Football Focus

[titch juicy]

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> So to the performance. Like Rooney in that

> position, he did really well and worked really

> hard going forward and tracking back. Credit where

> it's due.

>

> No one did anything wrong, but I think Sterling

> was a weak link.

>

> Dier was great (Not just the goal), and pleased to

> see Lallana playing like that.

>

> Total sucker punch at the end, but for all the

> great play with no goals, I was pretty much

> expecting it.

I thought Kane was completely ineffectual and has been for a few games (for club and country) now. Poor boy needs a rest. He's played something like 60 straight games for Tottenham, hasn't had a proper rest in two years (he played the u21's last summer).

I would assess for 45 mins against Wales and then replace him with any of the other three. Or possibly give him a strike partner (but I think he plays better as a lone striker).

I watched Dier pretty closely for most of the game and he's become such a leader and such a good reader of the game. He never wastes a pass (and it's not all sideways passing) and when he hasn't got the ball he's always orchestrating, pointing, organising, talking. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's the next England captain. He's become a very good player indeed.

[????]

Obviously you've seen him far more than me but I was enormously impressed

[Parkdrive]

So the Italians weren't very good but put on a defensive/counter attack master class? I must be missing something. Isn't that being very good or is there a new footballing philosophy I've not come across yet? Isn't that how many titles in the prem and overseas have been won over the last few years?

[red devil]

My post was in response to your post, not Otta's...

[Parkdrive]

I understand that but I'm at a loss to understand how the Italian performance could be interpreted as anything but an excellent team performance from front to back. A lesson England would do well to copy

[????]

On social media now: Russians attack a bar in Lille - where English and welsh fans drinking together see them off. On social nedia

[maxxi]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> On social media now: Russians attack a bar in

> Lille - where English and welsh fans drinking

> together see them off. On social nedia

There were Scots involved too then? :)

[red devil]

Suffering withdrawal symptoms? Suffer no more. 2016/17 PL fixtures... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36528203

[JohnL]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> On social media now: Russians attack a bar in

> Lille - where English and welsh fans drinking

> together see them off. On social nedia

Taken by a Russian journalist - I saw it.

Russians seemed to back off that time.

[Jah Lush]

This is unbelievable. And to think they're hosting the next World Cup. God help us.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/06/13/russian-fa-official-and-mp-praises-fans-attacks-on-english-and-s/

[Jah Lush]

Anyone thinking of going to Russia for the next World Cup should be certified insane.

Andy - Marseille from John Thomson on Vimeo.

[Otta]

I heard one of the hooligans on the radio yesterday, proud as punch. It's like some sort of battle for them, they were going on about how 200 of them chased of thousands of England fans, and England fans don't know how to fight.

By all accounts they're all in to "straight edge" (no booze / drugs / meat) and martial arts. They're proper nutters.

[Otta]

And our very own Annasfield has described being over there for a Liverpool match and a bunch of them standing outside a bar only for 30 odd Russians to charge at them completely unprovoked. The world cup is going to be brutal, I wouldn't go anywhere near it.

[????]

Laughed at a quote on a Hammers website: "so finally the running backwards, throwing plastic chairs whilst singing about the IRA tactic has come unstuck"

[red devil]

Funny but true. Bring back the ICF, how dare those Ruskies criticise Lacoste tops and girly shoes...

[Otta]

Bloody hell, Liverpool have Arsenal, Spurs, Leicester and Chelsea in their first 5 games. Then again knowing Liverpool they'll probably win all of those and lose to Burnley.

[Otta]

I'm well gutted, got my times wrong and didn't realise the match was the early one.

Was really looking forward to settling in for that this evening. Zero chance of avoiding the score.

[Jah Lush]

Schoolboy error.

[red devil]

Being self-employed I now don't have that problem, but when working in offices most firms would let people take the time off anyway, as long as you made up the hours before or after a big match...

[JohnL]

Pretty sure the kit today is Wales in Black England in Red.

[Mick Mac]

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm well gutted, got my times wrong and didn't

> realise the match was the early one.

>

> Was really looking forward to settling in for that

> this evening. Zero chance of avoiding the score.

The likely lads -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQOVhtjL2rc

[Otta]

Thing on the intranet saying we can take the time as flexi and watch on TV's in the building. Better than nothing, but there will be a distinct lack of beer unfortunately.

[Mick Mac]

Its all gone quiet on the nasty Russians hooliganism issue. I think England have to take some of the blame now, although the policing has been appalling, tear gas first, think later, ruining it for law abiding fans.

Meanwhile, all that Ireland could think of as a chant to wind up the Swedish fans was

"Go back home to your hot wives...." :)

[????]

I think 'culturally' you could argue our behavior is possibly unacceptable and unnempathetic and there's the past of course - but we aren't the only fans meeting in large numbers, drinking loads and singing* but WE are the only ones being teargassed and charged at for doing this. Plenty of welsh fans also mixing with the English last night getting the same treatment.

I've seen no evidence at all that England fans have "started" any trouble; worth noting that the 40,000 in Germany 10 years ago caused no bother with better policing.

*some of the songs are unpleasant too.

[????]

BTW seen the photo of Russian and English fans having a kick about yesterday in Lille...French police reaction? confiscate the ball.