The Official *England's Journey to the Promised Land* Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

"And here comes Hurst, he's got...some people are on the pitch, they think it's all over! It is now! It's four!"
England, despite drastically underachieving, are one of only eight nations to win the World Cup.

So here we are then, the eve of yet another FIFA World Cup, the grandest sporting tournament of them all. For the under-hyped England team, it's another chance to add to their one solitary World Cup and bring football home.

"Oh and he left Cooper standing...Pele! What a save! Gordon Banks!"
The greatest goalkeeper of all time makes the greatest save of all time.

The conception is that England will be lucky to make it past the group stage. The reality is that 2014 is the best chance of winning the World Cup since 1970, for the Three Lions. It is a squad largely unburdened by previous failure. It is a squad free of expectation. It is a squad that has the perfect balance between youth and experience. It is a squad fantastically prepared, tactically fluid in its play-making and with a wonderful manager at the helm.

"And Moore stops him! What a player this fellow is."
Now that was simply the greatest challenge of all time, made by the greatest centre-half of all time.

England are ready to win the World Cup.

"There's a header in there, and a great chance for the goal and it's there! Bryan Robson!"
Captain Marvel scores the quickest meaningful World Cup goal of all time.

In defence, Joe Hart has bounced back from his early season failings better than ever, and is all set to prove himself as one of the world's best goalkeepers this summer. Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka are a good partnership at the heart of the defence. Leighton Baines is solid, and Glen Johnson is...um..not the worst full-back in the world. The English shield wall won't concede many goals this summer, they never do; qualifying and history shows us that. And the depth remains solid.

Now is the time, that everyone sees/You never give up, that's how it should be/Don't get caught, make your own break/Express yourself, don't give it away.
That might bring back memories of when England last made a World Cup Semi-Final.

In the centre of midfield, Steven Gerrard has come off one of his best seasons for many years, fully enjoying his new holding role. Accompanying him will be his club team-mate, Jordan Henderson, who has rapidly settled into the England set-up despite not playing a single minute of qualifying. Frank Lampard adds the experience, and Jack Wilshere gives the style and energy of youth, both from the bench.

Three Lions on the shirt/Jules Rimet still gleaming/No more years of hurt/No more need for dreaming.
And this classic still resonates loud and true.

On the wings, England's main strength this year, Hodgson's team have a vast array of options. Danny Welbeck is as capable as ever out wide. Raheem Sterling is a superb talent with an eye for goal, plus enough pace and skill to trouble any defence in the world. Adam Lallana is as deft as they come: so very crafty, so skilled, so clever. And Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might just have the greatest potential of the lot, combining all the aforementioned assets. Not forgetting James Milner, who gives England crucial depth and brilliant crossing ability.

"Here's Gascoigne..oh brilliant! Oh yes! Oh yes!"
Just technically brilliant.

Up front, Daniel Sturridge and Wayne Rooney together means England have, at the very least, a good strike pairing. Such a strike pairing haven't been seen for the England team since the days of Owen and Rooney at Euro 2004...or perhaps Shearer and Sheringham in Euro '96. Both Sturridge and Rooney have had great seasons for their clubs; the former is still in form, the latter is working hard to find his. And Rickie Lambert, who has also had a great season for his club, completes the striking package by offering a more-than-decent goalscoring threat from the bench. And he's not too shabby from twelve yards, either.

"Oh Owen's through again for England, what a chance for the hat-trick here. Owen! Oh this is getting better and better and better!"
England stuff the Germans in Munich..O happy day.

Then there's Roy Hodgson. A fabulous manager who has given England direction, tactical improvement and has improved their reputation off-the-field massively in the short space of two years. He's integrated many new players into the team, prepared them superbly and, after not being a million miles away from shocking the footballing world at Euro 2012, strolled through qualifying. A man with World Cup experience, he's certainly the best manager England have had since, at least, Sir Bobby Robson.

"Captain's example, David Beckham. England lead Argentina - those three little words that mean so much!"
And that was the last time England had a major win at a tournament.

After the humilation in South Africa, it's difficult to believe that England would be standing on the precipice of world glory just four years later. And here we are. England are seven games from winning their second World Cup. Football's greatest prize has, for too long, been absent from England's green and pleasant land.

"And Gerrard has found a way into the box, and he has found the net! And England are heading to the World Cup Finals!"
England seal qualification with a 2-0 win.

Bring her home, Roy, bring football home. Back to where she belongs.

[Duty281]

Right England game tomorrow.

*Claps hands in excitement*

Let's have a good omen, or two:

1) Roy Hodgson's major tournament record with England started with a quarterfinal exit, and was followed by an exit at the group stage of his next major tournament. The last English manager to have such an identical record was Bobby Robson.

How did Bobby's third tournament go? Why he reached the semifinals.

2) The last time England exited a World Cup at the group stage, the year was 1958. Eight years later, England would claim the greatest prize of all.

Greg Dyke's plan is for England to win the World Cup in 2022...exactly eight years from now.

England till I die,
I'm England till I die,
I know I am,
I'm sure I am,
I'm England till I die!

Amusing to think that if, perhaps, Sterling's rasping effort had flown in, or had Wazza buried that simple chance, or two, or maybe if the referee had done his job properly, or then again if Walcott and Oxlade were fit to play, this game might have more importance attached.

But there we go, that's life and football. One more game and England can start again...how many times have we heard that?

Oh the misery, oh the woe, oh the disappointment; but to be blown away for ninety carefree minutes under the Brazilian sun.

Come on England!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

England team for tomorrow

Foster
Jones
Cahill
Smalling
Shaw
Milner
Lampard
Wilshere
Barkley
Lallana
Sturridge

Disappointed Foster will play over Fraser Forster, who has more of an international future and hasn't quit on his country.

[Champagne_Socialist]

Right England game tomorrow.

*Claps hands in excitement*

Let's have a good omen, or two:

1) Roy Hodgson's major tournament record with England started with a quarterfinal exit, and was followed by an exit at the group stage of his next major tournament. The last English manager to have such an identical record was Bobby Robson.

How did Bobby's third tournament go? Why he reached the semifinals.

2) The last time England exited a World Cup at the group stage, the year was 1958. Eight years later, England would claim the greatest prize of all.

Greg Dyke's plan is for England to win the World Cup in 2022...exactly eight years from now.

England till I die,
I'm England till I die,
I know I am,
I'm sure I am,
I'm England till I die!

Amusing to think that if, perhaps, Sterling's rasping effort had flown in, or had Wazza buried that simple chance, or two, or maybe if the referee had done his job properly, or then again if Walcott and Oxlade were fit to play, this game might have more importance attached.

But there we go, that's life and football. One more game and England can start again...how many times have we heard that?

Oh the misery, oh the woe, oh the disappointment; but to be blown away for ninety carefree minutes under the Brazilian sun.

Come on England!

I honestly think there is something wrong with you

[Duty281]

England team for tomorrow

Foster
Jones
Cahill
Smalling
Shaw
Milner
Lampard
Wilshere
Barkley
Lallana
Sturridge

Disappointed Foster will play over Fraser Forster, who has more of an international future and hasn't quit on his country.

Your love for Foster knows no boundaries!

I would rather play Forster, though.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

England team for tomorrow

Foster
Jones
Cahill
Smalling
Shaw
Milner
Lampard
Wilshere
Barkley
Lallana
Sturridge

Disappointed Foster will play over Fraser Forster, who has more of an international future and hasn't quit on his country.

Your love for Foster knows no boundaries!

I would rather play Forster, though.

Basically getting a game cos he sucks Roy off

Its sickening

[Champagne_Socialist]

England team for tomorrow

Foster
Jones
Cahill
Smalling
Shaw
Milner
Lampard
Wilshere
Barkley
Lallana
Sturridge

Disappointed Foster will play over Fraser Forster, who has more of an international future and hasn't quit on his country.

Your love for Foster knows no boundaries!

I would rather play Forster, though.

Basically getting a game cos he sucks Roy off

Its sickening

I agree, no need to play him.

[Duty281]

England team for tomorrow

Foster
Jones
Cahill
Smalling
Shaw
Milner
Lampard
Wilshere
Barkley
Lallana
Sturridge

Disappointed Foster will play over Fraser Forster, who has more of an international future and hasn't quit on his country.

Your love for Foster knows no boundaries!

I would rather play Forster, though.

Basically getting a game cos he sucks Roy off

Its sickening

Ah, so that explains...

[NickisBHAFC]

That team for tomorrow night doesn't make a lot of sense.

[Strongback]

Ask most people watching the world cup and they would say Chile, the USA and Costa Rica have better players than England.

Disagree strongly. They don't have 11 players between them that would even make an England squad (frankly, 3 would be pushing it). There isn't a single England player that wouldn't get in those squads.

I disagree strongly. England are a lot worse than you are giving them credit for.  If England had better players they would not have lost their first two games.  Lets see how they do against Costa Rica.  Without good players the greatest manager of all time cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

I'll give an example, Ireland in the early 1990's were known as a team that were well organised, had a good team spirit and played unattractive very direct football, basically they were hard to beat and a goal was likely to come from a set piece.   They were a team that were not given much credit for being skillful or having good players.  The team was made of:

GK Pat Bonner.....................                          Glasgow Celtic (SCO)
       2 DF Chris Morris...........                 Glasgow Celtic (SCO)
       3 DF Steve Staunton......              Liverpool (ENG)
       4 DF Mick McCarthy........                Luton Town (ENG)
       5 DF Kevin Moran..........                 Blackburn Rovers (ENG)
       6 MD Ronnie Whelan.....               Liverpool (ENG)
       7 DF Paul McGrath........                Aston Villa (ENG)
       8 MD Ray Houghton......                Liverpool (ENG)
       9 FW John Aldridge.......                Real Sociedad (SPA)
      10 FW Tony Cascarino....               Aston Villa (ENG)
      11 MD Kevin Sheedy......                Everton (ENG)
      12 DF David O'Leary......                Arsenal (ENG)
      13 MD Andy Townsend...                Norwich City (ENG)
      14 DF Chris Hughton......                Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
      15 FW Bernie Slaven......                Middlesbrough (ENG)
      16 MD John Sheridan......               Sheffield Wednesday (ENG)
      17 FW Niall Quinn.........                  Manchester City (ENG)
      18 FW Frank Stapleton ..             Blackburn Rovers (ENG)
      19 FW David Kelly.........                  Leicester City (ENG)
      20 MD John Byrne..........                   Le Havre (FRA)
      21 MD Alan McLoughlin...              Swindon Town (ENG)
      22 GK Gerry Peyton........                 Bournemouth (ENG)

This squad weren't considered world beaters and did well to reach the quarter final of the World Cup in 1990. A bit of close analysis though shows that the Ireland team of 1990 has better players than the current England squad.

The point being that perception means nothing on a football pitch. People think the England players are decent when in reality most of the young players are little more than average and the older players have never done anything anyway.

[Nakatomi Plaza]

I disagree strongly. England are a lot worse than you are giving them credit for.  If England had better players they would not have lost their first two games.    

Yeah If Spain had better players, they would have beaten Chile and Holland  

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Ian Wright with a slightly skewed perspective on life

[Dolphin Ziggler]

The Sun! Brilliant

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Please tell me thats true

[Strongback]

I disagree strongly. England are a lot worse than you are giving them credit for.  If England had better players they would not have lost their first two games.    

Yeah If Spain had better players, they would have beaten Chile and Holland  

If their key players hadn't aged badly this season who knows they could have won the tournament like the previous three they did under the same manager.

That doesn't take away from the fact England's players are extremely average. To see otherwise is delusional.


Quality players make a good team which is why there are so many foreigners are in Premier League. It's obvious.

[Strongback]

Ian Wright with a slightly skewed perspective on life

Ian has been ignored in recent times alright. He's not happy about this fact obviously.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/23/doh-hapless-world-cup-souvenir-sellers-confuse-barack-obama-with-englands-chris-smalling-4772252/

This is all too much

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Imagine losing your loved one at war and getting Phil Jones ringing you up to discuss his football career

[The Special Juan]

"Every time he writes for The Sun, should Ian Wright have to ring a relative of a Hillsborough victim to explain himself?"

Matt Green

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

"The gaffer keeps picking me to play on the left but I feel I'm more suited to the number ten role do you think I shou...hello....hello....."

[Liam]

Team i'd play, based on looking towards the next major championships and those who haven't played a game yet:7

Forster

Smalling Jones Cahill Shaw

Lampard (c) Wilshere

Oxlade (if fit) Barkley Sterling

Sturridge

[Nakatomi Plaza]

Not usually a fan of Darren Lewis, but I think he's captured the issues surrounding the National team perfectly here.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/dont-blame-foreign-players-englands-3748324

[owen10ozzy]

Some of those decisions for tonight's game are baffling to say the least;

Give a guy who quit international football a game over a guy who could have a future with them and is under 30..

Milner - We've seen that Welbeck offers very little going forward...essentially a like for like replacement for another 'hard working, puts a shift in' player. Pointless exercise and Milner quite frankly is another player I don't want to see anywhere near the squad heading into the future.

Lampard - Obviously a purely sentimental choice from Roy; but why?! Yes he has been a long standing servent but lets not pretend he has actually given much to the international scene. 10 good performances possibly in a international career spanning almost 15 years!

Now perhaps these have just been selected as 'last fleeting performances' for all 3 players...and if that's the case fair enough. However given Roy is of the belief that Gerrard should play on and has more to offer it wouldn't shock me if these dinosaurs are still hanging around the team come 2016 qualification.

For me Roy should have used this game to send out a signal of intent and show both the fans and the media that he is ready to herald in a new dawn and that he is the right man to take England forward.

He has been rigid in his tactics again but insisting on sticking with a formation which England don't seem to have grasped; and I'm not just talking about this World Cup...we struggled even during qualifiers. It is essentially a 4-4-1-1 at best a 4-4-2 at worst.. because the roles he gives the 'wingers' are of a slightly defensive nature (plus Milner isn't even a winger in the first place).

I wanted to see him go 4-3-3 or even try something completely different and play a variation of 4-5-1...

Hart  

Smalling Cahill Jones Shaw

Henderson

Wilshere Barkley

Sterling Sturridge Lallana

Had Ox been fit would have had him over Barkley or Lallana...

If it was 4-5-1 ...

Hart

Smalling Cahill Jones Shaw

Henderson Wilshere

Sterling Barkley Lallana

Sturridge

Even a 3-5-2/5-3-2 (dependent on roles given to the players) could be an option. Just something different to be honest....show us we have a Plan B if A isn't working.

One thing that we have to see is England press better...the likes of Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ghana have all had success against the supposed 'best' teams in the tournament because they have pressed the ball and not given people time on the ball. Something we failed to do and because of it were caught out....1st Uruguay goal and both goals against Italy! It's basic yet Hodgson doesn't seem to have noticed it and that for me is a huge concern.

I'm happy to see him take us to Euro's because A) I don't see anyone else out there at the moment & B) think he should be given a chance to show us where he is taking England...

However with that being said...whilst it would never happen...if come the first squad announcement for the qualifiers there is any of the golden generation i.e. Lampard, Foster, Gerrard, Milner, Johnson etc anywhere near the squad then I would fire him on the spot because there are simply no excuses for having them around anymore.

Yes the squad would be young and inexperienced without them; however lets be honest there is absolutely no way we should struggle through the qualifiers what with our group and the fact top 2 now progress. I want to see youth in that squad and the team and I want to see plenty of fresh faces who don't have the corpses of a supposed 'golden generation' hanging around them.

As for tonight...think we lose 2-1 yet again! And there's my positivity for the day

[Geordie]

Hart
Smalling Cahill Jones Shaw
Henderson Wilshere
Sterling Barkley Lallana
Sturridge

I would be happy to see that side take the pitch..... Got a lot to offer.

[Strongback]

Looking at the line-up people are suggesting the thing that really stands out is a lack of quality players. England had maybe one top class player in the tournament and that was Rooney. After that its thin pickings.

[Geordie]

I think the last generation i would agree....but i do believe that the one coming through could have some very special players...if they are brought through correctly.

[Duty281]

Ian Wright with a slightly skewed perspective on life

I thought that were a joke, but it's real.

What a d!ck he is.

[Duty281]

http://www.ufwc.co.uk

A win today and England are world champions!

[Geordie]

Ah i think his meaning is ok its just come across a bit wrong.
 
He's just saying how can players not be bothered to represent their country when you have other young men out there dying for theirs.
 
And i agree with him. Playing for your country should be the pinacle especially in a World Cup final. Sadly these days they're only bothered about their £200k a week.

[Duty281]

Decent by England, just lacking the requisite patience and a killer final ball against an unambitious Costa Rica..although the reasons for that were clear and understandable.

In the end, a decent two games for England, one average one, with flashes of potential, and a greater amount of attacking threat than in previous tournaments... Although lacking the clinical edge, this time around.

Defensive frailty and a lack of experience were what cost England in the end.

[Champagne_Socialist]

no positives for England from this world cup. Poor tactics, poor team selections and a lack of passion and hunger from the players. Worst World cup in decades

[owen10ozzy]

Wilshere who IMO was on of our better players is taken of so we can have the two slowest players in the squad next to each other and have no pace in our midfield ,
Lallana is more creative , still had energy and was much a bigger threat than Milner gets taken off while Milner was literally dying out there. And the the playe who over the last 4 years had earnt his way from league 2 to the England setup , gets 5 mins total while danny welbeck manages to start two games,

However bringing through youth has just about saved woy his ion

I don't even think you can use the 'he was giving them their last chance in spotlight' to defend it because all signs point to him wanting them involved in a playing sense moving forward!

Like I said earlier on in the thread; I would give him the two years because frankly no one else out there and secondly he has been in the setup two years and players know him etc. However he must....absolutely must select a squad clear of any corpses of 2006,08,10 excluding Joe Hart....based on this I don't think he will.

Is he tactically able to bring out the strengths of the likes of Sterling...Lallana...etc?! I'm not so sure. The Southampton lot had more than any other player earnt there places in this side yet one featured for 5 mins and the other didn't get a full 90 mins and didn't even start until a non entity of a game despite him being the most creative English player in the game! Absolutely crazy!

The subs were uninspiring to say the least!

Next thing you know he will be lining up with two holding midfielders and no central midfielders despite having Wilshere, Barkley, Oxlade at his disposal! Oh no wait...he will play them...but just one as a DM with Henderson and the other two as wingers despite having Townsend, Walcott, Sterling etc available!

I said to give Roy another 2 years earlier; his uninspired subs have made me think otherwise. Unless Frank, Johnson and Gerrard take the decision out of his hands I expect them to continue making squads.

Take out our best link in the middle of the park to bring on Gerrard no legs...setting up a midfield combo that everyone and their dog knows never works in the middle of the park. Bring off Lallana...the top midfield scorer and assist English player in the Premier League when Milner is knackered and offering nothing on the other side!! Then bring on Rooney for a 20 odd minute cameo and don't even give Lambert a chance...a man who has been brilliant for the past 3 years for Southampton and scored more goals in open play than Rooney last year!!

Played a 4-3-3 today with two wingers who aren't actually wingers...that makes sense Roy!!!

Things look even worse when you take into account Costa Rica beat the two teams we couldn't and we were the only ones who failed to pick up anything against Italy!!

I have given up any hope that Roy will be able to fully push aside his negative side to be able to get the best out of England....something he simply has to do if he want's to make the most of what we have!

[Champagne_Socialist]

Roy needs to go, his tactics and team selections and 23 man squad selections were just terrible. We will never progress with him as manager.

We need someone like Klinsman

[Duty281]

Owen - Negativity? Didn't you watch the Italy game? That was the best England have been going forward for many a long day. Uruguay was a disappointment, fair enough, as England seemed to get confused with their mentality, and Costa Rica was a non-event for obvious reasons.

This World Cup has been better for England than 2006 and 2010 performance-wise; a shame the results don't show it.

[Champagne_Socialist]

Owen - Negativity? Didn't you watch the Italy game? That was the best England have been going forward for many a long day. Uruguay was a disappointment, fair enough, as England seemed to get confused with their mentality, and Costa Rica was a non-event for obvious reasons.

This World Cup has been better for England than 2006 and 2010 performance-wise; a shame the results don't show it.

What are you talking about? Playing OK  and then losing against one of the worst Italy teams I have seen who have lost or drawn their last 8/10 games is nothing to start celebrating about.

We never played well so stop acting as if we did. There is a reason we are bottom of the group with 0 wins....

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Chris Waddle comes out with some real tosh sometimes. Blames this on the players being too spoilt and wrapped in cotton wool

Cos of course the Spanish team of four years ago just slummed it out in the townships of South Africa Chris

[Dolphin Ziggler]

This game was a bit "lol who cares" but still people will go mental.

Wilshere is such a disappointment.

Lampard and Gerrard given their chance to say goodbye.

Sturridge is Andy Cole.

This World Cup: Modern football fans want it all and they want it now

[Guest]

Stop saying, `results haven't shown the performance` or words along those lines. England, under Roy are an embarrassment, truly pathetic. Bottom of the group.....terrible. Its not a group of death, its a group of absolute garbage nations, as Costa Rica have shown & proved. Costa Rica, Uruguay, Italy, Ecuador, Honduras.......no wins. Abysmal. Roy must have less than a 50% win rate, its truly shocking. Everyone piping on about this new exciting direction......its total bull####, this is the direction we`re going in, what we saw today. Stop creaming your pants over Barkley, the guy can't even keep the ball for gods sake & Wilshere will never develop into anything significant on the International stage either. Midfield is a serious worry going forward.

Roy is tactically inept, clueless as to how to get the best out of this generation, too conservative, he can't even motivate or get a reaction out of the players to win today, he wants Lampard/Gerrard to continue......how much longer can this go on? Let me guess, we lose to Switzerland in September & still people back him. The argument that there is no alternative is also absolute bull####.

What a terrible World Cup. Thanks Roy!  

[cherriesfna]

Roy needs to go, his tactics and team selections and 23 man squad selections were just terrible. We will never progress with him as manager.

We need someone like Klinsman

This   

[Stella]

England should have won this by a couple. Pity Sturridge had an off night. Was a bit 'friendly' like though. The players will now want to go home, and have a holiday.
As for the future. Roy, Gerrard, and Lampard should go. Not knocking the latter two, as they have been good players. We do have some talented young players, and with the right manager (?) might do ok in two years time.

[Hammersmith harrier]

I'm unsure about these talented young players, none of them have performed anywhere near the level of Rooney in 2004 and he turned out to be a very good player but not the messiah we hoped for so this bunch will flatter to deceive much like their more talented predecessors.

Many run down Svens team but that team was full of world class players, this current lot don't have the potential like they did.

[Stella]

We had world class players in most positions in 2002-2004, no doubt. I did say might do ok, and ok would mean a QF spot. It can only improve.

[Duty281]

England have not been humiliated, as 2010, and have not been outplayed, like in 2012.

They've been edged out in two games, and were the better team in the last game, admittedly a dead rubber. Plus, it was England's lack of clinical edge that may of cost them, not the overwhelming superiority of the opposition, which was never present.

England against Italy was the best they've played, from an attacking viewpoint, for at least a decade. Against Uruguay, it was disappointing, true, but it was still a  result which flattered the South Americans.

England were the better team for considerable spells in both games; something which they've never achieved against top-class opposition since 2004.

I'm scratching my head as to why people who never expected much in the first place want Roy Hodgson gone. You can't have it both ways that you expect England to do poorly, as many did, and then criticise them when they do exactly as you expected them to; if you don't think England have got very good players, it's hardly Hodgson's fault, is it?

And when we consider how much better England were at this tournament compared to two years ago - in terms of chance creation, ball retention, and bringing through young players, - we can see a step has been made forward, even if the results don't back it up. I mean, even the so-so game against Uruguay was probably better performance wise than anything England produced in Ukraine.

We can see where England need to improve, and we can hope that further improvements will be made in the lead-up to France 2016; specifically concerning the greater experience that some of our newer players will need, and the greater need for better defensive organisation, which was fundamentally lacking this tournament; all four goals that were conceded by England could have been easily avoided. That's perhaps the most galling thing.

That said, there are certain decisions that Roy Hodgson must make that he doesn't appear overly willing to do - removing Gerrard and Lampard from the international set-up, for instance. What he will do concerning Rooney is another matter; making him captain, as is rumoured, would be a backward step, I feel.

Tactics-wise, it may be worth experimenting with a 4-3-3 once again, but I certainly don't mind the 4-2-3-1 that has been in operation in Brazil.

And we may take some further solace from the fact that, with the exception of Germany, and perhaps France, no team from Europe has truly impressed at this tournament.

Having a lengthy run at Euro 2016 isn't out of the question, and from there...nah, I'll save that for two years time.

In conclusion: #royhodgsonsbarmyarmy

[Guest]

Having a lengthy run at Euro 2016 isn't out of the question

Delusional. End of.

The only reason it might be lengthy is because Platini increased the amount of teams involved. We might play more games, results will still be shambolic.

[Stella]

Duty

I hoped we'd get a quarter final spot. having seen the teams we played, we should have at least got out of the group. Roy deserves the boot for failing.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Funnily enough, I thought a Newcastle fan might recognise that you don't sack an England manager because one bad result at a tournament.

We wanted change, we wanted youth and style. So did Roy and the FA. We all knew it was a process, thankfully the fans don't make decisions cos they are fickle as Poopie

[Guest]

One bad result? The results have been shocking for months. Woeful qualifying campaign, where we couldn't win away against appalling sides. We then failed to muster a single win against Germany, Sweden, Chile, Honduras, Ecuador, Italy, Uruguay & Costa Rica. Results, not result.

Yeah, we wanted youth/style, Roy can only produce one of the two.

[Duty281]

John, why do you give friendlies such importance?

I, like many people, don't give a toss about results of friendlies - as Spain from 2010-2012 will attest, when you see the amount of friendlies they lost.

[Duty281]

Duty

I hoped we'd get a quarter final spot. having seen the teams we played, we should have at least got out of the group. Roy deserves the boot for failing.

I said before the tournament started that a quarterfinal would be par, and I would be happy with that.

Going out at the very earliest possibility is rather disappointing, but I don't think we can lay all the blame at the foot of the manager, simply because he's the easy target. There is only so much a manager can do.

England were not humiliated, nor were they tactically outclassed. They were simply edged out, and had chances to draw, or even win, all three games, but individual and officiating errors cost them dear.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Not only do I not think there are any better alternatives, I also think hes done the majority of what the FA have asked him. Apparently what England fans wanted. He's brought through the new generation, gone with them at a tournament and tried to play attacking football. I honestly prefer that to dragging our heels through three tired games to qualify, just waiting to get knocked out of a tournament.

The point of which was a long term plan. If you look at our team, we have inexperienced potential. This has done them plenty, plenty good. The process goes through to at least the Euros. If we havent moved on there, well then its time to make the change. But the intent of the side, better than ive seen since Hoddle, and the benefit of another two years leaves me positive.

At the end of the day, we lost by fine margins against two teams that us losing against is no embarrassment at all, in fact possibly expected outside this country. Then the dead rubber was just nothing.

What interested me were the personnel we put in, in the team and squad, and their intent to keep the ball and go at teams. Unsurprisingly, an inexperienced side faltered in that approach at times.

And we may have our worst defence since before a lot of people on this football section were born.

[Breadvan]

I posted before Roy should take us to the Euros....not to sure now. The players have passion and pride, what the don't have is confidence, composure and belief on the ball. This is down to basic coaching. I think this Eng squad needs a young modern foward thinking coach eg rodgers, gaudiola etc. We just looked bereft of ideas. Play players in their natural position fgs..

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