FIFA World Cup: Russia 2018 [Archived] Soccer • Page 110

*from open play*

Do goals from free kicks/corners now not count or something?

You have to play to your strengths, which was a great set piece taker in trippier. You would have thought the fact almost every single corner/free kick landed on an England head was just lucky, rather than actually quite skilful.

Sure it would look nicer if we scored a few breakaway goals, or from some Spain style (boring af, imo) build up play. But set pieces are just as much a part of football as the rest of it.

 

Also, we finished 4th. Results speak. Germany and Brazil may have had more shots, but we got further. So what?

 

Agree with this to be honest. Wasn't a huge fan of him coming into this but he's really impressed me.

 

It's gotta be Hugo, no? But Pickford definitely deserves a shout.

 

To be fair, the shots from open play stat does tell it's own story. England have been, and I'm being fair, inept from open play this tournament. That's a large part of football.

 

I’m obviously biased toward Spurs players but I’ll agree that Kane was a bit disappointing during the tournament. He had moments, and he deserves credit for burying all the penalties. But he didn’t make a huge impact from open play. I don’t know if it was the system or just him struggling. It seemed like majority of the successful attacks were from the outside with crosses coming in. The team didn’t really pose much of a threat from the middle of the field. Henderson had a fine tournament. But the combo of Dele/Lingard wasn’t really working.

 

I’ve decided the 3-5-2 system doesn’t work for the national team. I think they’d be much better suited with something like a 4-2-3-1. Dier and Henderson as the holding midfielders provides better stability in the middle of the field. Walker would also be back at his natural position (rotating with Trippier).

 

Ok that’s fair, but I was just annoyed at the misleading headline.

 

Dier has been hopeless and done nothing to deserve a starting place for England.

 

England are a young and inexperienced team, I think the more they play together, their decision making in the final third will naturally sort itself out. The link up play was fairly decent, it seemed to be more of an issue with the final ball.

The onus should be on Southgate now to develop an identifiably fast paced brand of attacking football. If it were me, I’d play go with something like this:

Rashford - Kane - Sterling
Dele - Lingard
Henderson
Bertrand - Maguire - Stones - Trippier
Pickford

 

I wonder if any other Napoli players will become available now. Insigne is one of my favorite players.

 

Future squad for me depends on how well the current fringe youngsters do in the next 2 years in the PL, plus if players like Oxlade-Chamberlain continues the level of form he had reached before his injury, but 352 could work for sure. Joe Gomez could possibly play at CB if Klopp continues to give him chances, AOC can get a CM place for sure, RLC needs to be in Chelsea's first X1 from now on which will only help him.

We are nowhere near developing a playmaker like De Bruyne though so, like someone said above, we need to figure out how we will create chances.

 

Yeah, one of the biggest problems England have is no creative midfielder. Lingard is Lingard, good at receiving the ball and moving it on, great at picking up positions. But won't open up a defence. Alli is good at being at the end of attacks. Loftus Cheek can carry the ball. But they have no one who can sit on the ball and pick out a 10/10 pass to open up a defence. If they get that they'll move up against the bigger teams.

 

100% their biggest need

 

You guys probably think I’m crazy, but Harry Winks has a chance to become that player. He would obviously need to take a couple steps forward in his development but he looked really good against Real Madrid in the CL games. He was a huge reason Spurs looked so good against them.

 

Oxlade Chamberlain would have made such a difference to this team. Alli and Lingard can do a job in the role, but as a ball carrier and more, AOC is miles above, especially showing the form he has at Pool.

 

I’ve always been a fan of Ox. He would’ve been nice to have in the tournament.

 

That bastard Luke Shaw has rejected a move to Everton.

 

I remember reading he wants to play for Poch again. They were really close at Southampton. But I don’t think we really need him if Rose is staying.

 

Nah, you don't. On the subject of Poch, he is currently favourite to replace Samp as the Argieball coach. Doubt it will happen but just throwing it out there.

 

Catch me sick to my stomach hoping for a Croatia win like they’re my country

 

Any predictions for the score?

 

2-1 France

 

2-1 Croatia

 

bleus win and i win $150 lets go