International Friendlies May/June
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
One would think the World Cup taught England a thing or two about playing the better team rather than the better players. Because of the lack of a quality midfield, a diamond just won't work. Roy needs to drop one of those three - or play three in the middle if that's where Rooney is playing.
The never-ending debate: what is Rooney's position? I think Rooney is better carrying the ball out of a compact midfield three - rather than being at the tip of a diamond. Vardy is at his best when he gets to use his pace to dart through the defence. Milner should be used on the wing.
It'll be interesting to see how England lineup once up the tournament begins.
Kane was basically playing as a winger and Rooney was the closest thing to a #9 today.
A complete feck up
A complete feck up
What an awful game but one I am anticipating as long as Rooney remains in the starting 11 with the team playing around him.
He slows the game down far too much, lacks the technical competence that the younger generation seem to thrive on and goes missing for large parts of the game.
Playing Rooney limited Ali and somewhat frustrated the lad. Kane and Vardy were pushed wide and played without instinct. We should be seeing Vardy making darting runs behind the defence but instead and too often, was shunted to the left.
The formation is also wrong for the players we have. 442 diamond gives no benefit for our team which has an abundance of youth, energy and pace. I'd love to see Roy play a 433. Defence as I see it is what it is but midfield has to be Milner for his work rate, Ali in the middle and Dier to complete. Both Milner and Dier will allow Ali to play a more forward midfield role, not exclusively as a 10 but as a box to box player. Kane is the center forward with Vardy playing as a left forward and Sterling as a right forward. I'd also consider Sturridge on the right in place of Sterling.
Roy said he was taking attacking players because that's how he wanted to play, but that game was far too conservative and slow. There is a strong correlation between that performance and United this season. The pivotal reason being Rooney is past it, to slow, too clumsy and should not be a starter.
He slows the game down far too much, lacks the technical competence that the younger generation seem to thrive on and goes missing for large parts of the game.
Playing Rooney limited Ali and somewhat frustrated the lad. Kane and Vardy were pushed wide and played without instinct. We should be seeing Vardy making darting runs behind the defence but instead and too often, was shunted to the left.
The formation is also wrong for the players we have. 442 diamond gives no benefit for our team which has an abundance of youth, energy and pace. I'd love to see Roy play a 433. Defence as I see it is what it is but midfield has to be Milner for his work rate, Ali in the middle and Dier to complete. Both Milner and Dier will allow Ali to play a more forward midfield role, not exclusively as a 10 but as a box to box player. Kane is the center forward with Vardy playing as a left forward and Sterling as a right forward. I'd also consider Sturridge on the right in place of Sterling.
Roy said he was taking attacking players because that's how he wanted to play, but that game was far too conservative and slow. There is a strong correlation between that performance and United this season. The pivotal reason being Rooney is past it, to slow, too clumsy and should not be a starter.
I agree with your point on Milner but I think considering the other options available he should start. His work rate is amazing and will free up Ali to move forward. We really need Ali to play in that advance cm role. He and Kane have a great understanding. Milner and Dier can ensure a stable structure to free flowing football between Ali Vardy Kane and Sterling/Sturridge.
Nobody seems brave enough to drop Rooney. England could be so much more dangerous if Hodgson was brave enough to drop him and play the others.
Well done Smalling.
All United last two games.
All United last two games.
This accommodating Rooney nonsense will be England's downfall. He was incredibly average.
Everyone was average.
Woy said he's glad we played shite...us playing well in the last three games, would have given expectations of England winning the tournament and put too much pressure on the lads. 
All part of the plan mate. Bet you'll be shite in France too - wouldn't want too much pressure ahead of the next WC. Expectations management is key.Woy said he's glad we played shite...us playing well in the last three games, would have given expectations of England winning the tournament and put too much pressure on the lads.
I think the bigger issue than Rooney last night was trying to fit Vardy and Kane in the same side. Maybe I could see it in a 4-4-2 but we don't have natural wide players in the squad besides Sterling.
We are likely to start the Euro's with probably 5 Spurs players in the side and I don't understand why we don't try to set up more like them. You could basically play the 4-2-3-1 that they do but just switching a few players e.g. Rooney and Sterling/Lallana for Eriksson and Son/Lamela. You'd still have Kane up front, Ali in the no. 10 like they do for their clubs. Dier could be partnered in midfield with Wilshere who would do a great job in a role similar to Dembele.
Vardy ready to come in from the bench and impact games with his pace and directness.
We are likely to start the Euro's with probably 5 Spurs players in the side and I don't understand why we don't try to set up more like them. You could basically play the 4-2-3-1 that they do but just switching a few players e.g. Rooney and Sterling/Lallana for Eriksson and Son/Lamela. You'd still have Kane up front, Ali in the no. 10 like they do for their clubs. Dier could be partnered in midfield with Wilshere who would do a great job in a role similar to Dembele.
Vardy ready to come in from the bench and impact games with his pace and directness.
Tough for any manager to come up with a formation given the lack of wide players in England at the moment. The squad is a whole bunch of midfielders, strikers and Rooney, whose best position is a mystery. The only wide player is Sterling and I am not too sold on his quality or his mentality. IMO, his best position is also behind the strikers. It's a very unbalanced squad and England would do well to get past the quarterfinals in the tournament.
Diamond looks the most suited formation but the lack of quality full backs makes it hard to play that either. Though, he'll have to go with it, and either drop Rooney or play him in the midfield.
IMO, this suits England the best:
Diamond looks the most suited formation but the lack of quality full backs makes it hard to play that either. Though, he'll have to go with it, and either drop Rooney or play him in the midfield.
IMO, this suits England the best:
Hart
Clyne Stones Smalling Rose
Dier
Wilshere Henderson
Alli
Kane Vardy
Clyne Stones Smalling Rose
Dier
Wilshere Henderson
Alli
Kane Vardy
Slotting Rooney isnt the only issue,his place would take who?Alli? If so,still those in front of No10 position would split on side to defend as wingers. Diamond isnt there only because of Rooney,its to slot Vardy and Kane too.If you want to from attacking 4-1-2-1-2 to defending 4-5-1 at least do it properly. Play wide players as wingers/revert ones but he dropped AT and from wide one he has only Sterlling,guess that means 4-1-2-1-2 diamond is there to stay.
Like i said before the game, i expected it to be a boring affair. Fernando Santos is our own Rafa Benítez. I expect this defensive counter attacking approach in our important Euro games
Yeah, both teams played like the players didn't want to risk injury, although Alves certainly tried force some injury!
Well i obviously didn't want Kane injured but perhaps the red card was the only positive for us. With his stupid sending off i hope Alves drops to last Cb option behind Fonte and Carvalho
Japan thrashing Bulgaria 4:0 in the first half, if anyone cares. Kagawa on 2 goals so far. Bulgaria are rubbish, to be fair. This is possibly our weakest generation ever.
I'd go with a basic 4-3-1-2 shape when we haven't got the ball morphing into an exciting 4-1-3-2 when we are ripping teams apart with intricate passing & movement. Where any width comes from, no idea at all, make it up as yo go along lads. But we should try & park 2 up top whenever we can. If you have Vardy in there, you have to use or threaten the ball over the top, at least making room when they have to sit off a bit - works in our favour in MF then, innit.
All Vardy done last night was track back. I'd have put Studge on when they went down to 10, and then Rashford if/when the teapot got crocked, different tactical scenario, after the red card, obvs
Or as the respective coaches explained...
''It's always difficult playing vs the 10 men''
''It's always difficult playing with 10 men when the other team have 11''
All Vardy done last night was track back. I'd have put Studge on when they went down to 10, and then Rashford if/when the teapot got crocked, different tactical scenario, after the red card, obvs
Or as the respective coaches explained...
''It's always difficult playing vs the 10 men''
''It's always difficult playing with 10 men when the other team have 11''
It's 70 minutes in, but as it's United related: Schweinsteiger has just come on for Germany against Hungary.
How fat is he?
Netherlands 0-1 up, goal Vincent Janssen.
Martial on the bench for France again. I think it’s more or less the same starting XI as against Cameroon, so looks like this will be France’s lineup going into the tournament:
Lloris
Sagna
Rami
Koscielny
Evra
Kante
Pogba
Matuidi
Payet
Coman
Giroud
Edit: Griezmann on the bench, so he’ll probably replace one of the three behind Giroud.
Lloris
Sagna
Rami
Koscielny
Evra
Kante
Pogba
Matuidi
Payet
Coman
Giroud
Edit: Griezmann on the bench, so he’ll probably replace one of the three behind Giroud.
Those Scotland kits are awful
It's a midfield three, Payet and Coman are on the wings.
Holy shit, nice goal from Giroud.
Nice finish by Giroud.
I hate Giroud, he looks like a model. But nice goal.
Other French players pointing at him as if to say to the crowd: "See, he's not totally useless". "Please Clap"...Coman and Payet are doing what they want. Evra has way too much room down the left.
1-0 Zhiru
I still don't know about French CBs, Rami always seemed incredibly average to me and Koscielny is a ticking flop-bomb.
I know Scotland isn't supposed to be as good as France, but it's like watching France playing Luxembourg this, the gap in level is way too big, Scotland isn't supposed to be this poor at football.
EDIT: 1989, when Scotland qualified for the World Cup instead of France.
EDIT: 1989, when Scotland qualified for the World Cup instead of France.
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It's the kits. Can you imagine a team playing well in that?
Pogba is good today, he has a better understanding of his role.
Feel the same, although they’ve got such an easy path to QFs, that it won’t matter til then.
I'm not watching the game... Where is he playing? In a midfield of 2? Or in a midfield of 3 as always?