International Football thread

[mikesiva]

What's the score?

2-0 in the first half....

First goal was a beauty, Xavi controlled a high ball by sticking out his foot behind him, brought it down, and lobbed it to a fast-moving Messi, who in turn lobbed the keeper....

The second was a string of fast-paced passes from Barcelona, resulting in a cross from Dani Alves to Xavi, charging in from midfield, not picked up, and who drilled it home.

Make that 3-0 on the stroke of half-time....

Alves beats the defence for pace, shot parried by the keeper, lands for Messi, who back-heels to Fabregas, who slots home into an empty net.

[Aidan11]

4-0 in the end and Barca win the trophy for the second time in 3 seasons to keep up European domination in this competition.

[Alviro Patterson]

Don't see the fuss with Raheem Sterling, has the pace but ball control is rather average and end product non existant.

As for Mark Bright claiming Wilfried Zaha the best youth player to come from Crystal Palace, he's not a patch on Victor Moses.

[Chris de Burgh]

Ibrahimovic rounds off his hat trick with a well placed free kick, Sweden's main man showing is quality. Make that 4 goals for Ibrahimovic, an amazing, amazing finish by Ibra for the fourth.

[Gingerfinch]

Well, that wasn't bad!

[SaintPowelly]

Don't see the fuss with Raheem Sterling, has the pace but ball control is rather average and end product non existant.

As for Mark Bright claiming Wilfried Zaha the best youth player to come from Crystal Palace, he's not a patch on Victor Moses.

I personally felt both of them being selected is a slap in the face to Lallana who was called up as cover in the last squad, but meh.

[Aidan11]

What a goal that was at the end.

[Alviro Patterson]

Don't see the fuss with Raheem Sterling, has the pace but ball control is rather average and end product non existant.

As for Mark Bright claiming Wilfried Zaha the best youth player to come from Crystal Palace, he's not a patch on Victor Moses.

I personally felt both of them being selected is a slap in the face to Lallana who was called up as cover in the last squad, but meh.

Didn't realised Lallana played on the left, no need to select an inexperienced player at Championship level.

Matthew Etherington gets overlooked once again

[Durhamfootman]

so England beat Brazil 2-1

All in all it was a pretty good game, I thought, and England did as well as I've seen them do for a while. Wilshire got MOM, deservedly, and provided plenty of problems for a fairly beleagured Brazil defence. Hart did well between the sticks, Baines came on for Cole at half time and England lost nothing from the change, Johnson looked in good shape as did Gerrard in a defensive role. The two centre backs had a bit of a ricket that led to the Brazil equaliser and wobbled a bit for 5 minutes or so, but other than that dealt with the Brazil threat fairly comfortably. Rooney and Lamps scored good goals, after good work from the excellent Walcott.

I'm still not sure what Wellbeck brings to the table. He was replaced quite adequately by Milner, who also offers a lot more in defence than Wellbeck does. I'm beginning to think that his inclusion is due in the main to a gut feeling by the manager that it is a good idea to have 2 strikers who play for the same club. My gut feeling is that he is the footballing equivalent of Jade Dernbach, or perhaps the new Heskey.... no-one outside the bubble can understand why he is there, but those in the bubble seem to think he offers something that no-one else can see.

I saw lots of good things tonight. I liked the way England moved the ball around without giving it away. I liked the facgt that Hart predominantly threw the ball out to a player instead of lumping it upfield. I liked that England tried to play themselves out of difficult situations without resorting to lumping it forward. Okay it cost us a goal when Cahill cocked it up, but the intent is good, I think.

Wilshire was terrific, and the Brazilians hadn't the first idea how to stop him. Adriano had to be subbed because Walcott was running rings around him, and David Luiz was just a clumsy thug who benefitted hugely from the ref's desire to keep the game moving and refusal to award cards. Naymar had a nice little spell of 5-10 mins, but once he'd shinned the ball over the crossbar from about 3 yards, he just faded out of the game completely. Oscar did very well, I thought, but it was difficult for him becasue Naymar and Ronaldinho were just showboating aimlessly, and he couldn't do it all by himself.

I would have liked to have seen the Ox get on, but the manager wisely kept his substitutions to a minimum rather than risk throwing the win away.

All in all..... a pretty decent effort. If the players can stay fit and the manager can continue to bring these sorts of performances out of them, we may not be quite the embarrassment that we have been in recent competition finals come 2014

[Aidan11]

Hard to believe it's 23 years since we last beat them.

[Gingerfinch]

Hard to believe it's 23 years since we last beat them.

Probably haven't played them that much though.

As for the game. I didn't bother with it. Friendlies are what they say on the tin.

[mikesiva]

Cahill is better than rio ferdinand...Yeah right.

[shankycricket]

Neither of the centre backs are particularly convincing, tbh. Cole has also looked a bit below his best from whatever little I've seen in the EPL this season. Rather have Baines. Johnson does seem to be developing well though. Wilshere is good and Gerrard & Lampard still have it although whether they will in a year and a half in Brazil is something that rather remains to be seen. Need one more striker. Welbeck hasn't quite come on the way I'd have hoped. Maybe try Walcott who has apparently been doing well for Arsenal up front?

[Kim]

Baines looks a better bet than Cole now.

To be fair to Ashley, hes not cuddly, but IMO he is the one from the "golden generation" who has been consistently world class.

[andy]

wellbeck is struggling because RVP has signed for united...he needs to go out on loan and get regualr first team football..