England v Uruguay

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Don't the Dutch practice five a side at very young levels to encourage more emphasis on touch / short passing etc?

 

I may have made that up.

[Leicesterpool]

Until youth coaching and facilities are improved and kids are encouraged to improve rather than just winning we will have the same old same old. Take a trip to Holland and look at what normal kids get to play on every week and see why we can't replicate that. The problem is miles away from the Premier League.

Youngsters just aren't encouraged enough these days, if a nine year old lad wants to grow up to be a footballer then schools should help. 

[kingfox]

Why have you got Sam Bailey as your display pic, Leicesterpool?

 

THAT BETTER 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Is Leicesterpool the cleverest man on the internet who's absolutely trolling us all?

[Leicesterpool]

Why is your display pic Leicesterpool, Sam Bailey? 

Still trying to make up my mind on my next profile pic. Till then it's Sam Bailey.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Why is your display pic Leicesterpool, Sam Bailey?

I think you've got those names the wrong way round.

[ScouseFox]

Is Leicesterpool the cleverest man on the internet who's absolutely trolling us all?

 

he said at the start of the month spain would lose their first two games and be one of the first teams out the tournament so i'm saying yes 

[Unabomber]

Where's Sam Bailey and why does she have Leicesterpool as her display pic?

[kingfox]

I think you've got those names the wrong way round.

 

Really not with it today I'm I

[Jam]

Is it just me or have our set play deliveries been quite terrible, in our short time in the tournament?

I remember a period last night where there were 4 consecutive corners, each being pretty bad, which culminated in baines having a go and not even clearing the first man.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

he said at the start of the month spain would lose their first two games and be one of the first teams out the tournament so i'm saying yes 

 

He did in all. 

 

**** all of our lives.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I get the feeling a lot of people are uncomfortable with not being able to buy success like you can at club level these days. We can spend millions on youth investment (and indeed we already seem to be doing just that), but it still doesn't guarantee getting past the group stages in 2026.

One bad decision or one world class player on the other side or one below-par performance and everything is shit again.

A lot of these just seem like throwaway moans. If we're bottom in January, who will be keen for us to spend £10million on our academy rather than the latest Portuguese wonder kid to look half decent on YouTube? Most people only care for the week after England are knocked out of a major tournament.

[MooseBreath]

You are banging on about what the problem isn't.

What IS the problem.

Enlighten us all.

Maybe there's not really a problem with our ability to produce players, maybe having the three or four world class players you need is basically down to luck? I'm not sure you can coach world class into players, all you can do is give them the opportunity to reach their potential, and I think we do that already.

Looking at currently successful nations and trying to copy them seems like recency bias to me. Just because Spain, for example, managed to produce a world class generation doesn't mean it can be replicated by anyone else, or even themselves. I suspect the 80/20 rule applies to producing a world class national side, 80% luck, 20% having the right infrastructure in place.

[Stadt]

The successful sides actually seem up for it whereas our players look like they'd rather be in Dubai. I hate the generic, neanderthal fan response of "Where the fúck is the pashunnnn lads!?" as well but none of those players seem proud to be out there representing their country which seems miles away from players crying or belting out the anthem.

[MooseBreath]

To be fair our anthem isn't much of a tear jerker for your average working class athiest footballer

[Stadt]

To be fair our anthem isn't much of a tear jerker for your average working class athiest footballer

It's shit, I'm surprised it's been allowed in this 'overly PC' day and age.

[BoneDog]

Maybe there's not really a problem with our ability to produce players, maybe having the three or four world class players you need is basically down to luck? I'm not sure you can coach world class into players, all you can do is give them the opportunity to reach their potential, and I think we do that already.

Looking at currently successful nations and trying to copy them seems like recency bias to me. Just because Spain, for example, managed to produce a world class generation doesn't mean it can be replicated by anyone else, or even themselves. I suspect the 80/20 rule applies to producing a world class national side, 80% luck, 20% having the right infrastructure in place.

 

I don't think you can. You're either a footballer who can produce magical moments consistently, or you're not. Coaching helps but it boils down to an innate ability at the end of the day sort of thing.

[Vacamion]

The successful sides actually seem up for it whereas our players look like they'd rather be in Dubai. I hate the generic, neanderthal fan response of "Where the fúck is the pashunnnn lads!?" as well but none of those players seem proud to be out there representing their country which seems miles away from players crying or belting out the anthem.

Agreed it's only a minor point but it set the tone.

Sterling and Sturridge and others mumbling the anthem as if they would rather be elsewhere yesterday was crap.

One of the reasons for having an Englishman as a coach was to instill some patriotic passion into the troops in their own language.

Doesn't look like that happened.

[Samilktray]

I don't really see the point in national anthems anyway, don't know why such a fuss is made of how a player sings them. Singing ability won't win you football matches.

[Beliall]

Not just the players but the fans too. Was dead quiet during the anthem and where was all the support and flags? We look really poorly supported at this wc.

[Manwell Pablo]

The pitches non football academy teams play on (average youth teams) are awful compared to most of the continent. Especially Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain etc.

 

Having seen grass roots football in Spain and Italy I'd heavily, heavily contest that.

[Leicesterpool]

Agreed it's only a minor point but it set the tone.

Sterling and Sturridge and others mumbling the anthem as if they would rather be elsewhere yesterday was crap.

One of the reasons for having an Englishman as a coach was to instill some patriotic passion into the troops in their own language.

Doesn't look like that happened.

Maybe they don't think it's right singing the british anthem for the england team. Wales and Scotland are allowed to play their own anthem but we're not. 

[purpleronnie]

Not just the players but the fans too. Was dead quiet during the anthem and where was all the support and flags? We look really poorly supported at this wc.

Would you want to pay all that money to see that garbage?

[Beliall]

Would you want to pay all that money to see that garbage?

Nope.

[Leicesterpool]

Not just the players but the fans too. Was dead quiet during the anthem and where was all the support and flags? We look really poorly supported at this wc.

I agree but you have to remember Brazil is long, long away way and a very expensive trip. This is probably the smallest following from England at a world cup. However fingers cross if we qualify, France you'll see the proper English invasion.