World Cup 2018

Welbeck being called up is the most damning aspect. An out of form, rarely picked below par player for a team that has had a horrific season. He’d struggle to get into many premier league team on a regular basis.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if someone dies in Russia, as if their hooligans weren't mentally disturbed enough, events of the last week will ratchet up tension

 

If the football's crap the politics should still be fascinating ...

 

We're clearly gonna win it now after tonights performance.

 

Overall that was an encouraging performance. We badly miss Kane, but we were well drilled defensively which is good to see and we had an idea, albeit one note in that we use the wings to cross it in. Some confident cross field balls in the final third to make space.

 

Didn't watch it but its much more fun when we lose to the **** teams rather than grind out a win.

 

Pickford in goal makes difference. Hart hoofing it out just loses us possession. Some crisp passing but still poor delivery from out wide.

 

Such a shame Chalobah isn't fit. Southgate loves him and he'd walk into the team ahead of Henderson.

 

I watched in between breaks in the tennis and what struck me is how awful Holland were.
At the end they looked like a poor man's Stoke.
Dreadful for their fans and as for some of ours...

 

Our goal came from him coming out of his box and finding a player in space with a simple smart pass. Southgate does deserve credit for making us appear a lot more defensively solid with a backline that worked well to catch them offside multiple times. We rely on the wingbacks pushing forward to create the width and put in crosses. If Kane was fit we'd have had another goal.

Holland were poor, and it will take at least a generation to fix.

 

Hopefully Southgate won’t revert to the dreadful Joe Hart when it matters.

 

Have to agree. I was pleasantly surprised at how well we controlled most of the game. Dutch had a few chances but it was mainly down to some sloppy play.
Yes add Kane in the mix and a better final ball and we will do OK. Have never been a fan of Southgate but he's doing a good job Looking forward to seeing Tuesday's match now

 

Who is this Holland you speak of? Matt maybe?

 

I enjoyed the stat that Jamie Vardy played 22 minutes and didn't touch the ball.

Sounds like it was enthralling stuff.

 

Quick imaginative passing, good movement off the ball but disappointing crosses from Trippier and terrible crosses from Rose. Fell apart a bit after subs made - Welbeck the least ineffective of the three attackers, which says it all - but encouraging and entertaining.

Fans let us down as per - and they'll be in big trouble in Russia if they start anything. Maybe even if they don't

 

Here's hoping they do then.

 

Thought Holland looked poor, thought Rose was terrible, thought a better team will murder us the way we fanny about at the back with the ball. It reminded me very much of when Watford try to play it around at the back, just 1 pass from disaster waiting to happen.
On the plus side, I think we'll score goals, even the incompetent Stirling looked like a footballer for a single game. We won't make the quarters.

 

Agree - and if you have a look at Virgil van Dijk's contribution to the goal, you'd have to question Liverpool's sanity in paying £75m for him. He needs lessons from Mariappa on how to block shots instead of wimping away from them like an utter fanny.

 

Sterling.

As in Worrell Sterling.

 

Until de Bruyne, Silva & Aguero are issued with British passports, Sterling will continue to underperform for England.

 

Pickford's distribution with his boot is quite something. On his last two visits to the Vic. he's been pinging them straight to team-mates 3/4 of a pitch away for fun.

 

That's the way we always do it, so why change now?

 

Pundits talking like we're hitting form and getting all excited for the world cup.

Dear lord.

We will go out in the group stages!!!

 

What a hash of a minute's applause that was. So much unnecessary waffle from the bloke on the mic. Still, not as bad as the random bagpipes at the Vic last November.

 

Should be 2-0 to Italy so far.

 

Hoddle: a stranger to adverbs!

 

Did you 'hear' how quiet it was at Wembley? Like a match behind closed doors! I'm sure I heard one bloke say 'shhhhh' across the pitch to a kid in row Z rustling his crisp packet unnecessarily loudly.