Graffito

Me too but that's heart not head.

I watched that YouTube clip and, sorry about this, he reminded me of David Nugent.

Big hole to fill if we play as last season. Anyone know whether Koeman favours wingers over wing backs? If so, it should be easier to get a good defender and spend the balance on a wide man with pace.

Sevilla is interested in his left leg but hiccup at the price of 12m.

Bit of a stroll for him last night compared with playing for Saints when he looks drained at the end from all the pressing and running. Not often did he stray more than 10 yds from the centre circle nor should he in that role. Not only does he keep possession (I actually counted two misplaced passes) but he is very aware of the shape of his team, where his team mates are and where the opposition players are and makes sure he fills in and keeps the shape when team mates stray. Every team needs a Schneiderlin. I fear he may end up at Arsenal.

In the second game he was very good.

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/hull-and-tottenham-open-talks-over-4m-michael-dawson-deal-9562469.html "Hull have opened talks with Tottenham over signing captain Michael Dawson in a £4million deal." Dawson to Hull, Lovren to Tottenham?

The quality of opposition was lower as were the stakes. Playing poorly and winning (Robson 90) is infinitely preferable to playing poorly and losing (Hodgson against CR and U). Normally I would tend towards consistency with Managers as it's obvious how fortunes can change in a few matches but soon I'll be running out of World Cups. Roy clearly isn't an idiot and only a fool would suggest that he is. He has two years on his contract. Let's hope he turns it around.

I don't read the Sun but point taken. He went on to do rather well 2 years later but it's not particularly instructive to make glib comparisons across time. Drawing a friendly with Saudi Arabia is hardly comparable with a WC.

I'll answer each of your points in turn. Do we sack a Manager every time he loses? Of course not. The team showed promise against Italy but it was the manner of the next two performances which bothered me. No discernible pattern or tactics that I could see. Granted, individual performances were below par but I saw a lot of tension in the players who appeared inhibited, at a WC where for the first time that I can remember there were realistic expectations from media and fans. Hodgson is presiding over a period of change. He's been in post for 2 years. Change is a constant. Tough Group? Agreed. It was tough for all the teams. Two went through, including the unfancied CR and two didn't go through including England. There are other tough groups. Better teams than England are going home. So what? Who should we have instead, Redknapp etc? As I said, there's no obvious alternative to Roy. If there were, I believe the FA would have been much less inclined to keep him. That squad was good enough to get out of the group. It didn't and I think that was down in large part to team selection, tactics, and lack of motivation. Think Suarez. How much did he want to beat England? Then there are Roy's comments after last nights match...I'll stop there.

He's a nice intelligent man and a good ambassador for England but at the end of the day he's a loser. There's one compelling reason for keeping him. There's no obvious alternative.

No we won't see him in our first game. This will hasten his departure.

If he's going to make substitutions based on sentiment then why not Lambert.

Ah yes. The one who used to bang his head against the dressing room wall to get in the mood.

Which expert cracked that one?

Behrami or Pjanic would be good replacements for Lallana. Not that we have any hope of getting one of them.

Inside the tent p*ss*ng out rather than outside the tent p*ss*ng in. Trouble was he was p*ss*ng inside the tent.

He'll give him another chance to **** off back to Italy.

Thanks for that. First laugh since last night.

So can anybody tell me what the game plan was last night.....anybody that reads a game better than I, because fck knows what the strategy and tactics were. Please don't say they are based around picking Gerrard because that's not so.

It wasn't just the Sun. Virtually everyone wanted England to go for it.

I saw no evidence that Pirlo's legs have gone. He's always left the leg work to others.

Gerrard and Henderson did well for Liverpool this season. Not good tonight for England. Who would you replace Gerrard with for England?

Transition was indeed disjointed and far too slow. This is where Lallana playing in a central role would have made a difference, being strong off left and right he is a pivot and can switch play in an instant.

I agree with this. There's a good player in the making but he's not there yet at international level. Quite why he gets on ahead of Lallana beats me.