International Football thread

[Gingerfinch]

Nice finish and another good ball.

[st_brendy]

2 goals and 2 assists in less than 2 games for the great man.

Neutrals just starting to see that he is so much more than just goals. Spends a significant amount of time for us on the wing or back near the halfway line.

[Alviro Patterson]

Tyldesley and Townsend saying Danny Welbeck not a natural finisher? Not sure what game they are watching, Welbeck took his goals very well where many strikers would've fluffed at least one of them.

[Gingerfinch]

I reckon they are getting poacher and natural finisher mixed up.

[Alviro Patterson]

Unlucky Danny and now a goal.

Great keeping

Moldova goalkeeper reminds me of Simon Eastwood, all that flapping and coming out of the goalmouth.

[SaintPowelly]

He does it again!

(I don't care that it's only a tap-in against Moldova!)

nice to see the lad get a game and score.... hope more faith is paid to players like him in the future

Shame that Hodgson felt the need to go out of his way to explain hes only playing because of Rooney and Sturridge injuries.

Gerrard as M.O.M....What game have they been watching ? :S

[Durhamfootman]

Wellbeck unfortunate to pick up the second yellow tonight, judging by the highlights. Disagree with everyone who said that he didn't deserve the first yellow for the blatant dive in the other game (don't remember who we were playing, but I do remember the dive). Butterfly wings and bootlaces! Credit where it's due though; he scored a very nice goal against very poor opposition for his first. I've already forgotton how he scored his second, sadly.

Lambert did well, I thought, and Kyle Walker looked terrific.

With the exception of the keeper and two centre backs, who had nothing to do all night except make sure they did nothing stupid, the whole team played very well against a very ordinary side. It isn't a backhanded compliment, either. We often make ridiculously hard work of beating terrible teams, but we dispatched them comfortably tonight.

[sussexpob]

Gerrard as M.O.M....What game have they been watching ? :S

I always wonder what Gerrards career would have been like if he didnt grow up in an era where the main media outlets showing football were dominated by ex-Liverpool players. He is the most overrated player I have ever seen, he would never have cut it in Spain or Italy where people had a bias for his play and were rightfully sceptical. But in England no-one in the media either has the tactical insight to question his errors because they think football is about how many hollywood moments a player has, or they are Liverpool ex-players or fans desperate to salvage something out of a 20 year lean spell.

The English game celebrates the wonderful too much and ignores the bread and butter. In the first half yesterday Gerrard gave away so much needless possession, and that was with no pressure on him.... ok Moldova just give the ball straight back, but Spain would keep it for 5 minutes and put pressure on you. There was one incident where, just in the Moldova half he received the ball and tried to thread a pass between two centre backs that had spotted the telegraphed run from Welbeck and cut it out.... the gap between the players was about 1 metre, and from 40 yards away even Messi trying to aim at the gap between to statutes would make that pass 1 in every 300 attempts. He then got the ball back and tried to switch to the left wing, missing the aerial ball by about 10 meters and giving Moldova a throw in. In both occasions Wilshere was sitting inbetween the two banks of four on his own in a good position unmarked, but the grounded 5 yard pass is obviously not Gerrards bag.

I remember reading someone blogging about Gerrards passing, creativity, possession and tackling stats compared to Mark Noble over the last three years, and Noble beats him on every stat!! What Noble doesnt do is score a 35 yard blast every 10 games to reaffirm for those ignorant idiots who judge players on the 3 minute match of the Day highlight reel that he is world class.

But hey... its been 15 years and still the England manager plays Gerrard and Lampard in the same team.... we wasted Paul Scholes, a man who rightfully retired after being sent out to the left wing to play while Gerrard, a man someway inferior, took his position.

Even now Jack Wilshere looks much better than Gerrard ever was....

[Alviro Patterson]

Finally, someone else who thinks Stevie Gerrard is an over-rated show pony.

[from_the_stands]

The Socceroos got biffed by Brazil.

[Durhamfootman]

perhaps one of the reasons why England are a very ordinary international side is that we suddenly find ourself in the position of awarding a 100th cap to a different player almost every time we play a game. There was a time when 100 caps was reserved for the very elite of England players. Now we are awarding a 100 caps to a whole host of players who haven't even helped us to get past the quarter finals of a major competition.

When we keep playing the same failing players, we shouldn't be surprised if the team keeps on failing.

[Alviro Patterson]

perhaps one of the reasons why England are a very ordinary international side is that we suddenly find ourself in the position of awarding a 100th cap to a different player almost every time we play a game. There was a time when 100 caps was reserved for the very elite of England players. Now we are awarding a 100 caps to a whole host of players who haven't even helped us to get past the quarter finals of a major competition.

When we keep playing the same failing players, we shouldn't be surprised if the team keeps on failing.

The reality is there are very few credible alternatives in the England ranks, goalkeeper and right back. It's only a matter of time before an England manager selects players in the Football League for national representation.

The Premier League setup, it's youth policy and the influx of foreign players are firmly to blame.

[SaintPowelly]

Ironically, Southampton have 2 young, talented, English RBs.

[Alviro Patterson]

Ironically, Southampton have 2 young, talented, English RBs.

Wouldn't surprise me if they are better than Glen Johnson

[SaintPowelly]

Ironically, Southampton have 2 young, talented, English RBs.

Wouldn't surprise me if they are better than Glen Johnson

Haven't seen enough of Callum Chambers, but I do rate Clyne highly, he doubles up as a decent left-back too, which is always handy.