The Footie Thread

[clubchamp98]

He needs to ditch the Alice band, shave his head, look mean and make more of an effort to stay on his feet. His prime reason it seems to me for being on the field is to win free kicks...but there's no point in doing that because we just go 5 yards backwards/sideways with them. Lack of product from the wide men last night was very frustrating...Sterling just didn't seem to want to commit his man at all....and on the rare occasion that he beat him he took three or four touches before being crowded out.

Our reluctance to cross the ball may have been related to Kane playing most of the match in midfield so there was no focal point to the attack. I don't really like Emma Hayes much but she was spot on when she said he was causing other players to be unsure of where to play and disrupting the shape. Someone needs to tell him to stay up front instead of coming short to the half way line to get the ball off the back four.

Other than that....Poland looked plenty dangerous enough, fast slick passing, good control and movement, put the ball in early when they had the opportunity, took their chance and deserved the draw. No real harm done though in the context of the group and overall qualification.

I do wonder what Southgate is saying to Kane.
Plenty of times the wingers cut back because there was nobody in the box.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I do wonder what Southgate is saying to Kane.
Plenty of times the wingers cut back because there was nobody in the box.

Last year Ancelotti got hold of Calvert Lewin and told him to stay in the box, aim to be in the box as much as possible. Goals came. Benitez has said the same and also instructed the team to whip balls in quickly, don't even look to see if he or Richarlison is there. The point being, they should be. Goals are coming, chances definitely are. I'd like Southgate to have that conversation with Kane. No point having great crossers of the ball, great situations, over lapping wingers etc if the penalty area doesn't have an attacker in it. Kane is doing what old strikers do, drop deep. He needs kicking higher up the pitch. (I seem to remember we had this same conversation in the Euro's but it is just as valid now)

 

[Swango1980]

I do wonder what Southgate is saying to Kane.
Plenty of times the wingers cut back because there was nobody in the box.

On the flip side, he can be very effective at dropping deep, especially when he has pacy players running past him. But, I suppose that only works if those players are willing to run in on goal themselves, either directly, or have another midfielder charge into the box for them to cross to. If not, then you might as well get Kane to stay in and around the box, and allow the midfielders to find the spaces in midfield.

I'd imagine Soutgate told him "don't worry, whatever happens, you'll not be subbed". I reckon he said that to all the players. I bet their club managers were delighted.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

On the flip side, he can be very effective at dropping deep, especially when he has pacy players running past him. But, I suppose that only works if those players are willing to run in on goal themselves, either directly, or have another midfielder charge into the box for them to cross to. If not, then you might as well get Kane to stay in and around the box, and allow the midfielders to find the spaces in midfield.

I'd imagine Soutgate told him "don't worry, whatever happens, you'll not be subbed". I reckon he said that to all the players. I bet their club managers were delighted.

There is no Frank Lampard, Tim Cahill, Bryan Robson etc in that team. You are dead right but that style doesn't work with the current other players in the team.

 

[clubchamp98]

Last year Ancelotti got hold of Calvert Lewin and told him to stay in the box, aim to be in the box as much as possible. Goals came. Benitez has said the same and also instructed the team to whip balls in quickly, don't even look to see if he or Richarlison is there. The point being, they should be. Goals are coming, chances definitely are. I'd like Southgate to have that conversation with Kane. No point having great crossers of the ball, great situations, over lapping wingers etc if the penalty area doesn't have an attacker in it. Kane is doing what old strikers do, drop deep. He needs kicking higher up the pitch. (I seem to remember we had this same conversation in the Euro's but it is just as valid now)

The only quality crosser is Shaw.
Sterling is shocking with his final ball and his goals just mask his paltry contribution to the game.
Like Kane last night the only thing he did was score, and sort out Glik.
imo Mount and Grealish just got in Shaws way a lot of the time.
Mount played well but never created much.
I still can’t belive we made no subs to kill off the game , from a defensive minded manager that was a bad mistake.

 

[clubchamp98]

On the flip side, he can be very effective at dropping deep, especially when he has pacy players running past him. But, I suppose that only works if those players are willing to run in on goal themselves, either directly, or have another midfielder charge into the box for them to cross to. If not, then you might as well get Kane to stay in and around the box, and allow the midfielders to find the spaces in midfield.

I'd imagine Soutgate told him "don't worry, whatever happens, you'll not be subbed". I reckon he said that to all the players. I bet their club managers were delighted.

Sterling had two men to beat because the CB didn’t have to worry about Kane.
He was so deep the two CB had quite a easy game imo.
Glik started pushing forward just to get in the game.
But what a prima Donna he is.

 

[nickjdavis]

. Benitez has said the same and also instructed the team to whip balls in quickly, don't even look to see if he or Richarlison is there. The point being, they should be. Goals are coming, chances definitely are. I'd like Southgate to have that conversation with Kane. No point having great crossers of the ball, great situations, over lapping wingers etc if the penalty area doesn't have an attacker in it.)

This is very valid...its like a self fulfilling prophecy....the balls don't come in early because no one is there and no-one bothers to be there because they don't think the ball is coming in and they hang back for a cut back or for the ball to be recycled back across the midfield/back four. Get the balls in, cause the defence some panic, maybe a scuffed clearance will bounce kindly for us....even if it doesnt, someone might just catch on and think...hey I'd better be in there because the ball is coming!!!

 

[Rlburnside]

So FIFA have come up with a new idea to play the World Cup every 2 years hopefully will never happen but how disappointing is it that Arsene Wenger is backing the idea he who complained that his players were tired and playing to much.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

So FIFA have come up with a new idea to play the World Cup every 2 years hopefully will never happen but how disappointing is it that Arsene Wenger is backing the idea he who complained that his players were tired and playing to much.

Tbh I'm all for the idea if we scrap the euros and just do the world cup

World cup is the best football comp on the planet (for international football) and some players miss out through injury then it's 4 years until next one so every 2 years gives the best their chance

Scrap the euros, Copa America, African cup of Nations .. just do the world cup every 2 years but go a step further.. automatic qualifications, straight knock out no group stages .. like a month long fa cup

 

[Deleted member 18588]

So FIFA have come up with a new idea to play the World Cup every 2 years hopefully will never happen but how disappointing is it that Arsene Wenger is backing the idea he who complained that his players were tired and playing to much.

For me the continual expansion of the WC has already devalued it and doubling the frequency would only diminish it further.

Just another sop to the broadcasters and totally flies in the face of those who have previously complained that top players are being asked to play too often.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

So FIFA have come up with a new idea to play the World Cup every 2 years hopefully will never happen but how disappointing is it that Arsene Wenger is backing the idea he who complained that his players were tired and playing to much.

Typical FIFA trying to stamp on the other governing bodies

The likes of Euros give a lot of other smaller nations the chance to show they can do it on the bigger stage - Denmark winning in 92 , Greece in 04 , Wales getting to the Semis , Iceland doing well

 

[Rlburnside]

Yes it’s getting farther and farther from the people that matter the most the fans.

European leagues will have to stop for 4-5 weeks just to accommodate a corrupt World Cup in the Middle East.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Yes it’s getting farther and farther from the people that matter the most the fans.

European leagues will have to stop for 4-5 weeks just to accommodate a corrupt World Cup in the Middle East.

They will dress it up as “growing the game” but it’s clearly just about the money and can’t beat a bit of sportswashing

The World Cup is special - it’s starting to get a bit silly with more teams - every two years will dilute it even more

 

[Kellfire]

Tbh I'm all for the idea if we scrap the euros and just do the world cup

World cup is the best football comp on the planet (for international football) and some players miss out through injury then it's 4 years until next one so every 2 years gives the best their chance

Scrap the euros, Copa America, African cup of Nations .. just do the world cup every 2 years but go a step further.. automatic qualifications, straight knock out no group stages .. like a month long fa cup

So that only about ten teams ever have a chance of winning an international tournament?

Not for me. This is an awful idea designed to double FIFA’s income.

 

[IanM]

Not for me. This is an awful idea designed to double FIFA’s income.

Indeed. But that's the basis for everything they do.

 

[Orikoru]

For me the continual expansion of the WC has already devalued it and doubling the frequency would only diminish it further.

Just another sop to the broadcasters and totally flies in the face of those who have previously complained that top players are being asked to play too often.

Agreed. It had some prestige when it was every four years and only the 32 best teams. They've already ruined the format by expanding it to 45 teams or whatever it is, making it more frequent would just send it further down the toilet. It seems like they've never heard the phrase 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'.

 

[sunshine]

Overall though Kane was head and shoulders above Levendoski who up until the last minute did nothing, imagine if that was Kane.

I must have been watching a different match. I thought Levandowski was outstanding. He was just lacking the quality service. The way he held up the ball and brought others into the game was a lesson to Kane.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I must have been watching a different match. I thought Levandowski was outstanding. He was just lacking the quality service. The way he held up the ball and brought others into the game was a lesson to Kane.

If No:9 drops deeper it is usually to create space in behind for others to exploit.

Unfortunately unless Sterling made that move England didn't take that opportunity.

Neither Rice nor Philips are that sort of player and Grealish and Mount seemed content to keep out of the box.

 

[sunshine]

Not for me. This is an awful idea designed to double FIFA’s income.

Yes it's just a money grab.

They are thinking about the markets in America and Asia who don't have a quality tournament like the Euros.

I used to find the Euros better than the WC because all 16 teams were competitive and you didn't have dross like Panama and Saudi Arabia. But the expansion of the Euros to 24 teams has diluted that a bit now.

Very disappointed that a football purist like Wenger is backing this. Selling his soul.

 

[sunshine]

If No:9 drops deeper it is usually to create space in behind for others to exploit.

Unfortunately unless Sterling made that move England didn't take that opportunity.

Neither Rice nor Philips are that sort of player and Grealish and Mount seemed content to keep out of the box.

Agreed. I still thought Levandowski was the most classy player on the pitch.