Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 6:50 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

I couldn't understand the number of loonies on Five-Live who thought Rooney had a bad game. Sure, he wasn't the outstanding player he has been for the last few years, but he didn't have a BAD game. I thought he linked the play quite well at times and it took and outstanding save to deny him the goal he certainly needs to boost his confidence.

He was one-on-one with the keeper with time and space. There should have been no save, he should have buried it.

The rest of his game was largely forgetful. That's if you're being positive towards him, because I'm sure Rooney hopes that everyone forgets the air-kick he served up on the edge of the box.

That was a bad game for Rooney. If he was a 17 year old rookie you'd make allowances and build up his performance, but FFS the whole country has been sucking him off this season and he has done precious little in this WC to even deserve defending.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 6:58 pm  

Top marks for the lads going through and the changes Fabio made worked.
But he gets little credit from me since these changes were almost forced on him by his two previous rubbish selections.
And another black mark is that as soon as it came to subs he reverted to type.....to the failure that is Heskey rather than Crouch.
No way can that be on Heskey's defensive qualities (and that is all we were doing at that stage...holding on) since Crouch would be better under the high ball in defence.

So if your name is Peter Crouch....you're fooked...get the plane back.....and console yourself with all the goals you have scored for England.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:00 pm  

I thought Rooney had a decent game too..

His presence alone is something we need, I thought his workrate and all round link up play was very good. You can tell the better players like Rooney because he's so hard to get the ball off when on top form.. He held it up well and brought others into play, he's a huge physical presence and one we need.

He's steadily getting better game by game, he needs a goal obviously, but the signs are good IMO.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:01 pm  

Rooney looked far better when we were passing the ball to feet, rather than kicking it long from the centre half. He's not a player that excels at chasing long balls.

Gerrard is wasted on the left, would any other country waste one of their more creative players by sticking him wide left? It wouldn't be so bad were we doing it to have Lampard playing were he does best, as an attacking midfielder, but we aren't, he's pretty much playing as a defensive central midfielder, a role he is very average in.

Chris Waddle said early on that teams that passed to feet would do better at this tournament due to the ball and the speed of the pitches, I think we confirmed that today but the players fall so easily into knocking it long it's depressing.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:02 pm  

Stand-Offish wrote:

Top marks for the lads going through and the changes Fabio made worked.
But he gets little credit from me since these changes were almost forced on him by his two previous rubbish selections.
And another black mark is that as soon as it came to subs he reverted to type.....to the failure that is Heskey rather than Crouch.
No way can that be on Heskey's defensive qualities (and that is all we were doing at that stage...holding on) since Crouch would be better under the high ball in defence.

So if your name is Peter Crouch....you're fooked...get the plane back.....and console yourself with all the goals you have scored for England.

We'd descended into knocking it long by that point, Crouch is too slow to chase long balls.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:19 pm  

least crouch has had a nice little holiday and has his missus to look forward to back home.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:24 pm  

Billinge_Lump wrote:

We'd descended into knocking it long by that point, Crouch is too slow to chase long balls.

Hang about....it wasn't about getting a goal....it was patently about defending a lead when Heskey came on. What long balls did Heskey chase by the way???

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:29 pm  

Watching england is a bit like watching the Bulls at the moment. A win is always welcome and very enjoyable, but it doesnt leave you expecting that great things are on their way.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:00 pm  

Stand-Offish wrote:

Hang about....it wasn't about getting a goal....it was patently about defending a lead when Heskey came on. What long balls did Heskey chase by the way???

Who said it was about getting a goal?

By that time the ball was being pumped long, Heskey won a few in the air, but he can and will at least chase balls that are played past him. Crouch is too slow for that and needs the ball played to him.

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010 : Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:04 pm  

I got the feeling in the pub that some people were hoping we'd concede late on so they could blame it on the fact Capello had brought Heskey on.