International Football Discussion

[CrimsonGunner11]

Belgium vs. USA going on right now.
Score is currently 1-1 with goals from Mirallas and Geoff Cameron
Vermaelen taken off around the 35th minute mark with an injury. Probably precautionary.
Fellaini playing in a deep CM role. Looks average.
Benteke subbed on around the 40th minute mark

EDIT: 2-1 Belgium. Defensive error from the US results in a Benteke tap in. De Bruyne with the assist
EDIT: Fellaini makes it three
EDIT: Benteke scores his second. Sublime pass from Defour. 4-1 Belgium
EDIT: Penalty for the US. Dempsey scores. 4-2
EDIT: Benteke with a chance to get his hat trick but denied by Besler with a last ditch tackle.
EDIT: Game over. Belgium 4-2 USA

[yosifun]

Was Poldi deployed as the CF or did he play at the left the same he does for us?

[Angelito]

Was Poldi deployed as the CF or did he play at the left the same he does for us?

I didn't watch it but coming from a reliable source, he played CF alongside Kruse but kept dropping deep.

[Zenith]

Belgium vs. USA going on right now.
Score is currently 1-1 with goals from Mirallas and Geoff Cameron
Vermaelen taken off around the 35th minute mark with an injury. Probably precautionary.
Fellaini playing in a deep CM role. Looks average.
Benteke subbed on around the 40th minute mark

EDIT: 2-1 Belgium. Defensive error from the US results in a Benteke tap in. De Bruyne with the assist
EDIT: Fellaini makes it three
EDIT: Benteke scores his second. Sublime pass from Defour. 4-1 Belgium
EDIT: Penalty for the US. Dempsey scores. 4-2
EDIT: Benteke with a chance to get his hat trick but denied by Besler with a last ditch tackle.
EDIT: Game over. Belgium 4-2 USA

What an average game from both sides. It was obvious you were missing key players like Edu and Bradley in the middle of the park just like it was obvious that we we're missing Witsel and a more creative winger like Hazard who can create something out of nothing. Out of the 6 scored goals there were at least 5 defensive errors, also I think the tackle on Benteke could have been a penalty, just like Mertens should have gotten a yellow card for a reckless tackle on erhm...- not sure who it was lol. Also missing Landon Donovan seem to help you either - did Klinsmann exclude him from the squad because of a personal disagreement or was it for disciplinary reasons?
All things considered an average game in terms of defending - just like most friendlies - but certainly a useful one for both sides ahead of the qualifiers. Good luck for the game against Jamaica next week!

[Yorkyblue]

There are a lot of people moaning about England's half team draw to Ireland in Irelands cup final.

Could really tell what it meant to the Irish.

[greengoonerie]

There are a lot of people moaning about England's half team draw to Ireland in Irelands cup final.

Could really tell what it meant to the Irish.

Half team?

Pray tell - who was missing from Englands team last night?

Ireland don't do friendlies - especially against England - we love our neighbours, but we also love to beat our neighbours!

[Zenith]

Was Poldi deployed as the CF or did he play at the left the same he does for us?

I didn't watch it but coming from a reliable source, he played CF alongside Kruse but kept dropping deep.

According to most German sites Germany played their regular 4-2-3-1 formation with Podolski on the left and - this time - with Kruse in the ST spot. As you can see it was more a Germany B as well.

The starting line-ups (allegedly) looked like this:

Ecuador: 4-4-2/4-2-2 (double 6 with Naboa and Castillo)

----------------Banguera--------------
Paredes---Erazo---Achilier---Ayovia
---------Naboa---------Castillo-------
--Valencia------------------Montero--
--------Benitez-------Caicedo--------

---------------------o------------------

------------------Kruse----------------
---Podolski-----Draxler-------Sam---
-----------Bender----Neustädter-----
Jansen--Westerman-Per--Höwedes
------------------Adler----------------

Germany: 4-2-3-1 with Podolski and Mertesacker on their usual positions.

[Yorkyblue]

There are a lot of people moaning about England's half team draw to Ireland in Irelands cup final.

Could really tell what it meant to the Irish.

Half team?

Pray tell - who was missing from Englands team last night?

Ireland don't do friendlies - especially against England - we love our neighbours, but we also love to beat our neighbours!

Jagielka, Walcott, Ox, Sturridge, second half full backs (although can't really knock Baines so can't really count that one).

I doubt any would be starting if that was a World Cup match and everyone was available.

From the bits I've managed to get to see, you could tell what it meant for Ireland in that game.

[greengoonerie]

There are a lot of people moaning about England's half team draw to Ireland in Irelands cup final.

Could really tell what it meant to the Irish.

Half team?

Pray tell - who was missing from Englands team last night?

Ireland don't do friendlies - especially against England - we love our neighbours, but we also love to beat our neighbours!

Jagielka, Walcott, Ox, Sturridge, second half full backs (although can't really knock Baines so can't really count that one).

I doubt any would be starting if that was a World Cup match and everyone was available.

From the bits I've managed to get to see, you could tell what it meant for Ireland in that game.

Yorkie,

I will try again.

Who was MISSING from Englands team last night then?

You said it was half a team. Which half was missing?

Or are you saying that Jagielka, Walcott, Ox, Sturridge, are all unworthy of places in Englands Team?

I would suggest that many here would regard them as good enough to start for England.

[Yorkyblue]

There are a lot of people moaning about England's half team draw to Ireland in Irelands cup final.

Could really tell what it meant to the Irish.

Half team?

Pray tell - who was missing from Englands team last night?

Ireland don't do friendlies - especially against England - we love our neighbours, but we also love to beat our neighbours!

Jagielka, Walcott, Ox, Sturridge, second half full backs (although can't really knock Baines so can't really count that one).

I doubt any would be starting if that was a World Cup match and everyone was available.

From the bits I've managed to get to see, you could tell what it meant for Ireland in that game.

Yorkie,

I will try again.

Who was MISSING from Englands team last night then?

You said it was half a team. Which half was missing?

Or are you saying that Jagielka, Walcott, Ox, Sturridge, are all unworthy of places in Englands Team?

I would suggest that many here would regard them as good enough to start for England.

I would say we have better.

All those who started yesterday, won't start against Brazil. Hodgson has 2 friendlies and wants to give his whole squad a starting game.

Probably missed someone as well by not thinking straight but I'd say something along these lines is our strongest 11 when available. Formation can be changed to suit those players as well.

------------Hart------------
Richards Terry Cahill Cole
-------Milner Carrick------
Gerrard Lampard Welbeck
----------Rooney------------

Yes, I still would play Lampard and Gerrard. It's all about getting the balance of the team right to play them together as well which for some reason, people struggled to do.

[Maxduke]

Mine would be...

Hart
Richards - Smalling - Jones - Cole
Lampard - Carrick
Milner - Wilshere - Welbeck
Rooney

I expect by the next world cup Zaha will be in the side though, so I'd drop Welbeck then. The England team in 4/5 years should much better than it is now, although we do need a striker to come through. We'll have exciting wingers, with great technical players in the middle and monsters at the back who can also play and a solid GK, we're just lacking a great young striker.

[Yorkyblue]

At times we may be better off playing Defoe up top and having 3 play off him. He'd suit that better than anyone else.

Shame Jordan Rhodes decided on Scotland like his dad.

[Maxduke]

At times we may be better off playing Defoe up top and having 3 play off him. He'd suit that better than anyone else.

Shame Jordan Rhodes decided on Scotland like his dad.

Yeah I was thinking that yesterday, I'd fancy our chances in the U21 Euros if he was in the English side as they really do lack a good striker. Saying that, the Spanish team is just silly and they should walk it.

[Yorkyblue]

Such a natural finisher and his all round game isn't bad either. When I went to St James Park and saw him score past Newcastle from a nothing angle it was obvious how good he was going to get. The lad just gets better and better and I'm sure he will be starting the 2014/15 season in the prem, if not this season (already talks of Hull but only offered 4mill and the Venkys paid 8mill then add ons on top of that last summer).

[Maxduke]

Yeah, I remember Middlesbrough were linked with him with Blackburn but we don't have that kind of money to compete with them. If we got him, we'd have made the play-offs atleast, 27 goals in a struggling team in this division is awesome.