The World Cup 2014 Thread

[Woodsinho]

Uuuuuggggghhhhh. I'll settle for 5-1. Good enough for the Dutch - good enough for me.

[Woodsinho]

Spain and Uruguay scored first too and look what happened there. England learned the lesson and let Italy take the lead #tactics

[Gladstone]

Woods - I thought that Sterling shot was in too as did the person in charge of the scoreboard in the top left corner.

Shame - that would have been an incredible intro for Sterling.

I predicted an England win but they need to plug that gap down the left or they'll lose another goal.

[Gladstone]

Yas min.

I'm 99% sure Rio just called Rooney 'Wazza'.

[Gladstone]

Good game that. Overall, England were quite good. The disappointing thing I would say is that Hodgson keeps trying to accommodate Rooney. He played one great cross for the goal but aside from that he looked off the pace. Pick the best player for each position. He wasn't interested in doing the defensive job so they shuffled things about and then took fucking Wellbeck off who was hustling all the time and winning the ball. Then he pushed Sterling out wide to keep Rooney on. Once he went out wide he wasn't as effective.

I think Rooney needs dropped.

[neepheid]

Much more open and flowing than I expected.  Agreed that Rooney was poor.  Pirlo was brilliant - the control of the ball, the pass accuracy (although not so many of the ludicrous long 100% accurate passes), and that free kick off the crossbar - amazing.

[Gladstone]

That free kick deserved a goal. Made a cunt of Hart.

[Woodsinho]

Aye, we lost but that was still better than we played in any of the matches at the last world cup. Up until the 80th minute I had hope that something might gappen but then Wilshere, Barkley and Lallana seemed determined to take up the same space. Not the best idea, that. Italy defended excellently in the second half. They should win the group comfortably from here.

[Soda Jerk]

Rooney was garbage. Front four should be Sturridge with Welbeck, Sterling and Barkley behind.

 

I don't think Welbeck should have gone off. He was grafting, and that created alot of space for Sterling and Sturridge to run at Italy. He was always available, always on the move, and he also won the ball high up the pitch, which he's the best at. England didn't have that aggression when he went off. He didn't give Italy a second to settle. When he went off, Italy looked like they were strolling around with the ball.

 

Candreva was man of the match for me. All the danger came through him. Probably assisted by the left hand side being so wide open, but he was getting at England all over the place.

[Delboy1969]

Rooney is now getting in the team on reputation and he is playing out of position simply to include him, England were good tonight but not good enough but there are a lot of positives to take from the game. I agree Rooney should be dropped, he just doesn't cut it on the big stage. Shows the fine line in football though had he taken that half chance presented to him it would have changed the whole attitude to him but he fluffed it.

 

Should be a cracker against Uruguay both teams have to go for it.

[KarmaTsunami]

Great World Cup so far. Apart from Spain, but we'll show you all we can still cut it in the last two group games. 

 

Wellbeck should never have come off, him, Sturridge and Sterling caused Italy problems all night. Barkley looked good when he came on as well. Rooney's absolutely 'amazing' corner just highlights the sort of night he had. Gerrard didn't have the best game either. As Joda points out, Candreva was amazing for Italy and just took the piss out of Baines most of the game. 

 

That fucking Uruguay v Costa Rica score though.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

[Mr Owl PhD]

Was very much the sort of 'plucky defeat in a Quarter Final' type of performance from England last night (I know it wasn't a QF but it easily could have been). Still, that's an improvement on the abject showings of the past couple of major tournaments and the difference between last night and two years ago against Italy was night and day. I thought it was a pretty high quality game - probably the best of the tournament so far in terms of the quality of play from both teams. I know a lot of people are on Rooney's case but, whilst he did have some good moments in the game, I'm not really sure he's the best English player in any of the positions he's likely to play in these days.

[givemeasmile]

Well my boys won last night/this morning, immensely proud of the lads.

Resting Didier from the start was a good shout, will need him more moving forward.

[Gladstone]

Was very much the sort of 'plucky defeat in a Quarter Final' type of performance from England last night (I know it wasn't a QF but it easily could have been). Still, that's an improvement on the abject showings of the past couple of major tournaments and the difference between last night and two years ago against Italy was night and day. I thought it was a pretty high quality game - probably the best of the tournament so far in terms of the quality of play from both teams. I know a lot of people are on Rooney's case but, whilst he did have some good moments in the game, I'm not really sure he's the best English player in any of the positions he's likely to play in these days.

That's exactly it with Rooney. You'd rather have Sturridge up top and rather have Sterling at number 10. Wellbeck was more effective than Rooney on the left and right because of his ball winning and you've got Barkley who looked far hungrier than Rooney when he came on.

Rooney should be benched and used as a sub. Tell him to go and prove he's good enough. Nobody should be playing on reputation. The young guys look far more up for it. Rooney doesn't look massively interested.

[Mr Owl PhD]

Good to see these insightful predictions for the World Cup from Andy Cole.  I'm not sure how it's going to go either, to be fair.

 

[Skacel]

I thought England were unlucky not to get a point last night and I actually like watching the team so I hope they do reasonably well.

That Pirlo free kick though!

[Skacel]

Costa Rica baby.

Costa Rica Ooooohhhhhhh!

[Soda Jerk]

That's exactly it with Rooney. You'd rather have Sturridge up top and rather have Sterling at number 10. Wellbeck was more effective than Rooney on the left and right because of his ball winning and you've got Barkley who looked far hungrier than Rooney when he came on.

Rooney should be benched and used as a sub. Tell him to go and prove he's good enough. Nobody should be playing on reputation. The young guys look far more up for it. Rooney doesn't look massively interested.

 

What is odd is that Sterling is more naturally a wide player who was put into the #10 role, and his best contributions usually came from when he drifted out wide and got at the full back. Rooney is a central player who was shunted out wide and looked a bit useless.

 

If Hodgson believes his best front 4 is Sturridge, Rooney, Sterling and Welbeck, then I don't see why he's playing two players out of position. If Rooney is to play, put him in the middle where he is actually of some use, and let Sterling take the piss out of full backs as he is good at. Or just play Barkley or Chamberlain, who have a bit of explosiveness about them to play out wide.

 

Sterling is superb, but I don't think he's a #10 anyway.

[Murrr]

I told you about my boys. England are shite. Who's next to face the irresistible force? Costa Rica, come on down.

[Captain America]

Yeah I think Rooney should still get the 10 role.  He is constantly played out of position for England then moaned about.

 

Sterling and Welbeck/Ox wide if the Ox is fit, Rooney 10, Sturridge up front.

 

Got to change the midfield as well.  Gerrard was fairly anonymous last night and just like the friendlies it was like both him and Henderson wanted to sit.  Which for me doesn't work for what England were trying to do in the final third.

 

Move in Barkley to the midfield and play attacking.  One defensive minded midfielder will be fine, especially how Uruguay played yesterday. 

[Soda Jerk]

One issue could be that England don't really have a defensive midfielder to allow Gerrard to play the role he is trying to play. He won't protect the back four, and Henderson won't protect Gerrard. When Pirlo is stroking the ball around, he's got De Rossi and Marchisio kicking the fuck out of anyone who steps near him. Henderson is decent, but he's not that guy. An Owen Hargreaves type player next to Gerrard might allow him to exert himself on the game a bit.

 

Stick Phil Jones next to him. He's probably the only defensive midfield-type player England have, even though it's not his real position, he's capable of assaulting forwards with his face.

[Old Gold]

I told you about my boys. England are shite. Who's next to face the irresistible force? Costa Rica, come on down.

 

The Costa Rican bulldozer will not be stopped by some cigarette smoking Italians.

[Old Gold]

Besides, Uruguay will lash out at the rest of you European scoundrels like a cornered animal, leaving the honorable Costa Ricans perched proudly atop group D.

[Mr Owl PhD]

What is odd is that Sterling is more naturally a wide player who was put into the #10 role, and his best contributions usually came from when he drifted out wide and got at the full back. Rooney is a central player who was shunted out wide and looked a bit useless.

 

If Hodgson believes his best front 4 is Sturridge, Rooney, Sterling and Welbeck, then I don't see why he's playing two players out of position. If Rooney is to play, put him in the middle where he is actually of some use, and let Sterling take the piss out of full backs as he is good at. Or just play Barkley or Chamberlain, who have a bit of explosiveness about them to play out wide.

 

Sterling is superb, but I don't think he's a #10 anyway.

 

Me and Barney disagree with you about Sterling:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jun/15/raheem-sterling-hodgson-england-italy

 

Rooney's problem defensively is that I just don't think he's fit enough to cover the ground that he's expected to cover.  This is even more true when he's played out wide where players always have to cover a lot of ground.  It's exacerbated even further by the fast play of others and the stifling conditions in Brazil.  I'm not sure England should be playing Rooney through the middle just to cover up for his inadequacies though.  I think he has to be the best player there and, at the moment, I'm not sure he is.