Tunisia - England

[RedJ]

Rose tinkered spectacles spring to mind
I wish them luck but what happens when Kane gets injured
Hopefully not
He could yet be the hero.     

Honestly in all the time you've been on here I don't remember any one of your posts being anything but a massive over the top whinge.

"What if we have this baby and some day it dies?"

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Could turn out to be a really good game to get under our belt. The team and the manager will have learned a lot from that.

I've always maintained you should play the best possible team in every game (unless you're already through)

Sterling for me isn't as effective as Rashford. Other than that, if we can polish some of our rough edges and not be as wasteful, we can be a force to be reckoned with.

Game on!

[VivaRovers]

Rose tinkered spectacles spring to mind

*clears a space in next fanzine for 'Forum Phrase of the Month' feature*

[adamtherover]

Alli and Sterling were rubbish. Their places must be under threat for the next game.

Rashford has the shirt now for me.. sterling can only score tap ins from 2 yds out...

[dickos1]

First half hour was the best performance of this World Cup. Should have been 5 up

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yep, and if VAR had have been in use four our game, it would have been comfortable.

Some serious questions need to be asked about why VAR did not intervene and why the on pitch officials didn't spot the fouls.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Some nervy performances but with that win and the oh so easy win against Panama next up, we'll be flying.

[sedwardsdrfc]

The commentators mentioned the heat which i know is a poor excuse but it does make it hard to keep up that kind of intensity and fair play tunisia they wouldn't let the game flow after that because they knew they'd get blown away.

The bugs over there were unreal too not easy to concentrate with all that for both sets of players and as for the fans there that must of been annoying to say the least

[Filo]

I can understand why Sterling had a problem with the flies, he's shit

[Alan Southstand]

Sterling should be charged entrance fee. Never an England player and Rashford did more in 5 mins than what Sterling offered in 70. Absolute garbage.

[Dare to dream!]

I can understand why Sterling had a problem with the flies, he's shit

lol

I didn't think he played too bad, good performance overall but the game should have been over by 20 mins

[BillyStubbsTears]

Decent performance. Hard to tell how limited Tunisia were but that’s the sort of opponent that England have struggled to break down for a decade so a win is a fair outcome.

[colfromdonny]

Biggest cheer in pub when Sterland went off, will probably wash car or cut grass on Sunday.

[Filo]

Biggest cheer in pub when Sterland went off, will probably wash car or cut grass on Sunday.

f**king hell is Mel still playing, he must be in his 70's now 😀

[steve@dcfd]

Just like Rovers only the centre forward can score all the other attacking players fluff their lines.

[selby]

  Lingard should be the one to go, very poor in front of goal tonight, and does not pick the ball up in midfield and run past defenders like  Sterling. Rashford for Lingard, and Rose for Young if McGuire plays we have two right footed players on the left.
   Rose would give us balance, deliver the ball Quicker and would not have to turn back to make room for a cross.

[Alan Southstand]

Selby, are you having a laugh? Sterling was absolutely, head and shoulders the worst player on the pitch tonight. The only surprise is he survived until 69 mins.

Lingard, on the other hand was our biggest threat out of him and Ali.

If Rashford hasn't now confirmed his position as our 2nd striker, then he never will. I'd have Wellbeck and Vardy over Sterling every time.

There is one thing you can say about Sterling, playing for England, he is consistent - consistently crap!

[steve@dcfd]

Selby is Sterling your Mandeville. He was and has been poor for an attacking midfielder/ striker in all his England games.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Sterling has great pace but, he's too careless with the ball at times and is more likely to fluff chances than Lingard. OK Lingard had an off night in front of goal but I trust him more than Sterling in those situations. Rashford is way ahead of Sterling to provide that twin threat up front. Having said that, Kane, Lingard, Alli, Rashford can all interchange right across the pitch.

Just heard from Clattenberg about the VAR, saying they don't have the time to review. If Kane had have made more of a meal of the situations, it would buy more time for VAR. You get bet your bottom dollar, the other cynical teams would.

[RoversAlias]

Delighted with the win, Southgate is right when he says good teams find a way to win late, how often do we say on here that successful sides find a way even when they don't play well?

We did play well tonight mind, got a bit laboured in the second half but the subs renewed us and we found the winner. Tunisia were very organised but poor on the ball and at set pieces. Kane is fouled blatantly twice yet no flinch from the many officials, daft.

Sterling was not terrible tonight but a player of his position and now his standing within the game needs to contribute more. I'm a big fan of Rashford and if Sterling can't find his shooting boots against Panama I'd be dropping him. Maguire started nervously too but he came on stronger after the break, was good going forward and contributed to the winning goal. An honest assessment of himself afterwards too.

Lingard was unlucky not to score twice, their goalie makes a wonderful save from him early and I felt sorry for him getting injured. Henderson did well too, he was our best player for me apart from Trippier as he always played the right ball either forward or back and is the only one in our team who can spray passes around with precision.

[hoolahoop]

I can understand why Sterling had a problem with the flies, he's shit

Quote of the week Filo interesting debate going on about the effectiveness of Lingard too . Personally there were times when he could have maybe done better but nevertheless a satisfying performance from him

Imo Rashford is a must , he terrifies defences.

[drfchound]

For me, Lingard was as good, or bad, as Sterling.
That early chance that the keeper saved with his legs was scuffed by Lingard and the far post just that he hopelessly miskicked was a shocking effort by a player of his quality.
The Sterling haters are conveniently not mentioning that.

Martin Keown consistently praised Sterling’s contributions in the first half, but then again I suppose he knows a lot less than forum posters.


 

[dickos1]

Don’t think you can drop lingard, he runs past Kane from midfield which is a main reason of why we started so well.
Tunisia are a far better side than panama, I’d be tempted to play rashford and Stirling against them. Give Ali a rest

[GazLaz]

Lingard was desperately unlucky not to score. The one that flicked of the keeper and the one that hit the post. People have got to remember that this is a very young side with little or no experience of the world stage. Hopefully the win will be a confidence booster and they will put 4 or 5 past Panama. If they perform to a similar level to last night they will.

[GazLaz]

Don’t think you can drop lingard, he runs past Kane from midfield which is a main reason of why we started so well.
Tunisia are a far better side than panama, I’d be tempted to play rashford and Stirling against them. Give Ali a rest

Alli is lame. RLC will come in for him I think.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Decent performance. Hard to tell how limited Tunisia were but that’s the sort of opponent that England have struggled to break down for a decade so a win is a fair outcome.

This. Yes we missed chances, but at least we were creating them instead of the usual sterile impotence we get when we come up against teams determined to defend in numbers.

[DonnyNoel]

Can understand Sterling getting a chance after his season for City but I don't think the suits a role behind the lone striker where it gets too congested. Should we go for more attacking width he'll be a valuable asset. Rashford must get a chance now surely.

RLC for Alli another good shout.

Also impressed that we didn't just throw an extra striker on aimlessly on 85 minutes.

[Michael Shaw]

Tunisia are a dirty team so beating them is even sweeter. We can do well in this tournament as we can beat all teams in group G and H. After that it will be much tougher. Seeing Germany and Braziil slip a little has to be good news. Let's hope the team don't lose confidence going forward.

[Jonathan]

Amazed that anyone is moaning about England. We deservedly won a game that should have been out of sight. Tunisia only had one shot on goal courtesy of the softest penalty you’ll ever see. We created countless chances - more than I remember seeing us create at any tournament game. Supposedly people had no expectations going into the tournament, yet still there’s all this complaining that we only won 2-1. Unbelievable.

Just enjoy the tournament or turn over and watch love island.

[Bentley Bullet]

England should have been out of sight with that performance but as far too often happens the officials made sure the outcome would be a bit of a lottery.