SOCCER SPORT !

[shameless]

that was an absolutely disgusting performance and Hodgson quite rightly resigned immediately - should have resigned at half time and let somebody else have the second half - in a weird way im quite pleased that these overpaid and under talented 'superstars will now have to spend the rest of the summer hiding their heads in shame - jesus ! Iceland dont even have grass to play on most of the year and have a total population no bigger than an average British city

[bolaberlim]

that was an absolutely disgusting performance and Hodgson quite rightly resigned immediately - should have resigned at half time and let somebody else have the second half - in a weird way im quite pleased that these overpaid and under talented 'superstars will now have to spend the rest of the summer hiding their heads in shame - jesus ! Iceland dont even have grass to play on most of the year and have a total population no bigger than an average British city

I would not sell them short, they are very well organized, very strong physically, their defense is top notch and their long passing is the best in the competition. They are using their strengths, and doing it well, and they're not trying to do what they are not good at. We also had a hard time against them, and I expect France will have as well. In a way, I kinda like them.

[shameless]

I would not sell them short, they are very well organized, very strong physically, their defense is top notch and their long passing is the best in the competition. They are using their strengths, and doing it well, and they're not trying to do what they are not good at. We also had a hard time against them, and I expect France will have as well. In a way, I kinda like them.

at no time did i sell them short -i admired their play and spirit which was completely lacking with our own team -they fully deserved to win and of course i hope they continue to do so -

[Raza]

Some people say. Others, not so much. He's a great player sure, but I can't get over the growth hormones barcelona gave him for years to make him bigger.

Only Ronaldo fans care about that.

[meijlinder]

Huge congrats to Iceland. Lagerbäck still hasn't lost to England...

Sure England should have a better team and win a match like this, but seems there is some serious quality missing from the England side right now. Who does the unexpected? Who can create something from nothing? Have read many reports on how this time the England squad was one of the best, young and talented. But is that really the case? I love British football and would take the PL over any other league, but honestly where is the world-class talent in the squad?

If you were to go position by position and could pick any player from any country in the Euros, would you pick any English players? I couldn't think of a single one I would select, even going 3 or 4 deep on some positions.

[shameless]

i think David Cameron and Roy Hodgson have a lot in common -both have left Europe against their wishes and both have resigned so they dont have to face the flack

[Raza]

Huge congrats to Iceland. Lagerbäck still hasn't lost to England...

Sure England should have a better team and win a match like this, but seems there is some serious quality missing from the England side right now. Who does the unexpected? Who can create something from nothing? Have read many reports on how this time the England squad was one of the best, young and talented. But is that really the case? I love British football and would take the PL over any other league, but honestly where is the world-class talent in the squad?

If you were to go position by position and could pick any player from any country in the Euros, would you pick any English players? I couldn't think of a single one I would select, even going 3 or 4 deep on some positions.

England has a lot of good players....but Hodgson is a terrible manager.

[meijlinder]

England has a lot of good players....but Hodgson is a terrible manager.

Yes and yes,

my point was more that there are no great players in this current team.
Hart is not one of the top keepers (def. behind Neuer, De Gea, Courtois, Buffon),
central defenders there's plenty better than Cahill/Smalling (look at Spain, Germany, Italy too name just a few)
left.right backs Rose/Walker/Clyne is not top 3 on either side.
Holding midfielder there are plenty better than Dier (Kanté, Busquets ...).
Box to box midfielders Rooney, Wilshere, Henderson or Ally (could however become) not among the top players (Rooney might be considered, but not in the pos he's been playing this season).
Wingers/attacking mid are not good enough in a European perspective with Lallana and Sterling.
Strikers there's quite a few I'd pick ahead of Kane, Vardy and Sturridge. (Lewandowski even if form bad now, Griezmann)

Not saying it's a bad team and a crap manager certainly doesn't help, but as always I think the expectation was too high for a pretty average squad.

[bolaberlim]

And I leave you with this about Brexit and foreign players in the Premier League

http://www.theweek.co.uk/brexit/7012...-falling-pound

[Raza]

Yes and yes,

my point was more that there are no great players in this current team.
Hart is not one of the top keepers (def. behind Neuer, De Gea, Courtois, Buffon),
central defenders there's plenty better than Cahill/Smalling (look at Spain, Germany, Italy too name just a few)
left.right backs Rose/Walker/Clyne is not top 3 on either side.
Holding midfielder there are plenty better than Dier (Kanté, Busquets ...).
Box to box midfielders Rooney, Wilshere, Henderson or Ally (could however become) not among the top players (Rooney might be considered, but not in the pos he's been playing this season).
Wingers/attacking mid are not good enough in a European perspective with Lallana and Sterling.
Strikers there's quite a few I'd pick ahead of Kane, Vardy and Sturridge. (Lewandowski even if form bad now, Griezmann)

Not saying it's a bad team and a crap manager certainly doesn't help, but as always I think the expectation was too high for a pretty average squad.

An in-form and healthy Daniel Sturridge is probably a top 5 striker worldwide. Vardy is having a moment, and Kane is suspiciously good (like if you look at him as parts of a whole, he doesn't add up to scoring as many goals as he has), but you're mostly right about those two. Rooney seems much more like a liability than a talent with the England team, but I don't know why. I begrudgingly admit that he is talented.

Is England a rival for the top teams in the world? No, they can't really take on Argentina or Germany (especially as the English have basically no center backs, as you pointed out). But they should be lasting longer than this in the Euros.