England hanging by a thread after Uruguay defeat

Hope Ross gets a few minutes in the second half too!

Suarez plays a blinder.
Yeah I know, what he is capable of.

Same England selection for redemption by the sounds of it.
Why, as they really should put Uraguay to bed surely?

A certain manager is a stubborn fool and will play this same team again should they prevail and go through.

Wanna carry on?

Not looking good at present.

I have been saying it for ages about Phil"I never win a header" Jagielka and I will continue to say it next season when we look total shite at defending any type of high balls into the box.

He is too small for a centre half especially in the Premier League and he never wins headers, he is not commanding.

Watched that big Colombian central defender Yepes, won every header, that’s how to do it.

Too many oval pegs in round holes. Too labored. Just hope we have a change of the full English management after the last game.

The Prem and the World Cup in a few weeks.

Bet the FA are now cursing that shite European Championship group that starts in September.

A group that includes Lithuania and Slovenia, they won't even half fill Wembley for them, they may aswell play them around the country at the likes of Stoke or Sunderland.

Shite players and agree with the above post I wouldn't sign any of them, Welbeck shite, Rooney scored but average, Gerrard needs to retire now, Baines will do well to keep Oviedo out next year...don't even get me started again on Jagielka.

Utter bollocks.

Roll on the next World Cup only for the fact that Gerrard won't be playing in it and people won't be calling for Rio Terry and Ashley Cole to come back every second of the day.

Its noting to do with a foreign invasion (we haven't won a trophy since 1966) the foreigners only came in the 90's in flocks.

Its a lack of passion for wanting to play football the right way in our youth, it's too easy for British youth to be lazy, be boozers or just turn to crime rather than pick a ball up and just play like South Americans do.

We have destroyed ourselves.

How to stop England, guaranteed, press them and don't give them any space and time on the ball. That's worked for 50 years, and we still haven't sufficient ball skill to overcome that tactic.

Italy did give us room to play and we flattered to deceive once more.

Luis Suarez was Phil Jagielka's worst nightmare as he twice fired Uruguay in front against England on Thursday night – and it's not the first time. The Everton defender has now conceded six goals in as many games against the striker who plays for Merseyside rivals Liverpool following his double in Uruguay's 2-1 win in World Cup Group D.
Here, Sportsmail looks back at Jagielka's horror show.

Just compare their effort with Chile, or Uruguay tonight. Overpaid, soft, mentally weak, too up themselves to improve their technique with practice. Look how Suarez, one month after knee surgery, was pressing by the corner flag towards the end of the game.

Good riddance, now we can watch some proper teams.

Milner
Welbeck
Jagielka
Baines
Johnson
Henderson

His many of them would get in Argentina's, Brazil's, Italy's, Colombia's, Chile's or Holland's, France's or Germany's squads?

Even Wilshere and Lallana are not world class, Lallana is 26 and if Liverpool pay over £20 million for him they will be fleeced..

Lambert? Not the future

Rooney?? Not world class anymore, maybe never was, yes he scored but what has he done in three World Cups now?

English football is in the gutter.

Over-hyped build-up.
Arrogant fans and pundits.
Insipid football.

As with the last World Cup, the most memorable thing will be the after-match phone-ins.

I hope either Chile or Ecuador win it.
Chile - as they have an Everton connection.
Ecuador - as I sponsor a little kid who lives there.

Got a funny feeling the Hun are going to do it though.

Uruguay have a population like Wales and have won the trophy twice. The difference was Suarez who is a truly great player and Liverpool will have a hell of a job holding onto him. We do not have any English or British player to compare with him.

Bring on the big number 9 and hoof it into the box if all else fails.

It would be funny if it wasn't so fucking predictable. When it comes down to playing the game, Italy looked technically head and shoulders above this current crop.

Until they are prepared to admit the likes of Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard and the rest are made to look better than they actually are by playing alongside foreign stars, the cycle will continue.

The players with the high profiles rule the roost in these England sides - it's been one big clique and advertising opportunity for many years now.

I'm sorry, but anyone who let's themselves get wrapped up in the hype needs to look at what football is all about. It's Everton FC for me, and always has been.

England continue to under-invest in grassroots football with the FA turning a blind eye to the Premier League not paying for the development of kids football, and a media obsessed culture that is infatuated with average English players who earn obscene wages. You reap what you sow.

Should have gone with a young progressive manager who would have blooded the likes of Clyne, Stones, Barkley, Stirling.

If you're not taught to enjoy the ball, then I'm afraid you will always struggle at the highest level, but why do England teams always look so nervous?

We can't keep blaming the manager, but not since Hoddle was in charge have England had a team that was really worth watching.

And anyway, if either of the centre backs had played Suarez onside from a Uruguayan flick on, they would have got slaughtered. He was in an offside position and was just lucky that the ball skinned off Gerrard into his path. Luck did play a part!

Lots of individuals played poorly or average, and we're just not good enough overall. Best league in the world (which results in vastly overpaid players), but not the best players by some distance.

"It's like Ground Hog Day watching England."

Its like Groundhog Day watching the same reactions come out when England fail. Ask the foreign players who play alongside Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney if they think they make them look better. Only the self-hating English think this is true, the rest of the world thinks we have good players. Our problems are different, and have been for a long time.

England have spent twenty years making sure their players have the technique to match the other international sides and they've completely ignored the mental side of the game.

We lack intelligence and are mentally weak. Gerrard and Rooney are absolutely prime culprits in this.

Tonight we were making Uruguayan fouls like dives by flicking heels and arms up in the air. This continued even after it became clear the referee wasn't going to give us them. Our midfield still don't offer for the ball when a team-mate is in possession, and we even managed to knock one of their players out, then completely failed to test him within the next five minutes to see if he was up to it. Godin was on a yellow card the whole game, and apart from when he should have got another, we never got at him.

The idea that English fans and media are arrogant is ridiculous. What is it based on? I'm born and brought up in England and all I've ever heard is that we're not as good as foreigners and we've got no chance. There are numerous examples on this thread already. Everybody has had low expectations for this tournament, and we're constantly told how much better foreign players are, but we still expected that our players would be able to pass the ball to each other, cross the ball without skying 40 yards in the air, and kick it in the goal from eight yards out. But we're arrogant? Have you met any Germans, Brazilians or Frenchmen? That's arrogance.

People seem to confuse fans getting excited about a tournament and wanting to believe their team can do well with arrogance. What's the point of supporting a team if you're not allowed to dream and kid yourself that they might do well? We didn't even do that this time and the know-it-alls are still out in force telling us we're arrogant.

It was Jagielka primarily for the goals.

The first displays why he is too short for centre half, a 6ft-3in guy reaches that cross before it gets to Suarez.

The second, yes, it flicks off Gerrard's creasehead but Jagielka is merely in no-man's land marking space and exposed Cahill to Ratboy.

He is shit, have said for ages, Lescott used to bail him out when he was here.

You just watch us win sod all inside boxes in the air again next season. I still haven't forgotten his non-existent marking in the Goodison 3-3 Derby last year, three set-pieces and Jags, the captain nowhere, on any of them.

Now, instead of blooding youngsters through, the easy alternative is to go abroad and buy a player who can already do the job and so eliminates a lot of the risk factor. Worrying thing is... as the money gets bigger, so does the problem of not enough English kids getting the chance.

The guy on the ITV news just said that Roy did at least give youth a chance! I clearly missed this – he started with one teenager who he replaced with another and brought on a 26-year-old and another 30-something journeyman striker.

This should be the end for Gerrard; Jags doesn't look match fit; Rooney looks burnt out to me – Sturridge, however, looks class.

Who cares? ... Roll on July and COYB!

But Medel didn't play there in the Premier League for Cardiff he played midfield, because they knew that in English football you cannot get away with playing a short arse in central defence who never wins headers..remember John Heitinga??

After a disppointing performance in South Africa by a team for which the nation had high hopes to do well in the tournament, due to the age of several members of the team, this will perhaps have been the last chance at World Cup glory for a number of England players. By the time the next World Cup Finals come around in Brazil in 2014 it is expected there will be a number of different faces in the team. So another World Cup campaign is over, but just around the corner, qualification begins for Euro 2012. Something to look forward to after the players catch their breath after a long and hard season.

ENGLAND:
James #1, Johnson #2 (Wright-Phillips 87 mins - #17), Upson #15, Terry #6, A Cole #3, Milner #16 (J Cole 64 mins - #11), Lampard #8, Barry #14, Gerrard #4 - Captain, Defoe #19 (Heskey 71 mins - #21), Rooney #10.
Subs Not Used: Green #12, Crouch #9, Carragher #18, Carrick #22, King #20, Dawson #5, Warnock #13, Lennon #7, Hart #23.

South Africa England 1 USA 1; England 0 Algeria 0; England 1 Slovenia 0 and Germany 4 England 1

We've come a long way in four years.

Yep Ground Hog Day.
That's what I said and exactly what it feels like tonight. (Not that I care as much as I would if it was Everton).

But I'm a know-it-all for saying so.

Funny that, cos this build-up, media hype and subsequent performance could have been 4 years ago or 4 years before that etc.

Ground Hog Day.

And I'm speaking from experience. I lived abroad for 2 years and worked across Europe for 7 years. We're as arrogant as any you care to mention.

If you want to read 'know-it-all' take a look at your post again.

Ground Hog Day again.

If this doesn't convince England fans there is something drastically wrong, then nothing said or written for the next 30 years would.

But I've still heard many in pubs saying we can get to the quarters and 'that Costa Rica - if we can't beat them' etc.

And nearly every TV pundit was expecting us to have at least 4 points after 2 games.

And the insipid football has been there for around 20 years.

Same old, same old. Boring.

Too many are playing for personal glory - with the next sponsorship deal for Rooney or Gerrard being as important as the match itself.

I did laugh when I saw the advert at half-time featuring Rooney, Messi and Ronaldo. One has just been to the World Cup and stunk the place out for two games. Bad joke.

Some players rely on a quick footballing brain; some rely on pure guts throwing themselves about... Jagielka is the latter!!

I keep saying it: we won't appreciate Distin till he's gone: His speed, timing and positioning is what makes Jagielka a player.

I have to say I feel nothing like I did when we lost the FA Cup semi to the shite. Or drew with Norwich last season to be fair. Can't get passionate about international footy as with the Mighty Blues.

Heartbreak again for England in a penalty shoot-out. Having played for almost an hour with 10 men with so much heart and determination, England did not deserve to lose this match. At some point luck has to be on England's side in a penalty shoot-out (Ricardo became the first goalkeeper in World Cup history to save three penalties in a shoot-out). With another trophy campaign having come to a devastating end, England will return home believing they could have gone all the way had they won this match. The manner in which Rooney was sent off will cloud the game and it would seem that Ronaldo will not be welcome by fans in England should he return to Manchester United to play club football. Apparently Ronaldo wants a move to Real Madrid but it remains to be seen if the club wants him.

Post match note: Beckham resigned as England captain the day after England's elimination from the World Cup. Rooney was given a 2 match ban for his red card.

ENGLAND:
Robinson #1, G Neville #2 (captain when Beckham substituted), Ferdinand #5, Terry #6, A Cole #3, Beckham #7 - captain (Lennon 51 mins- #19 (Carragher 118 mins - #15)), Lampard #8, Hargreaves #16, Gerrard #4, J Cole #11 (Crouch 65 mins - #21), Rooney #9.
Subs Not Used: James #13, Carson #22, Campbell #12, Bridge #14, Carrick #18, Jenas #17, Downing #20, Walcott #23. (Full Squad)

Mind you if Italy do beat Uruguay and Costa Rica it may not yet be over, but what's the betting Italy draw both their remaining matches?

I'm not even arsed about it, there's a repetitiveness about England where certain players will be accommodated into the team irrespective of form or the fact that they are just shite in certain positions, just like the Beckham scenario (probably something to do with sponsorships or misguided loyalty) and players huffing and puffing without an end-product due to poor tactics.

I only watch these games at home on the telly but it's the paying fan that I feel slightly sorry for... Pretty much the whole nation wanted Redknapp for the manager's job and we end up with (as Christopher Kelly says) a daft old lady. If the useless suits at the FA aren't going to listen to the public, then the public shouldn't bother paying to travel and watch. That would send a clear message to the FA: England need a new manager because Woy is definitely the weak link.

I can't see it being much different in four years time. The last half-decent England manager was Hoddle and it's obvious he would love to be given the chance again. I suspect, though, that we will hear about being unlucky and how this is a building process for the next World Cup and how Woy has brought through some of the younger players for the future but ultimately it will be a waste of time with the same outcome.

They then rock up at the sharp end looking like they were thrown together at the last minute, try and play like they think a World Cup side ought to play rather than the way they know to play, chuck the kitchen sink at the opposition like schoolgirls at a tea party whilst the other side sit back, pick their nails, smell our desperation, hold firm and turn us over.

Uruguay had to win that game as much as we did, as did Italy, but we smash all our cards on the table, go all in and walk away with nothing - again.

I don't doubt their desire, or their effort, but as a national team we look confused and fragmented, with no confidence whatsoever. You then look at the likes of Chile and see a real team, with a plan, who are playing because this for them is THE pinnacle.

Our lot instead will be on a plane home checking out which of their opening fixtures are going to be moved to Sky so they can get their hair sorted for the cameras.

Wellbeck is not a winger and completely failed to move himself or the defenders so that Baines could get into the game on a consistent basis, and Sterling was equally ineffective. I had hoped to see Oxlade-Chamberlain tonight as I think he would have put real pressure on their defenders.

Cavani's cross for their first was absolute top drawer and took Jags out of contention (he needed to get tight to Sewerat and stay with him) and BOTH central defenders failed to anticipate Gerrard missing his header. Sewerat does that all the time, got 'lucky' again and finished it as well as anyone could have.

I wasn't expecting much from England anyway, but I don't think they have embarrassed themselves with their performances thus far. Just not good enough to capitalise on the chances they created.

Ultimately it's been quite fine margins and I actually think we have played and looked better than at previous tournaments. I would say 2 points from those two games would not be undeserved at all but as it is we are heading home bar a minor miracle. Little point in attributing individual blame.

England haven't had a world class striker since Alan Shearer. Welbeck has had a poor season with Man Utd so why was he selected? Others were playing because some were injured such as Kyle Walker and Oxlade-Chamberlain. Sterling is totally over-rated.

Hodgson should have made changes after the Italy game; however, they may still have fallen foul of class forwards like Cavani and Suarez in the end. If, come next week, they are still mathematically in with a chance, what will Hodge-podge do?

You have to ask the question: Which of the 23 in the squad would get into a Madrid or Barca team? Not many, I fear. The legs are gone in Gerrard. Henderson is shite. Fergie was right about him. Rooney is weighed down by his salary. Johnson is tripe and Welbeck just doesn't give a fuck.

Let's face it, folks – the standard of British and Irish players has fallen so low, it's embarrassing.

Unbelievable — a fawning worshiping home crowd, a fawning worshiping media, and he still feels that he is the victim of a witch-hunt. If he wants to know what a witch-hunt is like. just ask Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines.

The only consolation is that he might be playing elsewhere next season but what a total horrible self-centred individual with no humility and no remorse. Jags and Baines may not be world class footballers, but give me their personalities every day of the week and hopefully the Premier League won't have to suffer from one of the most disrespectful footballers ever to ply his trade in England.

Suarez was offside for their second... if it had come off a Uruguayan head... bit harsh to blame the defender for that.

Our great captain was again anonymous and once again no-one wanted to pass to Baines.

I thought the ref was strong and we can all see how much of a hypocrite Sturridge is now. Diving everywhere even after it was obvious the ref wasn't falling for it.

England did not play that poorly. That one play IMO let them down. That was a game where the result changed with one poor - very poor - execution of a basic task.

Head the ball forward ya stupid fuck.

Everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarden...

How many of this England team would get into the first eleven at Sheik City? Answer: Hart, possibly possibly Rooney, and I think that's it. Without Suarez, the Shite are.... well, shite... and that's why an England team with five from the Shite in it look like they did today.

Putting the blame on Jaghowler's lightweight shoulders is all well and good – best of all mong Murphy: the centre backs are to blame for that goal because they SHOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED Me Me Me Me to make contact with his head (even though it was a long punt and the Racist was offside until his team-mate kindly put it on plate for him with a flick of his DJ hating head).

But this so-called highly-rated team that thinks a lot about itself started with Johnson, Henderson, Wellbeck wide, Bart Simpson who always seems like a disaster waiting to happen, who had 36 touches today, no goals, zero assists, and 80% pass completion, as well as Jaghowler who is nowhere near international class, nowhere near.

That post before moaning about moaning – 34 - did make me laugh. So I was born in England – wasn't my choice, I quite fancied Iceland – but there is no rule that says I can't moan about a performance like the shite out-of-depth Hodgson's boys served up today or that I have to be potty patriotic about Engerlaund FC who serve a similar purpose in my life as the royal family: good for a laugh, often embarrassing, paid too much, don't do enough, good at extra-marital. Land of Hope and Glory for me is The Old Lady and its Evertonians who never never will be slaves.

Back to Jaghowler. I've been saying for a while now that he is the weak link at the back for us. If anyone like the Gooners is prepared to splash over £10million on him then I'd take it in a heartbeat. The key for me over the next couple of years is finding the right partner for John Stones. Jags cannot read the game at anywhere near to a satisfactory level and he ought to be exceptional, his positioning is school playground, he doesn't bark enough, we could do with a couple of inches on him, and so on....

So, to sum up: dickead Redshite warped pundits, a very dodgy England and Everton centre-half, an England team nowhere near the quality of the team who won the English title, a gaffer who does a good Graham Taylor impression, and a national footie side and royal family who give us the gift of wry mirth.

As regards tonight, wasn't our illustrious Captain meant to be a defensive midfielder in this team? Apart from heading the ball neatly into Suarez's path for the winner, he also gave the ball away cheaply to start the move leading to their opening goal, if I remember correctly.

Some interesting points re Jagielka. When we originally signed him, had he not been playing primarily as a defensive midfielder for Sheffield United? Perhaps Martinez should try him there if we don't secure Barry's signature.

Baines looked lost without his little mate Pienaar and, if Jags is the best centre half in England, god help us. Young Stones would have got his head on that cross and would have waltzed out of defence.

Can't take anything any away from Suarez the guy is an absolute freak scoring two brilliant goals.

Let's retire the old brigade and bring in the future crop and how about a football-playing manager as well? Not playing Barkley or Lallana from the start says it all really.

This is the first tournament since then where I have been excited and surprised by our play. The young lads who attack and lose the ball 50% of the time will mature and flip it to 25% next tournament.

We will get better.... but I pray we keep the philosophy.

Which is apparently similar to the rant in 2010...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8767443.stm

There is massive pressure on the English team, yes, but quite a few English players are lacking the mental strength to perform on the big stage.

Leadership is another factor: Would the current team be motivated to find that extra gear by Gerrard? Even Beckham, bless him, while a 'limited' footballer, often led by example – the game against Greece in 2001 to qualify for the 2002 World Cup is a case in point.

Gerrard, once again, was conspicuous by his absence today, while on the other side Godin and Suarez were constantly talking to their players, hand-slaps on backs, encouraging, pointing to where they wanted their players to be. They were a presence. A young England side needed their senior players to stand up and be counted - Jags unfortunately was also culpable here.

I hate to say it, but from a neutral standpoint it seemed Uruguay simply were more hungry and wanted it more. Further, Woy's tactics were in some cases baffling. We all know Jags is better on the right side of the centre-back position – not left... and he's better served by having someone pacey as his centre-back partner.

Baines was given absolutely no protection ahead of him in both games, though also it must be said, his defensive side of his game can also be suspect in one-vs-one situations. Gerrard and Henderson were simply awful as a midfield combination. Wellbeck is no winger. Sterling was shown up to be as average as I've thought him to be, and Rooney was typically poor on the big stage (more a fragile mental state of mind than anything else I suspect). Joe Hart, also seemed almost scared at times.

Anyways. Back to Blighty for Bainesy, Jags and Ross, and prepare for next season.

England are a product of what they have invested in. As much as I hate the Liverpool side as much as the next man, they are what England is best at producing at the moment. I honestly don't blame any of them. We know Jagielka is shit but who the feck else do we have? Clearly youth needs a chance but we all know no England manager will have the balls to play them. It's easier blaming the old guard like it has been for the last 30 years.

Maybe the problem is the old gits at the top who haven't a clue (Capello) – and haven't for the last God knows how long.

As for last night, I thought Baines had a good game, stopped crosses coming over defensively and also was a good supplier of crosses himself, particularly in the second half.

The real weakness in the England team was the central defensive 4 (with an honorable exception perhaps to Cahill). They are just not comfortable enough on the ball and Henderson and Gerrard did not show enough for the ball, leaving Cahill and Jags no option but to hoof it or pass back to the strangely dodgy keeper Hart. Lots of panicky clearances at the beginning of the second half – I am no longer used to seeing teams play that way – Everton don't.

Maybe Stones will develop into the ball-playing centre half we really need. Pity McCarthy is Irish.

What you can't account for us your own player flicking on a perfect through ball, thus negating the offside rule. How experienced defender pundits cannot point this out is beyond me.

And for the next 20 - 30 years we'll be enjoying his 'expert' opinion as a pundit.

More loathsome than Suarez yet still a media darling.

Spot on. But if they did point it out they wouldn't be able to deflect the attention from El Capitano.

Obviously Alan "I'm a Legend" Shearer doesn't agree with you as he labelled the England defending as amateurish – but as you say if the Uruguayan had got his head to the ball Ratboy would've been offside.

Those that think the likes of Shearer don't have any real influence and should be ignored should reconsider the power of the media, they decide who should be the heroes or villains and millions of people tend to agree with whatever views they have. Everton are after-all an overachieving club and any top players should be looking to advance their careers by leaving Goodison to join an elite club.

England have to play as a team and also stop trying to fit in players just because they have a name. How many times have England tried to fit in players like Lampard and Gerrard in a system just to have them play together?

Gerrard and Henderson aren't defensive midfielders, Wellbeck isn't a left midfielder. We need to start all over again.

There will of course be hours spent saying who was to blame, but England have under-achieved for over 40 years. We have had English managers and supposedly top foreign managers in charge yet we still never look like getting anywhere near a final. Compare us to Germany who on most occasions always put up a good show, and they have done this on a regular basis.

I've watched Jags for too long now and I appreciate the fact that he is no 'footballer', so pressure him and you can see the panic set in. His normal reaction is his a scything hoof up-field or he becomes delusional and tries to play football which normally results in catastrophe. Everton counter this by having Barry available as cover; England had Gerrard and Henderson giving us no cover at all, therefore we become totally exposed.

My overriding feeling last night is how many times I have been upset by a RS player whose major asset appears to be able to run unopposed in between our centre-halves (à la Rush, Suarez...) and cause absolute havoc. Why can't we ever find someone to do the same?

Ah well... bring on the new season so I can at least watch our Blue boys make me smile... COYB

Sell now otherwise it'll be a free in a couple of years.

On other matters, Ratboy will certainly be on his bike, and Gerrard can look forward to a season of creative abuse, although I think Henderson deserves it even more.

And I doubt if Hodgson's inventive 4-0-3-1 formation will be adopted widely.

Sterling? One-trick pony.

Having said that, a defence's role is to expect the ball to come through at any time, in any way. So when the ball came off Gerrard's head (not enough creases to stop the ball?) the defence should have been expecting the unexpected.

Goodbye, Gerrard. What a shit end to a Premier League season and an international career. Tee-hee.

And maybe Rooney and Gerrard could finally step away from free kicks and let Bainsey have a go. Twice in the Italy game and again last night chances were wasted and I'm sure Baines would have buried the ball but again the glory hunters screwed up.

Two central midfielders to depart;
Rooney to move into the middle;
Sterling to start out wide;
The Man Utd reserve to depart.

If there is nothing riding on the game then nobody who is unlikely to be around in 2018 should start. That would result in additional changes at the back.

Thank God Stones was not involved!

Saying "a defence's role is to expect the ball to come through at any time, in any way. So when the ball came off Gerrard's head (not enough creases to stop the ball?) the defence should have been expecting the unexpected." misses the point... A defences role is to stop the opposition scoring which they would have done if Suarez had been left offside.

And as for Sterling, I thought he stunk the gaff out. Greedy, as is Sturridge, and prone to run up blind alleys.

If Costa Rica is a dead rubber then put in Shaw for Baines, Jones for Jagielka, Wilshere for Gerrard, Oxlade-Chamberlain for Welbeck and Barkley for Rooney. If not, I'd probably play the same team.

"The second goal was shocking, it was a flick-on from Gerrard, there was nothing he could do, but Baines, Jagielka and Cahill were all over the shop. There was no defensive shape or organisation at all."

Shit never sticks to Gerrard when, as I saw it, he virtually handed both goals to Suarez.

And I think if they were trying to play Suarez offside, they should still have been looking for the ball coming over Gerrard – in fact, playing somebody offside implies you are expecting the ball to come through.

I'm just saying a defence has to be open to all the unexpected – fellow defenders not keeping the line, a ball skimming through or being deflected etc.
Or maybe I misunderstand the point.

Overrated, overhyped, overpaid, and made to look better than they are by foreign stars in their club sides. Every manager is scared of the press to try anything new – correct. Who would have the balls to drop Gerrard, or Rooney?

Then he goes on to say that just because they play for Man Utd, or Liverpool it doesn't mean they will make a successful International footballer – Fucking bang on and it's first time anyone has had the bollocks to come out publicly with the truth.

Waddler – you are my new hero.

Midfielders fail to win the ball or give the ball away loads of times; that's what a defence is there for – to come to the defence of...

Gerrard should have got the header in, the defence shouldn't have let Suarez onto the ball that came through. All to blame.

Uruguay were really pumped up from the kick off. They looked physically stronger, better organised and guess what - they all knew what they were meant to be doing. They moved much better than the England players. There are way too many coaches/pundits/fans in England who confuse movement with running. The England midfield and back four were constantly outwitted by the Uruguayan movement.

I watched the game and am reading the post-mortems without blue-tinged glasses. I'm reading plenty of criticism for Gerrard. On those two displays I don't think Baines and Jagielka are international class. I'm looking forward to seeing the suggestion that Martinez has ruined them!

I hope that like at Everton, the people in charge of England have the balls to change the method of play and ignore the claims of individuals who were better served by a failed system.

As suggested earlier, I want Martinez to find at least one mobile centre-back who can read the game and play with some thought. One to partner Stones, one for cover until Distin hangs up his boots.

Here is very average player, who can retire safe in the knowledge he is financially secure for the rest of his life, living like a blinged-up lottery winner. That is one of many reasons why this, or any future England side lack the desire to win. All the glory & money is at club level, you are on the back pages every week lauded as superman and paid millions.

However, as Gerrard appears to be getting none of the blame, I'm just trying to redress the balance.

I've watched the same scenario for 50 years, I'm still in shocked that we won the World Cup in 1966, that was some kind of miracle!

Individually we still don't produce players that have the ball skills as good as the best teams in the world; this has been apparent since 1966. If this does not change, we will continue to have results like our two loses in this competition.

I said as much in an earlier post, the opposition only need to mark our players closely and hound them when we have the ball and we are guaranteed to give them the ball! Italy gave us much more time on the ball and that was the reason we looked decent, even though we still contrived to lose that game also.

Yes, the defenders could have reacted quicker but sometimes it's just one of those things and to blame the defence as a whole misses the point. The team are supposed to attack as a team and defend as a team; unfortunately a few England stars enjoy the limelight but don't think they deserve criticism – no matter what they have done on the pitch.

I'm so glad I'm a Blue because at least our players always try and give their best, even if sometimes it proves inadequate.

From what I can remember I didn't think he was offside anyway.

I don’t care one bit if any Everton players are good enough to play international football as long as they are good enough to take Everton forwards. The quality in the Premier League is poor, full stop – with the exception of a handful of overseas players (Suarez, RvP, Hazard).

Our best players are all Irish anyway.

Scroll down to 13:35pm on the link to see the picture:

Abbey Road or the End of the road?

The facts are that England played better than they have done in recent tournaments. They kept the ball better and attacked with some purpose. We have good players in this country but no more than that. We can see exciting games, week-in & week-out, because we like end-to-end attacking football and drama. For this reason, our national team are unable to play at a tempo other than 100 miles an hour. If you watch the truly great teams, they can slow games down and attack at pace. It's nothing new.

We've had good players down the years: Brooking, Hoddle, Beardsley, Gascoigne, Scholes etc... but the outcome is the same. Our media build up their reputation and they fail to play well against proper football nations. We are okay against the likes of Moldova in qualifying but pit us against a genuine football nation and we know the outcome.

I'll never understand though why a manager complains about not having enough time with his squad, as every England manager does, that when he gets the opportunity to play a warm-up session in Miami to mimic conditions etc, he goes and plays his B-team. Why? Surely you would take the opportunity to play your starting XI as often as possible and work on moves and understanding with each other. Why play John Stones in such a game and then send him home on the next plane?

I would say 7 out of every 10 of the best players in the world today hail from South America and a great deal of them play in Spain. If you look at the intensity and skill in La Liga, it is quite easy to see that our players are not in the same department. The true world greats play at a high standard week-in & week-out. Not now and again like some of our so-called top players.

A radical change is required at grass roots to improve the situation.

European and South American teams (viz Chile no-one over 5' 11") are organised so that the defenders and midfielders press and press. In England we play so that giant centre-backs (and equally big centre-forwards) are fed a plethora of high balls.

Heitinga or Medel are useless in England – not because they are useless, but because of the nature of our game. Equally foreign teams can play the ball out from the centre of defence.

Cahill and Jagielka used the English method either shove it to the full-back or holding midfielder and Gerrard last night showed he is past his sell-by date at the highest level, or they hoof it long. Never do they break and cause teams to back off as they set up a counter-attack.

Despite the number of foreigners in our game, we convert them to our kind of game. Exciting, yes; skilful, rarely. We as fans don't like the slower tempo, but that's how Italy etc play and that's why they are successful and we are not.

I refer you to the best book on football produced this century, "Why England Lose and Other Curious Football Phenomena Explained" by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski – two British academics who've done the job scientifically, not just blustered.

Mike, you say "a touch off a defensive player doesn't make him onside if he receives the ball from the original pass", but it wasn't so much a "touch" but could even be interpreted as a backpass in as much as Gerrard was actually attempting to head the ball and was not just struck by the ball.

The law states that: "Gaining an advantage by being in an offside position" and goes on to state "having been in an offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position." So, whichever way you look at it, that appears to suggest that Suarez was offside if he was beyond the last man when the ball was played to him.

Anyway, the sun is shining and the golf course beckons... adios , amigos.

Had the Uruguayan knocked the ball towards Suarez, he most definitely would have been offside; however, because Gerrard helped it on its way, Suarez was onside from the original kick from the Goalkeeper – I hope that is helpful.

That doesn't change the fact that, overall, it wasn't defensive problems that really undid England's challenge last night. The BBC seems to be leading the charge with this misdirected clap-trap, once again bemoaning the absence of Cashley on their news programmes! You would have to know next to nothing about football to think that he would have made any positive difference to the game as it played out.

I can see where you are coming from. In theory, using this game as an example.

As I see it, it depends on the manager's instructions to Baines. If he wanted his left back to defend rather than use him as an attacking option, as he did in the first half, Cole would be the choice in my opinion. If he wanted his left back to be more attacking, as he did in the second half, Baines would be the choice.

On another note, I think there is a valid comparison between EFC and England, in that England are now trying to play the in-vogue 4-2-3-1 formation. Unfortunately, we pick two midfielders as the '2' in that who entirely lack the tactical acumen and intelligence to play that role. Gerrard has never had an ounce of positional sense, but he's never had to develop it. For years, until age started to catch up with him, his role was unrestricted at the Shite, as he had licence to charge around the pitch while others filled in for him. Yes, last year he was playing a more disciplined role with some degree of success, but the reality is, without Suarez last season, Liverpool would have been nowhere.

Henderson likewise. People said his fitness would be a plus in the Brazilian heat. He may well be able to motor up and down for 90 minutes where others flag, but he too hasn't got a clue where he needs to be / what gaps to fill etc.

Contrast with EFC, whose '2' in that role seemed to understand instinctively when to go forward, when to cover each other or our marauding full backs. Barry and McCarthy are suited to that screening role, Gerrard and Henderson manifestly aren't.

Speaking of tactical acumen and intelligence, look at the way Phillip Lahm (a brilliant full back) has now been converted to an equally brilliant DCM. When was the last time (if ever) an English player had the brains and tactical awareness to adapt to a new position like that? That says it all for me really.

Other than that, I thought the defence was relatively comfortable for the majority of the game and the biggest problem we had was turning our possession into clear cut chances. Welbeck played as if he was the main attacking threat on our left instead of as an equal partner with Baines.

There were many occasions when Baines had the ball that you could see him gesturing for someone to make something more than a token effort to either get into space or at least make a run to keep a defender occupied and open up a channel. Too many times he received it hard up against the touchline with no space to work in.

Our best attacking threat going forward was Baines although this has not been mentioned. Rooney missed five good chances over the two matches and that made one hell of a difference. Suarez is world class and, after the demolition job he did on us, I cannot see him staying at Liverpool as he will be booed everywhere he plays in the Premier League next season.

Let’s face facts, we have been beaten by a team that is assembled from a country with just over 3 million people. We do not produce home grown players of world class. We still allow top teams to get away with not having at least half of their squad required to be British. Spain and Germany will always be ahead of us so long as our league is totally dominated by ready-made foreign stars at the expense of home-grown talent.

All the home nations have suffered and all are heading down the rankings. Everton do at least have a decent percentage of British players as do Liverpool, but teams like Chelsea, Man City and Co. provide hardly any top class British players.

The manager's instructions, I would have thought. He had Baines playing more offensively in the second half.

To be honest, I thought at times the back four was all over the place.

Yes, Si, I realise that, however, he looked offside as the ball was played from the keeper which would put him offside.

The fact is that Hodgson was and the England team were lauded after their performance in the second half against Italy, yet Hodgson picked the same side that underperformed in the first half against Italy. He obviously learnt nothing.

I've always thought that Jags is a poor passer of the ball and quite often he is caught out of position. He's a great one for last ditch tackles and I think his passing has improved but I still think he's a good, solid "hoofer" type player, as is Cahill. If they are going to play, then we should play to their strengths. It seemed to me that, too many times, the gaps between the so-called defensive midfielders and the defence were gaping holes, which gave Suarez and Co loads of room.

I thought Captain bloody Marvel was poor, and Henderson wasn't much better... but he at least did more running. I thought Gareth Barry would be too old to be picked for this World Cup. How wrong I was. He is more effective at providing defensive cover and spreading the ball from midfield. Selfishly, I'm glad he didn't go and that Stonesy was sent home, as they would have had even more suitors after their signatures.

To me, Sturridge and Sterling are too big-headed and were poncing about and trying to dribble through the whole defence, rather than looking to open it up.. I didn't think Welbeck played bad at all and wouldn't mind at all if we got him.

I think Rooney still has a part to play in the England side but maybe that is a bit of residual respect for what a good player he is.

The majority of the press seem to have an overly optimistic fixation over the Red Jessies' contribution to the English team, well maybe now Captain bloody Marvel can ride off into the sunset and become another boring Redshite "expert summariser" for the Beeb.

To be honest, you could argue we've been slightly better than Brazil and Spain.

I'm finding the sheer hypocrisy of the pundits, experts and journos utterly vomit worthy. On the approach to the World Cup Final tournament, all the talk was about giving fresh up-coming and in-form "talent" the freedom to express.

Then after the "narrow defeat" to Italy, they almost unanimously began bleating that Terry & Cole should have been first choices!

Meanwhile, despite some of the most appalling performances ever as an England fullback, Johnson's utter ineptitude is swept aside because he made "one or two positive attacking contributions".

He (Johnson) was selected as basically "the least shit right back available"; brilliant.

Henderson ranks just below Carlton Palmer as one of the all time headshaking selections in England's midfield. Then, Stevie (sympathy vote), a completely unimaginitive selection as a deep central midfielder.... I cannot recall a single laudable contribution from this has-NOT-been.

Then of the "untouchables", there's Sterling (he of the "possessed arms" waggling bizarrely like some possessed conjuror or sign linguist whenever he runs with the ball) and he wasn't bad for a kid.

Adam Lallana (26), still viewed as a youngster, BUT Wayne Rooney (28) as failing to fulfill his youthful potential! Hurry up, Adam 'cos you have just 2 years to catch up and supercede Rooney!

Joe Hart nearly gets caught out from a corner from "George Formby" which he bats away, then when "George" takes another corner.....does he post anyone on the front post ?
Why does a guy as big as JH try to save with his feet ?

With 20 PL clubs AND anywhere else England had:

No recognised Left Winger (Ox being injured);
A right back who is an accident waiting to happen;
No "Kingpin" deep centre mid... just some old "past the sell-by".

The biggest laugh of all was when the pundits, experts and journos finally discovered that Rooneys best position is.... traditional No 10, FFS!

Whilst I don't think that Hodgson is a great England manager, I'm bloody grateful to see the end of the perpetual underachievers.... and I'm assuming now that "The Odd Couple" (Frankie & The Fuitbat) are finished.

We will never do anything with an FA who know nothing about football. As Cloughie once said: "They give the job to the one with the best smile and who looks best in the Blazer."

I actually thought Sturridge did okay, trying to link up play and bring others into the game. Sadly his finishing was not up to the required standard against Uruguay.

It's funny how we all see each game so very, very differently.

As far as blaming Jagielka for Suarez's goals, OK, he might have been caught out by a precision cross for the first goal but to blame him for the second is more than far-fetched.

Truth is, England were not good enough to win either game. Back to the drawing board!

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/barcelona-join-rivals-real-madrid-3734116#ixzz35G8YlVE7

Love him or hate him, Liverpool will definitely be weakened when he goes.

England captain Steven Gerrard's display against Uruguay was so bad, according to Spanish newspaper AS, they did not give the midfielder, 34, a rating for his performance.

Because it was AGAINST England, it's Jagielka's fault for not cutting it out.

It is his opening shot in his quest for a transfer to Spain.

I thought Welbeck would be a good player for us because he would have Robbie boy coaching him. What I saw of him is he's strong running and clever on the ball. I think the problem with him, as you see it, is that they haven't played enough together to gel. I don't see why they couldn't.

In the second game, I thought Sterling was more of a hindrance than a help and was running up blind alleys on and around the left wing, without a thought of passing. I think Sturridge is a good player but against Uruguay, I don't think he released the ball often enough when he had an opportunity to do so.

Tony (125) I can see it now. I don't buy the Mail because of Carra La and I like the Mirror, but what waits in the so-called sports pages... bloody King Kenny! I bet they are all falling over themselves to get Captain bloody Marvel on board.

The common consensus at this World Cup is that Roy Hodgson has broken the habit of a lifetime and swapped caution for adventure. This Roy 2.0, a souped-up super manager, intent on playing gung-ho football with his merry band of teenage talents.

England's Leighton Baines (right) and Uruguay's Alvaro Gonzalez battle for the ball.

The reality, of course, is rather different. And if England's misery in Brazil has shown anything, it is that Roy Hodgson will always be Roy Hodgson. And Roy Hodgson's teams will always reflect that.

Hodgson has created an environment with England where players' strengths are used against them, turned into weaknesses.

Leighton Baines, for example, has established himself as the outstanding left-back in the Premier League over the last four seasons. His best attributes? An ability to feed, overlap and link-up with his wide midfielder, and the quality of his delivery in the final third.

Having waited behind Ashley Cole, Baines has earned his status as England's first-choice. Yet what does he find once he gets there? A system which leaves him alone, exposed defensively, and unable to venture forward for fear of the gaps he will leave behind him.

Is it a coincidence that, when England have gone behind, when they have needed to throw caution to the wind, Baines has been their most effective outlet? The Everton man was one of his country's better players in the second half against Uruguay, and improved similarly against Italy after a slow start.

The key to good management is devising a system which gets the best from the players within it. It is why Roberto Martinez has had so much success at Goodison Park – he doesn't ask his players to do things with which they are uncomfortable.

Hodgson, it seems, creates a system, then shoehorns players into it. Baines has suffered, like Wayne Rooney has suffered and Danny Welbeck has suffered.

It is time the FA made a big call. If this group of young players is as talented as we are led to believe, is Hodgson the man to ensure they reach their full potential?

Nail on the head re Baines.