England v Slovenia [poll attached]

[paultheroyal]

I just don't think we were all that and there's any reason to start thinking we'll get anywhere. We were about on a par with the first match which was not bad, maybe a bit better... We were miles better than against Algeria, but then we couldn't have performed that badly again.

Like I said flashes of what we can do and an ok performance. But we hardly looked anything special and beat a team 1-0 who we shouldn't have even been worried about not beating. And whilst we were worth the win and I think had a goal incorrectly ruled out, their keeper should have saved Defoe's goal.

I'm not about to get carried away when England have done very little to suggest they can get to a semi-final, let alone win the tournament.

On a par with the first match? - Do you actually read what you post? Passing was better. Shot ratio was far better. Possession was better. Keeper was better. Team play was better.......

Every team is worth worrying about. Its the World Cup after all. Look at the results from other groups.

Keeper should of saved it? Jesus, he did brilliantly to get hand on it from 6 feet out.

It is not the route we wanted, its going to be tough, but we are in the last 16, and all to play for.

[paultheroyal]

No Ian i would not call it that. I call it a team pressing like any team would when a goal down and England defending it well, which they did. You try and be controversial and different, but trust me, you are crap at it.

[leww_rfc]

Fully behind you Paul

What we Queueing for lads?

[PlasticRoyale]

Just been talking to a bird who still thinks we won 2-0 didn't have the heart to tell her...

[SLAMMED]

Interesting how nearly everyone didn't pick Milner when they were saying who they wanted in the line up.

[The whole year inn]

One of Uruguay, South Korea, Ghana or the United States is guaranteed a spot in the semi finals

[Barry the bird boggler]

England... doing things the hard way since forever.

We were ok. Sparks of what we are capable of and hopefully the confidence can start flowing. Good goal disallowed, really spawny goal, but we rode our luck in places. I can't think of a better time to face Germany in the World Cup if we have to, than next game.

Spawny goal?
Rode our luck?

Do you watch a different game, every time?

spawny perhaps not exactly the right word, but a shinned shot that didn't look that powerful straight at the keeper, in my book should be saved. As I've said already. Really, get over it.

I'd call two diving blocks and another shot just wide in 10 seconds riding our luck a little. Wouldn't you?

Perhaps but then Slovenia rode their luck as well wouldn't you say, or doesn't that count as its not England bashing?

[leww_rfc]

One of Uruguay, South Korea, Ghana or the United States is guaranteed a spot in the semi finals

That's a Good thing, imo. I reckon it'll be Uruguay.

[Platypuss]

If we're to progress we need our front two to do a lot more:

Rooney - it's not all about you, mate.
Defoe - hold the ball up better - weaker than Spacey's jokes.

[Silver Fox]

Should have swapped Rooney for Crouch instead of Joe Cole. At least we would have had someone to hold the ball up when it gets there.

Time to embarrass a few people, what a ridiculous post this turned out to be. Cole did a fab job in holding it up and killing the game.

In the corner in the dying minutes indeed he did but in general play after he came on for Rooney he didn't do this at all, he was incredibly lightweight and it smacked of Capello saying "look, I'll play Joe Cole" when the substitution called for Heskey or Ladders.

I will of course join in your and everyone else's condemnation of Ian's nonsense about the goal mind, epic facepalm for that one

[soggy biscuit]

Gerrard was class yesterday. Shame fat Frank went missing for large periods of the game.

[No Fixed Abode]

Gerrard was class yesterday. Shame fat Frank went missing for large periods of the game.

Poor fishing.

[Silver Fox]

Gerrard was class yesterday. Shame fat Frank went missing for large periods of the game.

Poor finishing.

'greed, the only time I noticed Fwank was playing was when he blasted that chance over the bar

[cmonurz]

One of Uruguay, South Korea, Ghana or the United States is guaranteed a spot in the semi finals

That's a Good thing, imo. I reckon it'll be Uruguay.

Tbf it's only happened because we couldn't beat Algeria.

Would be great if South Korea could make it to the semis again.

[Baines]

Hard to look past Uruguay on present form.

[Maguire]

TBF to Ian, his particular brand of nonsense does unite everyone else on the board in sitting open-mouthed at their computers going WTF?! I'm even agreeing with paultheroyal here.

Thoroughly professional performance from England although clearly there are worries eg. Johnson can't defend for shit, and Defoe is terrible at holding the ball up. I'm not a fan of him at all.

Milner proved me wrong as I didn't want him in the team and spent the first ten minutes thinking he was actually almost as bad as against the USA. Then he murked me by actually being quite good.

Oh and for all the nay-sayers out there, and there are many, I bet you any money the German fans are looking at the draw thinking "fukk, this wont' be easy, wish we had got the USA". It's there to be won.

[Thaumagurist*]

.

[soggy biscuit]

Quality ball in from Milner and Defoe did really well to walk his marker back giving him the room to sprint into to get on the end of it.

How that was spawny I will never know

[Seal]

We were starting from a low base but that was a vastly improved performance.

Aside from the technical and tactical improvements, all the basics were just better - faster tempo, more urgency, higher energy levels and more aggression in the tackle.

Shame that we are in the tougher side of the draw now, but we're here to try and win it and both Ger and the Argies have deficiencies.

Slightly depressing to have to put the ball in the corner for 15 mins against Slovenia. But hey ho, we're through and that's what counts.

Fair play to Fabio too. Two players who 99% of pundits and fans did not put in their team for this game combined to score.

[brendywendy]

England... doing things the hard way since forever.

We were ok. Sparks of what we are capable of and hopefully the confidence can start flowing. Good goal disallowed, really spawny goal, but we rode our luck in places. I can't think of a better time to face Germany in the World Cup if we have to, than next game.

Spawny goal?
Rode our luck?

Do you watch a different game, every time?

spawny perhaps not exactly the right word, but a shinned shot that didn't look that powerful straight at the keeper, in my book should be saved. As I've said already. Really, get over it.

I'd call two diving blocks and another shot just wide in 10 seconds riding our luck a little. Wouldn't you?

not really - ive not seen many games where the opposition dont create one or two half chances, at any level