England v Russia

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

Despite all the reports, I'm pleased to see our fans in spirit in the stadium.

I'm feel quite positive myself, an early goal would bring confidence for England - I'm surprised that Vardy hasn't started but considering pundits opinions regarding fatigue and space opening up, it does make sense to have him on the bench.

How is everyone else feeling? Add your thoughts.

[Turkey_Twizzler]

How did we not win that...

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[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

I really can't understand some of the reactions I am seeing on Facebook, likewise the same can be said about TalkSport.

Some fans are just impossible, as we concede and it's enough to write off a very promising performance. Really? I was impressed and I actually enjoyed the game. Yeah, it wasn't perfect but attacking wise and in terms of performance we raised the bar - I would be concerned if we didn't reproduce this or work on a few final things but overall I felt England really deserved to win.

Negatives:

Conceding in the final few minutes, whereby all - including Joe Hart got caught napping.

Things required from this performance:

More cutting edge finishing.
Better care in the final third with the ball.
We need to learn to kill games, this doesn't mean naturally mean 'scoring' but ending games by attacking/retaining the ball.

Positives:

Free flowing football - actually attacking.
Good link-up play.
Plenty of chances created, good level of creativity.
Good team work.
Confidence seems to be quite high and mostly 'focused'.

In my opinion Russia doesn't deserve anything from the game and I think their fans should be forced to leave France, let's see what trouble happens then because I have it on good authority that most of the trouble is being caused by them and the poor policing (yet we all know how poor France's police are).
 

[Who r ya?? You Pies!!]

Well wrote @notts-joe , totally agree , on the football it was bright entertaining and indeed how did we not win , some of the movement and passing was so good to watch, I enjoyed it , should have seen the game out but hey the positives are there to see. 

On the violence from what I've seen on different news fronts , English fans look like they are being targeted, think the policing should be examined it looked poor,  I guess when you get mindless thugs hell bent on trouble its hard to stop but this level at a major tournament for me shows something is lacking , its not numbers either plenty there to keep order . 

Send Russia home as punishment. France should be careful also as there fans seem to be involved to . 

Let's just hope it all stops and a football fest can be enjoyed .

[Fozzy]

I thought we played OK and I think we will only get better the further we go into the competition. I thought the substitutions were strange and did not enhance the side, they were the kind of substitutions made at 2:0 up and not 1:0. The only change I think I would have made in the game would have been Vardy to run at them for the last 25 minutes.

The violence appears to be inevitable now with England, we have a reputation and are very easily provoked. We all know that UEFA will always blame us no matter what, it's as though they are blind to all the other nations fan activities.

[Dripsey3]

I won't be surprised if Wales beat England. England lack the killer instinct and are poor at the back. England will have to score twice to win most games. I think the French would be happy to see the back of Russia and England. The Welsh fans have been exemplary, I just hope there isn't any trouble.

[Who r ya?? You Pies!!]

Agree with @Fozzy about subs , think they pushed up a good amount second half maybe Kane who didn't have his best game , could have been replaced by Vardy to exploit the space behind , but hey I'm still upbeat the performance was good for the majority , bring on Wales let's see if we can match or better there pride and passion.

See this morning the football authorities are looking to punish Russia, decision Tuesday before there next game , a fine the likely outcome. 

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

14 hours ago, Fozzy said:

I thought we played OK and I think we will only get better the further we go into the competition. I thought the substitutions were strange and did not enhance the side, they were the kind of substitutions made at 2:0 up and not 1:0. The only change I think I would have made in the game would have been Vardy to run at them for the last 25 minutes.

The violence appears to be inevitable now with England, we have a reputation and are very easily provoked. We all know that UEFA will always blame us no matter what, it's as though they are blind to all the other nations fan activities.

I think Rooney was tiring, there's been a lot of talk of him dropping to play in midfield - like Smith did when he lost the ability to remain as a striker.

The subs for me wasn't a problem, I just think we need to get 3-4 players who know how to keep the ball in the oppositions half and isn't afraid to draw challenges onto them in order to slow down the remaining minutes. England aren't a good side at wasting time or killing a game that is only 1-0 - if we required a goal, I am sure it would have been much different with the majority of the remaining last minutes seeing us pushing to score.

So why not when we are 1-0 up? I believe Russia only had two shots on target too.

[Dripsey3]

I like what Roy is doing. Pace on the wings will hurt Wales & Slovakia. I would start Vardy instead of Lallana though. Vardy will create, take his chances and work back. The Russian goal started with a half hearted attempt to stop the attack by Milner. Vardy would have done better.

Also I would make sure Kane is in the box for corners & free kicks. Rooney should be taking those.

[BromPie]

Lack of experienced finishers for me. Yesterday shown how much we missed having a primal finisher like Shearer and Defoe.

[Who r ya?? You Pies!!]

For all the pace you need an end product and for me sterling offers the pace but when in such promising positions lacks quality in his final delivery , if he could improve that he would be a real talent, milner should have done better at the end , but the game really should have been put to bed earlier .

 

[Turkey_Twizzler]

Ive said it all along, the Russian and Slovakian defences are old and slow, you stick Jamie vardy up there with his pace he will have a field day! We should have been 3 or 4 up when they scored, I thought Kane was very poor, on one occasion sterling actually put in a good cross for once and no one was there...

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I honestly don't believe Vardy would have made all that much of a difference yesterday.

Our midfield was calling the shots and because of how they were set-up/instructed to play - it made it hard for Harry Kane to do anything. Hence why he tended to pull shots from distance, yet when presented a chance to get into the box, our midfield line made him border their last man and that resulted in him finding time and space hard.

Defensively, Russia did well. Offensively, they were poor and nothing special.

The midfield did a terrible job of being mobile and I grew tired of hearing excuses about them not being able to settle due to injuries or not being used to playing with each other.

England will be fine.

[Fozzy]

I struggle to believe how any professional footballer who is only 30 could have been tiring (maybe at 33/34), especially as the pace of the game was not premiership pace and Rooney is fine lasting 90 minutes of that and also lasted a full 120 minutes in the FA cup final.

I actually think that Vardy would have made a difference, he would have run the legs off their centre halves for the last 20 minutes. All it would have taken was for Russia to lose possession and a long ball over the top for Vardy to stretch his legs. The guy has scored goals for fun last season, has 3 in 3 for England and is not been given the credit he deserves. Most of his goals have come in the penalty area and he is more than a 1 trick pony.

What's the point in taking 5 strikers and only playing 1 up front? Russia were there for the taking and we needed an extra finisher.

[Turkey_Twizzler]

The combined age of Russia's centre backs is 70, they wouldn't have wanted vardy running at them at the start of the game let along the last 10-20 mins when they are knackered

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