#14 England 2-1 Tunisia ~ Group G

[S-H]

Vmixture reckons we did not miss six open goals.................................. I must have been watching a different game

Reasonable chances yes, open goals, no!

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

We played well last night.

First 15 minutes we were outstanding. High tempo, high pressure, created chances.
Rest of the half we were a bit guilty of some sloppy play and tried to take our foot off the pedal thinking we could control the game from deep, but it cost us.
Despite this, we still controlled the half and created enough chances to go in 2 up. Should have definitely had a penalty.

Second half we were all over them. They are a decent team who were defending a point desperately, like we see many times against Spain, Barcelona, Man City, Man Utd etc
We were the ones with the unenviable task of trying to break down 10 outfield players who did not want to really push forward and the difficulty of this is highly underestimated.

We were guilty of some frustrating, desperate play but again should have had a penalty.
Our willingness came through and we scored a late goal. Not a lucky goal, not a fortunate goal, a late deserved goal.

I've heard the same old poster(s) talking absolute tired crap about only scoring from set pieces, but fail to recognise the chances that we could have taken elsewhere.

A testing night, some lessons picked up, 3 points.

[Estuary]

We played well last night.

First 15 minutes we were outstanding. High tempo, high pressure, created chances.
Rest of the half we were a bit guilty of some sloppy play and tried to take our foot off the pedal thinking we could control the game from deep, but it cost us.
Despite this, we still controlled the half and created enough chances to go in 2 up. Should have definitely had a penalty.

Second half we were all over them. They are a decent team who were defending a point desperately, like we see many times against Spain, Barcelona, Man City, Man Utd etc
We were the ones with the unenviable task of trying to break down 10 outfield players who did not want to really push forward and the difficulty of this is highly underestimated.

We were guilty of some frustrating, desperate play but again should have had a penalty.
Our willingness came through and we scored a late goal. Not a lucky goal, not a fortunate goal, a late deserved goal.

I've heard the same old poster(s) talking absolute tired crap about only scoring from set pieces, but fail to recognise the chances that we could have taken elsewhere.

A testing night, some lessons picked up, 3 points.

I was just going to post my thoughts on last night and read this, so now have no need to write a tome.
I would added that rarely does an England team set up and game plan survive the reality of a world cup game, this one did which bodes well.
I would also add to the Sterling debate that the pro's all talk about how hard the step up from domestic to international competition is, you see it with many players, even the current best like Messi find it hard to do -Ronaldo is a one off, and can adapt his game to over come his own diminished pace and what the opposition do to stop him and I can't think of any other player in world football today who can do that at the highest level. As for Messi it's not that Argentina are worse than Barca, they are but not by much, it's that the teams Argentina play against are demonstrably better than who Messi plays against in club football. Last night Tunisia threw all their resources at stopping Ali and Sterling, and they did a job, but not enough of a job on Kane and Harry's subtle positional sense did for Tunisia.
I don't see Ali as a long term England player, he lacks pace and makes poor choices with his final ball, Sterling has the chops, but needs to learn when to play simple and when to turn the after burners on and commit the defender, at City he tends to be playing off the last man with space behind, he wont get that at world cups, even v Panama who are the worst team so far.
Lastly a word for the ref and VAR - CHEATS.

[uptonparkhurst]

We were fired up last night - maybe that helps to account for snatching at those early chances.
Teams don't necessarily get what they deserve - just look at Peru's opening game!
Hopefully we'll settle down now.

[steveyrockstar]

Sendo and RARS

[Faithless]

I really don't see how the Match tread was all that negative. England played well, suffered setbacks, kept going and got a deserved win.

If the persevered negativity is about the Sterling comments then all I can say is it's perfectly reasonable to question a player that is playing a as second striker that hasn't scored for England in 2 years. He may have scored bagfulls at city last season and been better than x number of strikers at finishing chances in the league but put him in an England shirt and it all disappears. I was happy he was taken off (didn't cheer mind) because there seemed almost no chance he was going to score last night. If he can do it (score/assist) for England I'd be over the moon because if he did we'd have a real chance of being successful not just at this World Cup but the next couple of tournaments.

[westham,eggyandchips]

Interested to know how Lingard, compares with those stats.

Be interested to see where those stats came from tbh.

[pablo jaye]

I think the biggest plus from last night was the fact that we kept on plugging away and didn't panic. We stuck to the game plan and our persistence paid off ... almost German-like, if you will.

[Hammer1972]

Vmixture reckons we did not miss six open goals.................................. I must have been watching a different game

Genuine question, do you actually know what an ‘open goal ‘is?

[e17]

I do wonder if a little bit of momentum & reaction has been aided by a few things...

* Playing the warm ups away from the stagnant atmosphere of Wembley
* Making it clear that we could lose these all 6-0 & Southgate would still be in charge
* The public’s desperate need for a national team that shows something, at a point where the premiership has reached a point of stagnant predictability and a financial focus that has possibly at last eclipsed any real excitement for the game at the top level for many outside of the “Champions League battle” - in my lifetime I never ever thought I’d dislike a Man Citeh side for paying their way to the title, but they have.

I know it’s early days and 1 game, but for 20 minutes yesterday and 5 at the end it felt like properly supporting England again. I don’t think I’ve really felt that since 2004.

Even better because supporting WHU has hardly been a bundle of laughs since 2016

[delbert]

I really don't see how the Match tread was all that negative. England played well, suffered setbacks, kept going and got a deserved win.

If the persevered negativity is about the Sterling comments then all I can say is it's perfectly reasonable to question a player that is playing a as second striker that hasn't scored for England in 2 years. He may have scored bagfulls at city last season and been better than x number of strikers at finishing chances in the league but put him in an England shirt and it all disappears. I was happy he was taken off (didn't cheer mind) because there seemed almost no chance he was going to score last night. If he can do it (score/assist) for England I'd be over the moon because if he did we'd have a real chance of being successful not just at this World Cup but the next couple of tournaments.

Like a rich mans John Barnes.....?

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

Genuine question, do you actually know what an ‘open goal ‘is?

He doesn't.

[Harry Hound]

We played well last night.

I agree, however, apart from Harry Kane our finishing was abysmal.

First 15 minutes we were outstanding. High tempo, high pressure, created chances.
Tunisia looked terrified for the first 15 minutes appeared to be frozen in fear and couldn't string two passes together.



Second half we were all over them. They are a decent team who were defending a point desperately, like we see many times against Spain, Barcelona, Man City, Man Utd etc
We were the ones with the unenviable task of trying to break down 10 outfield players who did not want to really push forward and the difficulty of this is highly underestimated.

We were guilty of some frustrating, desperate play but again should have had a penalty.
Our willingness came through and we scored a late goal. Not a lucky goal, not a fortunate goal, a late deserved goal.
Terrible defending by Tunisia from another corner, they lost concentration at the end and had no discipline and no plan, how could they leave Kane all alone on the back post?

I've heard the same old poster(s) talking absolute tired crap about only scoring from set pieces, but fail to recognise the chances that we could have taken elsewhere.

A testing night, some lessons picked up, 3 points.

It's true that we can only beat what's in front of us and we got the win but I hope that Southgate can see that we are lacking composure in front of goal and replaces Sterling with Vardy and Lingard with Loftus-Cheek. Against better set up, stronger teams we will have far less chances and need to make the ones we get count.

[sendô]

I'd keep the same team vs Panama.

People are all for dropping Sterling and Lingard because they missed a couple of chances against Tunisia. Well what better game than Panama to get their confidence up? Conversely, drop them against Panama and their confidence gets knocked. What do you do then if in the second round, you need to make a change because Loftus Cheek/Vardy or whoever isn't doing it, and all you've got to turn to is a low on confidence Sterling/Lingard?

[Harry Hound]

I'd keep the same team vs Panama.

People are all for dropping Sterling and Lingard because they missed a couple of chances against Tunisia. Well what better game than Panama to get their confidence up? Conversely, drop them against Panama and their confidence gets knocked. What do you do then if in the second round, you need to make a change because Loftus Cheek/Vardy or whoever isn't doing it, and all you've got to turn to is a low on confidence Sterling/Lingard?

Probably true, though personally Sterling frustrates and irritates me in equal measure and I'd very happily have seen him left at home.

[James P]

Was gonna post very similar to sendo. Southgate specifically said he wanted players to know they could make mistakes if need be as long as they continue to try things. To instantly then drop two starters for missing chances would go right against that. The last thing we need is a team paralysed by fear.

[DasNutNock]

Delly Ally out for at least the next game, probably two, with a thigh injury.

[Clacton-ammer]

Delly Ally out for at least the next game, probably two, with a thigh injury.

I think that may well help us out, not sure Lingard/Ali in the same side has the right balance, perhaps a chance for the beast Loftus to make a name for himself, we should buy him before Sunday where he will have a blinder...

[Faithless]

Like a rich mans John Barnes.....?

Yep, although i guess Barnes was a rich mans John Barnes technically :lol:

Sendô, James P, et al, I agree Panama is probably as good an opportunity as ever to get their confidence up. However if they don't score/assist how long do you keep going for? They've played against Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Scotland in this WC qualifying campaign and not found the net once. It's not about missing chances in one game at the World Cup it's about missing chances game after game, Sterling 2 in 39, Lingard 1 in 13. Meanwhile Vardy has 7 in 22 and Welbeck 16 in 39, neither of them maybe as good on paper as the other 2 but they find the net for England.

I really would like them to come good but I'm not holding my breath

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

We should pick the best team to beat Panama, regardless of mistakes.

If it means Sterling out, then take Sterling out regardless of whether he played poorly in the last game or not.