yellow jumper

definitely had the most corner takers.

i think, on the whole, he's been better playing in europe for us, and when the manager has protected him. not going to get either of those things next year, and probably in decline anyway.

when we're competing with top PL clubs, for sure.

hard to compare games. but england scored a goal from a free kick edge of the box against russia, so you know. talking more specifically about the game last night, and how it went. there was very little in that range, given how much the ball was there. i just think it's an area england could be a lot more street smart.

big money by bundesliga standards. i think he's probably not far off where the club is in terms of wanting players who are ready to break through or are undervalued rather than established stars and the silly money they command. but there's still the massive issue that there is also competition for the best of that type of player and we've been fairly hopeless at getting them over the line; willian, mkhitaryan, sanchez etc.

obviously any team can be frustrated by a side intent only on defending. or have a scare. that isn't my point. england won't (and haven't had) the ball against any side that wants to keep it, unlike spain and germany. both of whom have tended be better at getting the late or tight wins against that type of opponent. what is it? 3 wins in 10 for hodgson's england. of course you know how you force a card. players who commit defenders, go down when they're touched, put pressure on ref (especially when you've got the card-happiest one in european football in charge). the fact he missed one incident doesn't change that. england with 60% of ball, slovakia defending for their lives, martin skrtel, and england won a grand total of 7 free kicks. it's not a small detail. and it's something a number of other nations are a lot better at.

i don't think they've been awful. but it's probable that this team will just end up looking beholden to whatever their opponents choose to do with them. frustrated by the sides that come to defend. unable to live with the sides that try to dominate. no other side is likely to veer so much between the two extremes. usual lack of nous; any top continental side in that situation yesterday would have looked to force free kicks/cards from early on, probably sacrificed a defender, and been clearer in their wide options or their striking partnerships from the get go.

hodgson complaining about 10 men behind the ball was the least self-aware thing i've ever heard anyone say.

maybe we've signed three really good players already. probably it'll take less than three seasons to work it out. but you never know. not about me being right either. i'm happy for the manager to sell him.

not the point. no one's being pulled up on here for not liking england or what england fans sing/do. the implication that they should have been booing rather than singing their silly song in support is a strange thing to criticise any fan for.

yes i'm dealing in the sort of generality that gets used here on a daily basis. the weight of opinion on allen has shifted significantly. i don't think it's particularly controversial to claim that. nor do i think it's reflective of a massive improvement or a particularly poor level previously. and so i find it fairly perverse.

i don't find it to be true. that's how. obviously. i think he was getting gip playing well under rodgers. players get unfair grief all the time.

about as relevant as martin skrtel's great performance in the other game. or sturridge's so-so one. must say, as a fan of his, find the allen love a bit perverse at this point. had grief mostly, throughout his time here.

strange comment.

skrtel always been at his best for us when iwe've been set up defensively.

England should be diving all over the place here, the daft pricks

joe hart's another one who's average, but treated as though he's elite.

wilshere looks about as fit as me.

same thing gets said during practically every tournament.

those are managerial decisions.

if payet got a chance to move to arsenal he should go... he's performed at big French clubs and now in a stellar way for the national team. not sure there's quite as much uncertainty about his ascendancy or quality compared to vardy.

your two paragraphs are linked. iniesta/busquets ahead of him and opponents like turkey every week and all you see is moreno going forward. he's not alba. but then alba probably isn't alba if you put him in this Liverpool team. and turan deserved everything he got. fat and lazy.

big assumption that gary neville knows any better.

is that the boat you're in now smithdown? as long as they buy you diamonds they can do what they want?

tbh with lots of ball and good players around i wouldn't be surprised to see him do it well. didn't Rodgers try him there in one game? not like gotze's never played up top either. he's done it for Germany before and scored goals.