Topic: International Week March 2017

[darragh85]

Bobby Martinez at work.

Wilmots did the same though.

[zebenzui]

Wilmots did the same though.

Not a great example to follow.

[Gerry Attrick]

I don't rate Depay that highly but he's doing well at Lyon. Surely he'd be a better option than Luuk De Jong?

[cloggypop]

Kinell, Sneijder is on for Netherlands. He's done nothing of note for about 5 seasons.

It's a shame for the Dutch that Hakim Ziyech decided to play for Morocco

[Gerry Attrick]

It's a shame for the Dutch that Hakim Ziyech decided to play for Morocco

Messi wouldn't even be able to make half of these Dutch players look competent.

[darragh85]

im assuming robben is injured?

[Gerry Attrick]

im assuming robben is injured?

He's playing. Been shite though.

[OsirisMVZ]

Belgium = Everton in red

[b_joseph]

Belgium = Everton in red

And the blue scores...good goal, dicky keeping but good goal for him

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Good goal by Lukaku

Belgium have tons of talent, they should be doing something next year at the World Cup.

[SwordInYourGut]

Wilmots did the same though.

Wilmots had Kompany though

[Gerry Attrick]

Good goal by Lukaku

Belgium have tons of talent, they should be doing something next year at the World Cup.

They have one of the deepest squads in international football. Most of their squad players would be good enough to start for other countries.

[darragh85]

Wilmots had Kompany though

not that often in recent years.

didnt he play denayor and vermaelen at cb with verthongan and alderwereild at fb in the euros?

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

I love how Ronaldo is tearing it up and there's not a single mention of him in here 

[rafathegaffa83]

The collapse of the Netherlands football team has probably been a long time coming. The fact that they've done so well for so long is testament to their coaching. That said, in the past few years they have failed to develop world-class players like they once did. The likes of Robben, Sneijder and Van Persie were all born in the early 1980s. One wonders where the Dutch went wrong? Perhaps it is a product of teams looking to churn players out fast enough to sell to other clubs in Europe to stay afloat? Defensively they've been very poor in recent years and I often wonder if Dutch teams have put a greater focus on developing attacking players due to their higher transfer fees. Or maybe they shifted their coaching philosophies and need to locate what went wrong. Their neighbours Belgium had about a decade in the football wilderness, until they started correcting things and developing players. Perhaps, the Dutch need to miss another tournament to start the national reappraisal.

[Caligula?]

That's the worst Dutch side I've ever seen in my life. They've really gone off a cliff the past few years. Compare the team that started the WC final less than 7 years ago to the one that started tonight.

Dutch team that started 2010 World Cup final:
Stekelenburg, van der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen, van Bronckhorst, van Bommel, de Jong, Robben, Sneijder, Kuyt, van Persie

Last night's team:
Zoet, Karsdorp, Martins Indi, de Ligt, Blind, Strootman, Wijnaldum, Robben, Klaassen, Promes, Dost

Other than Wijnaldum and a past-his-best Robben, there's very little in the way of quality there.

[tonysleft]

That's the worst Dutch side I've ever seen in my life. They've really gone off a cliff the past few years. Compare the team that started the WC final less than 7 years ago to the one that started tonight.

Dutch team that started 2010 World Cup final:
Stekelenburg, van der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen, van Bronckhorst, van Bommel, de Jong, Robben, Sneijder, Kuyt, van Persie

Last night's team:
Zoet, Karsdorp, Martins Indi, de Ligt, Blind, Strootman, Wijnaldum, Robben, Klaassen, Promes, Dost

Other than Wijnaldum and a past-his-best Robben, there's very little in the way of quality there.

Christ that's an absolutely dismal first XI. None of them are top quality. And even the 2010 XI isn't good either, just a functional side.

[Greatness]

Christ that's an absolutely dismal first XI. None of them are top quality. And even the 2010 XI isn't good either, just a functional side.

Snejder and Robben were two of the best players in the world at that time, apart from Wijnaldum and the ageing Robben this current team is breath of quality.

[oojason]

England vs Lithuania  (World Cup Qualifier - Group F)

5pm kick off live on ITV.

streams available here - https://soccerstreams.net/streams/4782/england-150_vs_lithuania-149 & http://www.tvcatchup.com/watch/itv & http://www.filmon.com/tv/itv1



Lithuania XI: Setkus, Klimavicius, Cernych, Slavickas, Kijanskas, Vaitkunas, Kuklys, Slivka, Valskis, Zulpa, Novikovas


https://twitter.com/England
https://twitter.com/ltfutbolas

http://www.flashscores.co.uk/

[oojason]

some of the live games on uk tv today - http://www.live-footballontv.com/

some streams for various games today - https://soccerstreams.net/

decent site for live scores, fixtures, results, tables and line-ups, plussome game with live text commentary - http://www.flashscores.co.uk/

[Crosby Nick]

Where's Dier play, is that three centre backs or is he in midfield?

Good luck Lallana. Not a lot of goals in that team.

[Upinsmoke]

That team is terrible.

Worse than the one's that have continually failed lately.

[The North Bank]

Where's Dier play, is that three centre backs or is he in midfield?

Good luck Lallana. Not a lot of goals in that team.

looks like 4-4-2 with Dier in midfield

[Schmidt]

Where's Dier play, is that three centre backs or is he in midfield?

Good luck Lallana. Not a lot of goals in that team.

Could be 3-4-3 with a midfield of Ox and Alli or 4-3-3 with Dier as the holding mid, both pretty similar really.

[Upinsmoke]

He's chosen a team which could be a number of systems, but for me he's trying to be too clever. I get that he wants the team to be adaptable (God knows he's not shut up about it) but you know, pick a good team instead of "adaptable" players who aren't very good.

[Crosby Nick]

He's chosen a team which could be a number of systems, but for me he's trying to be too clever. I get that he wants the team to be adaptable (God knows he's not shut up about it) but you know, pick a good team instead of "adaptable" players who aren't very good.

There's not really any glaring omissions though are there?

[TheShanklyGates]

There's not really any glaring omissions though are there?

Walcott is perhaps the only one you could make a case for but he blows hot and cold at the best of times. Even accounting for injuries it's probably the worst collection of England players I can remember being available to the manager.

[BEAST]

I'm sure the little Sunderland lad is buzzing that Defoe is starting today

[BEAST]

Obviously the individual players are low quality but if they actually play like a team it won't be hard for them to accomplish more than the previous England teams

[TheShanklyGates]

Looks likes Southgate has abandoned the back 3 after one game.

[Schmidt]

Looks likes Southgate has abandoned the back 3 after one game.

It was a friendly against a better team, two pretty good reasons to go with a one off change of system. People are way too critical of England friendlies, nothing wrong with trying out different things in these matches, especially when the changes could suit your players or hide their weaknesses.

[Upinsmoke]

It was a friendly against a better team, two pretty good reasons to go with a one off change of system. People are way too critical of England friendlies, nothing wrong with trying out different things in these matches, especially when the changes could suit your players or hide their weaknesses.

Not sure about that. Bertrand and Walker are playing as wingers almost and dier is just infront of the back two

[Chris~]

Walcott is perhaps the only one you could make a case for but he blows hot and cold at the best of times. Even accounting for injuries it's probably the worst collection of England players I can remember being available to the manager.

Think it's better than what was available around euro 2012, where it was the Golden Generation players living mostly off reputation and young players who weren't really ready.

There's not much depth but you could put together a good first 11 that could do well at a tournament if coached right.

[Gerry Attrick]

I think playing 3 at the back would be a good idea when everybody is available. Most of England's better defenders play in the system for their club team so why not go with it at international level.

[Schmidt]

Not sure about that. Bertrand and Walker are playing as wingers almost and dier is just infront of the back two

I'm not saying he's not playing a 3-4-3 just that there wouldn't be anything wrong with choosing one system for the Germany friendly and another today.

[Upinsmoke]

I'm not saying he's not playing a 3-4-3 just that there wouldn't be anything wrong with choosing one system for the Germany friendly and another today.

Sorry mate I saw you quote theshanklygates and quoted you instead of him by mistake

[oojason]

Obviously the individual players are low quality but if they actually play like a team it won't be hard for them to accomplish more than the previous England teams

Such thinking may seem sensible - but is not welcome at the FA - having as many 'big' names as possible pushed in to an unbalanced and underperforming XI has sufficed for them for many years.

Plus, they need money from playing as many big names as possible pushed into an XI to help attract sponsors, sell the shirts and tat, all to help pay for their excessive wages and expenses such as dinners, lunches, travel, hotels - and chuck a few quid for some PR to show they do a lot for grassroots or kids.

Rant over


This team, may be a welcome change to that... certainly hope so.

[Chris~]

I think playing 3 at the back would be a good idea would probably be a good idea. Most of England's better defenders play in the system for their club team so why not go with it at international level.

Problem is that you need Stones or Dier to be as good a passer as Luiz or Vertonghan/Alderweireld to make it work. Plus If you go with Stones/Dier/Keane for example who do you put in front of them to be the Wanyama/Kante that offers the protection, Livermore? Other option would be having Dier there I guess, but then your putting a worse passer in an already not convincing on the ball back three.

[Schmidt]

Sorry mate I saw you quote theshanklygates and quoted you instead of him by mistake

No worries, I've done that a few times too.

The number of commentators and pundits who still go on about "putting it in the mixer" is just absurd, does any top team take that approach?

[TheShanklyGates]

No worries, I've done that a few times too.

The number of commentators and pundits who still go on about "putting it in the mixer" is just absurd, does any top team take that approach?

Every team Pulis has ever managed? And Moyeseh's United of course, who could forget the epic draw with Fulham.