The Official Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup thread

[Bingo]

England a little unlucky in the two games but are basically fucked beacuse they have given goals away so cheaply. There can never have been as bad an English back 4 and central midfield ever, especially at a major finals. I'd give Baines and Henderson marks for effort but the two centre backs and Gerrard have been pathetic. Hart is dodgy too (he did a great job getting out of the way for the 2nd!). The goals they've conceded have all come from nothing really.

Whether you like him or not Rooney deserves great credit after the ridiculous stuff going on about him leading up to the tournament and in the last week. He is England's best player by a distance and was tonight. He's not at the Messi/Ronaldo level and should have converted more of his chances over the two games but I thought despite the close attention from the really excellent Arevalo he kept driving England on from start to finish and kept plugging away when other were shown up as the frauds they are.

Hodgson has been a wee bit naive too. John Terry should have been there and persisting with Gerrard was destined to fail.

Hope Italy beat Costa Rica so the soap opera continues!

You're defence of Rooney is honourable, he is a striker and was played in his favourite position due to his goalscoring record. But time and time again for England in big games in finals he struggles. He is there to finish and to get 1 goal from the 3 chances he had doesn't "deserve great credit". He is as guilty as anyone for the failure last night. Gerard equally so.

Frauds! Tabloid post their seanie.

The biggest problem England have is a manager who allows himself to be led by the media and who doesn't know how to get the best of the players. He was worried about how the media would react to begging Terry back, he was all over the hype of Luke Shaw and took him in favour of Ashley Cole who would have been perfect for tournament football, he had to play Sterling cause the media demenaded, then he had to play Rooney at 10 because the media demanded it. He is a terrible manager who thinks that they handled Suarez well last night. Of course they did, imagine if they hadn't, maybe he'd have scored 6 goals.

I'm not surprised Gerard has been so poor, him and Henderson have been trying to play in a midfield 2 and have been stretched more than they very do when playing for Liverpool. Liverpool played a similar setup at home to Villa with a top heavy forward line and he got badly exposed. How Hodgson thought that he'd be able for that role in a world cup is beyond me.

England took about 60 minutes till they put in a tackle of any note. Passionless, Uruguay were willing to boot anything/anyone from the first minute to the last.

All those players will be much better with their clubs as they will have managers/coaches who know the game.

[magpie seanie]

I don't think any England player can say they've had a good tournament to be fair.
Sterling was excellent first game but wasn't great last night. Rooney was ok last night but poor the first game.
Welbeck is just shit and it is absolutely mind boggling that he starts for England at a World Cup.
Jagielka and Baines have been shown up for the small club players they are, unable to make the step up in class.
Gerrard has had a poor world cup in fairness. Henderson isn't the player he has been for Liverpool all season.
Even with the mistakes made in the lead up to the goals last night I think Seanie forgot to mention the brilliance of Suarez in his finishing  He still had an awful lot to do it wasn't like they were both tap ins.
I think a lot of the blame though is on Woy.The English press will be clamouring for 'Arry to take over now.

I can't stand the fecker granted but the finishes were good but were nothing to really rave about. First was on a plate and he put it where it needed to go. Second he controlled it well and then just smashed it cos he was knackered at that point. Got lucky that Hart lay down out of the way, he made himself small.

Rooney didn't play all that badly in the first game considering he was out of position. Assist for the first goal and really unlucky to miss the one where he sent the keeper the wrong way but it went wrong side of the post. I think he was much better than ok last night also. Welbeck is a decent player, no more, no less. Pace and power but not much guile. England have better options and should use them.

Hodgson is just too conservative but I'd say the suits in the FA are scared shitless of appointing Redknapp. I can see their point to a degree. Hodgson should start Barkley and Wilshere in the middle the next day with Lallana instead of Welbeck. He should give Jones and Shaw starts too, they can't do any worse than who they would be replacing (though I still think Baines deserves credit for his attacking play).

[magpie seanie]

Hart didn't give himself the very best chance of saving Suarez's shot, but had he done he would have saved it two times in a million rather one time in a million. The ball was in the net in less time than it would take you to blink, let alone lift your arm.

While Gerrard wasn't at fault for the goal, he's had a poor World Cup. The extent to which each game passed him by was disturbing. Thankfully Liverpool have a manager who has a clue.

It's no surprise to anyone who doesn't support Liverpool. Unless he gets an armchair ride from his teammates he is useless. He's a number 10 really, not a midfielder.

[blewuporstuffed]

I don't think any England player can say they've had a good tournament to be fair.
Sterling was excellent first game but wasn't great last night. Rooney was ok last night but poor the first game.
Welbeck is just shit and it is absolutely mind boggling that he starts for England at a World Cup.
Jagielka and Baines have been shown up for the small club players they are, unable to make the step up in class.
Gerrard has had a poor world cup in fairness. Henderson isn't the player he has been for Liverpool all season.
Even with the mistakes made in the lead up to the goals last night I think Seanie forgot to mention the brilliance of Suarez in his finishing  He still had an awful lot to do it wasn't like they were both tap ins.
I think a lot of the blame though is on Woy.The English press will be clamouring for 'Arry to take over now.

I can't stand the fecker granted but the finishes were good but were nothing to really rave about. First was on a plate and he put it where it needed to go. Second he controlled it well and then just smashed it cos he was knackered at that point. Got lucky that Hart lay down out of the way, he made himself small.

Rooney didn't play all that badly in the first game considering he was out of position. Assist for the first goal and really unlucky to miss the one where he sent the keeper the wrong way but it went wrong side of the post. I think he was much better than ok last night also. Welbeck is a decent player, no more, no less. Pace and power but not much guile. England have better options and should use them.

Hodgson is just too conservative but I'd say the suits in the FA are scared shitless of appointing Redknapp. I can see their point to a degree. Hodgson should start Barkley and Wilshere in the middle the next day with Lallana instead of Welbeck. He should give Jones and Shaw starts too, they can't do any worse than who they would be replacing (though I still think Baines deserves credit for his attacking play).

Rooney had 3 gilt edged chances last night and only took one of them.The goal glosses over another very mediocre performance.

[deiseach]

Hart didn't give himself the very best chance of saving Suarez's shot, but had he done he would have saved it two times in a million rather one time in a million. The ball was in the net in less time than it would take you to blink, let alone lift your arm.

While Gerrard wasn't at fault for the goal, he's had a poor World Cup. The extent to which each game passed him by was disturbing. Thankfully Liverpool have a manager who has a clue.

Can you see any of the other top quality mid fielders on the other so called top sides, not realising his position on the pitch and the position of the defenders behind him, he ducks out of the way it runs harmlessly to an England defender. No need to go and try to make a header there, I would have thought that was basic awareness and positioning from most mid fielders.

Cavani (I think it was) went for the ball as well. If he had gotten to it and flicked it on, you'd have given Gerrard grief for not competing. If Cahill had gotten tight to the man who is officially the most lethal striker in Europe this season, at least Suarez wouldn't have had a free shot. But I suppose it fits better into the pre-determined narrative to blame Gerrard.

[laoislad]

I don't think any England player can say they've had a good tournament to be fair.
Sterling was excellent first game but wasn't great last night. Rooney was ok last night but poor the first game.
Welbeck is just shit and it is absolutely mind boggling that he starts for England at a World Cup.
Jagielka and Baines have been shown up for the small club players they are, unable to make the step up in class.
Gerrard has had a poor world cup in fairness. Henderson isn't the player he has been for Liverpool all season.
Even with the mistakes made in the lead up to the goals last night I think Seanie forgot to mention the brilliance of Suarez in his finishing  He still had an awful lot to do it wasn't like they were both tap ins.
I think a lot of the blame though is on Woy.The English press will be clamouring for 'Arry to take over now.

I can't stand the fecker granted but the finishes were good but were nothing to really rave about. First was on a plate and he put it where it needed to go. Second he controlled it well and then just smashed it cos he was knackered at that point. Got lucky that Hart lay down out of the way, he made himself small.

Rooney didn't play all that badly in the first game considering he was out of position. Assist for the first goal and really unlucky to miss the one where he sent the keeper the wrong way but it went wrong side of the post. I think he was much better than ok last night also. Welbeck is a decent player, no more, no less. Pace and power but not much guile. England have better options and should use them.

Hodgson is just too conservative but I'd say the suits in the FA are scared shitless of appointing Redknapp. I can see their point to a degree. Hodgson should start Barkley and Wilshere in the middle the next day with Lallana instead of Welbeck. He should give Jones and Shaw starts too, they can't do any worse than who they would be replacing (though I still think Baines deserves credit for his attacking play).

Seanie the Rooney chance in the first game was a terrible miss that he should have scored!! It wasn't that he was unlucky not to score! It was a god awful miss that a player of his supposed cailibre should be scoring.
And come on the two Suarez goals were nothing to rave about? They were top class finishes especially the header.
I agree Barkley should be playing,also baffled James Milner is not getting game time. Is he injured?

[deiseach]

Hart didn't give himself the very best chance of saving Suarez's shot, but had he done he would have saved it two times in a million rather one time in a million. The ball was in the net in less time than it would take you to blink, let alone lift your arm.

While Gerrard wasn't at fault for the goal, he's had a poor World Cup. The extent to which each game passed him by was disturbing. Thankfully Liverpool have a manager who has a clue.

It's no surprise to anyone who doesn't support Liverpool. Unless he gets an armchair ride from his teammates he is useless. He's a number 10 really, not a midfielder.

I didn't say I was surprised, I said I was disturbed.  On a happier note though, it goes to show how the current Liverpool manager is an improvement on a certain previous occupant of the role.

[blewuporstuffed]

I certainly don't think Gerrard was wrong to go for the header, but it was poor from him that a player of his ability didnt execute a decent clearing header in that situation.
One mistake was them compounded by jageilka getting sucked under the ball and being out of the game and cahill then not being close enough to suarez

[Geoff Tipps]

I don't think any England player can say they've had a good tournament to be fair.
Sterling was excellent first game but wasn't great last night. Rooney was ok last night but poor the first game.
Welbeck is just shit and it is absolutely mind boggling that he starts for England at a World Cup.
Jagielka and Baines have been shown up for the small club players they are, unable to make the step up in class.
Gerrard has had a poor world cup in fairness. Henderson isn't the player he has been for Liverpool all season.
Even with the mistakes made in the lead up to the goals last night I think Seanie forgot to mention the brilliance of Suarez in his finishing  He still had an awful lot to do it wasn't like they were both tap ins.
I think a lot of the blame though is on Woy.The English press will be clamouring for 'Arry to take over now.

I can't stand the fecker granted but the finishes were good but were nothing to really rave about. First was on a plate and he put it where it needed to go. Second he controlled it well and then just smashed it cos he was knackered at that point. Got lucky that Hart lay down out of the way, he made himself small.

Rooney didn't play all that badly in the first game considering he was out of position. Assist for the first goal and really unlucky to miss the one where he sent the keeper the wrong way but it went wrong side of the post. I think he was much better than ok last night also. Welbeck is a decent player, no more, no less. Pace and power but not much guile. England have better options and should use them.

Hodgson is just too conservative but I'd say the suits in the FA are scared shitless of appointing Redknapp. I can see their point to a degree. Hodgson should start Barkley and Wilshere in the middle the next day with Lallana instead of Welbeck. He should give Jones and Shaw starts too, they can't do any worse than who they would be replacing (though I still think Baines deserves credit for his attacking play).

Class players like Suarez don't seem to need the luck that eludes poor Wayne. Wonder why that is??

[WT4E]

Bookies offering 5/1 for England to qualify so they obviously haven't lost hope on England - I thought it would have been a lot bigger than that.

[deiseach]

And come on the two Suarez goals were nothing to rave about? They were top class finishes especially the header.

Heading the ball. Nothing to it.

[deiseach]

Bookies offering 5/1 for England to qualify so they obviously haven't lost hope on England - I thought it would have been a lot bigger than that.

It should be a lot bigger. England fans and their money.

[Kidder81]

I don't think any England player can say they've had a good tournament to be fair.
Sterling was excellent first game but wasn't great last night. Rooney was ok last night but poor the first game.
Welbeck is just shit and it is absolutely mind boggling that he starts for England at a World Cup.
Jagielka and Baines have been shown up for the small club players they are, unable to make the step up in class.
Gerrard has had a poor world cup in fairness. Henderson isn't the player he has been for Liverpool all season.
Even with the mistakes made in the lead up to the goals last night I think Seanie forgot to mention the brilliance of Suarez in his finishing  He still had an awful lot to do it wasn't like they were both tap ins.
I think a lot of the blame though is on Woy.The English press will be clamouring for 'Arry to take over now.

I can't stand the fecker granted but the finishes were good but were nothing to really rave about. First was on a plate and he put it where it needed to go. Second he controlled it well and then just smashed it cos he was knackered at that point. Got lucky that Hart lay down out of the way, he made himself small.

Rooney didn't play all that badly in the first game considering he was out of position. Assist for the first goal and really unlucky to miss the one where he sent the keeper the wrong way but it went wrong side of the post. I think he was much better than ok last night also. Welbeck is a decent player, no more, no less. Pace and power but not much guile. England have better options and should use them.

Hodgson is just too conservative but I'd say the suits in the FA are scared shitless of appointing Redknapp. I can see their point to a degree. Hodgson should start Barkley and Wilshere in the middle the next day with Lallana instead of Welbeck. He should give Jones and Shaw starts too, they can't do any worse than who they would be replacing (though I still think Baines deserves credit for his attacking play).

Class players like Suarez don't seem to need the luck that eludes poor Wayne. Wonder why that is??

Can you imagine the range of excuses that would have been made for Rooney if he was injured like Suarez last night ?

[deiseach]

Touch wood and all that, but Suarez must have incredible powers of recovery. It's all in the genes.

[muppet]

There has been a lot of criticism of Hart for the 2nd Suarez goal.

I have no agenda with Hart either way, but in real time I thought he went to ground too early.

But maybe this photo suggests otherwise: