Thomas Tuchel

Don't think Eze is right in this set up - but generally a fan of his

We've had so much possession and some pretty easy chances but they have to be taken

I know its a cliche but it can be hard to play against teams whose sole aim is to keep the score down

Even when they go behind the don't open up a little to try to get back into it

So the entire game is playing against a packed defence

Bout time.

Rice 2-0

Anthony Gordon looks like an extra from The Deer Hunter...

3 minutes ago, scram said:

Don't think Eze is right in this set up - but generally a fan of his

 

We've had so much possession and some pretty easy chances but they have to be taken

 

I know its a cliche but it can be hard to play against teams whose sole aim is to keep the score down

 

Even when they go behind the don't open up a little to try to get back into it

 

So the entire game is playing against a packed defence

As I suggested earlier, Eze and Madueke play their own games. Tuchal talked about getting around the outside of Andorra but Eze and Madueke don’t have that in their games. We should have been hitting Rashford constantly as he does have the qualities to get down the sides and we should have pushed Lewis-Skelly and James much further forward as they do also have the quality to get to the touchline and whip a ball into the danger area. 
 

I think we are desperately missing Saka who, for me, has been our standout player for a good three of four years - Eze and Madueke aren’t fit enough to lace Saka’s boots. 

Bowen is very direct and can play on the outside well.

Why aren't we using him more? 

Think we've looked better, some decent saves by their keeper.

Not convinced by some of the players though. Not sure about Burn, Madueke makes poor decisions, Rashford is a shadow of himself, not seen anything from Lewis-Kelley.

Anderson looks good, and the substitutions have looked decent.

Anderson is my MoM. 

8 minutes ago, shandypants said:

As I suggested earlier, Eze and Madueke play their own games. Tuchal talked about getting around the outside of Andorra but Eze and Madueke don’t have that in their games. We should have been hitting Rashford constantly as he does have the qualities to get down the sides and we should have pushed Lewis-Skelly and James much further forward as they do also have the quality to get to the touchline and whip a ball into the danger area. 
 

I think we are desperately missing Saka who, for me, has been our standout player for a good three of four years - Eze and Madueke aren’t fit enough to lace Saka’s boots. 

Agree about Saka - probably 2nd name on the team sheet for me after Kane

I think Eze had just been a waste of a player here.  Madueke has tried on the outside but he just isn't that effective. 

I also think we're trying to be too intricate at times - like they're doing training routines in a 10m box

That plays into the hands of a tightly packed defence 

1 minute ago, CalmJimmers said:

Think we've looked better, some decent saves by their keeper.

 

Not convinced by some of the players though. Not sure about Burn, Madueke makes poor decisions, Rashford is a shadow of himself, not seen anything from Lewis-Kelley.

 

Anderson looks good, and the substitutions have looked decent.

Rashford is on his way back IMO. He could be in prime form for the World Cup if he has a good season 

Just now, shandypants said:

Rashford is on his way back IMO. He could be in prime form for the World Cup if he has a good season 

Fair enough. I personally think he's past his best already. He also never tackles and rarely tracks back.

Maybe being out of England will do him well.

Rashford has done nothing in the last 2 years to deserve to be called up.

Hes also done nothing this season to deserve it.

Hes called up on what he did 4 years ago and this is the issue with England and has been for 2 decades now.

2 minutes ago, scram said:

 

 

Agree about Saka - probably 2nd name on the team sheet for me after Kane

 

I think Eze had just been a waste of a player here.  Madueke has tried on the outside but he just isn't that effective. 

 

I also think we're trying to be too intricate at times - like they're doing training routines in a 10m box

 

That plays into the hands of a tightly packed defence 

Agree with all of that.
 

There’s an obsession in modern football with “Number 10”s, and playing two (one either side of a centre-forward) just plays into a packed defences hands in my opinion. You obviously know this but back in the day, we didn’t refer to them as “Number 10”s - they were forwards that “played in the hole” and the king of that position was Peter Beardsley. I am of the opinion that we should only have one of such player in each team because they need to have a free role to cause their damage and having a free role obviously affects formation and team play. If we are to have three up front then I’d rather us go for an old-fashioned inside left and inside right or two wingers as that would give more balance and contribution to team play. 

We have an outstanding number 10 tbf

But it's Bellingham and he's injured

But again it comes down to shoving players into a system rather than forming the system around the players available.

I think Tuesday night will tell us a lot more but again, we're not playing peak Spain and although Serbia away is a step up, it's marginal

It's just doing enough in games to qualify and it's tedious , the problem is it sets the tone for the tournament as well

Germany lost their first game in Slovakia so they a bit of work to do, and Italy are struggling again as well 

Same old, same old. Is there anyone in football more unfortunate than a Wednesday fan just now? 
 

Crap club team and crap international team… there’s no relief!