#59 Sweden 0-2 England - Quarter Finals

[Harry Hound]

Funnily enough he actually reminds me of Gazza in 1990. He gets the ball and his first thought is to beat a man and get into a position to really hurt opponents. Just unlike Gazza where everything went right, everything's going wrong.

He could be the man we need to provide one big moment in upcoming fixtures.

IMHO we need to put him on the bench and go with a less skillful player with more drive, sense, and pragmatism. Personally, I'd go for Loftus-Cheek but Welbeck is also a decent alternative. Sterling has had more than enough time and we shouldn't carry him any longer.

[Mega Ron]

Sterling's technique is shocking, it just negates all the pace he has and good runs he makes, surely he works on kicking the ball with his left foot and his touch. Alli just doesn't perform for England no matter where he has been played, even behind Kane, hard to figure out why, yesterday as FM says he was more inside left but still he is not getting involved enough.

He never seems to have the ball under control. I'd drop him for most other options and have him on the bench if we need him.

[Belchio]

I hope we absolutely demolish you and then our players bathe in the tears of Swedish children's broken hearts after the game.

Wow thats an image.

[Mean Ashton]

just a word of caution........... Sweden qualified from a much tougher group than us. They beat Italy in the play-off. At the world cup they beat Mexico & Korea while being very unlucky v Germany and then beating Switzerland.

So far England have beaten two very poor teams and won a penalty shoot out. They've also managed about 1 goal from open play.

however #itscominghome #spirit66 etc etc

[Puff Daddy]

It's actually two, one from Jessie Lingard which he will never, ever repeat throughout the rest of his career as a professional footballer, the other, off Harry Kane's heel, which he knew absolutely nothing about, but then he does have previous for claiming a goal which was not really his

[swash]

I notice that Sweden are below Tunisia in the FIFA rankings, should be a doddle then.

Just showing some typical English arrogance to keep Voronin happy

[r99c]

Whatever happens, I'm going to echo the thoughts of a previous poster on here about feeling reconnected with the England team. During the Hodgson years, I hated how we played and everything seemed so forlorn. Now there is a real sense of possibility and am loving the way Southgate is handling his interviews and how they have gotten the media involved in a positive way. Long may it continue.

[Jon]

Still gutted there's no AC nor Wilshere.

We have no plan B nor C.

With ET very likely once you get to the knockout, that's FOUR subs. Andy is a 20 minute impact player. He makes things happen and feeds off desperate crosses that all teams put in when a goal is required to avoid the plane home. Can score with either foot and head.

We saw Fellaini change the game against the excellent Japanese. A simple header to make it 2-2. We have no strikers/midfielders who can do anything different than the 1st eleven. Wellbeck only plays if there are at least 2 injured strikers. As a sub what different skill does he bring?

Wilshere 30-40 yards out offers something totally different in a tight spot. A tricky player that the squad lacks.

So frustrating and would love to be wrong...

[bobcar]

Still gutted there's no AC nor Wilshere.

We have no plan B nor C.

With ET very likely once you get to the knockout, that's FOUR subs. Andy is a 20 minute impact player. He makes things happen and feeds off desperate crosses that all teams put in when a goal is required to avoid the plane home. Can score with either foot and head.

We saw Fellaini change the game against the excellent Japanese. A simple header to make it 2-2. We have no strikers/midfielders who can do anything different than the 1st eleven. Wellbeck only plays if there are at least 2 injured strikers. As a sub what different skill does he bring?

Wilshere 30-40 yards out offers something totally different in a tight spot. A tricky player that the squad lacks.

So frustrating and would love to be wrong...

I agree with that, I'd never start AC but he can make a big impact as a sub especially when desperately trying for an equaliser.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

trouble is that we don't have anyone who seems to be able to cross the ball with any consistency..except maybe for set pieces.......and even then.....................................

[Clucking Bell]

Still gutted there's no AC nor Wilshere.

The problem in taking AC is similar to the Vardy issue in that they're are both fairly one dimensional. AC is better in the air than Kane and Vardy is quicker. However they both are best served by classical wingers e.g. Mahrez and Albrighton and that just isn't part of the England 'system' that relies on wing-backs.

Kane's strengths are his attitude (I'd imagine that he's very low maintenance) and his versatility: he scores from all distances, with his head and both feet and he's happy to drop deeper to play someone else in. This means that, unlike most others, he doesn't need to have the whole team set up in such a way to maximize his effectiveness.

I think the problem with Wilshere isn't so much ability as reliability. Southgate, quite rightly, would rather have a player whose a consistent 6 or 7 out of ten than someone who might be an 8, or might be a 3, or might be on the treatment table.

[stu1]

It's actually two, one from Jessie Lingard which he will never, ever repeat throughout the rest of his career as a professional footballer

Lingard has a history of scoring worldies in the big games.

[ageing hammer]

Lingard has a history of scoring worldies in the big games.

Not digging you out Stu but he has only scored 13 goals for Manure and 2 for England,
how many big games has he played in.

['stone hammer]

Honestly, I don't think we'll win unless our attacking players actually turn up (barring Kane as he has turned up).
I think Sweden are very underestimated because they don't have any star players. They beat Mexico comfortably when Mexico still had it all to play for

I'm hoping for a Loftus-Cheek start ahead of Alli.

I'm also hoping I'm completely wrong and we win comfortably with Alli scoring a hat trick.

[stu1]

Not digging you out Stu but he has only scored 13 goals for Manure and 2 for England,
how many big games has he played in.

His winner for the 2016 FA cup final wasn't exactly bad.

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Scored another worldie in the charity shield, ok not the most important trophy but still.

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He also scored another tidy goal in the EFL 2017 cup final.

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Then as mentioned he's scored a worldie at this World Cup.

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So in 15 career goals he's scored a worldie in FA cup final, another one at the WC and in the charity shield, as well as a tidy finish in the EFL cup final.

So I stand by my original point that Lingard scoring another a worldie in an big game or competition isn't unrealistic based on his career so far and as you mentioned he's scored these goals despite often not playing in the big games.

[Samba]

This is going to be some battle. I don't underestimate Sweden for one second & I'm sure our players won't either.
Whoever gets through will have definitely earnt it. All I ask for is a fair (& the right), result.
And England to win, of course!

[Harry Hound]

"stu1"

Lingard has a history of scoring worldies in the big games.

Not digging you out Stu but he has only scored 13 goals for Manure and 2 for England,
how many big games has he played in.

He scored a great goal in the FA cup final

[Puff Daddy]

He scored a great goal in the FA cup final

That's not that big a game mate. Sure it is to us, but not to Man Utd, or any other of the top clubs. If you are fortunate enough with the draw, anybody can get to an FA Cup final, even Wigan won it FFS. Returning to his goal against a pub team, yes it was a good strike, but hardly a worldy, he had acres of time and space, but did strike it sweatly. One of those where he might have said, I knew it was in as soon as it left my boot. But worldy, no, not sure it would even get 'Goal of the month' on MOTD

[miles]

Sweden vs Spurs eh. Come on Sweden.

[S-H]

Going. To. Smash. Them.