World Cup Play-Offs (European)/International Friendlies Friday and Tuesday Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

European Play-Offs First Leg:

Iceland v Croatia (19:00)
Greece v Romania (19:45)
Portugal v Sweden (19:45)
Ukraine v France (19:45)

International Friendlies:

England v Chile (20:00)
Ireland v Latvia (19:45)
Scotland v USA (20:05)
Turkey v Northern Ireland (19:00)

Obviously the stand-out tie for the play-offs tonight is Portugal v Sweden, or Zlatan v Ronaldo if you prefer. That tie looks to be the most balanced of the four, with just one spot in the World Cup Finals up for grabs. Ukraine will remain hopeful of catching France off their guard, but France will start as strong favourites. Greece should seal their place over a potentially dangerous Romanian side. Lastly, Iceland will be aiming to spring one of the biggest surprises in World Football - by defeating Croatia. I imagine that, should Iceland get there, they will be the smallest nation to ever make the World Cup.

On the friendlies side, Ireland (under new management), Scotland, and Northern Ireland will start their building process to next autumn's Euro 2016 qualifiers.

For England, this is the first of five friendlies in preparation for the 2014 World Cup. Chile will provide a test, one that England should overcome, against an injury-hit and virus-hit home team. During qualification, Chile averaged the most possession amongst the South American teams - surpassing the likes of Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay - and an average of 3.4 goals per game were scored in matches involving Chile. High tempo, high pressure - that's the Chile way. England are suffering with the absences of Gerrard, Wilshere, Lambert and Walker. Nevertheless, I expect England to triumph 2-0.

Expected England team (the Times): Ruddy, Johnson, Jones, Smalling, Cole, Lampard (C), Cleverley, Milner, Lallana, Rodriguez, and Rooney.

[owen10ozzy]

I didn't mean we are playing counter, I meant when we are on the counter as we were in that passage of play. In general tonight, and in many other games I have watched...the England midfield are almost always very slow to support the striker.

We have played ok tonight, nothing more than that. No final ball and beaten by a set piece due to poor organisation defensively...two areas you don't win a World Cup without. Sideways passing and a ball hit wide are hardly build up play...as was said by Lehmann before the game..England are predictable.

[Fernando]

Ibra has just turned up

2-1 sweden

Need 1 more to go to WC

[mystiroakey]

Well obviously that free role is for Wilshire to take on if he gets back up to full form and fitness. I am happy enough with this play tbh though. 

It's much crisper passing than normal England set ups

[mystiroakey]

And I think we have to credit the German defense abit as well. They have cut of a lot of our final balls

[super_realist]

Apparently Ibrahimovic doesn't do it in the big games!!!!

2 goals in 4 minutes. SVERIGE!!!!

Still need another though.

[Stella]

Ronaldooooooooo

[Fernando]

Well Ronaldo just scored again  

2-2

[Stella]

Ronaldooooooooo

[Fernando]

And again   3-2 Portugal

[super_realist]

greasy, slimey scumbag.

[mystiroakey]

Omg.. It truly is just about Ibra and Ronaldo isn't it..

[Hero]

And a real shame that one of them isnt going to be at the Finals.

[Stella]

Amen, hero.

[Fernando]

Yet Iran & Costa Rica will be  

[Hammersmith harrier]

If you don't come top of your group you don't deserve to go the world cup regardless of if you have the vastly over rated Ibra or the brilliant Ronaldo.

[super_realist]

If you don't come top of your group you don't deserve to go the world cup regardless of if you have the vastly over rated Ibra or the brilliant Ronaldo.

It's complete balls that Ibrahimovic is over-rated.

He does it time and again and at every level and with a better strike rate than almost anyone in World football.

[Stella]

France 3 up.

[super_realist]

Looks like the Frogs through as well.

[Hammersmith harrier]

If you don't come top of your group you don't deserve to go the world cup regardless of if you have the vastly over rated Ibra or the brilliant Ronaldo.

It's complete balls that Ibrahimovic is over-rated.

He does it time and again and at every level and with a better strike rate than almost anyone in World football.

I just don't rate him, can't remember any big game he's performed well in and a play off game between two sub par teams isn't a big game.

[Guest]

If you don't come top of your group you don't deserve to go the world cup regardless of if you have the vastly over rated Ibra or the brilliant Ronaldo.

It's complete balls that Ibrahimovic is over-rated.

He does it time and again and at every level and with a better strike rate than almost anyone in World football.

Been a top 5 player in the world for the past few years for my money.

Because he never plied his trade in the PL he gets downgraded. Outstanding player.

[mystiroakey]

Europe need more spots...

Well done France though.. The great escape, this time without a hand ball,

[Stella]

Ronaldo just missed a sitter. Useless ;-)

[Fernando]

Id love a Ukraine handball goal i really would

[Hammersmith harrier]

Europe need more spots...

Well done France though.. The great escape, this time without a hand ball,

Why?

So teams that can't top their group get another chance, none of Sweden, France, Ukraine or Portugal deserve to go to the world cup.

[mystiroakey]

Why don't they?

They are better than many other teams that are assured qualification time and time again like USA for example.

[Hammersmith harrier]

It's a world cup Mysti not a european plus the rest cup.

I'm very much of the opinion that the champions league should be for champions only and that the world cup should be for those who do what is required of them in qualifying. None of the teams I mentioned topped their groups so don't deserve to go and nor should they be given a reprieve.

[mystiroakey]

Well that isn't my opinion and never has been.

Tournies are better when they have the best teams playing. It's a simple concept really

[Hammersmith harrier]

If they were among the best they would have qualified automatically, it's simple really.

[westisbest]

Hey, I like weymouth. Lovely seaside resort anyway.

Weymouth is a top night out.

Some stunning looking woman here in Bournemouth.

Was on a stag do in Blackpool last year, we were in this nightclub(cant remember the name, will have to get back to u on that one).

Everywhere you looked there were absolutely stunning looking woman.

Damn Sweden lost.
Lots of hot Swedish woman will need a shoulder to cry on tonight.

[mystiroakey]

You also do understand that your topping the group thing is a fallacy anyway.

Europe have 13 spots but only 8 groups 

Are you arguing Europe should have less spots or 13 groups???

[Hammersmith harrier]

Less spots, 8 would suffice, no point in second bests.

[super_realist]

Portugal didn't top their league, but England did.

That's enough for me to say that winning your group doesn't make you a better team.

[whocares]

If they were among the best they would have qualified automatically, it's simple really.

Some of those teams had Spain and Germany in their groups as opposed to Bosnia, Switzerland or England how's that fair

[mystiroakey]

Ok so 13 groups should satisfy your initial problem. Now how are we going to deal with the World Cup group stage and 2 teams going through.. I take it you only want a knock out from the start?

[mystiroakey]

Less spots, 8 would suffice, no point in second bests.

So who are you going to give the other spots to.

Jeas do you really want a weak WC or something???

13 groups straight away sorts out your concern..

What are you arguing exactly? That Europe have to many spots. Even though the truth is they don't have enough???

[Steffan]

Two games and two losses at home. No shame in that for any normal team. Just not sure how the English fans and press can now claim they are going to win Brazil 2014 for the following months to come. Either way im very happy Germany won

Thankyou and goodnight

[mystiroakey]

At least you admit we are not normal Stefan.

Yes we are very special.


Back to the game. It was ok.. A friendly though. Positives hart and cleverly(not the positve I wanted but Hodgson maybe right about him)

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Thought Henderson did pretty well when he came on actually.

Not bad, not great either. Meh

[Duty281]

England lacking in cohesion and mobility, missing a final ball and one player to take a pedestrian game by the scruff of the neck. Mind you, the same could be said of Germany, so rather fitting that the only goal was from a set-piece!

England wouldn't have learnt too much either. Hart made some good saves, but was let down by one serious error of judgement which could have cost his team on another day. Smalling probably underlined his position as 3rd choice England CB, with plenty of potential and chance to break into the starting XI.

Cleverley was far too pedestrian, far too weak, and so lacking in international quality, it's a wonder what Moyes, Ferguson, or Hodgson see in him. Maybe it's nerves? Interesting to note that, on the evidence of these two friendlies, Hodgson views both Henderson and Cleverley ahead of Barkley in the pecking order. Not sure I'd go along with that in truth. Lallana was ineffective once more, bar the odd good touch. Can't see him getting called up in March, let alone the summer.

Attack? Isolated. Sturridge off the pace, Rooney lacking venom or verve.

180 minutes, three conceded, nothing scored and seldom little learnt. On we go, England till I die.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Thought Sturridge was very poor. Far too predictable, trying to do too much himself.

Must admit I really like Jagielka. Very solid player

[mystiroakey]

We NEED a traditional winger again. It's all well and good having ok super fast dribblers that cut inside, 

But that doesn't get you goals against better sides.

We need someone that can play a final ball. Be it a cross a pas or anything.

You can demolish lesser teams with those players but not better ones

[mystiroakey]

And obviously we then need a true target man like carol over Sturridge.

[Duty281]

England didn't have a shot on target all game apparently.

[mystiroakey]

Blaine's could actually be that winger on the left leaving cole to defend..

[mystiroakey]

England didn't have a shot on target all game apparently.

The sad thing is we could have had 20 . We spent a lot of the game around there pen box

[NickisBHAFC]

Were so going to win the world cup after tonight's performance ...

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Pretty dull game, second half was two second string teams and whilst we controlled it a bit, Germany looked good on the counter.

I like Lallana but I'm not sure he's the answer to any of England's problems.

And whilst I like Cleverley, just f*ck off for a while will you. Your time will come again, but you're arguably the worst centre midfielder at a team weak in midfield. Henderson did alright but lacks much ingenuity. For that good pass he played a little too hard, he loses the ball in panic/lack of technique too often. Works hard though, I'd possibly take him over Milner for that workhorse role cos he'll learn from it.

That game was missing a very special player called Ravel Morrison. Not even biased on that, there was space in that game and it needed a confident, skillful midfielder with a burst of pace.

On the topic of traditional wingers, I can't think of many in world football. Jesus Navas is the prime example, modern football is about wingers who can play both sides and can be clever whipping the ball in either side of a full back, mainly about joining in the moves of a striker so coming inside.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

We could really do with Oxlade Chamberlain getting fit and game time. He for me, is the most technically gifted of our wide men (although seems to play centrally a lot as well), he can get to the byline but also cut inside.

Seriously lacking up front though. Dearth of talent there

[Dolphin Ziggler]

One thing I would say I've learned from tonight:

Joleon Lescott is a mug for taking the money at City. If he was putting in performances like he did for Everton at any club in the Premier League then you'd have to think he'd be in that squad.

One of Caulker or Tomkins would have been worth having in the squad for Hodgson to have a look at too. Centre backs and right back probably the weakest part of the side, always worth keeping an eye on the alternatives.

[mystiroakey]

not sure about the hate for cleverly- i thought he was the stand out performeer top be honest- passed it about well and was solid in defence..

I am not a milner fan at all tbh, I still think P jones is the main man for England as the DM though(as he also will be for united)

what we need is players that have a final delivery or at the least can win free kicks in the right areas. Yep that man is ZAHA if we cant find anyone that can actually CROSS the ball!!

Morrison is no answer yet, but he will be, as will zaha as well. But lets let them keep developing.

Once zaha gets that loan position in jan i have a feeling he will take the PL by storm and may get pulled up for the WC- but i think that will be to early and he will have a negative experience

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