The Round Ball Game - II

[teamsaint]

But sometimes all you can do, especially if you are from Liverpool (see expanded post above) is......carry on.... grimly if necessary....
My post gave you all the details that matter. Please don't wilfully ignore them.

Anyway there's something quite important happening at 1400! So, back to the garden for now....

Thanks Jayne. I hadn’t checked the fixtures and though our game was at 20.00 hours

Anyway, it looks like some fans have snuck into the stadium. Wonder how that was allowed to happen ?

Can’t say this is the eleven I would want out there if we reach the latter stages. Foden has had a great season, but Sterling needs to be in his best form to convince me that he is better than either Rashford or Grealish, and the midfield pairing is , well, possibly the best we have to go with , given fitness issues.
As for the defence... lets hope we get lucky at the right times.

[teamsaint]

Atmospherics are playing havoc with my already creaky satellite system.

England look ok so far through the pixelation

Resorted to iplayer now....

[Ein Heldenleben]

Atmospherics are playing havoc with my already creaky satellite system.

England look ok so far through the pixelation

Resorted to iplayer now....

The main problem is the heavy shadow in the lower third which means that despite the best efforts of the vision engineers the Croatians pretty much disappear when they are playing there. Mind you they’ve pretty much disappeared from the rest of the pitch.

[jayne lee wilson]

England - sharp, fresh, lively..... Croatia..... waiting to pounce (oh don't worry (or rather, do) - they know what they're doing)........shame about the Foden effort.....
Very tense and absorbing....

Cautious midfield selection - it is the first game - Gareth thoughtful as ever. . Creatives to bring on if we need the goal later...

[antongould]

Meanwhile in a Galaxy far, far away
Stockport 0 Hangers 1

however as a Hangers supporter you always totter on the final fence …

[Ein Heldenleben]

England - sharp, fresh, lively..... Croatia..... waiting to pounce (oh don't worry (or rather, do) - they know what they're doing)........shame about the Foden effort.....
Very tense and absorbing....

Cautious midfield selection - it is the first game - Gareth thoughtful as ever. . Creatives to bring on if we need the goal later...

We started like Toscanini now its become a bit Klemperesque

[teamsaint]

Meanwhile in a Galaxy far, far away
Stockport 0 Hangers 1

however as a Hangers supporter you always totter on the final fence …

Congratulations on the big win AG, and commiserations to ER.
Good luck at Ashton Gate, and I’m sure Stockport will do it next year.

[jayne lee wilson]

Consolations Edgy...... sorry..... not easy to enjoy England after that....

But keep in touch..... heat took its toll at the end of the the Eng-Croat first half inevitably..... finely balanced game....
Not easy being a coach, is it? Go for the win, or make sure you don't lose? Decisions decisions....
Still, Mings and Stones good so far...

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Consolations Edgy... not easy to enjoy England after that....

But keep in touch..... heat took its toll at the end of the the first half inevitably..... finely balanced game....
Not easy being a coach, is it? Decisions decisions....

Such as take off Kane and bring on Grealish?

[jayne lee wilson]

Such as take off Kane and bring on Grealish?

No - leave Kane on - he can always grab a goal in an instant - keep steady for now, bring Grealish on later, maybe for Philips or Sterling, scoreline-dependently ... but tread carefully: don't lose your first game.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

True, but HK seems to be playing too deep, whereas somebody who can run at the Croatian defence...

[antongould]

Congratulations on the big win AG, and commiserations to ER.
Good luck at Ashton Gate, and I’m sure Stockport will do it next year.

Many commiserations indeed ………

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Anybody else think Kovacic is Karabits' double?

[Edgy 2]

Many commiserations indeed ………

Thanks everyone and well done Anton.
Not much in the game really, Hartlepool were just the better side and I hope they go on to finish the job.
We go again next season.

[jayne lee wilson]

True, but HK seems to be playing too deep, whereas somebody who can run at the Croatian defence...

Getting the ball to Foden more often would be a good start...

(Croatia much more into this now, inevitably...)