Jese has been great every time I see him. Isco too though Modric and Di Maria kept him out with their great play this year.

I said it earlier too so I'm guilty but the "end of the era" for England is basically just realizing Gerrard/Lampard are past it at this level. Honestly, aside from Sturridge and Sterling England's young players have a lot of work to do (no one can argue Wilshere, Barkley, Shaw, etc are anything near world class yet and may never be).

6/20/2014 7:44:07 AM

It really is a paradox that the center of the footballing universe doesn't actually have any truly world class players. English players are so vanilla.

Where's the imagination in the final third? Where's the English Pirlo or Modric? Shouldn't they be churning an army of these type of players with their resources?

Edit: Let me head wazza off at the pass here because I already know what he is going to post. Rooney is not a world class player. He isn't sniffing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd all-UEFA team. Do not redirect this conversation into a referendum on shrek

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 8:36 AM. Reason : bbb]

6/20/2014 8:33:37 AM

From page 7, I said:

Quote :

"There's way too much talk in here about a team that isn't even going to make it out of the group stage. Let's turn our attention to Chile instead, who are going to top their group with 10 goals for and play the most exciting style (and about 100000x more exciting than England)."

We'll see if my Chile prediction comes true but as for the other one, well

6/20/2014 9:09:47 AM

^^Lots of England fans agree with you and they primarily blame the FA for letting too many non-English players join the Premier League thus not being able to develop the talent that is needed for international play. That is essentially England's version of "THEY TOOK OUR JERBS!"

6/20/2014 9:17:47 AM

England shockingly crashing out of yet another tournament and yet again their fans and media pull their hair out trying to figure out why never ceases to be entertaining.

^ If the FA attempted to reduce the number of foreigners in the Premier League, the clubs would tell them to fuck off.

From the rugby forum I post on:

Quote :

"It certainly can't help that the EPL is choke full of foreigners , think I heard a stat recently that it now has the lowest percentage of English players ever, could be wrong but I think it was below 40%"

Quote :

"Yep, 39.6% apparently. And even lower percentage when you look at time spent playing: BBC article from 2013 wrote: "English footballers account for less than a third of all the minutes played in the Premier League, a State of the Game study for BBC Sport has found. The figure for home country players - 32.26% - is down from 35.43% in 2007-08 and is significantly lower than all other major European leagues according to football statisticians Opta." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24467371 I actually thought it would be lower. The majority of the English players come from the smaller clubs."

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 9:33 AM. Reason : .]

6/20/2014 9:21:12 AM

^in the WCs they have qualified for, this is the first time they haven't made it out of groups. They also finished top 8 twice in the 2000's.

6/20/2014 9:31:59 AM

^ my opinion of English soccer fans from years being on BigSoccer and their media can be summed up by this picture:



Results:

tied the U.S. 1-1
tied Algeria 0-0
beat Slovenia 1-0

lost to Germany 4-1 in the round of 16

that's their place in the world at this point in time, an English-based journalist I read yesterday put it best, during the Uruguay game he said in a tweet "If England do manage to scrape a draw and have to beat Costa Rica, it means they've turned into Scotland"

English soccer is like the Dallas Cowboys: arrogant high opinion of themselves when they have achieved nothing in recent memory. The only reason they're a big deal is because they have a massive fanbase and a lot of money.

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 9:47 AM. Reason : /]

6/20/2014 9:45:39 AM

Are there any quality young CBs in England (say Smalling. I dare you)?

Maybe Caulker but no one really thinks he is going to be able to play at this level:

6/20/2014 9:45:47 AM

Quote :

"English soccer is like the Dallas Cowboys: arrogant high opinion of themselves when they have achieved nothing in recent memory"

Incorrect. English fans do not have an arrogant high opinion of the England team -- English MEDIA and the FA does. In fact, going in to this WC a majority of England fans didn't expect a good performance. If you don't believe me, go take a look at comments on social media sites and stuff from about a month ago, most English folk were talking about how the team is shit and won't do anything this time around. That being said, they are still fans and despite a historically weak team and low odds of getting anywhere, they will still support their team to the bitter end and in future competitions. That's what being a fan is all about. England in general is just barely good enough to inspire hope -- but weak enough to destroy it every time.

6/20/2014 10:02:42 AM

Caulker ain't shit and sadly that's about the only young CB I can think of.

6/20/2014 10:10:34 AM

for the guy asking about English defender pool, from a post at Big Soccer:

Quote :

"maybe Caulker, Smalling, or Jones along with Stones not super confidence inspiring but not giving them a chance to play we will never really know "

6/20/2014 10:18:47 AM

Quote :

"Incorrect. English fans do not have an arrogant high opinion of the England team -- English MEDIA and the FA does. In fact, going in to this WC a majority of England fans didn't expect a good performance. If you don't believe me, go take a look at comments on social media sites and stuff from about a month ago, most English folk were talking about how the team is shit and won't do anything this time around."

Yes. Finally, after years and years, reality set in.

Geez, in 2006, the odds you got from bookies on England to win the World Cup was 3/1. Lines are placed based on people betting on it, so according to English fans themselves willing to put up money they thought they had a 25% chance of winning the World Cup. I understand supporting your team, but would anyone on this board bet on State to win the basketball national championship at 3/1? In 2010, everyone thought they were gifted the best possible draw and it was their chance to go far and the still made a meal of it and almost flamed out early.

And yes, this is hardly a vintage English team, but it's not like they don't have talent. They have more soccer talent man-to-man than Uruguay (although the English soccer system like the American soccer system are at this moment incapable of developing a Suarez-type player) and have far more soccer talent than Costa Rica. (And in 2010, they had more talent than the U.S., Algeria, and Slovenia.)

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 10:42 AM. Reason : /]

6/20/2014 10:32:52 AM

Quote :

"They have more soccer talent man-to-man than Uruguay"

I'm not so sure about this

6/20/2014 10:46:13 AM

^^The media puts way too much stress on the players which is part of the reason why England has been sucking lately and USA has been doing respectably in past cups. If USA happens to lose the next two games and not make it out of the group stage, the media here won't won't give them a hard time and the fans will mostly say "Hey, guys gave it a good shot. Not our year but we'll work on it and try harder next time."

In England, the media will pick apart every tiny mistake, endlessly blame Roy, Gerrard, Rooney, and put the whole team on blast until things start gearing up for Euro 2016. It puts a lot of unnecessary psychological stress on the players.

That being said, the English way is to be knocked out on PENALTY KICKS. That's just our thing, it's like a law of the universe. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we miraculously made it out of the group stage and just to lose the next match on PKs.

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 10:49 AM. Reason : ]

6/20/2014 10:47:03 AM

Quote :

"In England, the media will pick apart every tiny mistake, endlessly blame Roy, Gerrard, Rooney, and put the whole team on blast until things start gearing up for Euro 2016. It puts a lot of unnecessary psychological stress on the players. "

True. Spain used to face the same issue with the whole Madrid/Barca nexus. England needs to snap out of it. But it is tough as long as the football club culture exists among fans. Sad to see United fans blaming Gerrard on twitter, while the scousers were scapegoating Rooney.

England need a manager that can help them get out of it. This team is easily good enough to get to the QF, and semi in every WC. England has enough talent.

6/20/2014 10:51:10 AM

^Individual talent though. Not team talent. The FA keeps them in their clubs until May so not nearly enough time to develop them with the proper team work needed. Haven't seen good actual team talent from them since early 2000s although I will say that with a predominantly young squad like this there is at least potential. Probably Gerrard and Rooney's last World Cup so it is kind of a clean slate.

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 10:57 AM. Reason : ]

6/20/2014 10:56:47 AM

An Arsenal player might finally have an impact for England today! Hope Costa Rica get a point..

6/20/2014 11:02:17 AM

Quote :

"England need a manager that can help them get out of it. This team is easily good enough to get to the QF, and semi in every WC. England has enough talent."

A non-British manager would be a good start unless they could some how get Brendan Rodgers

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 11:19 AM. Reason : Sorry I interchange the two]

6/20/2014 11:02:58 AM

Rodgers isn't English...

6/20/2014 11:04:51 AM

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 11:19 AM. Reason : ]

6/20/2014 11:17:31 AM

Well England was absolute shite. The only player on the pitch that cared was Sterling and what does woy do? Sub him off.

Oh well, nothing new. Rinse and repeat for the Euro's. I will obviously be hoping Italy help us big time but even if they do I wouldn't put it past England do cock it up against Costa Rica. Even if by some miracle England does make it they will play Colombia and that will end badly.

6/20/2014 11:24:17 AM

The FA should do whatever it takes to get Sir Alex (I know he's Scottish and have no idea if he would manage them).

6/20/2014 12:28:16 PM

Having a hard time staying awake through this one :yawn:

6/20/2014 12:39:59 PM

Before anyone gets all warm and fuzzy over Costa Rica (and Campbell specifically), never forget.

6/20/2014 12:43:13 PM

Haha perfect timing.

Karma you bitch.

6/20/2014 12:44:00 PM

holy shit, that should have been a pk... costa rica just got hosed

6/20/2014 12:44:35 PM

Let's see the blue line!!!


Good goal.

By Woy.

6/20/2014 12:45:24 PM

Soccer gods are real.

6/20/2014 12:47:11 PM

Italy basically getting every call and still losing..

And lol at the shock that Italy is losing from English on twitter. Italy isn't a great team but they are better than England. Shit, Costa Rica may be too.

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 12:52 PM. Reason : Hodgson in through 2016....]

6/20/2014 12:48:02 PM

My facebook and americans in general are obsessed with england. Pretty annoying.

6/20/2014 1:56:43 PM

Common language and we understand their media and fan meltdowns in general. Plus, US soccer fans are most familiar with their players since they all are in the most popular league we watch.

Anyway, hopefully this World Cup forever shuts up the idiots who want to take a spot from CONCACAF whenever a half decent UEFA team bottles it in qualifying.

6/20/2014 2:03:08 PM

What a miserable game by Italy. If they move on to the knockout stage, their opponent will surely be licking their collective chops.

6/20/2014 2:10:16 PM

Quote :

"My facebook and americans in general are obsessed with england. Pretty annoying."

Haha, little brother syndrome

6/20/2014 2:44:04 PM

To me, it sounds like your friends are terrible to me.

6/20/2014 2:53:13 PM

is woy fired yet? Cunts, the lot of them.

6/20/2014 3:06:17 PM

@ESPNFC: Despite England's exit, the FA has backed Roy Hodgson to remain manager until the end of Euro 2016.
http://t.co/yvSigAxdy9

6/20/2014 3:07:22 PM

Excluding friends and family back in England, I literally have zero England fans on my FB friends list. Most people are bandwagon Germany fans (which annoys the hell out of me) or USA fans (which is at least their home team so no problem with that).

6/20/2014 3:08:05 PM

Quote :

"Geez, in 2006, the odds you got from bookies on England to win the World Cup was 3/1. Lines are placed based on people betting on it, so according to English fans themselves willing to put up money they thought they had a 25% chance of winning the World Cup. I understand supporting your team, but would anyone on this board bet on State to win the basketball national championship at 3/1? "

What were they ranked going in? They finished in the top 8 and only failed to advance on penalties so 3/1 wasn't all that far off. Public teams always get worse odds bc they will be bet no matter what. State isn't an appropriate analogy. If State was ranked top 10 going into the ncaa tourney, I would put something on them no matter the odds.

6/20/2014 3:17:23 PM

Switzerland employing its cheese defense.

6/20/2014 3:29:50 PM

https://vine.co/v/MTrtQLuuhY0

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 3:32 PM. Reason : More of some England woe is me]

6/20/2014 3:32:08 PM

that was an exciting pk

6/20/2014 3:33:48 PM

^^I could see him selling toys in NYC to macaulay culkin.

^Swiss keeper made up for being terrible in the previous goal with that pk block.



[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 3:34 PM. Reason : x]

6/20/2014 3:34:22 PM

^ha

6/20/2014 3:37:49 PM

swiss have given up

6/20/2014 3:42:27 PM

Quote :

"Rodgers isn't English."

He didn't say English, he said British.

6/20/2014 4:15:07 PM

I edited it to British.

6/20/2014 4:19:36 PM

That Pass

6/20/2014 4:25:59 PM

Switzerland has disconnected from the match.

6/20/2014 4:33:32 PM

Dat Pass

I've only been occasionaly flipping to this game... is France playing that well? Or are the swiss shit?

6/20/2014 4:34:18 PM

^I have been doing the same, but you could tell the Swiss were done after that second goal.

6/20/2014 4:46:57 PM