I don't know if I see it that way. Our youth coach told the kids earl on they would lose a fair amount because they are focusing on the fundamental skills and strategy. They'll go into a game passing and moving the ball but then if the other team just kicks and runs, we lose. I almost feel like it would be similar to our kids going to europe to play basketball. The kids over there would be great shooters with technical ability, but our kids would be street balling them off the court. I don't know.
England seems to finally be waking up to the reality that if they apply pressure and take some shots, they will be hard to beat. From what I saw, Foden was excellent early on. He‘s too often been invisible out there. In the last match they had a corner and played it all the way back to the keeper, that’s just pathetic.
He took Kane off last match too. Probably should always be subbed after 70 minutes or so.
I heard the announcer say the defender can't let the guy shoot through his legs, but I'm not sure there's much more the defender could have done. Most offensive players probably would have turned and tried to fake the defender once or twice. Watkins just turned and shot with the defender right on him. I don't even know if he had a chance to look at the goal. One touch and then a shot. Through the defender's legs, just past the keepers outstretched arm, just inside the post. Brilliant.
I can't tell you how annoying it is when some of these guys dribble away a scoring chance in the box. Watkins did exactly the right thing. Put a ball on net, hard. You never know what may happen. Deflections can lead to a good second shot. It's what I thought Foden finally did well in that match, he took some shots, good ones. Previous matches he just dribbled until he lost the ball.
I agree, the quick shot is the best chance to catch players out of position or off guard, and many goals are scored on deflections and rebounds. Although a select few like Messi have the ball on a short string.
HK is silently nursing a leg injury - the English papers and press have been downplaying this for a while.
That sequence of two solid headers on net late from England was pretty exciting stuff.
He’s still a classic target striker, but I really just don’t think that’s what this England squad needs most up front. They have to press more, find ways to win balls. Saka was probably their most effective offensive player. Instead of starting him he’d be better as a late sub.
Yeah, Kane seemed way off this tournament. And like Gerrard and Lampard, Foden and Bellingham don't seem to work that well together.
Foden was way too deferential to Bellingham for much of the tournament. They were trying to force the ball to him like the US sometimes does with CP. They need to figure that out. He's a hell of a decoy. They need Foden breaking down guys because they don't have enough guys (Saka) who win one on one.
For me it's not so much England as Pickford. Love seeing him lose. And as much as I like Ian Darke, he went full Tommy Heimsohn in the second half. I'd never heard such a homer call in soccer before.
