World Cup 2018 Group G (Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England)

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Wasnt impressed by Hendersen at all, baffled at the praise. Reminded me for the most part of Parker at his worst. Played a few nice balls, fair play for that, but in general spent most of the game facing the wrong way and refused to turn when the defenders played to him. Makes us extremely pedestrian. Also was super careless with loads of his passes. One of the worst performers for me.

Walker and young were suspect. Had decent spells but were in general poor. Young just played Rose into the team IMO, was useless as an outlet.

Linguard, energy of the duracel bunny but is fudging useless. Rashford and RLC showed him up as soon as they came on.

Trippier was excellent throughout. Stones and Maguire, by the end, had me convinced. Kane is just the best really isnt he?

And RLC, every time I see him play I like him more.

 

[milo]

Sterlings only threat would be off the bench against a tired defence. Rashford next game please.

I think that we'd be better with Dele tucked in behind Kane with Loftus Cheek playing Dele's role today.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

I thought Henderson was pretty decent to be fair, but I was surprised to see him singled out for praise at the end. He played well but not one of our stand out performers by any means for me.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I thought his best performance was in front of the camera post match, spoke very well.

On the field? Not for me. Clearly has no awareness, so constantly just plays everything last ditch or over cautious.

 

[Daisuk]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1008817156543471616

 

[glasgowspur]

Play acting being rewarded by poor refereeing.
We won - it didn’t work.

gonads that's a pen all day long, he came on walkers blind side, walker panicked and blocked him with his arm. Even the panel in the studio said it.

 

[glasgowspur]

Be interesting to see what the Belgian attack do against that defence, they don't convince me at all.

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

Yeah check out how that ginge collapses, it's a wonder he isn't in intensive care.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

gonads that's a pen all day long, he came on walkers blind side, walker panicked and blocked him with his arm. Even the panel in the studio said it.

It was a pen, no argument from me. Stupid on Walkers part, just very poor play.

He looked pretty suspect all night. IMO, if its 4 at the back Walker is RB. If its 3 and wingbacks Walker doesnt play.

 

[glasgowspur]

What was the odds on Harry being England's top scorer? None of the rest look likely to get near him

 

[Bullet]

Both goals were tap ins

Very harsh, the second was not easy, he had to generate all the power and get it tucked inside the post and be aware there wasn't a player guarding that post even though he was watching the ball. Great movement, just moved quietly away from the congested "point of impact" and stood in space, assuming some big lump like Maguire would challenge for it and bundle it goalward.

 

[scaramanga]

I thought his best performance was in front of the camera post match, spoke very well.

On the field? Not for me. Clearly has no awareness, so constantly just plays everything last ditch or over cautious.

This is my biggest problem with him, he's like the opposite of Modric.

When Modric plays, he's constantly looking around him - on the ball, off the ball and especially coming to collect the ball. He knows the shape of play at all times so he knows what angle to approach the ball holder from, which way to turn, where the options will be when he does, etc. He knows when, how and where to close and when he needs to cover space. He knows whether the defenders need him to come deep or if he needs to drift into space and where that space is.

Henderson repeatedly gets every single one of those wrong because he has no awareness whatsoever and no reading of what's happening around him.

 

[Bullet]

Agreed Scara. Henderson receives the ball with no Tunisian within 20 yards and he just panics and lays it off backwards. He never turns, he always just plays the way he is facing. He must have had some awful moments in his childhood where he turned with the ball, straight into danger and got robbed... he just frustrates the hell outta me, safety first, no realisation that he has 20 yards of space to turn and go forwards with 5 minutes left. Always backwards when he is not facing play.

 

[Bullet]

It was a pen, no argument from me. Stupid on Walkers part, just very poor play.

He looked pretty suspect all night. IMO, if its 4 at the back Walker is RB. If its 3 and wingbacks Walker doesnt play.

Agreed, Rio on the BBC got it right, Walker should have been facing the ball and player, not facing his own goal.

Walker said Trips gave him the shout to leave it, so he tried to block off the attacker, but "next time I'll just head it away"

That is the issue, Walker is trying to learn how to play centre back at a World Cup!

In the first half he let one run across his body and got tackled, instead of getting rid, just schoolboy stuff for a centre back, and we know he is a mistake waiting to happen

 

[Bullet]

@scaramanga, where is Pirate55's thread on Corners, have you deleted it? Seemed like a good source of goals today, yet again.

I agree we should not prioritise corners as some brilliant %age source of goals, but it is a vital source of goals in tight matches.

 

[Kandi1977]

Hendersons pointing is world class. And that's about it.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Trippier, Kane and Henderson very good for me

Maguire/Stones a massive threat from set pieces

Sterling abysmal yet again, if him and J-Lingz could finish we would’ve won 7-1

Some good football at times though

Enjoyed the passion shown by Southgate at the end

Captain Fantastic though, what a player

agree with all of that but I’d add that Young is woefully bad on the left as he has to cut in constantly

 

[elltrev]

I thought his best performance was in front of the camera post match, spoke very well.

On the field? Not for me. Clearly has no awareness, so constantly just plays everything last ditch or over cautious.

Come on mate, that first ball over the top for Alli was neither of those things - clearly showed awareness of his run with a good first time pass.

 

[Cochise]

@scaramanga basically a fully fit Harry Winks at the base would be the best solution.

 

[Glenda's Legs]

Good start, fast out of the blocks, lots of fluidity. Dele had a very good first half up until his injury and though he played through it he was nowhere near as influential in the second half, edging on anonymous. Kane did what Kane does best and was sharp and composed for the goals but seemed to be dropping back much of the time (or struggling to lose his wrestling partner). If he could have been on the end of some of the Sterling or Lingard chances we’d have had the game sewn up early on. The biggest cheer in the pub tonight aside from the goals was Sterling being subbed.
Soft penalty for Tunisia but a penalty nonetheless. Walker at RB would not have been in position to have that brain fart - but then Walker at RB would have deprived us of Trippier who I thought had an excellent game.
Rashford and Loftus Cheek both looked good when they came on.
Henderson was OK but needs a compass to point him in the right direction. Stones and Maguire were shaky but Maguire looked better second half. England’s defence against Belgium scares me a bit.

I think we can all guess one referee who won’t be advancing to the latter games, but shouldn’t VAR have picked up the two fouls on Kane? (Or was it a case of the VAR recommending a review but the ref declining? I couldn’t hear much of the commentary).

The team has had a sharp lesson in the need to be more clinical. Whether we have the tools to change that remains to be seen. But if Sterling,Young and Henderson are the answer, then we need to find a new question.

For all that, a win takes some pressure off and we should have more than enough to beat Panama. It’s still on!!