Football 2015/16

[The Nal]

Im not sure how to call Group D now. ON first glance it looks bad for Scotland, but with 3 guaranteed points from Gibraltar and their 2 rivals playing each other, a win home to Poland should guarantee 3rd place.

A draw could even do it for Scotland. We have Germany and Poland still to play.

[TheGayTent]

Wouldn't be Scotland if they didn't fail gloriously would it?

[mrtourette]

Gloriously? They usually fail but it's rarely glorious.

[ThomThomDrum]

Shame Poland are doing well in group D. Would have been nice to see both Scotland and Ireland have a chance to both join what looks like the other 3 British Isle nations in a major tournament

 

BTW what the hell is going on in Group A?? Iceland on top with the dutch 9 points behind in 4th!? 

[TheGayTent]

Gloriously? They usually fail but it's rarely glorious.

Maybe it's my imagination then. Though last night a great example.

[TheGayTent]

Oh my oh my oh my...bundesliga tv fixtures have been announced for when I am looking at going (20th November). Original plan needs tweaking but looks like I might be able to take in 3 games:

Hamburg v Dortmund on the Friday night

Cologne v Mainz on Saturday

Hertha Berlin v Hoffenheim on Sunday

Not booked anything quite yet but looks as though the flights and trains work time wise and are pretty cheap too...

[pink_triangle]

Amazing with all the young boys and girls in England who would love to be a mascot for the national team, that Beckhams son is randomly chosen!!

[eFestivals]

Amazing with all the young boys and girls in England who would love to be a mascot for the national team, that Beckhams son is randomly chosen!!

To be fair to him he openly said he used his contacts... And if there's anyone who the fa should go the extra mile for its someone who has been prepared to put himself out for them, as Beckham has (over and above other players of his level).

I'm not trying to say it's right or fair but I can think of players who'd deserve it less.

[mjsell]

Got to say I am quietly impressed with the job that Hodgson is doing with England at the moment. We aren't world beaters by any stretch of the imagination yet, but It would be tough to argue that we aren't a better team than when he took over, and he has done that while bringing through many youngsters.

 

Rooney, Cahill and Hart are now our most/only experienced players in the first team and there are a very strong core of young players that with the right nurturing could stick together and form a strong team in the next 5 years. When you look at the ages of the players things do look pretty positive.

[eFestivals]

Got to say I am quietly impressed with the job that Hodgson is doing with England at the moment. We aren't world beaters by any stretch of the imagination yet, but It would be tough to argue that we aren't a better team than when he took over, and he has done that while bringing through many youngsters.

 

Rooney, Cahill and Hart are now our most/only experienced players in the first team and there are a very strong core of young players that with the right nurturing could stick together and form a strong team in the next 5 years. When you look at the ages of the players things do look pretty positive.

Woy will do as well in the Euros as he did in the WC.

And history shows that when England qualify easily they always perform badly in the finals (and when they scrape thru the qualies they tend to do reasonably well).

So we're defo fucked next summer.

[mjsell]

Woy will do as well in the Euros as he did in the WC.

And history shows that when England qualify easily they always perform badly in the finals (and when they scrape thru the qualies they tend to do reasonably well).

So we're defo fucked next summer.

 

Out of interest what would you class as doing well? Is it solely based on results (eg. how far do we go?) or does the performances have a factor?

Edited September 9, 2015 by mjsell

[pink_triangle]

Got to say I am quietly impressed with the job that Hodgson is doing with England at the moment. We aren't world beaters by any stretch of the imagination yet, but It would be tough to argue that we aren't a better team than when he took over, and he has done that while bringing through many youngsters.

Rooney, Cahill and Hart are now our most/only experienced players in the first team and there are a very strong core of young players that with the right nurturing could stick together and form a strong team in the next 5 years. When you look at the ages of the players things do look pretty positive.

Hodgson is lucky that he has had low expectations and no clear sucessor. I'm not sure this current crop are particarly stand out, I remember the talk in the last world cup was youth and pace would terrify opponents, then it all fell flat. England are generally good qualifiers and in tournaments generally consistent at picking up points against teams with worse players. Its when they play equals it all falls down.

[eFestivals]

Out of interest what would you class as doing well? Is it solely based on results (eg. how far do we go?) or does the performances have a factor?

that statement of mine is from a measure against how far the team goes (from someone who has done detailed analysis, in a book).

[mjsell]

that statement of mine is from a measure against how far the team goes (from someone who has done detailed analysis, in a book).

 

Sorry crossed wires, I wasn't questioning your statement. I was genuinely trying to find out what you would class as a success at the coming Euros. Was trying to gauge expectations.   

[eFestivals]

Sorry crossed wires, I wasn't questioning your statement. I was genuinely trying to find out what you would class as a success at the coming Euros. Was trying to gauge expectations.

realistically, given the UK's population size and its stated love of footie, then the 'round of sixteen' should be the absolute minimum for a WC and quarter finals for a Euros. I'd also say we should get beyond those around half the time.

But for whatever reasons, we don't.

[mjsell]

Hodgson is lucky that he has had low expectations and no clear sucessor. I'm not sure this current crop are particarly stand out, I remember the talk in the last world cup was youth and pace would terrify opponents, then it all fell flat. England are generally good qualifiers and in tournaments generally consistent at picking up points against teams with worse players. Its when they play equals it all falls down.

 

I agree that Hodgson has been fairly fortunate, but we have improved as a team (in the games we have played - which yes I understand that qualifiers are fairly easy games but Hodgson cant be blamed for this).

 

I don't agree that this current crop aren't particularly standout.

 

Looking at players like Shaw, Stones, Clyne, Ox, Kane, Sterling, Barkley, Butland, Shelvey. All 24 or under. Obviously they aren't all going to progress into superstars but I definitely feel like that is a healthy group right there, that potentially could stick together for the next 10 years.

[TheGayTent]

Comparatively speaking, those names aren't very good are they...not good enough to progress farther than the mean over the last 30 years anyway.

[mjsell]

Comparatively speaking, those names aren't very good are they...not good enough to progress farther than the mean over the last 30 years anyway.

You are far too pessimistic.

Who are you comparing them to?

Personally can see 4 of them going on to be one of the best in the world in their positions.

Centre midfield is our weakest position. And another good striker wouldn't go a miss but the framework is strong. It's all about getting them to play well together over the coming years.

[pink_triangle]

 

I agree that Hodgson has been fairly fortunate, but we have improved as a team (in the games we have played - which yes I understand that qualifiers are fairly easy games but Hodgson cant be blamed for this).

 

I don't agree that this current crop aren't particularly standout.

 

Looking at players like Shaw, Stones, Clyne, Ox, Kane, Sterling, Barkley, Butland, Shelvey. All 24 or under. Obviously they aren't all going to progress into superstars but I definitely feel like that is a healthy group right there, that potentially could stick together for the next 10 years.

 

England are a football mad country with a compeititve population, they will always have prospects. I dont see many names on your list that would excite me, I think you look at other top footballing nations and they will have similar list. Listening to the times podcast they seemed to think that semi finals is a minimim requirmeent for Hodgson to continue. To me this is madness, England havent got to a semi final away from home for 25 years!

 

Personally can see 4 of them going on to be one of the best in the world in their positions.

Name them?

[mjsell]

 

 

England are a football mad country with a compeititve population, they will always have prospects. I dont see many names on your list that would excite me, I think you look at other top footballing nations and they will have similar list. Listening to the times podcast they seemed to think that semi finals is a minimim requirmeent for Hodgson to continue. To me this is madness, England havent got to a semi final away from home for 25 years!

 

Name them?

 

Shaw, Stones, Ox & Sterling.

 

I think quarters is realistic, achievable and a must to keep everyone on the right side, but the way we play is becoming as big a desire as ever.

[zahidf]

Nah footballs coming home. Next year is going to be our year.

Edited September 9, 2015 by zahidf

[pink_triangle]

 

Shaw, Stones, Ox & Sterling.

 

I think quarters is realistic, achievable and a must to keep everyone on the right side, but the way we play is becoming as big a desire as ever.

Out of interest how much non premiership football do you watch? I think if you go throughout major footballing nations throughout the world fans from that country will come up with similar calibre names, who have in general achieved just as little.

[mjsell]

 

Out of interest how much non premiership football do you watch? I think if you go throughout major footballing nations throughout the world fans from that country will come up with similar calibre names, who have in general achieved just as little.

 

As much as I can but not enough to comment on every player worldwide no, unless it is your job I doubt anyone is. I try to keep up with the Bundesliga and La Liga, lost track of Italian and Dutch football though (used to watch a lot of Dutch).

 

Also at no point have I said that those players have achieved anything or are world class yet. But the potential is there. Ask any arsenal fan and they will say that Ox is one of the most exciting prospects they have seen at arsenal in decades - whether this means he will go on to achieve great things is obviously a mystery, with so many factors affecting it - namely injuries with Ox.

[pink_triangle]

 

As much as I can but not enough to comment on every player worldwide no, unless it is your job I doubt anyone is. I try to keep up with the Bundesliga and La Liga, lost track of Italian and Dutch football though (used to watch a lot of Dutch).

Not me criticising anyones football knowledge. More an acknowledgemnt that we tend to rate higher the players we see more often. Ask a dutch, French, potrugese fan etc and they will list players from their own country who may be future "best in the world " material. Of the names you mention Im not sure any have suggested to me that they will be any more than good playes for good premiership teams. Not that theres anything wrong with that of course.

[mjsell]

 

Not me criticising anyones football knowledge. More an acknowledgemnt that we tend to rate higher the players we see more often. Ask a dutch, French, potrugese fan etc and they will list players from their own country who may be future "best in the world " material. Of the names you mention Im not sure any have suggested to me that they will be any more than good playes for good premiership teams. Not that theres anything wrong with that of course.

 

I understand what you are saying. But surely you can draw comparisons with past and current supposed world class players and their backgrounds - even if you keep it to the premier league. So for example I believe that Ox has the abilities to compete at a similar level to Hazard - (who as premier league player of the year must be nearest to that world class category than anyone).

Edited September 9, 2015 by mjsell