England 1 Germany 2

[Goodfella]

We're shit and we know we are.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I thought we deserved a draw. McLaren should have hauled off Carrick long before he did and Beckham had a stinker of a second half. Having said that, I think I only recognised about 4 German players in the whole squad. Weakened team?

 

[Icy Gull]

I disagree, as a long time critic of the cack served up by England, I enjoyed the 1st 3/4 of the game and there were some bright spots and for the 1st time for ages some sustained FLAIR. Richards, 1st half and Cole had good games. SWP looked good and I thought Barry's quick feet and use of the ball were all plusses. Smith also played well with what little of the ball he saw.

Disappointing result but after a slow start Germany played well but we still had ample chances to win or at least draw the game.

Sven's England nearly always pissed me off with their negativity and tonight I thought McClaren's England show spirit and most importantly a bit of flair. I think he might just turn out to be a good manager.

 

[Bozza]

Absolute wank as usual. McLaren is such a disgrace it's unreal. It's almost unbelievable that a whole country can see what a buffoon he is, but the FA will not sack him. I suppose they're the twats that put him there, so they can't really. Anyway, at least he's failing to take us to a european championship, because I'd be gutted if we missed out on a world cup.

What would you have done differently and how would it have improved things?

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

What would you have done differently and how would it have improved things?

kept richards at right back (put brown/taylor centre back, the options were there), as when richards left the right back slot, our threat from the right basically disappeared

for a START

 

[chez]

To be fair, the majority of my comments were directed generally at the way he is managing our country. The way we are playing, I am absolutely convinced we will not qualify. People are talking about having to win 4 of the 5 games to do it - there is NO chance we will do that. When you consider there is no other big name country in our group, to miss out altogether will undoubtedly be a disgrace, and he must be sacked immediately. If the FA had a little bit of foresight, they would sack him now to give us a fighting chance, but they don't.

Anyway, as for tonight. Well, for a start I wouldn't let Robinson anywhere near an England team. I know it's easy to say that now, but it's also what i felt two hours ago. Upfront, how he can play Smith I do not know. Smith is a shit striker at the best of times, but at the moment he's not even playing in that position for his club! Defoe must be wondering if he will ever play for England again if he can't get on the pitch tonight. Dyer is SHIT, and shouldn't even be in the squad, let alone on the pitch. I would have started with Crouch, and brought Defoe on for Owen. Beckham is obviously not fit at the moment - I'd have played SWP from the start. I am a huge Beckham fan, but if he's not fit there's no point playing him. Also, we don't seem to have any pace - Wright-Phillips would have given us that. If Shorey is an international then so am I - he is another who should f*** right off. I would have started Barry there tonight.

Overall, that was a very poor Germany team. With the right manager, some of those players wouldn't be near an England squad, and the team wouldn't be as devoid of ideas and passion as they are.

Im with you all the way on this post apart from your Robinson opinion but then it just wouldn't be right for us to agree on a goalkeeping issue would it!

 

[questier]

It was pathetic, lack of desire in the second half. Ok we started off brightly but Mclarens changed made no sense whatsoever. Crouch - suspended for the next game, why not give Defoe a decent run, see if hes a better partner with owen then smith. Barry - although i was very impressed by him, he wont start any qualifiers, nor will he be brought on to make an impact. Giving Beckham 90 mins seemed insane, he looked shattered and only put in 1 decent ball in the whole of the second half. Leaving SWP as the last sub was stupid, he should of been given longer, and not on the left hand side. And FINALLY, taking Robinson off at half time will have destroyed any confidence he might have left, it seems as though James now has to start in goal for the game against Isreal.

Rant over

 

[chez]

And FINALLY, taking Robinson off at half time will have destroyed any confidence he might have left, it seems as though James now has to start in goal for the game against Isreal.

Rant over

Yeah, I was upset at that. I can only hope that before the game they had told Robinson & James that they would be getting a half each otherwise his confidence is going to be as low as it can get.

 

[beorhthelm]

cant agree about Shorey, thought he had a reasonably good game, alot batter then many others have at left back. not sure about smith upfront but he put himself about and put in the effort - defoe is no substitute there for that role. Dyer... im not convinced either way, show potential but little end result, another effort player (theres a place for that surely). Agree totally that SWP should have been on from the start, Beckham should have stayed in the US this week, but he had a good first half. Barry showed he can do a job, made fewer mistakes than Carrick and even Lampard had a good game. second half was starting to pick up then it all went pear shaped with the last substitution really.

 

[fatbadger]

The changes: Richards should have stayed on the left. SWP should have been on from half-time.

The starting 11: Defoe, clearly, should have been preferred to either Owen or Smith - it hardly matters which.

Seeing fringe players in action: OK, so McLaren was a little stuck in the midfield, but Barry should have had longer. Lampard certainly isn't going to start the next qualifier - it will be Gerrard and Hargreaves in the middle - and everybody knows what he can do in an England shirt, so Barry should have had a longer run out so we can see a bit more of him in that context.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

I thought the first twenty minutes in the first half. We played pretty well but after that we were totally dreadful. The Germans had an weaken squad, but played some quite beautiful football at times and we were chasing shadows most of the time. I thought Nicky Shorey made some good interceptions and some good passing, but then totally lost concentration at times and gave the ball away far to many times. Beckham didn't look 100% fit, he really shouldn't off been given 90 minutes. I do not know and understand why Mclown, keeps playing Wes Brown. He is never and ever will be International player. All in all, an very poor performance by England. and with Mclown in charge our future looks very bleak with him in charge. Our chances of qualifying for Euro 2008 are bleaker then an a lightbulb blowing up.

 

[Les Biehn]

I do not know and understand why Mclown, keeps playing Wes Brown.

Probably something to do with him being one of his ex Man U bum boys.

 

[beorhthelm]

Is it good enough to include players just because they try hard (Smith, Dyer etc)? Personally, I'm looking for a bit more in an England forward than an ability to "put himself around."

ideally not, but other than rooney and owen, i see our goals coming from midfield. for that to happen the forwards need to harasse the defense, keep them on the edge of their area and pull them around. too often recently against mediocre oppositon we have let their defense push up too far. thats somthing that didnt happen tonight for a change.

 

[Yorkie]

I thought the first twenty minutes in the first half. We played pretty well but after that we were totally dreadful. The Germans had an weaken squad, but played some quite beautiful football at times and we were chasing shadows most of the time.

Absolutely spot on Kev.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Absolutely spot on Kev.

Cheers Yorkie. I don't like commenting on them, but what I saw there was some magical stuff.