Plenty of talents upfront (excluding strikers). The problem is the defense. No decent players coming up for such a crucial position as CB
World Cup Qualifiers + Friendlies | November 2017
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Jesus I was taking the piss 
Brazil paid lip service to us by playing their first eleven but that first eleven barely got out of first gear and still had 70 percent possession.
They could've/would've scored if they could've been arsed but they never are in friendlies.
Still more entertaining than we will be.And exactly how entertaining are you going to be this summer in Russia?
Congratulations to Denmark, fully deserve their place in Russia.
Must be nice to play for England:
When you win/draw/get a good result, it´s because the opponent was not trying.
When you lose, it´s because you are shit.
When you win/draw/get a good result, it´s because the opponent was not trying.
When you lose, it´s because you are shit.
Watching Adams and McKennie against Portugal makes you realize what an idiot Arena is. Also the effort, shape, movement and patterns of the whole team is already much better than under Klinsmann or Arena. I have no idea who that interim coach is, but I´d offer him the job full-time, if he can back this up in 2-3 more friendlies.
That was basically our second team against Brazils first and we shouldve won near the end so it was actually decent.
With Kane, Winks, Trippier, Lallana, Sterling, Alli coming into the team i think England could do alright in Russia.
Kane
Rashford Alli Sterling
Dier Winks
Trippier Jones Stones Walker
Hart
With Kane, Winks, Trippier, Lallana, Sterling, Alli coming into the team i think England could do alright in Russia.
Kane
Rashford Alli Sterling
Dier Winks
Trippier Jones Stones Walker
Hart
Portugal and strikers, who was your last top class Portugese no 9 actually?
Remember when England beat Germany in a friendly before the EC 2016? We all saw what happened a few months later
Eusebio
Oozing creativity.
There are good talents, but no brilliant ones imo particularly in positions where we're really needing them. I think these last 20 years have been as successful as we'll be in a very long time and a fallout is inevitable at some point. The news of an extended Euros and World Cup is great for us as it will make qualifying easier.
Sterling, Winks and Alli are creative I agree
Jokes aside i would probably put Lallana in ahead of Rashford. Its actually decent then.
I wouldn't say any of our attackers there are especially creative but each to their own. In comparison with our recent teams a plank of wood would appear creative though.
It's Dave Sarachan and no, they should not offer him the gig. It's just continuing with status quo.
Well done to Denmark. They thoroughly outclassed us. Eriksen is some player. Unfortunately we are a very limited side in ability. That being said Denmark came to Dublin and bossed the game. They deserve huge credit. Never sat back kept trying to play positively kept looking to create openings and with simple passing opened us up time and again. The Danes I expect are proud of the way their country performed tonight. Excellent performance. We were simply exposed for the limited side they we currently are.
Seems like he found his level in Norway atleast.
Good for him and Denmark
Our league is shit though.
Wales vs Denmark would have been much better.
This is the first time 3 Nordic countries will be a the same WC. Sweden, Norway and Denmark had never qualified at the same time before and neither Finland or Faroe Islands have been close.
Denmark going through will also mean that Iceland will be in pot 3 instead of pot 2. 2017 results matter the most in that regard for some reason.
Denmark going through will also mean that Iceland will be in pot 3 instead of pot 2. 2017 results matter the most in that regard for some reason.
Share your concerns regarding center backs, but good news from this match is, even Santos watched how bad Ricardo Ferreira is, OMG, what a cepo like we say in Portugal.
I am not so pessimistic as you guys, ok if next WC something bad happens with Pepe, of course we are doomed, regarding new players coming, none will have the same level as Pepe or Ronaldo, but if we look at the big picture, overall global quality of players to choose improved in these last 5 years.
Of course it still remains the same questions regarding the specific positions, as strikers or even goalkeepers, more worrying for me is the lack of quality center backs, the only 1 I sincerely hope he can develop for Benfica is Ruben Dias, the rest,Neto, Paulo Oliveira, Ruben Semedo, Edgar Ié, simply not good enough for this level.
For someone who grew up watching players like Couto, Jorge Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, Jorge Andrade or Pepe and now this, is really bad, but don't agree we will have a massive fall in tournaments, we just need to remember what was the picture in the last WC, with a midfield 3 with Meireles, Moutinho, Veloso, the only wingers were Nani, Ronaldo, Varela, not to mention we have much better fullbacks then we had at the time.
Don't take a lot of conclusions based on today, not even a fan of Santos, but from those who started today probably Pepe will start in the WC.
People tend to forget we are a country of 10 million people, we don't have the same base of recruitment as countries like France, our metrics should be to compare with Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands or Belgium, people in Portugal simply demand too much, I am more realist and try to look at the big picture, and for our number of players we compare well with other countries, only that.
Can anyone explain to me why is Nelson Semedo so rated? I know Cedric doesn't excite when we need to attack, but Christ I even like more Ricardo Pereira than Semedo, everytime he plays for the NT he makes so many defensive mistakes, not pretty to watch.
Cheers mate.
Wales would've needed a fully fit and in form Bale though. Ramsey too but to a lesser extent.
We have good talents, but no truly great ones in my opinion. Only Bernardo has that potential and even then at best I see him reaching the level of a David Silva. Guedes and Guerreiro we'll see, but the latter has injury problems which makes me pessimistic. We have a bunch of good midfield players but which one will succeed at a top club? João Mário, William, Danilo, André Gomes, Renato Sanches, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves... And it's the same with wingers/forwards. Gelson, Guedes, Bruma, Rony Lopes... I think it's pretty likely none of them make it at one of the top clubs in the world. I have no doubt we'll still be a pretty competitive team but we won't repeat what we've been doing. I look at what's happening to the Netherlands and it feels like we'll inevitably go through a period like that in a few years, not necessarily this generation but maybe the one after that.Share your concerns regarding center backs, but good news from this match is, even Santos watched how bad Ricardo Ferreira is, OMG, what a cepo like we say in Portugal.
I am not so pessimistic as you guys, ok if next WC something bad happens with Pepe, of course we are doomed, regarding new players coming, none will have the same level as Pepe or Ronaldo, but if we look at the big picture, overall global quality of players to choose improved in these last 5 years.
Of course it still remains the same questions regarding the specific positions, as strikers or even goalkeepers, more worrying for me is the lack of quality center backs, the only 1 I sincerely hope he can develop for Benfica is Ruben Dias, the rest,Neto, Paulo Oliveira, Ruben Semedo, Edgar Ié, simply not good enough for this level.
For someone who grew up watching players like Couto, Jorge Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, Jorge Andrade or Pepe and now this, is really bad, but don't agree we will have a massive fall in tournaments, we just need to remember what was the picture in the last WC, with a midfield 3 with Meireles, Moutinho, Veloso, the only wingers were Nani, Ronaldo, Varela, not to mention we have much better fullbacks then we had at the time.
Don't take a lot of conclusions based on today, not even a fan of Santos, but from those who started today probably Pepe will start in the WC.
People tend to forget we are a country of 10 million people, we don't have the same base of recruitment as countries like France, our metrics should be to compare with Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands or Belgium, people in Portugal simply demand too much, I am more realist and try to look at the big picture, and for our number of players we compare well with other countries, only that.
Can anyone explain to me why is Nelson Semedo so rated? I know Cedric doesn't excite when we need to attack, but Christ I even like more Ricardo Pereira than Semedo, everytime he plays for the NT he makes so many defensive mistakes, not pretty to watch.
Cheers mate.
Look at how we compare against the top european teams since Euro 2000:
Spain
tournaments where we've gone further than them: 4
tournaments where we're eliminated at the same stage: 1
tournaments where we didn't go as far as them: 4
Germany
tournaments where we've gone further than them: 3
tournaments where we're eliminated at the same stage: 2
tournaments where we didn't go as far as them: 4
France
tournaments where we've gone further than them: 5
tournaments where we're eliminated at the same stage: 1
tournaments where we didn't go as far as them: 3
Italy
tournaments where we've gone further than them: 4
tournaments where we're eliminated at the same stage: 2
tournaments where we didn't go as far as them: 4
Netherlands
tournaments where we've gone further than them: 6
tournaments where we're eliminated at the same stage: 2
tournaments where we didn't go as far as them: 2
England
tournaments where we've gone further than them: 6
tournaments where we're eliminated at the same stage: 2
tournaments where we didn't go as far as them: 1
Only 4 european teams have made it to every tournament during this period, Germany, Spain, France and us. The problem is the portuguese people and media believe our hype and will want the same kind of consistently good results after Ronaldo and Pepe are gone which isn't going to happen. We're going to fall of a level where we've been consistently up there with the best nations in the World to the level of Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Poland, Sweden, Czech Republic, etc. where we're able to go far in tournaments from time to time but we're not able to do it consistently.
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My first 11 would probably be
------------------Pickford----------------
----------Jones--Stones--Maguire--------
Walker----------------------------Bertrand
------------Dier---Loftus Cheek
Sterling---------Kane------------Rashford
We need to get a striker and a defender from Brazil/Portuguese speaking Africa soon
Good performances by Gomez and Solanke
Nothing is more frustrating than these park the bus snoozefests. I get it when small teams/nations do it but when big one's do it, it's very frustrating. This isn't even a special Brazil side yet England played without the intention to play. Even though it had it's mistakes, the France/Germany tie was much better cause both teams played with an intention to win. Martial should of sealed it but made a mess of the situation. Must say didn't like how Mbappe reacted to every bad decision Martial made on the day. Desailly always speaks about how when they played with Zidane, despite the fact that he was better than them he never looked down on them or reacted to mistakes they'd make on the pitch. He's not even that good yet but his petulance is overbearing, doesn't do it to Neymar though at PSG.
Alright buddy.
So who to cheer for this morning?
Both teams seems quite dire so far, but I guess a lot at stake. Aussies pushing most so far, and are probably favorites I guess.
Both teams seems quite dire so far, but I guess a lot at stake. Aussies pushing most so far, and are probably favorites I guess.
Aussies only really threatening from corners. Honduras wasting time at every opportunity. Mooy clearly has more quality than everyone else on the pitch.
I’m at work and cannot watch the game. Have Honduras played their usual violent style? Or have they damped down on the aggressiveness?
I hope Australia qualifies.
I hope Australia qualifies.
Not much aggression but a lot of slowing play down and time wasting. Pretty cynical, but it's a long round trip to Sydney so somewhat understandable.
Aussies take the lead after a deflected freekick by Jedinak
2-0 Australia, this is over.
Spurs is England core ? Yeah, i will eagerly wait this team to get battered.
Harry Kane, the EPL Saint, the current best striker in the world, Alli the player that Barcelona wants, blah blah blah. Both of them will flop.
England gameplay has not changed for ages. The rigid tactic, the less-knowledge coach, the lack of technique players, all still there.
In the real tournament, England is inferior at least to Brazil, Germany, Spain, Argentina, France. Not mentioning black horses like Portugal or Croatia.
Maximum QF will be the best achievement. Even to reach that it will be a difficult road.
As long as Butland is fit for the tournament, and we don't have to have e yet another horror show in a major tournament by Hart, then that will be a huge step up for us.
Well done Australia
Has Jedinak ever scored a hat-trick before?
It was a long and hard journey but it was worth it.
I have watched Sweden play all matches in this qualifiers and I disagree with you 100 %.
Let's compare:
Goals scored
Sweden: 26
Serbia: 20
Iceland: 16
Croatia: 15
If you remove goals scored against lowest ranked team you get the following:
Goals scored
Sweden: 17
Serbia: 14
Iceland: 12
Croatia: 8
The Denmark match stands out. Like I said the most common results are 0-0 and 1-0. No point arguing against fact.