England v Algeria - Pre-match

[CosbehFox]

Are you seriously suggesting any of the points I made are incorrect?

Our passing was awful, ball retention non-existant, organisation none and this against a poor USA whose World Ranking is, frankly, ludicrous. I accept that the teams I mention did not get much on goal but that was not the point I was making.

Anyway, against the mighty USA , I recall 3 decent chances. Gerrard's goal and the misses from Heskey and SWP. Yes we should have won on the night but whatever you think the score should have been our performance was poor overall and woeful in those areas I highlighted.

You're comparison of England's performance to Korea DRP, New Zealand, Greece and a couple of others was incorrect. It was an exaggeration typical of various England fans. It remains that if we'd have won 3-1, everyone would have been happy just like previous tournaments...2006 for example.

This maybe not apply to your own opinion. Brazil, Spain, Italy, France have all played with a similar level of accomplishment yet we are awful, we are woeful, we are the worst 'big' team there.

If you think US are poor, can please explain the decent record they have got over the past two years. For example, when recently playing Spain and Brazil? Their performances are respectively better than our own.

As for my fourth chance, Lennon 20th minute attempted a square pass across the six yard box rather than leathering it!

[Koke]

This is a game for Crouchinho. He loves scoring against minnows and strives on that. Put him on and he'll bag us 2 goals at the very least.

[marbelladave]

You're comparison of England's performance to Korea DRP, New Zealand, Greece and a couple of others was incorrect. It was an exaggeration typical of various England fans. It remains that if we'd have won 3-1, everyone would have been happy just like previous tournaments...2006 for example.

This maybe not apply to your own opinion. Brazil, Spain, Italy, France have all played with a similar level of accomplishment yet we are awful, we are woeful, we are the worst 'big' team there.

If you think US are poor, can please explain the decent record they have got over the past two years. For example, when recently playing Spain and Brazil? Their performances are respectively better than our own.

As for my fourth chance, Lennon 20th minute attempted a square pass across the six yard box rather than leathering it!

Our performance, in the areas I picked out, passing, ball retention etc, etc was truly woeful, the teams I cited were all better than England in those particular aspects that I outlined in my earlier post. Sure England are athletic and hardworking, they have considerable experience and are, as individuals capable of good play, but as a team, as yet no.

The performance was woeful, whether we scored another goal or two or not and I would have said so, you have 2+ years of posts about poor City performances (even in games where we got a result) to check on if you wish.

Many of the 'big' teams have yet to perform but they can still keep possession, pass to there own players and play with discipline. They show the signs of good teams working there way slowly into the tournament, England, as yet do not.

The USA's high world rankings come on the back of a permanently easy qualifying group and some decent results a few years back, the current side is ageing and in decline, the results against Spain and Brazil were nonsense, both sides were there for a 'junket' in the sun.

Lennon is not a prolific goalscorer, his decision to cross the ball was reasonable though poorly executed.

[marbelladave]

This is a game for Crouchinho. He loves scoring against minnows and strives on that. Put him on and he'll bag us 2 goals at the very least.

Given his record, that is not a bad shout...

BTW Do any of the Algerian players have long hair or better still, dreadlocks?

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

@ everyone's over reaction to the draw against the Yanks. I don't think we played that badly and had we got the three points no doubt everyone would be hailing us as world beaters.

Going for 3-0, think Defoe will start for Heskey, might bag himself one, and if Rooney hits any kind of form, I can't see this being a close one.

Have to be confident against Algeria, otherwise I'll cry.

[marbelladave]

@ everyone's over reaction to the draw against the Yanks. I don't think we played that badly and had we got the three points no doubt everyone would be hailing us as world beaters.

Going for 3-0, think Defoe will start for Heskey, might bag himself one, and if Rooney hits any kind of form, I can't see this being a close one.

Have to be confident against Algeria, otherwise I'll cry.

Yes we did!

No we wouldn't, the performance would still have been crap!

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

No, we really didn't, certainly no worse than some of the other so called 'favourites' at this tournament.

[marbelladave]

No, we really didn't, certainly no worse than some of the other so called 'favourites' at this tournament.

Sorry Michael, but poor though some of the big teams were, they were still able to play with shape and discipline, retain possession and pass to one of their own players.

England could manage none of these things so I really can not understand why you did not see that. I'm not going to give you a hard time about it but I am often amazed how two people can watch the same games and come to such different conclusions.

C'est la vie...

[purpleronnie]

Probably just me but it pisses me off to see some of our players not singing the national anthem.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Agree to disagree I suppose, everyone's an England fan when it comes down to it.

Hopefully they'll batter Algeria tomorrow and Bobby Green's error will be a distant memory.

[Tilley]

Probably just me but it pisses me off to see some of our players not singing the national anthem.

Agree completely, should be belting it out before kick off in my opinion. Don't even look interested half the time.

[StanSP]

Probably just me but it pisses me off to see some of our players not singing the national anthem.

There's no obligation for them to sing it.

I'm not too fussed about it to be honest

[marbelladave]

Agree to disagree I suppose, everyone's an England fan when it comes down to it.

Hopefully they'll batter Algeria tomorrow and Bobby Green's error will be a distant memory.

Come on England...

[dandannieldanok]

This is a game for Crouchinho. He loves scoring against minnows and strives on that. Put him on and he'll bag us 2 goals at the very least.

Has to be, or least Defoe. Potential for a Crouch robot in this game if we're crusing.

[marbelladave]

Agree completely, should be belting it out before kick off in my opinion. Don't even look interested half the time.

Muuch the same as the way they play...

Fook the anthem, just play like you fooking mean it!

[CosbehFox]

Our performance, in the areas I picked out, passing, ball retention etc, etc was truly woeful, the teams I cited were all better than England in those particular aspects that I outlined in my earlier post. Sure England are athletic and hardworking, they have considerable experience and are, as individuals capable of good play, but as a team, as yet no.

The performance was woeful, whether we scored another goal or two or not and I would have said so, you have 2+ years of posts about poor City performances (even in games where we got a result) to check on if you wish.

Many of the 'big' teams have yet to perform but they can still keep possession, pass to there own players and play with discipline. They show the signs of good teams working there way slowly into the tournament, England, as yet do not.

The USA's high world rankings come on the back of a permanently easy qualifying group and some decent results a few years back, the current side is ageing and in decline, the results against Spain and Brazil were nonsense, both sides were there for a 'junket' in the sun.

Lennon is not a prolific goalscorer, his decision to cross the ball was reasonable though poorly executed.

The performance wouldn't have matter or the points you made if the three points were achieved, just like 1990 were truly dreadful until the Cameroon and Germany games but it's still heralded as the greatest thing since 66. It would have been forgotten....as some many did by saying that Saturday's game was England's worst ever international competition performance. They forgot about 2002 (0-0 Nigeria) or 1998 (1-2 Romania) or 1986 (0-1 Portugal).

You can keep possession, yes (Spain's 85% first half share hardly helped them) but be incredibly predictable pass it from side to side with little achievement, South Africa were the greatest examples yesterday...pass, pass, pass, pass, switch, pass, switch and without troubling the 18 yard box.....like New Zealand et al did. Italy showed no real finesse or craft in an utter woeful game, the same could be applied to Portugal who needed the result and same with France. Them three alone performed at an equal or possibly even worse than the England team.

I am not making a point of USA's high ranking has you keep referring to. The results were not nonsense, Spain for sure were not there for a holiday. They lost their incredible unbeaten run thanks to the loss. As for aging squad? Their starting eleven's average age was 27 and half on Saturday, a player's peak.....and also one of the lowest in the competition.

[marbelladave]

The performance wouldn't have matter or the points you made if the three points were achieved, just like 1990 were truly dreadful until the Cameroon and Germany games but it's still heralded as the greatest thing since 66. It would have been forgotten....as some many did by saying that Saturday's game was England's worst ever international competition performance. They forgot about 2002 (0-0 Nigeria) or 1998 (1-2 Romania) or 1986 (0-1 Portugal).

You can keep possession, yes (Spain's 85% first half share hardly helped them) but be incredibly predictable pass it from side to side with little achievement, South Africa were the greatest examples yesterday...pass, pass, pass, pass, switch, pass, switch and without troubling the 18 yard box.....like New Zealand et al did. Italy showed no real finesse or craft in an utter woeful game, the same could be applied to Portugal who needed the result and same with France. Them three alone performed at an equal or possibly even worse than the England team.

I am not making a point of USA's high ranking has you keep referring to. The results were not nonsense, Spain for sure were not there for a holiday. They lost their incredible unbeaten run thanks to the loss. As for aging squad? Their starting eleven's average age was 27 and half on Saturday, a player's peak.....and also one of the lowest in the competition.

I have not commented on other World Cups but I have repeatedly said that we have time to change and improve drastically, but what I am most concerned about is that we appear to be so lacking in the basics of football at this level that we have next to nothing to build on. Sure we have started tournaments poorly before but I can not really remember a start so devoid of any redeeming features.

I very much hope I am wrong on this but I am not, at this stage, confident at all.

BTW The USA have recently brought in some young players that bring down their average age, but their key players, Donovan, Demerit, Dempsey, Bocanegra etc are all well past their best.

[CosbehFox]

I have not commented on other World Cups but I have repeatedly said that we have time to change and improve drastically, but what I am most concerned about is that we appear to be so lacking in the basics of football at this level that we have next to nothing to build on. Sure we have started tournaments poorly before but I can not really remember a start so devoid of any redeeming features.

I very much hope I am wrong on this but I am not, at this stage, confident at all.

BTW The USA have recently brought in some young players that bring down their average age, but their key players, Donovan, Demerit, Dempsey, Bocanegra etc are all well past their best.

1990....Ireland 1-1 England, dire. My point on this matter was that if England achieve anything which can be seen as a good result, the majority of folk (may not yourself) will forgot about earlier performances. The rather stale 1-0 win over Paraguay in 2006 is another example.

Donovan and Dempsey are 28 and 27. The other two 31 and 30. All four of them I wouldn't put in the aging category esp. on the international scene where experience is increasingly valued as the most important asset. Altidore, US' main threat is just 20 with Bradley, their other stand-out 22. They have five players in a 23 squad over the age of 30 and two of them are goalkeepers.

[shen]

BTW The USA have recently brought in some young players that bring down their average age, but their key players, Donovan, Demerit, Dempsey, Bocanegra etc are all well past their best.

In their prime, rather...

[StanSP]

In their prime, rather...

I wouldn't say Bocanegra is in his prime. Donovan and Dempsey are.

[marbelladave]

1990....Ireland 1-1 England, dire. My point on this matter was that if England achieve anything which can be seen as a good result, the majority of folk (may not yourself) will forgot about earlier performances. The rather stale 1-0 win over Paraguay in 2006 is another example.

Donovan and Dempsey are 28 and 27. The other two 31 and 30. All four of them I wouldn't put in the aging category esp. on the international scene where experience is increasingly valued as the most important asset. Altidore, US' main threat is just 20 with Bradley, their other stand-out 22. They have five players in a 23 squad over the age of 30 and two of them are goalkeepers.

As i have said elsewhere recently, I am always concerned about performance. Sure a good team will often win when playing poorly, so often in fact that it has become a cliché but poor teams scraping a few results with mediocre performances will, eventually, be found out. That remains my main worry.

I take you point about the ages of the US' players, I was just going on my 'impressions' that their better, more experienced players were somewhat past their best. Donovan's recent form excepted, I still think their 'big' players are in decline.

[Brainy]

might have already been posted:eng v usa highlights in lego

[StanSP]

might have already been posted:eng v usa highlights in lego

I like.

[leicesterfox86]

As i have said elsewhere recently, I am always concerned about performance. Sure a good team will often win when playing poorly, so often in fact that it has become a cliché but poor teams scraping a few results with mediocre performances will, eventually, be found out. That remains my main worry.

I take you point about the ages of the US' players, I was just going on my 'impressions' that their better, more experienced players were somewhat past their best. Donovan's recent form excepted, I still think their 'big' players are in decline.

France could be considered as a good team, and they often loose when they play poorly.

Anyway. England to win 2-1

[FoxyPV]

8-0 to Algeria with any of the English keepers with a hattrick of mistakes