Great performance last night I thought from England and a superb win for Scotland in France. Sacre bleu that’s two demoralising losses for les bleus in a week. Now the French know what it’s like to be an England supporter. Not that I’m crowing because as we all know it could all go horribly wrong for both the England footie and rugby sides yet. Sad reverses for the lads in green and didn’t Bellamy’s Wales do brilliantly (I still think he’s a prick) but it’s all a bit late I guess.
But back to England. Finally McQ resisted the temptation to tinker and put his faith in a balanced team of players and they repaid his faith in them. They looked especially good in that first half. I thought Barry had a sublime game and Heskey not far behind him. They simply did what was asked of them and did it without fault. Owen gets all the credits this morning, and he looked hot again, but it more than anything a really good team performance. Whisper it softly but I think Rooney, G Neville, Lampard and Beckham shouldn’t automatically get brought back into the side but should be drafted in only when this side starts to flag. What do you think?
Tell you what though once Hiddink got his A team on in the second half, the Russians did look pretty good. They’re in need of a striker clearly but they’ll be no push over in the critical away game. I thought it was tactically brilliant for Hiddink to load up on our two full backs at the start of the second half. The partnerships A Cole and Richards have forged with Joe Cole on the left and Wright-Phillips on the right are great but only when we’re attacking. They (JC and W-P) are lightweights at tracking back and helping their full backs. That’s why Mourinho hasn’t got complete faith in them of course. We kind of got away with it last night but it’s something McQ will need to think about. It looks like our Achilles heel. That apart a good outcome. The great underachievers came good at last against the Great Over Achiever. Definitely McQ 1 Guus 0 was the other significant result on the night…
pp
Pasta Paulie 
agree with most of that PP. My only worry is that we keep winning, which within 2 games will lead to ‘England Hot Favourites’ guff that we always get. We’ll see how good McQ is when he has to choose players rather than use what he’s left with. Do you realise he could become revered like Sir Bobby if this goes on (remember how lucky he was in stumbling on to a team after a terrible start to the WC?)
Also it seemed very boring and professional. Almost as if they were simply doing what they are paid to do and that can’t be the way forward. why can’t we have the excitement of the NI team? throwing away a great opportunity with an own goal, fighting each other in the tunnel and then kicking off on the plane. Brilliant.
And what about the ROI. They appoint someone with the nickname ‘stan’ after a comedic genius and then they’re surprised that they become a laughing stock. Bet Staunton wishes he was still putting out the cones for training as he did in his heady days (just before getting the ROI job) as assistant reserve team manager at walsall!
Think we need a more in depth UK (and ROI) analysis PP otherwise if England carry on improving there’ll be little to get really stuck into.
Mr
hi m
sorry i was getting a little ahead of myself by nearly being praising mclaren. i think he did stumble on the formation because circumstances forced him into it. would he have ever dropped lampard. would barry have ever have been selected ahead of lampard or hargreaves or carrick perhaps? and would he have ever have selected heskey in a million years if owen hadn’t whispered the idea in his ear? i doubt all of that.
thing is though it is winning football but not the most exciting. do we care? i’d locve to see a fit again rooney back in the side but has he got the formation, team mates to accommodate him and allow him to blossom. i don’t think mcq can figure it out as well as ferguson.
i’m happy not to see a half fit beckham playing just to give him his 100 caps glory. i don’t think the team needs his ego/attendant circus either.
that said we’ve lost some personality from the side at the moment as you say. there are a lot of quiet boys in there now. unlike the NI boys as you point out. great stuff. i guess it all had to go off the boil at some point but dem lads know how to fall out. bellamy’s in the wrong frigging team.
easy to say i know but I never figured ‘stan’ staunton would ever make the grade. like sammy lee he just doesn’t look the part.
see ya mate
p