Group D - Costa Rica, England, Italy, Uruguay - Real World Football - FM14

VP.

15 years ago

1 month ago

25,280

15 Jun 2014 10:39:57

Poe

20 years ago

1 week ago

3,676

15 Jun 2014 10:45:21

The Rooney-Sterling-Sturridge front 3 has so much promise imo - we need to get better defensively to allow it to work.

Ninja

16 years ago

9 years ago

5,341

15 Jun 2014 10:46:23

By Sam | On 15 June 2014 - 08:46 AM

Just because they're Rooney and Gerrard it seems they're immune from being subbed. Taking Henderson and Welbeck off were such poor decisions.

Definitely an encouraging performance overall however. Far more positive than 2010, our reaction to both goals were pretty good, obviously we were a bit tired towards the end and Italy had a good shape. Would be good to drop Rooney for the next game for Lallana, but it won't happen. Gerrard wasn't very good last night, however Wilshere did nothing when he came on.

I don't blame Baines for the second goal, if Johnson was actually a good right back it wouldn't have ended up in the back of the net. Hart and both center backs were pretty good, Henderson was good, Sterling was absolutely excellent. Both Sturridge and Welbeck good too.

Disappointing, but also encouraging. Play like that in our next two games and make a couple changes with players we should beat Uruguay and Costa Rica.

Why? I appreciate Rooney was poor (but I don't think he was anywhere bad as people made him out to be, and people went overboard with criticism because they wanted him to fail) but he still laid on the assist for the goal, I didn't see anything from Lallana so justify he's starting over him and even Barkley who looked bright and breezy has shown little in the way of end product internationally so far.

I'd go for the same players as last night against Uruguay but with Rooney in his best position up alongside Sturridge. Uruguay's midfielders are poor, so we shouldn't need 3 of our own in that area to cover theirs. It rings as true at the start of the tournament as it does now that Rooney playing well is the key to a good world cup.

Poe

20 years ago

1 week ago

3,676

15 Jun 2014 10:48:27

I think a 4-3-3 with Milner, Gerrard, Henderson and Sterling, Sturridge, Rooney would be the best balance between attack and defence.

Rooney was nowhere near as bad as people were saying last night and he ran his socks off - he was poor but no worse than Gerrard who is supposed to be the captain.

For the life of me I can't understand why Roy Hodgson couldn't see we were repeatedly exposed down the left and changed something to combat it. A little word in Henderson's ear could have been good enough.

VP.

15 years ago

1 month ago

25,280

15 Jun 2014 11:03:51

What really is the point in playing Rooney if its not as a striker? He is a central striker and if he's not seen to be as good as Sturridge right now then surely shouldn't be in the starting 11.

Shola

18 years ago

7 years ago

2,708

15 Jun 2014 14:48:52

He suggested that Scholes was ‘trying to make a name for himself’ as a pundit. The former Ireland midfielder remarked, “Some of these guys, you think they’re kind of intelligent until they start to speak.” Check out the short clip here:

Well Liam Brady is now my number one pundit ever.

mr.SPANKY

19 years ago

7 months ago

1,755

16 Jun 2014 07:02:52

We have a sweeps between 10 mates so we had to eliminate 2 teams to give each person 3 teams. We get rid of Honduras and Costa Rica, Costa Rica then make us look like dicks by beating Uruguay lol.

Sam

20 years ago

3 years ago

5,092

16 Jun 2014 13:51:57

K3V0

18 years ago

3 years ago

5,966

16 Jun 2014 17:02:02

Jesus Hart went absolutely mental.

VP.

15 years ago

1 month ago

25,280

16 Jun 2014 18:53:02

https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10462804_728417507215915_9142730603506508534_n.png

Carroll.

17 years ago

5 years ago

3,361

17 Jun 2014 00:20:19

Cant we just play some variation of a 4-4-2 with Sturridge and Rooney up front, Sterling and Lallana/Welbeck/Ox on the wing?

Flash.

20 years ago

3 years ago

677

17 Jun 2014 04:33:02

I don't understand why you don't just put Sterling on the wing and Rooney behind the striker.

Ninja

16 years ago

9 years ago

5,341

17 Jun 2014 09:25:52

What pisses me off about it more than anything is you know that after all the press hounding not to play him if Hodgson listens to them and doesn't and England do badly we're going to get a whole summer of 'Hogson is an idiot for not getting the best out of Rooney'.

Crane

16 years ago

3 months ago

2,436

Premium

17 Jun 2014 09:32:20

Rooney is a bottler when it comes to the WC.

alilane4

17 years ago

7 months ago

252

17 Jun 2014 10:21:14

By Crane | On 17 June 2014 - 10:32 AM

Rooney is a bottler when it comes to the WC.

IMO you need to do it at the World Cup to be considered World Class. This is Messi & Ronaldo's biggest chance to put themselves in that bracket.

Pele and Maradona did it at their respective clubs but it's because they had exceptional World Cups they're considered the greatest ever.

tmatthew

20 years ago

9 months ago

771

17 Jun 2014 10:35:24

So Ronaldo and Messi aren't world class?

alilane4

17 years ago

7 months ago

252

17 Jun 2014 10:41:30

Yes they're World Class but history remembers the big occasion. They're world class now but will they be remembered as so in 30-40 years?

Neither of them have shown in at International tournament level yet.

I guess I am sucker for World Cup history over league history though.

tmatthew

20 years ago

9 months ago

771

17 Jun 2014 10:44:35

Of course they'll be remembered. They're two of the greatest players ever. They've both done it at the highest club level and have insane personal records.

George Best never even played in a World Cup.

alilane4

17 years ago

7 months ago

252

17 Jun 2014 10:50:55

By tmatthew | On 17 June 2014 - 11:44 AM

Of course they'll be remembered. They're two of the greatest players ever. They've both done it at the highest club level and have insane personal records.

I guess I am trying to say until they have done it in a World Cup (they may even have to win it) they won't go down as the greatest ever. But that's probably just IMO.

Carroll.

17 years ago

5 years ago

3,361

17 Jun 2014 12:50:32

Messi and Ronaldo are probably the best to players ever, even without performing at the World Cup

BR.

19 years ago

4 years ago

1,896

18 Jun 2014 09:23:25

El Diego is still number one.

VP.

15 years ago

1 month ago

25,280

19 Jun 2014 06:49:58

Today I am nervous.

Dan

15 years ago

6 months ago

16,986

19 Jun 2014 11:18:45

By VP. | On 19 June 2014 - 07:49 AM

Today I am nervous.

Attack from the off! #AllOrNothing

Shedender

20 years ago

6 days ago

13,752

19 Jun 2014 11:22:32

England should win, Uruguay weren't that spectacular against Costa Rica although Luis Suarez could make the difference.

I'm expecting a cagey, uneventful game though as whoever loses are out but I hope I'm wrong.

Crane

16 years ago

3 months ago

2,436

Premium

19 Jun 2014 14:01:03

We could lose and still go through. Say we lost 1-0, and Costa Rica lost by one goal. That would put us on 0, Costa Rica & Uruguay on 3. Then Uruguay lose to Italy in the final game, we'd only need to beat Costa Rica by 2 goals.

Obviously I hope it doesn't come to that!