Scotland v England

Interesting game this was, as it highlighted the gulf in quality between the Premier League and Championship. Scotland have some very good players, e.g. Mulgrew, Robertson & Maloney, but the starting line up had seven Championship players and it showed. Plenty of hustle & bustle, but just lacking that finesse that would make them a real attacking threat against PL defenders.

That said, again, they scored the goal of the evening to bring the score back to 1 - 2. Lovely interplay between Robertson & Johnny Russell and a sublime finish. Russell was linked with City a while back and I would say on the evidence of his cameo, that Derby have got a bargain at £750,000.

All in all a game worth watching and it gave me the idea that an end of season match PL v Championship, maybe limited to home grown players would be worth considering........

A very solid performance from Engerlandshire and that's probably the best 90 minutes I've seen from them for a while. All the goals were good but my pick was the the third Shire goal which was a lovely, well-crafted, one-touch-pass joy.

Agree with you about the skill gap too. Scotland reminded me of City under Malky in the Premiership - hard working, well-meaning but toothless up front, unable to keep hold of the ball and with the odd glaring gap in defence that was all too easily punished.

The difference in attitudes between the two teams would interest me.
I became disillusioned in the PL last season with the falling about, diving, and trainers treating players for 'Iinjuries' which most of us would shrug off. The Champoonshop seems a much more honest division.
Sorry if I've ranted off topic!

'Injuries' before I get pulled up for it and I was talking about TDA's PL v Championship game.

Cyncoedslumdog wrote:The difference in attitudes between the two teams would interest me.
I became disillusioned in the PL last season with the falling about, diving, and trainers treating players for 'Iinjuries' which most of us would shrug off. The Champoonshop seems a much more honest division.
Sorry if I've ranted off topic!

Closest you have been to relevance for some time...............

Seriously, what you say is spot on........the approach to football in the two divisions is so very different.

Must admit, while it was a good match I think it would of went better if England played like typical England, instead of this side that actually get you thinking they might be pretty decent. It was clear from the moment the first goal went in that we were too good for Scotland. We were quicker, stronger, more decisive in our passing, more free in our movement. If we played like that every week, only Germany, Spain and Belgium would realistically be confident about facing us. Alas, we'll probably scrape through a group full of European nobodies and then lose to Portugal in the quarters.

Wilsheres pass for the first goal was ludicrous. So ludicrous I can't believe for a second he meant it to land THAT perfectly. 40 yards with twenty yards of curve, right on top of a tightly marked Chamberlains head? Iniesta could of done it and I'd reckon he was lucky too.

Red614 wrote:Must admit, while it was a good match I think it would of went better if England played like typical England, instead of this side that actually get you thinking they might be pretty decent. It was clear from the moment the first goal went in that we were too good for Scotland. We were quicker, stronger, more decisive in our passing, more free in our movement. If we played like that every week, only Germany, Spain and Belgium would realistically be confident about facing us. Alas, we'll probably scrape through a group full of European nobodies and then lose to Portugal in the quarters.

Wilsheres pass for the first goal was ludicrous. So ludicrous I can't believe for a second he meant it to land THAT perfectly. 40 yards with twenty yards of curve, right on top of a tightly marked Chamberlains head? Iniesta could of done it and I'd reckon he was lucky too.

Genuinely thought that third goal was world class - the pace, the passing and the movement were all spot on and coming straight on the heels of a Scottish resurgence too.

Yeah, the frustrating thing is player by player we aren't nearly as weak as some want you to think. Joe Hart is an excellent goalkeeper and will now be kept on his toes by Forster, Shaw will only grow and Clyne seems to finally be the right back to take over permenately from as far back as Gary Neville. Cahill is one of the best centrebacks in a league which has some of the best centrebacks in the world. Sterling can frustrate me into an early grave but when he's in form he's unstoppable, Chanberlain seems to be growing and growing into a more central role. Wilshere grudgingly appears to of discovered a calling as a deep lying midfielder, and for all my critisicism of Rooney he does appear to be scoring time and time again, and even if he doesn't Sturridge and Welbeck are more then capable of taking over.

If we found a new playmaker, the one position I do feel we are still truly deficient, and this team is good enough for the semi finals.

Red614 wrote:Yeah, the frustrating thing is player by player we aren't nearly as weak as some want you to think. Joe Hart is an excellent goalkeeper and will now be kept on his toes by Forster, Shaw will only grow and Clyne seems to finally be the right back to take over permenately from as far back as Gary Neville. Cahill is one of the best centrebacks in a league which has some of the best centrebacks in the world. Sterling can frustrate me into an early grave but when he's in form he's unstoppable, Chanberlain seems to be growing and growing into a more central role. Wilshere grudgingly appears to of discovered a calling as a deep lying midfielder, and for all my critisicism of Rooney he does appear to be scoring time and time again, and even if he doesn't Sturridge and Welbeck are more then capable of taking over.

If we found a new playmaker, the one position I do feel we are still truly deficient, and this team is good enough for the semi finals.

England are desperately lacking a goalscoring midfielder. Something like 300+ games between the midfielders with a handful of goals between them. The Ox seems to be the only one who has the ability to score.

I don't think Enlgland have ever had many goalscoring midfielders.

David Platt and Bryan Robson come to mind, but that's about it......

TDA wrote:I don't think Enlgland have ever had many goalscoring midfielders.

David Platt and Bryan Robson come to mind, but that's about it......

Bobby Charlton (?). Certainly Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in recent years.

*** G L O V E S *** wrote:

TDA wrote:I don't think Enlgland have ever had many goalscoring midfielders.

David Platt and Bryan Robson come to mind, but that's about it......

Bobby Charlton (?). Certainly Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in recent years.

Yes, quite right on the Gerrard & Lampard, of course .  Charlton, yes also to a point, but particularly in his earlier years he was someone who played all across the front line for both club & country.

TDA wrote:

*** G L O V E S *** wrote:

TDA wrote:I don't think Enlgland have ever had many goalscoring midfielders.

David Platt and Bryan Robson come to mind, but that's about it......

Bobby Charlton (?). Certainly Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in recent years.

Yes, quite right on the Gerrard & Lampard, of course   .  Charlton, yes also to a point, but particularly in his earlier years he was someone who played all across the front line for both club & country.

He's a player (well) before my time who I would have loved to have seen play up close... although I guess I saw the next best thing in Andreas Cornelius.

I was fortunate to see Charlton play a few times, both for England & Man Utd, albeit at the end of his career. Something here from the 1966 World Cup. It looks like he runs unchallenged, but note the feint to the left which freezes the defender and opens up the shot off the right foot..........

I was just thinking "that's a beauty" when Wolstenholme said it for me.