England World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign

I suppose the best that can be said was that it was a win. Still too slow in build up and too many sideways passes for my liking. Yet again the players didn't play as they do for their clubs, with not enough wanting to go past opponents.

Malta keeper played a blinder though suppose happens at wembley because of what it is they always turn up with there a games

I personally thought the build up play was a lot faster specially in the first half. Players we're quick to close down when losing ball which hasn't happened for awhile. 2nd half was when it went a little of pace and players giving some sloppy passes and not playing quickly ect.

Like 81 Thousand fans are there put on a show for them not take foot of the gas.

Much better than the performances @ Euro's Miles better than Big Sam's First game in charge. I think Southgate is the right man for the job personally so i hope they keep him. And hopefully he can bring in a few of the EX england players as well to coach. Would love to see Ian Wright have some involvement.

And if Gazza could stay on the strait and narrow why not get him involved ? Yes people will say it's mad but it will inspire the players and if anyone has the passion for an England shirt it's Gazza and it would do him a favour as well i'm sure he'd love it.

Lingard, and Henderson we're exceptional thought the most shocking player was Walcot losing ball all the time runs we're rubbish and apart from Sturridge's goal i thought he was terrible as well.

I have to give credit to Andrew Hogg, Malta's English-born goalkeeper for keeping the score down. Without him it would have been five.

There's no need to go hell for leather with another game on Tuesday, a more difficult test against Slovenia, who beat Slovakia tonight. The game was already won, job done. No need to bust their guts to score more and risk someone getting injured ahead of Tuesday.

I too actually now would like to see Southgate given the job permanently. I was open to the idea of a foreign coach but he's already in place and has enough chance over the four interim games to build up an understanding of his best team selections. I would like him to stay on.

Southgate drops Rooney for game against Slovenia - good move?

^ I think that Eric Dier is fit to return for that match
Rooney will be on the bench

Henderson's going to be the captain

0 - 0 WTF!!? how we got away with that I do not know we should have been soundly beaten but given what was being said on five lives' social after seems like the knives are out for Southgate already!!

Come on you England fans, dose of reality please. Look at the group and the teams in it you will qualify no problem, this constant mico managing of every little thing that happens with England team is hyped up by the media to sell papers, and keep themselves in jobs. The real issue is you have an artifically high world ranking due to always having a group full of lesser teams to play, never get Spain,Italy,Germany et al.You romp through your group and then: at the championships face better teams and do not perform, and everybody is surprised.

(12-10-2016 08:38 )sandals1963 Wrote:  The real issue is you have an artifically high world ranking due to always having a group full of lesser teams to play

You badly misunderstand how the rankings are calculated. Beating lesser teams does not help very much, as the rankings formula takes greatly into account the strength of the opposition. A win against a highly ranked team is worth considerably more than a win against a lesser team.

Has any one ever stopped and though that another issue with the team is the player's attitudes? At times are any of the current squad actually worthy of playing in an England shirt, or should Gareth bring in more U21's show them how it's done? I'm sure most of us do think there are several who do not perform when playing for England but perform way better at their clubs and shouldn't be involved in the England set up