LUFCTALK

I know now why I don’t watch England, god it’s awful. 1-0 against a team like Andorra is shocking.

Its not great

Mind I suppose it's a second squad.

Watched it on my laptop (on silence) as I concentrated on the Test March on the big TV!

Why were we continually passing backwards and forwards across the back four? We were playing Andorra for crying out loud. I lost count of the number of shots on goal that went miles over the bar. The free kick just on half-time, I said out loud 'this will go in the stand' and right on cue, it did


We should have completely different tactics for teams like Andorra. Instead we play as though we are playing a top team.

johnh wrote:Why were we continually passing backwards and forwards across the back four? We were playing Andorra for crying out loud. I lost count of the number of shots on goal that went miles over the bar. The free kick just on half-time, I said out loud 'this will go in the stand' and right on cue, it did


We should have completely different tactics for teams like Andorra. Instead we play as though we are playing a top team.

I'm not trying to defend England's tactics/performance - I contemplated switching over to the cricket - but what do you do against a team that parks the bus and lines up 5-4-1? And with a totally changed team from the previous game?

Both Bielsa and Southgate are modern managers who believe keeping possession of the ball is paramount. The difference is that Bielsa has spoilt us with the flair with which it's done.

Kudos to Andorra for taking the knee.

mapperleywhite wrote:

johnh wrote:Why were we continually passing backwards and forwards across the back four? We were playing Andorra for crying out loud. I lost count of the number of shots on goal that went miles over the bar. The free kick just on half-time, I said out loud 'this will go in the stand' and right on cue, it did


We should have completely different tactics for teams like Andorra. Instead we play as though we are playing a top team.

I'm not trying to defend England's tactics/performance - I contemplated switching over to the cricket - but what do you do against a team that parks the bus and lines up 5-4-1? And with a totally changed team from the previous game?

Both Bielsa and Southgate are modern managers who believe keeping possession of the ball is paramount. The difference is that Bielsa has spoilt us with the flair with which it's done.

Kudos to Andorra for taking the knee.

I honestly think a Bielsa team would have created more against such a team.

I watched it mainly for Bamford. I'm delighted for him to be selected but, truthfully, I really wasn't expecting much from him today. Anyone who has been on here a while knows I have defended him throughout his Leeds career and that I don't over-criticise anyway.

It must be difficult playing in a team where no one will pass to you. Kane is obviously used to it, he has to go and get the ball himself.

Bamford suffered from the common England malaise of every player taking too many touches on the ball and allowing any space they might have had to be shut down, leading to a lot of sideways and backwards passing. He was constantly looking to make runs and was just never picked out. When they do things quickly, with one and two touches, they make chances. I've never understood it. I do feel like reaching the semis and final of the last tournaments has made us look better than we actually are. We're hard working, determined and hard to beat but we are not very creative at all.

NW, thanks for list of full internationals - interesting reading. I expect Meslier and Raph will join that list so we could field a starting 11 of full internationals