Cmon England!!!!

[Snowball]

Do people say the back 4 played well because they kept a clean sheet over the 120 Minutes?
Italy hit the post 3 times, had a Goal chopped off(rightly) and had at least 5 one on ones with Hart.
On another Day Italy could have scored 3 or 4 easily.

[Waz1892]

Do people say the back 4 played well because they kept a clean sheet over the 120 Minutes?
Italy hit the post 3 times, had a Goal chopped off(rightly) and had at least 5 one on ones with Hart.
On another Day Italy could have scored 3 or 4 easily.

yes, wot more can they do other than that?

[Waz1892]

Hart - Class, and will get better and better.
Cole - Is the best left back in the world at the moment
Lescott - Positional sense 1st class.
Terry - Did everything that was asked, just can't shake image of him looking like he was running thru treacle, vs Sweden
Johnson - When reacting to a defensive situation, did superb, saved us lots of times.  If he has to think, useless
Milner - Can't cross, Can't tackle, Can't head, isn't pacey, isn't skillful.  
Gerrard - Englands best player in the tournament.  Where have you been for the past 2 tournaments Stevie.
Parker - Reliable, never doing anything he knew he couldn't do.  "Did exactly what its said on the tin"
Young - Hate him, but in his defence, i think our tactics thwarted his ability
Welbeck - Brazil really will be his tournament
Rooney - Lack match fitness and it showed too much
Carroll - Carried on his late season form, but will only ever be an impact player at this level
Walcott - Just me?  Other than immense pace...does what?
Oxlade-Chamberlain - See Welbeck
Defoe - Other things more important to him I think
Henderson - Didnt do anything wrong, didnt do anything right.

England-til-i-die-opinion - Heroic defending, bodies on the line, like only England can.

Harsh opinion - We all laughed at Ireland-Spain,...I think the whole of Europe just had a laugh at us.............

Cold light of day - we have a solid base to build on.  Hodgson now has 2 years to find the balance between disciplined/oganisation...and attacking paced quick thinking forward play.


We have the players to do it, can he find the key.....

Hate Penalties, love England.

[RED-DOG]

I don't know very much about football, so indulge me here please.

Roughly what percentage of penalties do you think a top class professional football player should score? 

[AndrewT]

I don't know very much about football, so indulge me here please.

Roughly what percentage of penalties do you think a top class professional football player should score? 

Around 85% of penalties are scored. Nearly all of these will be taken by designated penalty takers in normal games though. In a penalty shootout you get players who don't normally take penalties, in a high pressure situation, after they've been running around for 2 hours.

[david3103]

I don't know very much about football, so indulge me here please.

Roughly what percentage of penalties do you think a top class professional football player should score? 

Around 85% of penalties are scored. Nearly all of these will be taken by designated penalty takers in normal games though. In a penalty shootout you get players who don't normally take penalties, in a high pressure situation, after they've been running around for 2 hours.

add to that the additional pressure of our history in penalty shootouts

Cole took probably the best of the penalties for Chelsea in the Champs League Final, and the nut worst in this. Young was the width of the crossbar away from scoring.

[superwomble]

Gerrard said after the match that the team had hoped it would be our turn for the bit of luck in penalty shootouts we need. This said it all. It is not down to luck that England have won 1 penalty shootout in 7, and it is not down to luck that Germany have only lost 1 in 7.

[DaveShoelace]

This was the least disappointed I have ever been by an England exit, the last World Cup damaged my view of the England team, and several other International teams, and football in general, so much I think it finally gave me a realistic outlook on our chances.

Quite happy we escaped the groups, quite optimistic we have something to build on, happy with elements of the performance last night, happy enough we Hodgson as a manager. Most happy that we have the Olympics round the corner to look forward too and help us forget about this.

[smashedagain]

The pirlo penalty was pure ballsy.

Think Messi is playing in the Olympics so good game anyone else. He could turn out for the Leeward islands and get them a medal

[pokerfan]

The pirlo penalty was pure ballsy.

Think Messi is playing in the Olympics so good game anyone else. He could turn out for the Leeward islands and get them a medal

Argentina aren't in it.

[jakally]

I think the reality is that we didn't have the quality in midfield to control the ball.
Without that, we had little option but to be resolute, and hope to nick a goal, or exploit set pieces.

We are short in midfield as a nation anyway, and the run up taking away Lampard, Barry, Wilshere etc... was insurmountable.

I'm not a massive fan of Parker and Milner (workaday Prem. players at best), but I'm not having criticism of them in this tourney. They gave everything, and played right up to their potential, and can hold their heads high for that.
Gerrard had a very good series of games up to the Italy match. He started that one well, but his ball retention, and pass completion were poor from half time onwards. It's difficult though, when you are being overrun, and constantly chasing the ball, and he was looking pretty tired late on.

[smashedagain]

The pirlo penalty was pure ballsy.

Think Messi is playing in the Olympics so good game anyone else. He could turn out for the Leeward islands and get them a medal

Argentina aren't in it.

Lol. Once again I know feck all about feck all

[kinboshi]

Gerrard said after the match that the team had hoped it would be our turn for the bit of luck in penalty shootouts we need. This said it all. It is not down to luck that England have won 1 penalty shootout in 7, and it is not down to luck that Germany have only lost 1 in 7.

At least we actually practised them this time. 

Ludicrous in the past saying that the penalty shoot-out conditions can't be replicated, so no point practising taking penalties.  That's more of a reason to practice, so at least the mechanical aspect of taking a penalty is right.  It's like someone who trains at any sport or martial art - you repeat the action so it becomes second nature and when you need to use it in the heat of battle, it's something you can do without thinking about.  Of course, they can still be fluffed, but it's all about increasing the percentages.

[jakally]

Gerrard said after the match that the team had hoped it would be our turn for the bit of luck in penalty shootouts we need. This said it all. It is not down to luck that England have won 1 penalty shootout in 7, and it is not down to luck that Germany have only lost 1 in 7.

At least we actually practised them this time. 

Ludicrous in the past saying that the penalty shoot-out conditions can't be replicated, so no point practising taking penalties.  That's more of a reason to practice, so at least the mechanical aspect of taking a penalty is right.  It's like someone who trains at any sport or martial art - you repeat the action so it becomes second nature and when you need to use it in the heat of battle, it's something you can do without thinking about.  Of course, they can still be fluffed, but it's all about increasing the percentages.

You're right, practice > no practice, but the most important thing is to have a confidence, and be in control of the situation, and you can't really teach that.
Pirlo and Balotelli had it, Rooney probably, but English players on the whole, seem to have it less than players from some other countries.

[JK]

Im not half as annoyed as I thought Id be. As Daveshoelace said earlier, my expectation was alot lower than it has been in past tournaments.

I thought Hart was amazing last night. The back 4 defended so well. I know we let a few leak through, but I think alot of teams would have struggled to beat us for 90% of the match. The only problem was letting Balotelli get the few runs 1 on 1 that he had. That said, I NEVER doubted Joe Hart for a second. Him and Terry were absolutely world class (and thats from a Utd fan).

Also on the view of a Utd fan, Young was absolutely pathetic. I think Rooney played better than people make out, but was still terrible. His 1-2s were v good, passing was decent and actually gave us a charge through their midfield. Seemed like he didnt know what to do with the ball when he got to the end of the runs though.

Agree with Waz about Welbeck and the Ox. Both got amazing vision in their respective positions, just need that bit more experience. Hopefully that will come.