Tonight's game

At times I was very encouraged by the way we controlled the game. Apart from the odd foray Columbia were where we wanted them and we forced loads of corners early in the game.

I don't know what's going on with the final third though. Harry Kane is playing so deep, the ball seems to bounce off Stirling, he rarely gets it under control. Lingard/Ali much of a muchness.

I really think this England squad is very promising, but just lacks something in open play - that bit of guile to get our strikers goal side.

Maybe this world cup is set up for Rashford to make his mark?

Great character from the lads tonight though. That will have done them the world of good.

Henderson missed his penalty, but that was pure irony for me because I thought he was superb and tireless throughout.

 

Henderson did not miss, he had his shot saved.

Decent hit, but keeper guessed correctly.

 

Be tempted to put in Rashford or Loftus-Cheek in next game- breaks down when Sterling gets the ball

 

Agree with just about all of that though maybe not so effusive about Henderson.
Kane's getting nothing from midfield and is having to come deep to get the ball for himself.

 

OK, he was the only one not to score then.

 

Dier coming on really upset our shape. Loftus-Cheek would have been a better option. It needed freshening up, but poor choice.

 

Southgate trying to employ the Barnsley tactic of protecting what you've got - with the same result.

 

There needs to be a greater desire to create more chances. We didn't push for the killer second and showed little inclination to try and win the game in extra time. We got away with it tonight, but won't continue to.

 

3 players won that game for us:

1. Kane. Leader, Cool when they tried to ruff us up. First pen despatched.

2. Tripper. Only one who consistently put good balls into the box & hit home an unstoppable penalty when we were on the razor's edge.

3. Pickford. World class save.

Rest was poor TBH, but we won.

 

Hopefully we can play better on Saturday - they weren't really there to play football but disrupte us in anyway possible. Should be able to knock it about more

 

Walker - apart from one shocking lapse - played without the trepidation that still grips the team.

Trippier, Walker and Kane have been exceptional.

Sterling has been good too.

The rest have been scared to make a mistake. They have not been bold.

Alli has been hopeless -presumably he's injured - but he's overrated anyway.

We need a bit of class from somewhere.

 

Just as a distant comparison, if you look back to Italia 90, even with the quality of some of the midfielders we had back then, the performances prior to us playing Cameroon weren't too dissimilar. Blew hot and cold, and against Belgium in the first knockout stage, whilst we remember David Platt's winner, Belgium could have been two or three clear, we struggled to create clear chances from open play in all four games. But that side had the knack of avoiding defeat, and this current less experienced side definitely has similar character as you say.

I can see a more open game against Sweden. We're much more effective when we keep it simple. Our centre halves have probably been our most composed players, if one or two in midfield can do the same, who knows what we could do with Kane in the form he is.

 

Can't argue with that. Keeper has been solid though & that was a match winning save.

We have a decent starting 11, but there is no flair to bring on. We have no plan B.

 

Don't know where "bit of much of class" came from.

(Amstel - according to the wife).

 

Think you're being harsh on Stones and Maguire there. They played well.

 

No one played badly.

Henderson nearly lost it & subs were poor.

I was talking about where we won the game. Not sure who either had that much to do on that front.

 

I thought they were outstanding.

 

Stirling (the convenient scapegoat when things go wrong) gets a lot of stick. Last night, not much came off but he was one of the few England players to try and take the defenders on . He lost possession a few times but had just one of them come off and he had put in a killer cross or gone on to score he would have been hailed a hero. If we pillory players for not taking on defenders in advanced positions because they more often than not get dispossessed they may as well not bother.

 

I don't think we're as good as some folk think.. we looked good against a very poor Panamá. Columbia were nothing special ruffed us up a bit...and we couldn't put them too the sword. We could have easily gone out last night..
The draw as been very kind, we're only playing slightly better teams as we progress, with Sweden just a bit better than Columbia. So we will never have a better opportunity of getting too the semi's.. but I think we lack all over the field.. that bit of class. Harry Kane apart..
Loftus-Cheeck as to play, for me drop Dele Alli who's not fit or suffering from the John Barnes syndrome.. of club vs Country .

 

But that's my whole point. We're not great but we could be if we had a few more top players.

No one's getting carried away by our passage through, but we're still in it, unlike some of the so called big hitters.

Regardless of how we have played we've won 3 and lost narrowly in a dead rubber with Belgium. Imagine if we had lost against Japan like Germany did.