***England v Italy Thread***

[Dameerto]

We lost it because we were outmanned in midfield with noone to help out Parker and Gerrard, the end result was Gerrard cramping badly towards the end and Parker couldn't even see the game out. That's what happens with a rigid 4-4-2, too much is expected of the central midfielders and not enough attention can be paid to Pirlo. The latter point at least was spotted by Hodgson (when it was too late) and he moved Rooney to the very front and brought Carroll on to try and molest Pirlo (woh didn't like the look of him at all) but it was too little too late. Our midfield (as planned by Hodgson) cost us the win. The fewking game was winnable and with the players he fielded too.

This is more or less what I tried to say earlier about England performances and you claimed I was looking for chance "to gloat" about England losing. I still don't get why I would gloat about something like that? Just neutrals opinion.

Again, Hodgson plays exactly the same kind of dead boring outdated 4-4-2 football he had Finland playing when he was in charge. No fresh ideas and no risk taking. Now this football will probably take you to World Cup and maybe even out of the group there but it will NEVER win you anything. Sure you will never fall completely flat with it either.

I was trying to wind you up 'cause I was bored.

[Moonchesteri]

from M.E.N:

"Michael Owen suggested technical shortcomings and the absence of Paul Scholes were the keys to England's exit from Euro 2012 after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy."

ha ha.
Also, that ginger twat is apparently as good as Pirlo!

"He wrote: "Pirlo was awesome but we have a player of a similar age and equally as good. Unfortunately he wasn't there. £Scholes."

[Ted Hughes]

from M.E.N:

"Michael Owen suggested technical shortcomings and the absence of Paul Scholes were the keys to England's exit from Euro 2012 after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy."

ha ha.
Also, that ginger twat is apparently as good as Pirlo!

"He wrote: "Pirlo was awesome but we have a player of a similar age and equally as good. Unfortunately he wasn't there. £Scholes."

Tbh I think he's not far wrong. Pirlo would get mugged in the Prem as Scholes does when he plays a decent team imo but if you let them play, they dominate. The problem is that no England player can pass for shit once they put a white shirt on, so when Scholes passed it, Rooney or Young etc would just give it away.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

from M.E.N:

"Michael Owen suggested technical shortcomings and the absence of Paul Scholes were the keys to England's exit from Euro 2012 after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy."

ha ha.
Also, that ginger twat is apparently as good as Pirlo!

"He wrote: "Pirlo was awesome but we have a player of a similar age and equally as good. Unfortunately he wasn't there. £Scholes."

Scholes is five years older than Pirlo. I doubt Pirlo will be playing for Italy in five years.

[Ted Hughes]

from M.E.N:

"Michael Owen suggested technical shortcomings and the absence of Paul Scholes were the keys to England's exit from Euro 2012 after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy."

ha ha.
Also, that ginger twat is apparently as good as Pirlo!

"He wrote: "Pirlo was awesome but we have a player of a similar age and equally as good. Unfortunately he wasn't there. £Scholes."

Scholes is five years older than Pirlo. I doubt Pirlo will be playing for Italy in five years.

When Scholes was at his peak, he played nothing like Pirlo, that's the problem. No English players ever do. It happens as a last resort when the headless chicken motor wears out.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

from M.E.N:

"Michael Owen suggested technical shortcomings and the absence of Paul Scholes were the keys to England's exit from Euro 2012 after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy."

ha ha.
Also, that ginger twat is apparently as good as Pirlo!

"He wrote: "Pirlo was awesome but we have a player of a similar age and equally as good. Unfortunately he wasn't there. £Scholes."

Scholes is five years older than Pirlo. I doubt Pirlo will be playing for Italy in five years.

When Scholes was at his peak, he played nothing like Pirlo, that's the problem. No English players ever do. It happens as a last resort when the headless chicken motor wears out.

Nah mate, I wasn't saying that they were similar. I don't think they are/were similar at all. Just pointed out how stupid Owen's comment about "having player of similar age" was.

Actually young Gerrard was bit similar to Pirlo (and as it happens, about same age) but his game transformed into something else because of the role he has had to do in Liverpool. His "do it all" role for Liverpool was also the reason why he never really worked that well with either Scholes or especially Lampard. They were constantly on each others way. Had Gerrard dropped little deeper and stayed on that deep playmaker role spreading the ball and let other midfielders take on other duties it would've worked better imo. But like I said, he always did the same things he did for Liverpool and ended up in everyones way.

[Ted Hughes]

from M.E.N:

"Michael Owen suggested technical shortcomings and the absence of Paul Scholes were the keys to England's exit from Euro 2012 after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy."

ha ha.
Also, that ginger twat is apparently as good as Pirlo!

"He wrote: "Pirlo was awesome but we have a player of a similar age and equally as good. Unfortunately he wasn't there. £Scholes."

Scholes is five years older than Pirlo. I doubt Pirlo will be playing for Italy in five years.

When Scholes was at his peak, he played nothing like Pirlo, that's the problem. No English players ever do. It happens as a last resort when the headless chicken motor wears out.

Nah mate, I wasn't saying that they were similar. I don't think they are/were similar at all. Just pointed out how stupid Owen's comment about "having player of similar age" was.

Actually young Gerrard was bit similar to Pirlo (and as it happens, about same age) but his game transformed into something else because of the role he has had to do in Liverpool. His "do it all" role for Liverpool was also the reason why he never really worked that well with either Scholes or especially Lampard. They were constantly on each others way. Had Gerrard dropped little deeper and stayed on that deep playmaker role spreading the ball and let other midfielders take on other duties it would've worked better imo. But like I said, he always did the same things he did for Liverpool and ended up in everyones way.

That's what I'm saying.

For Utd,Scholes now does a similar job to Pirlo but he's old & slow & decent sides overrun him. When he was younger, he charged about, as does/did Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham etc etc etc. None of them will sit in there & control a game. They all could but none do. They take it in turns to do their party pieces. Beckham could have done what Pirlo did but he would never do that. If we haven't broken down the oppo after ten seconds, he would start firing glory balls at wingers etc, not waiting for a space to open. They all play like that. 4 or 5 players all pinging impossible passes around intead of pass & move.

I recently saw a re-run of England v Cameroon & Chris Waddle is doing the same; dropping back infront of the fullback & hitting 50 yard passes to the oppo. Just like Beckham used to do.

[Alex Sapphire]

did anyone else post this beauty?

[Ted Hughes]

I've just watched City's U15s & the City midfield were like flies round shit when our defenders had the ball. 1,2,3 of them all dropping back, making angles and DEMANDING the ball. Nothing went long EVER.

14 year old kids are doing what Steven Gerrard & Scott Parker couldn't.

[Swales4ever]

I've just watched City's U15s & the City midfield were like flies round shit when our defenders had the ball. 1,2,3 of them all dropping back, making angles and DEMANDING the ball. Nothing went long EVER.

14 year old kids are doing what Steven Gerrard & Scott Parker couldn't.

I watched it too, last nite,
You should just be grateful of that City is establishing his pattern of footy throughout the whole range of ranks, Pal.
no different than what Barca have done at la cantera.
As You already postted in the other historical retrospective thread, it's all about the culture underneath development of English talents

[Ted Hughes]

I've just watched City's U15s & the City midfield were like flies round shit when our defenders had the ball. 1,2,3 of them all dropping back, making angles and DEMANDING the ball. Nothing went long EVER.

14 year old kids are doing what Steven Gerrard & Scott Parker couldn't.

I watched it too, last nite,
You should just be grateful of that City is establishing his pattern of footy throughout the whole range of ranks, Pal.
no different than what Barca have done at la cantera.
As You already postted in the other historical retrospective thread, it's all about the culture underneath development of English talents

You saw it last night ? It said it was live today. Was it the Vasco de Gama game you saw ? This was v Singapore & we won 6-0.

I think it's fantastic. I've never seen a City kids team play like that before.

I assume Ajax will still be way ahead of us and probably turn us over, as they are allowed to coach for more hours than over here, but watching those kids play, I take my hat off to Scott Sellars. He has obviously told them how to play from the back & the great thing about it is that even when they fucked it up completely, they had the confidence just to carry on playing that way. He's obviously not giving them shit when they make mistakes, just telling them to keep playing football. One move, the keeper passed it out to the CB just outside our box, was closed down so passed it back, keeper passed it out to another lad on the edge, closed down, passed back, out again passed back, out again, one two'd on through midfield, through to the striker, round their keeper: goal. Fucking tremendous.

How good those kids are individually I've no idea (some looked great but they are so young & the oppo was shite) but if they are being taught to play that way, then when we do get talented lads, we can be sure they are learning the game correctly nowardays.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I've just watched City's U15s & the City midfield were like flies round shit when our defenders had the ball. 1,2,3 of them all dropping back, making angles and DEMANDING the ball. Nothing went long EVER.

14 year old kids are doing what Steven Gerrard & Scott Parker couldn't.

I watched it too, last nite,
You should just be grateful of that City is establishing his pattern of footy throughout the whole range of ranks, Pal.
no different than what Barca have done at la cantera.
As You already postted in the other historical retrospective thread, it's all about the culture underneath development of English talents

You saw it last night ? It said it was live today. Was it the Vasco de Gama game you saw ? This was v Singapore & we won 6-0.

I think it's fantastic. I've never seen a City kids team play like that before.

I assume Ajax will still be way ahead of us and probably turn us over, as they are allowed to coach for more hours than over here, but watching those kids play, I take my hat off to Scott Sellars. He has obviously told them how to play from the back & the great thing about it is that even when they fucked it up completely, they had the confidence just to carry on playing that way. He's obviously not giving them shit when they make mistakes, just telling them to keep playing football. One move, the keeper passed it out to the CB just outside our box, was closed down so passed it back, keeper passed it out to another lad on the edge, closed down, passed back, out again passed back, out again, one two'd on through midfield, through to the striker, round their keeper: goal. Fucking tremendous.

How good those kids are individually I've no idea (some looked great but they are so young & the oppo was shite) but if they are being taught to play that way, then when we do get talented lads, we can be sure they are learning the game correctly nowardays.

Just about the way I saw that game too Ted.The opposition were very weak but it was just the way we went about the game that was so pleasing.As you said players making angles all the time and often the player receiving the ball showing good touch and awareness. And I did think some real quality individuals as well.Nuttall up front was a hell of a unit but some great diddy guys looked quality.

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

I've just watched City's U15s & the City midfield were like flies round shit when our defenders had the ball. 1,2,3 of them all dropping back, making angles and DEMANDING the ball. Nothing went long EVER.

14 year old kids are doing what Steven Gerrard & Scott Parker couldn't.

Amazing insight. Definitely the same level as international football.

I scored 4 goals at Stockport Powerleague on Monday night, though shortly after the game when Roy phoned me I told him of my fear of flying and it transpired that not going to Brazil in two years time after all.

[Swales4ever]

yep. the 2 mins. vs Vasco da Gama is what I saw, but as You and DH explained results and quality of oppositions are scarcely important when You see a clear pattern on building the game. I was amazed by the fluency of the ball flowing freely from the back onward and the confidence of how they kept going it. I obviously don't know a thing about this brasilian lads, but if anything 15 y.o. brasilians has free flowing football in their dna, but the very brasilians looked those wearing the sky blue. that's all it counts and I wouldn't be so negative about the supremacy of the Ajax Accademy when the Ethiad Campus will be operative.
looking fwd to whatch the 6-0 highlights.
happy days, indeed.

[tombong]

Have a look at how Manchester City football philosophy instilled in to these youngsters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9p1Bksx4_U&feature=plcp

So no surprise there in what we saw in Lion City Cup in terms of movement and passing