The Football.....

[Smokin Joe]

Gerrard and Parker in the middle of park means no football - they are both water carriers, not artists - Pirlo and Iniesta are artists, we didn't have any in that squad. It's Hodgson who selected Gerrard so it's his fault ultimately.

So which "artists" should Hodgson have taken instead of Parker and Gerrard? We don't have any.

With all the foreign players in the top division all but the most outstanding English players can hope for is life in the Championship where their skills are not fully tested or developed. Thus we have no depth in the squad, too many players are automatic choices simply because there is no-one else available. As good as Joe Hart is he would be even better if he had to fight for his place, and as for Rooney being a (mistaken) automatic choice means he only turns up in body, never in spirit.

 

[martint235]

I'm saying Hodgson chose the wrong person to captain the team. Good teams have a great player as the captain, someone who leads by example e.g. Zidane, Maradona etc. Gerrard runs around like a headless chicken, gives the ball away and is technically crap, ergo, the rest of the team are set a bad example and have no proper leadership. I wouldn't have taken Gerrard anyway - too old and not good enough. We need a Paul Scholes in the middle of the park who can run the game and get the passing going. Gerrard and Parker in the middle of park means no football - they are both water carriers, not artists - Pirlo and Iniesta are artists, we didn't have any in that squad. It's Hodgson who selected Gerrard so it's his fault ultimately.

This would be the Gerrard who single handedly managed to pick a team up from 3-0 to win the Champions League? Sure he's older but I doubt that's made him a worse captain. Perhaps some of the players could have actually played better. Not pointing any fingers but our wingers didn't exactly set the wings alight with speed and flair did they?

I'll hazard a guess that you're a United fan still smarting from the blue half taking your toy away.

 

[martint235]

Hodgson did a good job of getting the team to play to his potential. I dread to think the influence he's gonna have on England's young talent/the English game over the next year or two. Given enough time he'd have a Barca squad playing like West Brom (which he would see as a success).

I think that's a touch unfair. Hodgson has a good reputation of getting the best from a run of the mill team, Switzerland for example. England are now a run of the mill team and I think Hodgson did well to at least get them to act like a team rather than a bunch of overpaid pansies who can't stand each other.

 

[Ashtrayhead]

4 games and no defeats in open play. Not too bad really.

 

[RedRider]

I think that's a touch unfair. Hodgson has a good reputation of getting the best from a run of the mill team, Switzerland for example. England are now a run of the mill team and I think Hodgson did well to at least get them to act like a team rather than a bunch of overpaid pansies who can't stand each other.

To quote myself () ...

Roy Hodgson did a great job nurturing team spirit and implementing his style of play.

Given the time constraints I thought he did a good job, probably better than any realistic candidate parachuted into the same terrain could've done. I'm not a masochist though.

 

[Spartak]

To quote myself () ...

Given the time constraints I thought he did a good job, probably better than any realistic candidate parachuted into the same terrain could've done. I'm not a masochist though.

Also with the injuries he had to deal with before the tournament I think we did ok.
Lets see how the team develops going forward into the WC qualifers ?

 

[yello]

Tbh, I didn't notice that Gerrard had a 'mare. I didn't notice him playing particularly well either (a couple of dangerous balls into the box aside) but I thought he was constrained by the team tactics.

 

[mangaman]

I'm saying Hodgson chose the wrong person to captain the team. ... Gerrard runs around like a headless chicken, gives the ball away and is technically crap, ergo, the rest of the team are set a bad example and have no proper leadership. I wouldn't have taken Gerrard anyway - too old and not good enough. We need a Paul Scholes in the middle of the park ...

So instead of the 32 year old Gerrard, we should have taken the 38 year old Scholes as Gerrard is too old??

 

[Spartak]

So instead of the 32 year old Gerrard, we should have taken the 38 year old Scholes as Gerrard is too old??

I don't think the team could have carried another under performing Man U. player - Rooney, Young !

 

[User482]

I think that's a touch unfair. Hodgson has a good reputation of getting the best from a run of the mill team, Switzerland for example. England are now a run of the mill team and I think Hodgson did well to at least get them to act like a team rather than a bunch of overpaid pansies who can't stand each other.

This. We simply don't have players who are good enough to retain possession against the best teams - Scholes retired years ago. My criticism of Hodgson would be that, given the paucity of options available and low expectations generally, he might have given youth its head. Oh, and Henderson shouldn't be anywhere near the side.

 

[Fab Foodie]

My criticism of Hodgson would be that, given the paucity of options available and low expectations generally, he might have given youth its head.

Absolutely, nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[martint235]

, and Henderson shouldn't be anywhere near the side.

Henderson has a lot of potential however until he starts to deliver it at Liverpool I broadly agree with this.

 

[Fab Foodie]

4 games and no defeats in open play. Not too bad really.

True, but only wins count ...

 

[Smokin Joe]

True, but only wins count ...

Two wins and two draws from four isn't a disaster. It won't win tournaments, but with the quality England have available we're a very long way from doing that anyway.

Bobby Charlton made me smile when he was interviewed on Sunday morning, "If we beat Italy we will go on and win the championship." That's the sort of self-delusion England are capable of, believing that a win against another moderate team would make us a shoo in against the likes of Germany and Spain.

 

[rollinstok]

Prior to the 80's we had some very talented British players who were let down by the fact it was ok at the time to spend all week in a pub
Since the advent of games consoles and " no ball games " signs sprouting out of every available piece of grass, we have not produced many players with world class skills
Its embarassing to watch the nation that gave the world Football, reduced to desperately defending the box against any country with a population of more than 50