and then the uruguayan manager looking like he would rip the head off a grizzly,they all just laughed.Ebven the fans songs are shit,god save the queen,i'm england till i die won't inspire anyone.

Some promising signs for the future with the young players,but a bit of flair,improvisation, life and passion needs instilling into the thing and get rid of the burnt out dullards.

[philsick]

Saying that ,i enjoyed the england matches far more than the last few tournos.At least they passed the ball around in dangerous areas,took players on and bombed forward.