Hodgson

Funny isnt it? I was happy having him as manager and looking forward again with his record previously.

Couldnt have been more wrong. Turgid with poor results.

4-4-2 is completely stoneage. Lampard and gerrard didnt work in their prime why would it now? Played players who dont start for their clubs, players out of position and to top it off only decided to play any youth when we must get a result.

We could learn so much from the Germans its unreal. A proper team.

 

Agreed 4-2-3-1 for me with wilshire and Gerrard in the 2. Sturbridge on point welbeck Rooney and Townsend and two flying fullbacks with the width

 

or we could just stick with woy who might just know a bit more than most and see if we cant squeeze out a comfortable 3:1 win. eh

 

Nice of you to be so short sighted. If you think recent performances and results are anything to go by then you are completely incorrect. 4-4-2 has had its day, woy is miles behind. We'll be lucky to get out of the group at the WC with woy as gaffer.

And for the record did you enjoy our last tournament experience with him at the helm?

 

442 works when you have the players to play it to its strengths... England well don't.

 

We didn't play 4-4-2. It was more like 4-2-4. It was also the best England performance I've seen in a long while. We're undefeated in the group with one of the best attacking and defensive records in the whole of Europe. Only Germany and The Dutch have scored more. Only Spain have conceded less. Lampard and Gerrard looked great in centre midfield while the untried youngster gave probably the best performance I've ever seen from an England debutant.

IMHO there are many countries with much more talent at their disposal than us, yet we're one of the teams leading the way. Hats off to Hodgson for that.

 

Apart from him putting Milner and Carrick on tonight, I thought Roy got it spot on. I thought it was a tactically astute decision to set up how we did, and it - albeit later than we'd have liked - worked a treat as we ran out comfortable winners against a solid if somewhat unadventurous Montenegro side.

I'm still not convinced Rooney is as good as made out. I think we'd have fared better with Lambert up there but that's a good headache to have.

The boy Townsend has come on a lot since I last saw him (on loan at Leeds). Looks to have the engine to constantly run at the opposition. Another option out wide, where we are blessed with options.

Horses for courses, however. I wouldn't expect Roy to send that team out in that shape against the bigger nations. And I do think Barkley and Wilshere should start with either Lampard or Gerrard. I rate both veterans highly. But they are found out against stiffer opposition, time and again, as a two.

Like the back four, though. Swap Walker for Stones and we're good to go.

 

Not a Milner fan either. Nor Carrick, but I thought his introduction was a good call tonight. Say what you like about him, but he calmed things down nicely, lampard misplaced a fair few passes, admittedly looking more threatening. Carrick is steady away and won't beat anybody single handedly but never gave the ball away and was always available for the centre halves to give it him. Did fine.

And as for the back four, in particular the centre backs. Best we have? Yeah. Good enough? Hopefully. Doubt it. To me they look a liability waiting to happen. Jagielka looks too slow, Cahill seems to think he's Franz beckenbauer the way he runs out of defence, yet a simple square pass or even staying tight to his man seem beyond him. Decent sides will muller that defence, especially if the full backs picked are as attacking. I'd wager cole and Jones, assuming both available, would play against the better sides for that reason.

It was a good win though. First half didn't create much but Montenegro weren't interested, they did what was needed and more.

 

Agreed Jay, I thought we played very well indeed in what was a tricky test. Created loads and seemed to have purpose for once.

Was against Hodgson's appointment as thought he was too negative but he got it spot on last night. Sturridge has come on leaps and bounds and Wellbeck also did well on the old inside left position.

Win on Tuesday and we're there.

 

Rooney, the same lad who is Englands top goalscorer in competitive matches? Only 11 behind the overall record? <Stats courtesy of ITV> Not taking account his assists and how hes carried us ever since he came on the scene. You're comparing him to Lambert, that honestly says it all about your football knowledge. Comedy.

 

My point was merely that I'd have gone with Lambert last night.

But you crack on making yourself look a bit of a tit with an obsession. Again.

 

We haven't lost at Wembley under him and that includes beating Brazil. We're top of our qualifying group and remain unbeaten. His win ratio is decent too. I think he's doing OK myself.

 

Think i caught that one off you lad.

 

Impressive that really is in whats considered an easy group. Performed woefully at the Euros. Friendlies mean zippo. We'll be lambasted should we make it next summer, simple as that.

 

I'm off to Rochdale now, so I'll leave you to continue making yourself look tittish online. You sad arse, you.

 

Cool have fun bro.

 

Oh dear.

 

Think he's done pretty well with the players available to him. But the fact is, it still should have been a piss easy group and we've made awfully hard work of it.

Should we fail to beat Poland, I fear for us in the play offs...Croatia, Sweden, France and Portugal could easily await...cos I don't think we deserve to be seeded above them.

 

'Performed woefully at the Euros'

The 2012 Euros? The ones where Hodgson had only been in charge of the team for just over a month. The ones where we remained undefeated throughout the tournament in regulation football. The ones where we topped our table at the group stage, drawing with France, beating Ukraine and beating Sweden for the first time ever in competitive football. The ones where we drew with Italy in the quarter finals after extra time, the eventual finalists, who beat Germany inside 90 minutes in the semis. The ones where we were only knocked out on penalties. Was it those Euros where we performed woefully?

 

Be honest, Jay. It was woeful.