2014 FIFA World Cup

[therockbox]

The idea that the manager can't influence the pace/tempo of the game or the movement of the players is ludicrous.

We don't even try to press the opposition, there's too much of a gap between the back line and the midfield, players don't switch and swap positions with each other (despite the manager saying they would), and there are clearly massive fitness issues (the amount of players going down with cramp during the Italy game was embarrassing).

Watching England play under Hodgson is like watching Liverpool under him. He's a manager that belongs to another era (and he wasn't even particularly successful at his peak).

No, my point is that the players shouldn't need a manager to influence them to play with something resembling pace or tempo.

Of course they should. What do you think managers do? If everything was just up to the players there'd be no need for managers.

Liverpool have a particular style of pressing. It is based on certain triggers during the game so the players know when to up the tempo and hassle the opposition and when to sit back, maintain their defensive shape and wait for the next trigger. For example, a misplaced pass by the opposition is supposed to trigger a five second period of high intensity pressing. If the ball isn't won back then the players back off and wait for the next trigger.

It isn't just left up to the whims of the players to press when they feel like it, or to maintain possession when they fancy a rest. It all comes from the manager and the system they decide to put in place.

[Dan]

I love EWB during tournaments. We get knocked out and it's always the same people who pop up saying exactly what we should have done better.

Armchair football managers aren't real football managers for a reason

[Rafael]

I don't know, but maybe England should give Gary Neville the job, he seems like he has some nice ideas about the game and the players respect him for his past.

[Gazz]

I love EWB during tournaments. We get knocked out and it's always the same people who pop up saying exactly what we should have done better.

Armchair football managers aren't real football managers for a reason

It's a fucking leather office chair!

It swivels!

[Liam]

The idea that the manager can't influence the pace/tempo of the game or the movement of the players is ludicrous.

We don't even try to press the opposition, there's too much of a gap between the back line and the midfield, players don't switch and swap positions with each other (despite the manager saying they would), and there are clearly massive fitness issues (the amount of players going down with cramp during the Italy game was embarrassing).

Watching England play under Hodgson is like watching Liverpool under him. He's a manager that belongs to another era (and he wasn't even particularly successful at his peak).

No, my point is that the players shouldn't need a manager to influence them to play with something resembling pace or tempo.

Of course they should. What do you think managers do? If everything was just up to the players there'd be no need for managers.

Liverpool have a particular style of pressing. It is based on certain triggers during the game so the players know when to up the tempo and hassle the opposition and when to sit back, maintain their defensive shape and wait for the next trigger. For example, a misplaced pass by the opposition is supposed to trigger a five second period of high intensity pressing. If the ball isn't won back then the players back off and wait for the next trigger.

It isn't just left up to the whims of the players to press when they feel like it, or to maintain possession when they fancy a rest. It all comes from the manager and the system they decide to put in place.

So you're suggesting that players shouldn't realise that moving the ball quickly against a team who moved into a rigid, difficult to break through defence fairly quickly would be the way forward?

There should clearly be things the manager brings to the party, but when your players aren't doing what they should be able to do, that's a pretty big fucking problem that is difficult to legislate for.

[therockbox]

I love EWB during tournaments. We get knocked out and it's always the same people who pop up saying exactly what we should have done better.

Armchair football managers aren't real football managers for a reason

You can't criticise anything unless you've done it.

You can't criticise any food unless you're a chef.

You can't criticise any sportsman unless you've played it professionally.

You can't criticise the WWE unless you've run your own wrestling promotion.

Right?

[Crybaby Bunting]

[Sam]

We're not even out yet we may go on to win the bloody thing yet! I don't think it's inconceivable that Italy win all their group games.

[Colly]

It doesn't help that we could have really done with a defender like John Terry to help out with the defense and score from set pieces.

The FA singlehandedly fucked themselves with that.

You attach no blame whatsoever to a player who successfully disrupted two England teams in the leadup to major tournaments? Terry should not have gone to this World Cup.

[Berober]

HEY. THAT FOOTBALL WAS SURE SOMETHING, EH GUYS?

[Liam]

I love EWB during tournaments. We get knocked out and it's always the same people who pop up saying exactly what we should have done better.

Armchair football managers aren't real football managers for a reason

You can't criticise anything unless you've done it.

You can't criticise any food unless you're a chef.

You can't criticise any sportsman unless you've played it professionally.

You can't criticise the WWE unless you've run your own wrestling promotion.

Right?

I don't think that, but you've spent the majority of your posts in this topic bashing Hodgson and saying how things could be better. Probably why it stands out.

[Whisper]

It doesn't help that we could have really done with a defender like John Terry to help out with the defense and score from set pieces.

The FA singlehandedly fucked themselves with that.

You attach no blame whatsoever to a player who successfully disrupted two England teams in the leadup to major tournaments? Terry should not have gone to this World Cup.

Tom Cleverley should.

[Lineker]

It's six of one half a dozen of the other. The manager was shit with his tactics and his selections and the players who played in the two games were poor.

[Whisper]

These players aren't shit for their clubs though. We spend all year saying how wonderful they are.

[therockbox]

I love EWB during tournaments. We get knocked out and it's always the same people who pop up saying exactly what we should have done better.

Armchair football managers aren't real football managers for a reason

You can't criticise anything unless you've done it.

You can't criticise any food unless you're a chef.

You can't criticise any sportsman unless you've played it professionally.

You can't criticise the WWE unless you've run your own wrestling promotion.

Right?

I don't think that, but you've spent the majority of your posts in this topic bashing Hodgson and saying how things could be better. Probably why it stands out.

Because England were playing (and not very well). What else am I going to post about?

I've had the misfortune of watching my team managed by Hodgson and there are massive similarities between the many failings he had at Liverpool and the issues England are having. I don't buy it's just because "the players are a bit crap," just like I didn't buy it when people made exactly the same excuses for Roy when he was at Liverpool

[Lineker]

Some of them are

[Arjen Robben]

Oh Mario.

[MDK]

Busting out the Italy top for the next 2 games.

I see them beating Costa Rica and drawing with Uruguay though.

It's a shame we couldn't score when we had a lot of pressure. Possession stats where Spain-like and Uruguay where pretty shit and only had 2 shots on target as far as I know.

Are you joking Rafa? England where probably the best team at Italia 1990 and really should have won it, very very unlucky that year.

1978 and 1994 has nothing to with 2014. Nothing.

Were we the best team at Italia 90?

Got out of a group containing Egypt and the Republic of Ireland with just 4 points, then got taken to extra time by Belgium and Cameroon.

Yeah history has been awfully kind on Bobby Robson. We were pretty average in that World Cup. Best we played was the semi final.

We were shite against Ireland, but to be fair they played such negative football most teams would struggle to play anything resembling football against them. The much fancied dutch drew with them.

We did well against The Netherlands but only because we changed formation and mixed it up. Should have won it.

The Egypt game was like the Irish game, they didn't want to attack and played anti-football.

Barnes and Waddle were hamstrung in a static 4-4-2 formation for most of the tournament.

[Chris2K]

We're not even out yet we may go on to win the bloody thing yet! I don't think it's inconceivable that Italy win all their group games.

If/When Italy beat Costa Rica there's no chance of them playing a full strength side against Uruguay.

[Sam]

The fact we all got excited about 3 Southampton players joining the squad says a lot really...