How many goals did Kane score against Russia and Wales again?
Correct. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Nothing.
How many goals has Vardy scored for England? 4 goals in 5 shots. Uber impressive. PFA player of the year, won the Premier League, 24 league goals in the PL this season, yet some people question whether he should start for England. Added to the fact that Vardy is a whippet, he's far quicker than Kane, he uses space and runs into space much much better, he's just as accurate if not more accurate in front of goal.
Jeezus.
....
I only got to see the highlights of the second half, but in the first half Dier looked like he was doing his job - which is more to read play and provide cover for the fullbacks and make an extra centre half when needed than it is to build play up. He's not a Pirlo there to control and dictate and start attacks.
Dier holding in a diamond? As omnomnom touches on, Dier isn't good enough on the ball to play there. If you want to play that formation then Wilshere has to play that role and then you make up for the lack of defensive ability with the likes of Milner, Henderson etc doing his donkey work.
The fullbacks are your width, they're not going to be the starting point of your play and if you try to make them that it can be easily cut off by the oppositions wide players.
I'm sorry, thinking you can play a 4-4-2 diamond with Dier, Wilshere and Rooney is beyond laughable as are some of the things you've come out with the try and justify it. Give Walker instructions and Gary Neville whispering in subs ears!
If a team is attacking down our left then Dier will naturally be to the left of centre. If the opposition then hit a crossfield pass towards our RB area, how the **** is Dier going to help our RB? No instructions you can give Walker and no matter what Gary Neville whispers in subs ears is going to help if Rooney/Wilshere haven't got the energy to run all day.
You want to play somebody that's far from great on the ball in a position where he'll be on the ball more than any other player on the pitch and you want to pick the 2 least athletic players in the squad in the most physically demanding roles in football. It's almost as if you've been playing too much football manager and you're trying to find a formation that can fit players in.
I'd love to see these Wilshere running stats btw. I don't believe for 1 minute that Wilshere has ever been a ground coverer. You'd need to find the number of sprints per game too though as that's the more important figure - playing wide in a diamond isn't about jogging around the centre circle, you need to be able to make high intensity runs up and down and side to side, constantly getting into position to help the attack down the right/left or cover your fullback or support your holding midfielder.
And I'm really sorry to say but your Leicester comparison only highlights your naivety. You cannot compare the roles of central midfielders in a flat 2 man central midfield to those in a diamond. Leicester had wide players which meant their cm's didn't have to (not regularly at least) support attacks in the wide areas or cover their fullbacks - that was the job of their wingers. If England play a 4-4-2 diamond then there are no natural wide midfielders which makes the role of the 2 players either side of the holding midfield much more physically demanding.
Them being the width is what makes them the link. They create space and/or are available to pick the ball up and run with it or receive it in the opponents half.
Are you saying that if Dier doesn't have someone next to him he's just going to play it into touch instead or something? We don't need him to be a playmaker.
Drinkwater would be ideal at the base of a diamond...![]()
...hopefully you can see what i'm saying though....
The fullbacks link the play in that the defence and attack are not two separate distinct entities with them there.
I understand what you're saying, I just don't agree with you at all. I think Dier can easily play the anchor role in a diamond - in fact I think that's the reason he's in the squad.
A post of complete and utter tosh!
Some people are impossible to please, the serial whingers are out in force again!
We haven't played badly in either game.
We've dominated both games completely and utterly.
We were unlucky not to win the last one.
We are top of the group.
Both Russia and Wales were set up to defend, frustrate and counter. Wales once in front were all just defend and frustrate.
Yes Roy does some odd things, but at least he's learnt that Kane can't take a corner, maybe he's finally figured out that Sterling is pants... but I've seen enough to be pretty confident we'll beat Slovakia and finish top.
And seriously, some people just have this Rooney hatred ingrained, if you stick a different name on the back of that shirt he'd get a totally different review on the same performance.
Not a clue what you're talking about actually.