posted Jun 12, 2007

I thought the chaps played quite well yesterday. Why do all foreign teams go down like a sack of spuds? Our boys are blatantly being fouled yet they try their utmost not to go down and are awarded nothing. One would assume that these teams are obviously coached to fall over through minimal contact, perhaps we should do the same. If you ask me I think the referee's that I have seen thus far in this tournament are quite shocking!

We were quite poor at the back on a couple of occasions when they got in behind us, this needs to be rectified otherwise the Italians will punish us. The free-kick that Carson pushed onto the post was never a free kick anyway. I thought the 4-3-3 was a quite good formation although Nugent was quite frequently isolated, should have kept Milner on! Perhaps if Pearce reverts to a basic 4-4-2 we might be more sound defensively and create more chances and help Nugent out a bit more.

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posted Jun 12, 2007

To clarify the rules from UEFA's own regulations players are eligible if they are born on or after 01/01/84 to play in the 20007 finals. Reo Coker was born 14 May, 1984 making him eligible and there is no 'over-age' rule as such. This is something the Olympics use allowing up to 3 players in the squad over the age of 23.

Have to agree the Czechs were a bunch of poofters. Looking for minimal contact to fall down or when Nugent clean won the ball try to win a free kick. They seemed happy to sit on the edge of their box and hope for a freekick or breakaway goal. But the ref was very poor as he ended up booking far too many players. But Ferdinanad and Taylor should be back for the Italy game...

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posted Jun 12, 2007

Defence: Full backs did well, central defenders got caught out of position too much. Ferdinand and Taylor will sort this out.
Midfield: Looked good, especially Reo-Coker. Too many hopeful long balls though.
Attack: Lacked incisiveness apart from Young. The area where we are most short of world class talent (at all levels). We missed Rooney and Walcott.

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posted Jun 12, 2007

If you are under 21 before the competition starts, you are entitled to play in the competiton until it Finishes.

This includes the qualification and Finals stages...

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posted Jun 12, 2007

Why is everyone so negative??

Jesus, at least we didn't lose against Serbia(Italy). And Portugal where taken apart by Belgium.

England started off with a 0 - 0 draw, back in 66 and went on to win the world cup.

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posted Jun 12, 2007

Great comment and very funny. Pearce possibly winning a world cup!
If so, he'd be straight over to the cameras before celebrating with the team, waving his fist and telling everyone for the next 6 years on Sky Sports news how he made the players successful, told them how to shoot, defend, think positive etc etc.

The side has talent in it so hopefully they can play to their capability and ignore the managers unwise words. Might score goals then and have some success.

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posted Jun 12, 2007

At the start of the second half, the team looked like they needed something to spark, and they could and should have run riot. Richardson missed a sitter of a header, that should have put them 1-0 up. There were too many long balls just hit in hope. Which wont help the fact that the england forwards were all running from deep, with pace.

Pearce should have realised and played to our strengths, the czechs were poor going forward, he should have realised this and brought lita on earlier.

Lita should have put the penalty away, but u cant blame him for england not wining.

Pearce should have brought someone on to control the midfield, reo-coker and huddlestone did well, but england still lacked in providing the strikers with opportunities.

There was too much space in the middle of the pitch, should have reverted to 3-4-3, and tried to control the midfield, with either huddlestone or reo-coker staying back each attack.

Too many times in the game england had a player spare in defence, and one lacking in midfield.

Richardson also needs to go to ball control skill, his first touch let him down so badly on countless attacks.

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posted Jun 12, 2007

I dont think people should be harsh on Lita. Lita was the only one that wanted tot ake the penalty and full marks to him for the courage to step up to take the kick. I thought Reo-Coker was outstanding and Millner was excellent too though I must say Im very concerned with Cahill and Richardson. Cahill was extremely rash in his tackling and as for Richardson..well Richardson has this persona about him that he doesnt really need to do much as if he has already proven to the world just what a world class player he is.

Cahill needs to calm down and be much more sensible in his defending whilst Richardson really needs a reality check-up

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posted Jun 12, 2007

To draw a comparison between Richardson and Beckham as one reader has done, is an obsenity. The former is not, and never will be, on the same planet as the latter. Only because of the paucity of real talent is Richardson in the under-21 side.
As for complaints about the referee, Ashley Young might well have been sent off right at the start when he shoved his studs into a Czech player's ankle, causing him to be retired from the game. The England side dished out a lot of hard stuff and might have run up double the yellow card count. To me, the referee was too lenient with them.

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posted Jun 12, 2007

Shortly after Lita came on, the camera close-up showed him, after a near miss, constantly mouthing a word beginning with F. I do hope that he learns some other words. Before he is interviewed in front of young impressionable fans.

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