Tonight's football thread

[ukhursty]

I can't understand the people who get stuck in to Young.

He has been England's most consistent player FOR ENGLAND over the last 12 months and he actually had a decent game against France where we were starved of possession and he was playing in the Rooney position.

He wasn't at all the worst player on the pitch for us against Sweden. I felt that our central defenders were poor, I felt that Cole wasn't giving anything going forward which meant that Young was perhaps lacking a little support down the left.
Hang him for one below par game eh?

Just as we are going to get Rooney back - Rooney, Young, Welbeck and Valencia produced some breathtaking attacking football this year and the only thing that cost Man Utd the title in the end were defensive blunders and a few early season gaffs as the new keeper settled in.
They were fantastic going forward.

How many have said that by the time Rooney came back, we could be on our way home already? Well we aren't. We now have some match winners in Rooney, Young and Welbeck - perhaps even Gerrard might find some of his old sparkle.

So we have 3 out of 4 - and the Ox on the right and I think we can score against any team.

I am quietly confident that we might actually do well in this tournament, but the only way it will happen is if these key players do the business and our stoppers can start doing there job and not making the school boy errors that let Sweden bag 2 goals.

We have a Man Utd fan here

[Multiterrainer]

We have a Man Utd fan here

Hmm, I was thinking that too, though to be fair despite Young not having played perhaps as well as in previous internationals, the Rev's description of his performance as being disgraceful was just a little OTT!

[Witton Park]

Burnley Fan - I have enjoyed the banter with Danbert and his buds though at times who think I'm a Man U fan.

I actually just like watching good football and I think Man U have got the balance of skill and physical presence right more than any of the PREM over the last few years.

I used to love watching Arsenal though in the early Wenger days with Bergkamp, Henry, Vierra, Petit, Overmars - cracking team.

I actually put pre-tournament that I would have liked the team to be made up of Man U and Man C players where possible as clearly they have been the 2 stand out PREM teams this year and there are question marks over the rest.

Hart
Richards, Ferdinand, Lescott, Cole
Johnston, Carrick, Scholes, Young
Rooney, Welbeck

It doesn't look so bad does it?

I'd accept Gerrard for Scholes of course as Scholes would most probably not have accepted a place if asked.

[biara]

Thought England played well yesterday apart from the 10mins of madness where they let in 2 goals. The defence were organised most of the time and players worked well, then forgot what to do at the start of the second half. Sweden had very few efforts from close up apart from the goals and hardly threathened. Ibrahimovic may have been very skilful but his greed cost sweden.
Rooney back will bring more bite to our attack and I agree on walcott as an impact player (and I'm an arsenal fan). But to say that I am excited at the thought of the Ox on one side of the pitch, with walcott on the other, wilshire and arteta in the middle and somone to score up front (probably not RVP)

[Muddy Retriever]

perhaps even Gerrard might find some of his old sparkle.

He already has. Brilliant pinpoint cross for Lescott goal. Brilliant pinpoint cross for Carroll goal.

[IainR]

He already has. Brilliant pinpoint cross for Lescott goal. Brilliant pinpoint cross for Carroll goal.

If we wanted a crosser of the ball we'd have beckham.. we have gerrard for his dynamism.. at the moment in both games we haven't dominated the midfield and haven't maintained possession, we did for Wellbecks goal but otherwise just scrappy play.

I think we'll get out of the group but think spain will run through terry, his legs have gone. He reminds me of Steve Bruce now, running through treacle when trying to sprint..

[Muddy Retriever]

If we wanted a crosser of the ball we'd have beckham.. we have gerrard for his dynamism.. at the moment in both games we haven't dominated the midfield and haven't maintained possession, we did for Wellbecks goal but otherwise just scrappy play.

I think we'll get out of the group but think spain will run through terry, his legs have gone. He reminds me of Steve Bruce now, running through treacle when trying to sprint..

When does England ever dominate midfield against opponents of this standard? I'd be interested to know who you would have had instead of Gerrard against France that would have dominated midfield.

Of course Gerrard is not going to have quite the dynamism of old, he's 32! But I thought he did have make surging runs against Sweden. And Gerrard's game has always been more then that, it has always included the ability to play the killer pass/cross. So far it has led to two of England's four goals.

Agree with you about Terry, he's very worrying.

[IainR]

When does England ever dominate midfield against opponents of this standard? I'd be interested to know who you would have had instead of Gerrard against France that would have dominated midfield.

Of course Gerrard is not going to have quite the dynamism of old, he's 32! But I thought he did have make surging runs against Sweden. And Gerrard's game has always been more then that, it has always included the ability to play the killer pass/cross. So far it has led to two of England's four goals.

Agree with you about Terry, he's very worrying.

Against France.. no one.. we were never going to have possession.

I think we need Lampard, Wiltshire or Carrick in the team and those 3 are good at retaining possession. Lampard has added that to his game as he's aged. He's evolving well.

Parker runs hard, looks tired, but is found wanting too much. We didn't dominate against Sweden, which says a lot.

[Muddy Retriever]

Against France.. no one.. we were never going to have possession.

I think we need Lampard, Wiltshire or Carrick in the team and those 3 are good at retaining possession. Lampard has added that to his game as he's aged. He's evolving well.

Parker runs hard, looks tired, but is found wanting too much. We didn't dominate against Sweden, which says a lot.

Wiltshire obviously wasn't an option due to long term injury, a shame because he has lots of potential.
Lampard has the same aging problem as Gerrard, is less flexible in terms of positions he can play and has consistently performed worse for England than Gerrard. But in any case injury ruled him out
Carrick - Was that a joke?

Agree with your comments on Parker. Could do with a younger midfield partner for Gerrard.

[IainR]

Carrick has been United's best player.. we got 89 points.. Henderson played poorly for Liverpool who barely broke 50 points..

He's good on the ball, retains possession, keeps his shape. He's been the mainstay of a hugely successful United team for 5 years, so he must have some ability.. he's fustrating, could be more imposing, but we need him as the other 2 are out..

Disagree re Lamps, I think he can now play deeper, better than Gerrard can. Liverpool were better statistically without SG than with...