Euro 2016 Discussion

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Duty281 wrote:Sterling and Rooney have been woeful thus far and need to be dropped (but 1 of them certainly won't be), but I would favour giving Kane one final chance. He's had an excellent couple of seasons, and England shouldn't jettison him at the first sign of difficulty.

Rooney woeful? I'm not his biggest fan but he's been pretty good so far, working well alongside Dier allowing Alli to push on further

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Neither has Lallana but one of them has pace the other doesn't.

Lallana is still pretty quick, wouldn't say Sterling is massively ahead of him in terms of pace.

Crimey wrote:

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Neither has Lallana but one of them has pace the other doesn't.

Lallana is still pretty quick, wouldn't say Sterling is massively ahead of him in terms of pace.

Also, Lallana is afraid to ask for the ball and at least try and do something with it. Sterling's confidence is shot to bits. Obviously we haven't seen him on the training pitch so there's always a possibility that he has his "mojo" back, but I just don't see it.

Crimey wrote:

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Neither has Lallana but one of them has pace the other doesn't.

Lallana is still pretty quick, wouldn't say Sterling is massively ahead of him in terms of pace.

Pace is not something I associate with Lallana and Sterling is massively ahead of him in that regard.

Sterling can also go past players if he feels like it.

GSC wrote:Sterling can also go past players if he feels like it.

Which he doesn't seem to have wanted to do for nearly a year now. His confidence has completely gone.

No it's back now, cos pep rang him. Joke

Has Roy really recalled Sterling cos Pep rang? Doubtful.

The one thing we lacked against Slovakia was width and pace. Bringing in Sterling makes sense (and we have to hope he has recaptured some form)

If it doesn't work Lallana can come off the bench and look to take advantage of tired defenders with his through balls etc

It's a change that makes sense to me (even if sterling is in horrible form)

Sterling's issue is confidence, after Liverpool sent out the word to all their ex pros in the media to do a hatchet job on him for daring to want to go to a bigger club (thanks.for.that).

None of us are within the camp so we can't really comment on his mental state, it's Roys gamble to take based on what he's seen.

GSC wrote:Sterling's issue is confidence, after Liverpool sent out the word to all their ex pros in the media to do a hatchet job on him for daring to want to go to a bigger club (thanks.for.that).

None of us are within the camp so we can't really comment on his mental state, it's Roys gamble to take based on what he's seen.

I do hate it when club matters effect the international team but Sterling playing instead of Lallana and the faux outrage stinks of club loyalty over riding sense.

For me Sterling's confidence has been affected since before he moved to Manchester City. He didn't look right for a lot of his last season at Liverpool. I'm not sure whether that was because he wanted to leave or something else. My own speculation is that he struggled under the pressure of Rodgers giving him so much responsibility. I genuinely think Rodgers believed in Sterling more than Sterling believed in himself, and recognised that Sterling was effective pretty much anywhere on the pitch and he became Liverpool's star player and I'm not sure Sterling coped very well with that.

I don't agree at all that there has been some conspiracy to ruin Sterling in the media, he's just had a really poor year. His confidence has completely gone. He was taken off at half time against Liverpool. I just think he's not got the mental strength.

I think Sterling thought Rodgers was a pr1ck.

He went from linking up with a world class player in Suarez and a very good player in Sturridge to being the lone star in that team, when he was what 19?. I'd expect him to struggle with that responsibility

Liverpool fan in not seeing Liverpool media destroying player leaving Liverpool shocker

GSC wrote:I think Sterling thought Rodgers was a pr1ck.

He went from linking up with a world class player in Suarez and a very good player in Sturridge to being the lone star in that team, when he was what 19?. I'd expect him to struggle with that responsibility

Didn't we all?

There was very obviously (and I said so at the time), a concerted effort by ex Liverpool pros in the media to paint Sterling as a money grabbing twunk, when he had personal issues with Rodgers and didn't like that Liverpool tried to leverage him publically over a new contract. Also he wanted to go win something.

I think that's true, but that was a year ago now, the media haven't been on Sterling's back at all over the course of the season. If anything, I'm surprised his poor form hasn't been more of a talking point.

For me Sterling was always wrongly against Rodgers, he seemed to be annoyed that Rodgers wouldn't play him as a winger, but Sterling performed much better in every other position than winger. He improved Sterling as a footballer immensely and believed in him. For me it was Sterling's desire to shirk responsibility and avoid the spotlight that made him dislike Rodgers, because Rodgers wanted Sterling to be a more rounded footballer, but with that came more responsibility.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Liverpool fan in not seeing Liverpool media destroying player leaving Liverpool shocker

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Liverpool fan in not seeing Liverpool media destroying player leaving Liverpool shocker

I appreciate that there was a lot of people criticising the move, but since then media has been pretty quiet on Sterling. If he's still that affected a year on from people questioning the way he made that move then my point stands, he's not got much mental strength.

Crimey wrote:I think that's true, but that was a year ago now, the media haven't been on Sterling's back at all over the course of the season. If anything, I'm surprised his poor form hasn't been more of a talking point.

For me Sterling was always wrongly against Rodgers, he seemed to be annoyed that Rodgers wouldn't play him as a winger, but Sterling performed much better in every other position than winger. He improved Sterling as a footballer immensely and believed in him. For me it was Sterling's desire to shirk responsibility and avoid the spotlight that made him dislike Rodgers, because Rodgers wanted Sterling to be a more rounded footballer, but with that came more responsibility.

Shock horror, 19 year old with only a season experience struggles being the main man in a team that had just lost it's best player, not many are able to handle such pressure at that age.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:

Crimey wrote:I think that's true, but that was a year ago now, the media haven't been on Sterling's back at all over the course of the season. If anything, I'm surprised his poor form hasn't been more of a talking point.

For me Sterling was always wrongly against Rodgers, he seemed to be annoyed that Rodgers wouldn't play him as a winger, but Sterling performed much better in every other position than winger. He improved Sterling as a footballer immensely and believed in him. For me it was Sterling's desire to shirk responsibility and avoid the spotlight that made him dislike Rodgers, because Rodgers wanted Sterling to be a more rounded footballer, but with that came more responsibility.

Shock horror, 19 year old with only a season experience struggles being the main man in a team that had just lost it's best player, not many are able to handle such pressure at that age.

A player worth £49 million should be. 19 or not.

The media have absolutely been on his back.

While he didn't exactly light it up this season, he had a pretty productive one statistically (especially when you compare to the next superstar in Martial )

Yet all you'd hear in the media is that he's had a crap season

It makes sense to me to drop Lallana. Id possibly have played Rashford instead though. However good Lallana has been, it's been as our best defender. Sadly he has shown himself blunt in and around goal.

Sterling is definitely an option, but Rashford and Barkley are both probing players who will either use pace or skill to take men on.

Kane makes some sense as he will play deeper and won't be nullified as much by a deep defence. If Vardy plays I suppose Iceland will just sit deep and that has bothered us.

I'd play Vardy and Lallana in the next round though, were we to make it through

Crimey wrote:

Hammersmith harrier wrote:

Crimey wrote:I think that's true, but that was a year ago now, the media haven't been on Sterling's back at all over the course of the season. If anything, I'm surprised his poor form hasn't been more of a talking point.

For me Sterling was always wrongly against Rodgers, he seemed to be annoyed that Rodgers wouldn't play him as a winger, but Sterling performed much better in every other position than winger. He improved Sterling as a footballer immensely and believed in him. For me it was Sterling's desire to shirk responsibility and avoid the spotlight that made him dislike Rodgers, because Rodgers wanted Sterling to be a more rounded footballer, but with that came more responsibility.

Shock horror, 19 year old with only a season experience struggles being the main man in a team that had just lost it's best player, not many are able to handle such pressure at that age.

A player worth £49 million should be. 19 or not.

The fee that Man City paid for him has nothing to do with Sterling.

Pound sterling it does HONK HONK!! I'm here all week folks, I've got nowhere else to go

That made me chuckle!

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Pound sterling it does HONK HONK!! I'm here all week folks, I've got nowhere else to go

England's likely line-up: Hart, Walker, Cahill, Smalling, Rose, Alli, Dier, Rooney, Sterling, Kane, Sturridge.

I think I'll go for England to win 1-0 in Extra Time. Gulp.

Interesting (or not so interesting) fact - the last time England played a last-16 match was six years ago to the day...4-1 Germany.

No disallowed goals today hopefully. Or conceded goals from a punt over the top!

Sterling to score a goal that makes Shaquiri's overhead kick look like a goal line tap in.

Raheem if you're reading this...WHY!?!?!?! I told you to stay off social media last week.

At least if Sterling plays I can spend another hour working out whether or not I fancy him. Tricky one.

And then I can spend another hour laughing at the inevitable man of the match award heading Rooney's way, as England play yet another side who have no interest in contesting the centre of midfield, thus gifting England's finest all the time and space in the world.

Duty281 wrote:At least if Sterling plays I can spend another hour working out whether or not I fancy him. Tricky one.

And then I can spend another hour laughing at the inevitable man of the match award heading Rooney's way, as England play yet another side who have no interest in contesting the centre of midfield, thus gifting England's finest all the time and space in the world.

Has he had his teeth done, Duty? They look bigger and whiter and there seem to be too many of them for his mouth lately. Anyway, I'd be disappointed if you fancied him Duty. He's no Theo Walcott in the looks department, although equally disappointing in the footballing department.

Incidentally, I do hope poor Raheem hasn't been searching twitter for "Sterling" lately.

GSC wrote:Incidentally, I do hope poor Raheem hasn't been searching twitter for "Sterling" lately.

or googling "Sterling...poor performance...Euros"

Was always more of a Lampard fan personally.

Spain - De Gea, Juanfran, Ramos, Pique, Alba, Busquets,Iniesta, Fabregas, Silva, Nolito, Morata

Italy - Buffon, Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Sciglio, Giaccherini, De Rossi, Parolo, Florenzi, Eder, Pelle

Spain in extra time imo

Spain 3-0

I don't think this Italy team has anything to offer in truth, a good result against a in-cohesive Belgium had people falling over themselves but they have very little quality going forward.

I back the underrated Italians over the overrated Spanish.

Might take extra time, however.

You've got to be pretty out of touch with the game & the abilities of the Italian defence, to predict a 3-0 win to Spain

Who would have predicted 4-0 in 2012, a game in which Buffon, Bonucci, Chillieni and Barzagli all played or Barcelona putting 3 past them last year or Bayern 6 over two games this year.

You're talking about the three best sides, at that period. Spain in their pomp, Barcelona with Messi, Suarez & Neymar & Bayern under Pep. The difference this time is, this Spain side is way below the standard of four years ago, the Croatia game showcased that.

Italy should be ahead really, I'll expect they will regret it later. Have to agree though, this Spanish side is pretty ordinary, compared to four year ago.

Deserved lead for Italy

Confident start from Italy and they land a deserved first goal.

Literally, all over Spain

De Gea keeping his side in the game - just like he has done all season!

I like Hammersmith have called this one completely wrong, Italy have been fantastic tactically. Having said that...Spain look shattered! No urgency, 2nd to every ball, poor anticipation of passes. You have to be ready to move towards the ball when you play a team that presses so well, instead they are stood waiting for the ball to come to them.

This referee is a clown.

That was ridiculous, barely touched him and even then it was legitimately, Fabregas goes down clutching his face like a big girl.

Apologies to big girls who probably wouldn't have gone down so theatrically.

He's really really bad, hope it doesn't cost either side.