Hodgson - I dont know why I'm here; smint?

[Mattshark]

Who exactly is he supposed to choose?

There needs to be more English players playing in the league to give any manager a choice. Yet its so hard for a player to break through unless they are an exceptional player like Sterling. With so much money at stake, clubs buy imports rather than risk playing inexperienced youngsters. Its a tough cycle to break. I doubt in fact that Sterling would have broke through so quickly now as we have such a large squad of highly paid players. The attitude of some of the youngsters also needs to improve, but I think they are reflective of a general attitude amongst youngsters in this country. Few are hungry enough to knuckle down.

Roy / whoever else is next in line, perhaps needs to harbour team spirit and get a group of players in that aren't prima dona's and works to their strengths. We need to accept we aren't winning anything, in fact we need to be more like the Scots now under Strachan and the Republic were back in the day, create a team spirit where players play for each other. You have a smaller pool of players than previously and you set realistic targets, such as qualifying for tournaments over being foolhardy and believing we can win the damn thing.

That is part of the problem, there is little to choose from. That is a fault of youth production in the country though, the players we are producing are simply not good enough and until that changes the won't be more playing.

[Roboklopp]

Bodge droning on & on & on on SSN.

[Exiled_red]

That is a truly dire squad

As for the 'ginger Pirlo'

[ChesterDave]

Personally I think the reason the players arent breaking through is they arent good enough its nothing to do with lack of opportunities

If a foreign 18 year old is good enough to play in England then they are better than an English 18 year old. Both are inexperienced.

Anyway, came to the thread to laugh at the expected attendance for the Norway game - 35,000 to 40,000. Of course, if would be the perfect chance to slash ticket prices so some kids could get to see the national team play who might otherwise not be able to afford it.

Bet they don't

[Gazzla]

Quite possibly the worst England squad I've ever seen, coupled with the ****test manager in living memory

[dww]

Hmmm, not that I give a ****, but Roy was parised for giving youth a chance at the World Cup, particularly with Sterling. He's continuing in that direction and he's now getting slated for it. Gerrard and Lampard have retired, Ferdinand and Terry are no longer viable options. So what else is left?

England have **** players. Hodgson is ****. But I'm not sure what else he could have done in the circumstances.

I have no real problem with that 'direction' but I think the problem is that the players (bar Chambers) are mostly remarkable for running about a lot rather than their technical or tactical ability.

I also think that part of the problem is that people thought that turning to youth was a good thing at the World Cup and I think it probably was. However, it happened too late to properly integrate the players into a system/style of play and consequently we looked disjointed and the players inexperience showed. It all seemed to have no plan to it.

Seeing a list of names who are so uninspiring tends to highlight the limitations of the Hodgson regime. Much like when he was with us his limp, uninspiring approach takes a while to grind you down before the full tedious slow burn horror becomes obvious to you.

[john316]

Team announced for tomorrow. Looks like 4-4-2....

[elrichio86]

Hodgson's comments from yesterday imply that he's decided the reason for the failure in Brazil was the formation, and so he's going back to 442.

“I don’t need to get hung up about whether it’s the buzz formation of the moment.”

“When it comes to formations there are trends but those trends mean you risk putting square pegs in round holes. The gameplan is to use the quality of the players in the right way. The important thing is whether it’s a good formation and a good way of playing that will suit the players and get the most out of us.”

[Muddled]

Joe Hart

John Stones
Phil Jones
Gary Cahill
Leighton Baines

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Jack Wilshere
Jordan Henderson
Raheem Sterling

Daniel Sturridge
Wayne Rooney (c)

The young ones have to step up to the plate and make certain they don't let themselves down.

[Alex]

Joe Hart

John Stones
Phil Jones
Gary Cahill
Leighton Baines

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Jack Wilshere
Jordan Henderson
Raheem Sterling

Daniel Sturridge
Wayne Rooney (c)

Stick in Lallana for Wilshire and thats a fairly strong side. .

[Roboklopp]

Did Bodge actually say that Mudds or are you taking the piss? As many have said before, it's really difficult to tell with that clown.

[Muddled]

Stick in Lallana for Wilshire and thats a fairly strong side. .

On paper, perhaps. Bar Jones. But a Lallana, Henderson midfield two is vulnerable. I don't think we have the players for a 4-4-2 and when it's a friendly game and he's got two weeks with the players, perhaps he should be experimenting with the players he has at his disposal, instead of shoe-horning a team in to his rigid 4-4-2. Especially when he's parped what is in elrichio86's post.

Did Bodge actually say that Mudds or are you taking the piss? As many have said before, it's really difficult to tell with that clown.

Cross my heart and hope to die.

[Roboklopp]

On paper, perhaps. Bar Jones. But a Lallana, Henderson midfield two is vulnerable. I don't think we have the players for a 4-4-2 and when it's a friendly game and he's got two weeks with the players, perhaps he should be experimenting with the players he has at his disposal, instead of shoe-horning a team in to his rigid 4-4-2. Especially when he's parped what is in elrichio86's post.



Cross my heart and hope to die.

Stick a needle in your eye?

[Pablo]

"buzz formations"? He really is a dinosaur

I also sense an undertone from him that he wants to blame the failure in the Brazil on mimicking (poorly) Liverpool's formation. "If I'd stuck to 4-4-2 this would never have happened."

Feel so sorry for the Liverpool lads when they have to play under him after getting used to Rodgers, it must be incredibly frustrating.

[Roboklopp]

It really confuses & upsets me your name change.