2012 UEFA European Championship

(19-06-2012 20:55 )dan g 27 Wrote:  I wonder who will get sent off in the England v Italy match. Balotelli or Rooney, maybe both

Good job a certain J. Barton wasn't playing here!! When you think it's likely Baslotelli and him have unfinished business...

I think England will definitely beat Italy now, Italys best defender Giorgio Chellini is out of the Euros with a thigh injury

(19-06-2012 21:44 )dan g 27 Wrote:  I think England will definitely beat Italy now, Italys best defender Giorgio Chellini is out of the Euros with a thigh injury

nah. ballo will get a hat-trick and get joe hart sent off. before getting sent off

(19-06-2012 21:44 )dan g 27 Wrote:  I think England will definitely beat Italy now, Italys best defender Giorgio Chellini is out of the Euros with a thigh injury

thats good news hes a class player! on tonights match thought england were pretty good! i will try not to get too carried away, but at the min im liking hodgsons tactits! he played carroll last game and he scored, he brought theo on against sweden and he changed the game, he played rooney 2nite and althou he couldnt miss the goal he was at the right place to put it away! gerrard and parker have been good in midfield really impressed with them and glad they get an extra days rest, i know milner and young are helping their full backs out but i would like to see more from them going forward and i would like to see more service for our front players, cos welbeck has done alot of running around and held the ball up well but hes not had alot of chances to be fair to him, but i think if he gets some chances he will put them away, as hes shown against belgium, one chance and scored! i think he will stay with the same team against italy but i would like to see some pace on the wings with theo and the ox but we shall see!

Rooney will have to help out Gerrard and Parker if Italy play with 3 centre midfielders. Walcott and Chamberlain should play against Italy, because Maggio and the other guy on the wing (I can't spell his name) are not the quickest players

Well put on the tactics front malicious fan. An old saying that comes to mind for me is "Square pegs in round holes" Ex England managers used to always play the best XI and try and fit them all into the starting line up regardless. Hodgson however has continued to pick the best XI that fit within his tactics.
The use of Milner for offering defensive cover is a perfect example. I'm not a massive Milner fan and wondered why he's in the team, but it makes sense as he covers for Johnson perfectly. Allowing Johnson to make forward runs if he chooses. I think that is where we've looked a bit weak to one extent is on the left, because we don't have a player on the left capable of covering for Cole if he bombs forward. Although Ashley Young did cover well tonight so I expect him to start on the left against Italy. Young is definitely the player we look to for a bit of creative flair, and he plays out wide for United so hopefully we'll see a bit more of that in the KO stages.

Rooney was far from his best tonight, but he was there to take his goal which was important. Equally important was getting 80 odd minutes under his belt. Whether people like him or not, he is a game changer and he's one of the players like Gerrard who can make something out of nothing so we do need him in the side.
I'd like to see Carroll and Rooney up front at some point. I think it might be like a Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips combo. The only thing is I think Wellbeck has done well it'd be harsh on him.

Also, just to add I thought Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevie Gerrard was fucking mustard tonight. His delivery from set pieces was class and he is still the vital cog in the engine as far as England are concerned. Him and Parker have been superb so I really hope they can both stay fit and injury free.

For years I haven't been excited about watching England. I think '96 was the last time I could say I was really proud and got excited, France '98 had moments, but since then there has only ever been glimpses. There was the odd game here or there, or the rare moment of class e.g Beckham against Greece, last minute. But on the whole I've been left disappointed. The "Golden Generation" was paper hype and I fell for it, and every time we lost or went out it killed my love for the national side.

Since Roy Hodgson was appointed however that pride has come flooding back. We finally have an Englishman in charge who competent and one that isn't a wide boy cockney geezer who mates with the media!! The spirit is there, the passion is back and the players are all playing for the same reasons... The 3 lions!
No fall outs, no ego's, just a squad of players all pulling in the same direction. You've got a blend of youth and experience, great and decent, tall small, quick fast, the perfect mix.
Whatever happens from now on, I can say Hodgson has helped me fall back in love with England. Thank you Hodgson, the England side and EURO 2012 for making this possible.... Oh, and Cappello for resigning and making this all possible

(19-06-2012 22:24 )Money_Shot Wrote:  Also, just to add I thought Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevie Gerrard was fucking mustard tonight. His delivery from set pieces was class and he is still the vital cog in the engine as far as England are concerned. Him and Parker have been superb so I really hope they can both stay fit and injury free.

gerrards made 3 assists now i think, him and parker play well together, how strange is it no lampard and barry as well, not sure who the cover wud be if parker or gerrard get injured! young covered well 2nite for cole if he went forward young was back there! but again on welbeck, sum people arent sure about him but i cant fault him for what hes being told to do, against france he did a job and never gave the ball away, had a headed chance against sweden which he missed but scored the winner which we needed and just seen the highlights 2nite and yet again never gave the ball away and on a few occasions played rooney through, got pace as well! sometimes u mite only get 1 chance at international level and i just think the kid will take his chances if he gets the service! just heard lineker say england hav the highest percentage of chances put away, so the forwards must be doing something rite with the few chances we hav been getting, ut gotta be happy weve topped are group like we set out to do! and joe hart wot a world class keeper
p.s. now iv said all that we will probably be coming home sunday nite

my fear is the media getting carried away with it all and IF it goes wrong the team and hodgson getting slaughtered!