England v Costa Rica | Page 2 | Vital Football

England v Costa Rica

We've now played a better African team than Tunisia and a better North American team than Panama, and beaten them both reasonably comfortably. As long as we don't choke on the big stage, we should be through in two.
 
I was bored stiff with it. Very little penetration, pedestrian and barring the moment of magic from Rashford, sterile. Costa Rica very limited and I remain sceptical we will do any better than last time. I would be happy to eat humble pie and look forward to eating my words. Roll on Russia, I think :unsure::hmmm:
 
I was bored stiff with it. Very little penetration, pedestrian and barring the moment of magic from Rashford, sterile. Costa Rica very limited and I remain sceptical we will do any better than last time. I would be happy to eat humble pie and look forward to eating my words. Roll on Russia, I think :unsure::hmmm:
We all see it different. I thought considering 3 of our 4 most dangerous players didn’t start we did well and created enough chances to beat a team set up to defend. You’re never going to carve apart a team as deep as that and we scored twice and had two other good chances. The interplay down the flanks and clever pressing was particularly promising.
 
We all see it different. I thought considering 3 of our 4 most dangerous players didn’t start we did well and created enough chances to beat a team set up to defend. You’re never going to carve apart a team as deep as that and we scored twice and had two other good chances. The interplay down the flanks and clever pressing was particularly promising.
i agree, and in terms of penetration it was light years away from our last effort against costa rica. interesting that the commentators started using jetlag as an excuse for the fact that they hardly got a kick.
 
i agree, and in terms of penetration it was light years away from our last effort against costa rica. interesting that the commentators started using jetlag as an excuse for the fact that they hardly got a kick.

I think that is probably a fair excuse. Apparently there was about 24 hours between them leaving Costa Rica and landing in England, via Panama and Spain.
 
Think Dixon has it right. Don’t rate him and a better keeper could have got something on Rashfords effort. He hardly jumped.

"Navas was the first-choice goalkeeper for Levante in the 2013–14 season, and was nominated as the league's best goalkeeper alongside Thibaut Courtois of Atlético Madrid and Willy Caballero of Málaga CF, going on to win the prize. In March 2014, he was La Liga Player of the Month, the first goalkeeper to win the accolade."

His save from Vardy was terrific, I think Navas thought it was going over the bar (see other posts about modern ball flight)
 
We've now played a better African team than Tunisia and a better North American team than Panama, and beaten them both reasonably comfortably....

... in friendlies !!!

We beat Germany away (the world champions) before Euro 2016 and put on a very good showing by all accounts. I think we all remember what happened when the results and performances really started counting out in France.

Absolutely nothing can be read into the effect of friendly results and performances on likely progress in tournaments... as the England team have shown time and time again in their long and less than illustrious history.

That said, I did say to a mate last night that this is the first time in many, many years that we look like a team rather than a collection of individuals playing in a system that doesn't suit them. Just desperately hope that continues in 10 days' time against Tunisia (currently more than 20 places above Nigeria, and 2 places above Costa Rica, in the FIFA rankings).
 
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... in friendlies !!!

We beat Germany away (the world champions) before Euro 2016 and put on a very good showing by all accounts. I think we all remember what happened when the results and performances really started counting out in France.

Absolutely nothing can be read into the effect of friendly results and performances on likely progress in tournaments... as the England team have shown time and time again in their long and less than illustrious history.

That said, I did say to a mate last night that this is the first time in many, many years that we look like a team rather than a collection of individuals playing in a system that doesn't suit them. Just desperately hope that continues in 10 days' time against Tunisia (currently more than 20 places above Nigeria, and 2 places above Costa Rica, in the FIFA rankings).
The fifa rankings are meaningless. Check these out https://www.eloratings.net/
 
Still think we look vulnerable at the back defensively. However we do seem to be looking quite good in the other two thirds. I expect we will make the quarter finals, especially if we get a favourable draw.
 
Difficult to tell from friendlies, but overall I was quite encouraged by the performance. Seemed to move the ball about well and looked reasonably comfortable with the formation. Considering several of the potential first choice players were on the bench they gelled quite well. Watching Germany v Saudi Arabia & don't see much of a difference between us and the Germans, in fact we probably looked better in some areas. If there is a difference between us and the top teams its probably having one or two top quality players who can make something from nothing and others always seem more clinical in front of goal than us. However, this could be Kane & Rashford's World Cup - who knows?
 
I watched some of the game. Probably the most technically competent England team I've seen. I'm not sure how they'll fare in the WC but it looks as if we aren't completely coaching skill out of our players anymore.
 
OK - resisted the urge to have my usual rant about Stones, but afraid I can't resist it. Will someone please tell him he's not a midfield player! I counted twice that he was way out of position when we lost posession and left a gaping hole in the middle of defence. Could have cost us against better opposition. What do others think about a CB pairing of Cahill & Maguire? Might be a more solid back pairing defensively but I haven't seen enough of them to judge.
 
OK - resisted the urge to have my usual rant about Stones, but afraid I can't resist it. Will someone please tell him he's not a midfield player! I counted twice that he was way out of position when we lost posession and left a gaping hole in the middle of defence. Could have cost us against better opposition. What do others think about a CB pairing of Cahill & Maguire? Might be a more solid back pairing defensively but I haven't seen enough of them to judge.
What do you mean pairing? We’ll play 3 centre backs. Also Cahill and Maguire are both more likely to play LCB. Walker Stones Cahill in the first two for me.
 
Shows my lack of knowledge of the England team at present then - I thought there were only two recognised CBs (Stones & Maguire) - I thought others were FBs or wing-backs? Ah - assume you mean for the WC. Confusion as I was basing it on yesterday's team.
 
We have played three at the back for a while now. V Costa Rica it was Jones, Stones and Maguire.

v Nigeria it was Walker as a right sided CB (which he has played a bit for City and done relatively well for England in a few appearances there), Stones and Cahill.
 
Shows my lack of knowledge of the England team at present then - I thought there were only two recognised CBs (Stones & Maguire) - I thought others were FBs or wing-backs? Ah - assume you mean for the WC. Confusion as I was basing it on yesterday's team.
Always 3cbs for a while now
 
Hoddle pointed out that stones would have more opportunities to bring the ball out if he were to the side of that back three. That would also be less risky if he loses it. Maguire, Cahill, Jones don’t look very comfortable carrying the ball forward. No-one looks great on the left side of the back three either.

But if we use the ball well, win it back high and quickly, retain a high percentage of possession we might cover the defensive weakness. On those factors, Rashford looked way more effective than Sterling.