The Round Ball Game - II

[Stanfordian]

Sterling is getting a trashing on radio tonight. He hasn't played well vis a vis goals. Alli is also being questioned because of injury. The favoured replacements are Rashford and Loftus-Cheek. But I think we need to be clear here. Sterling is getting criticism principally because, unstated, he is only 5 foot 7. Apparently he has an 87% pass rate ratio not that this is how it appears. The criticism of Pickford in goal has suddenly changed. So these things can turn around. And if both Sterling and Alli are replaced let us look at the potential goals being lost. In the Premier League - Sterling (18), Alli (9) = 27. Rashford (7) and Loftus-Cheek (2) = 9. Also Alli scored 18 in the previous season and both players have high levels of assists.

Stick with Sterling and also Alli if he isn't seriously injured.

Certainly don't replace both.

Hiya Lat-Literal,

Sterling keeps giving the ball away and running into defenders. I believe he's had poor games so far this tournament. It's been rather like playing with 10 men. Sadly Sterling's excellent Premier League form has not translated to his England performances.

[eighthobstruction]

....had to take the dog out (a dog substitute tactic) at the 90+5minute stage....I couldn't face extra-time....back on the 29 minute mark, just in time to see Caudrado completely open on the right with no Eng player within 20 yards of him [and knew my dog tactic correct]....Wouldn't give anyone more than 6 for pereformance....but 10 for guts and effort....I thought Gareth had talked to them about game management, still running around without much shape last 15 minutes,and utter chaos for last 10 minutes, Stones appearing over the halfway line....others doing stupid offensive passes....SUB's: Vardy nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,Dier for Deli Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Rashford too late, Rose too late....Lotus-Cheek for Deli[but no] Two steel like lines of 4 for the last few few minutes WHY NOT TRY IT....Sterling hustle bustle trip fall loose ball good for wall passes sometimes (lots of effort no performance)....AND THE REF SHOULD BE....stuck in stocks ....waste of space....too tolerant, no control over 'incidents'....

....anyway despite ineptitude....grit and determination + a moderate ability to kick a ball got us through....great penalties/'owning the process'....

[vinteuil]

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... marvellous how quiet the streets of west London were yesterday evening as I strolled down to the river. Occasional shrieks and groans from various pubs en route, but the streets deserted. Lovely...


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[Stanfordian]

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... marvellous how quiet the streets of west London were yesterday evening as I strolled down to the river. Occasional shrieks and groans from various pubs en route, but the streets deserted. Lovely...


.

Same here in West Lancashire, deserted streets. I guess it must have been the same on most places in England. Like my youth in the 1960s when the FA Cup was being played.

[Lat-Literal]

Hiya Lat-Literal,

Sterling keeps giving the ball away and running into defenders. I believe he's had poor games so far this tournament. It's been rather like playing with 10 men. Sadly Sterling's excellent Premier League form has not translated to his England performances.

This is true, Stan, but with a player like Neymar people are prepared to wait for five matches before he performs as he can do. I recognise Sterling isn't Neymar. But on goals, he was fifth, ahead of Lukaku, Firmino, Jesus, Hazard, Eriksen and Mane, the latter few by a wide margin, and on assists he was joint third, ahead of Alli, Eriksen, Pogba, Salah, Ozil, Firmino, Willian, Lukaku, Jesus, Hazard and Mane, again the latter few by a wide margin. In fact, no other player in the Premier League was in the top five for both goals scored and assists.

[Zucchini]

Serious question, what's the difference between the balls used in the group matches and those being used now? Sure I read they'd changed

[eighthobstruction]

....black for r32, red for r16....

[jayne lee wilson]

Great photos. Exactly how I felt on each occasion....

England played well - very well for the first 20 minutes, but were almost literally knocked off their rhythm by the appalling nudge, push, hold, protest, complain, dissent tactics of Columbia team who can in fact play a bit when they want (e.g. with three minutes left. But roughing up the penalty spot while arguing with the ref? Please.).
England kept their cool (sometimes only just), held out so well, and even Henderson's penalty was a good one - just telegraphed a bit too much with body language, inviting the spectacular save.

I never felt such fierce joy after a win - I'd begun to hate the Columbia team by halftime (watching the first half from the floor, cushions under my migraine-affected head, only jaundiced my view of those yellow shirts the more intensely....)...I saw extra-time from the doorway or listening in the garden, came in as England recovered their game in the last 15, watched the penalties from the next room... but what pain-relieving euphoria when Dier's kick went in! YEEEESS! God, what a moment... as Gary Neville said, some of us have waited a longtime for that... (loved the pictures of the panel leaping around afterwards!)

***
Not sure why Rashford didn't get on sooner. He's a better team player than Vardy, comes back, endlessly energetic, to midfield to get the ball, receives well with his back to goal, and very strong ON the ball. Runs at defences, great finisher, great pen! More of him, please, Mr. Southgate.
All Vardy really does is race on to the ball over his shoulder or poach close in.

Very tough game, great victory.
At least Sweden should offer honest-to-goodness, actual footballing opposition. No more wrestling, or whinging every five minutes to stop attacking momentum.
And thank god that Ibrahimovic-the-God isn't Sweden's Captain Fantastic anymore (doing very well indeed in LA...catch him on youtube...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwFgnGqMTws)

[teamsaint]

I'd be interested to have a whole-pitch view of Sterling. TV doesn't always give a full and fair indication of what a player is doing. He reminds me a bit at the moment of Sadio Mane when he went through his two lean spells at Southampton. You could see that his confidence was a bit low, and goals were a struggle to find, but he kept busy, and defences were so scared of what he would do given half a chance that he was still immensely valuable.
For all that, more game time for Rashford must be a good thing for England. Southgate has options, and he will need to change judiciously I think. If Alli is fit, he might go further forward perhaps, leaving room for R L-C to come in, but on the other hand we will surely need some pace as part of the mix needed to get past a Sweden team that will be a stern test. Might be the moment to risk Danny Rose, and those CBs might get even more licence to roam. Picking their moment to come forward maximise the impact could be very significant.

[HighlandDougie]

England! England! England!

To which one response might be"

Allez les bleus!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

To which one response might be"

Allez les bleus!

Well, we shan't be playing any French speaking sides before the final,

[Constantbee]

Seen this yet?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44718387

'What would Gareth Southgate do?' Scroll down to where the tweets start. Have fun

[DracoM]

Yep, I thought France looked ominously good.

[Lat-Literal]

Seen this yet?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44718387

'What would Gareth Southgate do?' Scroll down to where the tweets start. Have fun

I like those very much and also the kind gesture to the Colombian who missed the penalty.

Southgate battled against the odds.

He was told he was too bright to be a footballer and later that he was too polite to be a manager.

Doesn't the latter say everything about modern management and not only in football!

[BBMmk2]

No footie till Saturday?