England Continue Their World Cup Quest
posted by The Blue Devil @ 11:30 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
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- Another name from childhood has gone.... Frank Wor...
- A Bit of the Cup and a Bit of the Prem
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- Spring Forward on Sunday
- Up Early for the Leeds Boys
283 Comments:
Team news out of Tirana this afternoon:
Albania (possible 3-4-3) Berisha; Ismajli, Djimsiti, Veseli; Hysaj, Laci, Bare, Memolla; Broja, Cikalleshi, Uzuni.
Substitutes: Selmani, Strakosha, Lenjani, Gjasula, Memushaj, Manaj, Arlind Ajeti, Hoxhallari, Doka, Ramadani, Kallaku, Kamberi.
England (possible 4-3-3) Pope; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Phillips, Mount; Foden, Kane, Sterling.
Substitutes: D Henderson, Johnstone, Trippier, Lingard, Coady, James, Ward-Prowse, Calvert-Lewin, Mings, Chilwell, Watkins, Bellingham.
Referee Orel Grinfeeld (Israel)
Good morning, Bob. Thanks for getting us started.
Earlier this morning France won 0-2 in Kazakhstan. Both goals were scored in the first half
Morning, David - how's your weekend going?
No big surprises in the England team. The in-form Luke Shaw plays for the first time since 2018. Phil Foden also starts, probably as the right-sided attacker.
All-Manchester back four!!
If Henderson was starting.... a full monty!
No updates for No Ire USA match....Steve wants to watch it after.... i slipped up and told him it was scoreless before kick off
What time is the link supposed to start? I thought 11:50
Has your link started?
Anyone there?
Good morning everyone. My link hasn't started either
Finally pops up
GSTQ playing.....just as bad singing as before
Hiya, Dave - the coverage has just started at 11:55 with the national anthems. Poor show from ESPN.
I thought it was supposed to start ten minutes before the hour too
COME ON ENGLAND
COME ON ENGLAND
COME ON ENGLAND
Two wins out of two and then beat the Poles
Albania slightly worse in the singing ranks!!!
I just refreshed and now the tone deaf players are chanting their national anthem
The last qualifier between these two sides was for the 2002 WC. 1-3 win for the Three Lions that day. I'll take that again. Better still 0-3.
What TV show
Albania
Albania
You border on the Adriatic....
Albanians certainly not winning Albanian Idol any time soon. Shocking performance!
I'm doing well thank you for asking. Elizabeth's aunt and cousin came for a visit, arriving Friday evening and leaving a couple of hours ago
They won in Andorra last time out
Only Fools and Horses?
Just a reminder that France won 0-2 in Kazakhstan earlier today
England win the toss... choosing BLUE.... elected to keep the ball
I want to see us get right into them. Really attacking line-up for us.
They're off from, Tirana
So we wore blue at Wembley the other day; wearing white away today. Go figure.
We are off....C'Mon ENGLAND!!
Three Lions on the shirt...JR still gleaming!
COME ON ENGLAND!
Score early and often
A close match last time out apparently
74th minute for first goal
Nice ball over the top from Kane to Sterling there. Just cut out.
Must be some strategy to sell more kits
I think the blue on Thursday was because SM's other colors were white and blue
Albania is historically tough at home, so England will need to work for the win
Pitch is a bit bobbly - Nick Pope shanks one out.
Not a great throw in routine by England...struggle to get it back to Pope who boots it straight out!
That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification
Are Phillips and Rice both defensive middies? WHY? AGAINST ALBANIA
Possession crap from England!!
SNAIL'S PACE
Sorry I'm late in signing in. I was eyeing the last crossed bun and my fingers were sticky with icing.
England knocking it about nicely.
I wouldn't have Sterling in my team
I think he is so overrated
But going nowhere Bob
Welcome, Steve - that sounds lovely. I'll take a dozen!
Do you have enough for everyone, Steve?
Welcome , Steve. That sounds delicious
Walker with a chance to cross....modern day crap.... doesn't beat the first man
Early doors, Dave - the Albanians are dropping deep. It will take some teasing out to break them down.
I know that but how about getting the ball in the mixer at least once!
The object of the game is to hit the big rectangle at the end of the pitch
Nope, scarfed the lot. Delicious.
This has been altogether too timid a start. Get into them you Lions.
Update from 3rd and deciding ODI
England trying to make a big comeback and win
Some interesting trivia . Nineteen year old Armando Broja born in Slough, playing for Alabania this match. Is on Chelsea's book, but on a season long loan to Eredivisie club, Vitesse
Given the way that Albania have set up, I'd have gone with just one defensive middie and played another attacking player.
First corner chance for England - come on!
Corner hit Stone's head....over
A Citeh combo, but not effective as John Stones heads over the Phil Foden corner by more than several stones throw
Oh - Stones got onto to it - well over under pressure.
These two center backs were so dangerous in Russia
England need 48 runs from 30 balls...only two wickets left
Full Sportscenter here
Verstappen in first in F1
Hamilton second
Foden wins another corner now - this one needs to fly in!
Struth..... Mount with an atrocious pass... Should have scored!!
Quick break there after a foul wasn't called for Mount. Final shot was over the top from Osuni.
Berusha, Albanian keeper, just fails to prevent an England corner. Albania counter. They should have scored as they shot inches over with just Nick Pope to beat. It was thanks to a mounted , gifted counter
OH!!! That was annoyingly close from Albania. Their game-plan exposed. Catch us on the break. Must stop that and put a few in their net.
Why is there no VAR in WCQ?
Ronaldo had a goal not given yesterday over the line....why isn't here goal line tech either!
Another corner for England now. Come on!
Corner. STICK IT IN!!!
Answer to my early question... Bob chooses OFAH on any tv show I ask!!
It is Cheers!
Sam and Coach practicing to take a test
Karry Kane and Not Able to score as he heads wide from Phil Foden's corner, but it didn't matter as a foul was called
Why didn't Rice make the overlap there? He just stood around!
England needs to score early and often to expose the fact that Albania doesn't have a plan B
Rice was far too negative!
Only Fools is usually the answer to your telly questions - I was just playing the odds. ;-)
Declan may be asking for second on rice.
I really do hate all the love given to defensive midlfieders.... I think they do nothing
smart move
Almost 20 in....no shots on target!
Not good enough
Well, you certainly don't need two of them in this kind of match! Albania are posing no threat at all.
Marathon England back pass that looked like one from Your's Truly back in the day. England needs to be exceedingly more positive
Teams always name two of them.... no matter who they play!
I HATE IT
My concern is that England has been toothless in attack against less than mediocre opposition. What happens when they play a top team?
United had Keane and Scholes!
That's a midfield!
Vierra and Berkhamp?
A nasty Mounted challenge results in an Albanian booking just outside their box
Mount gets sandwiched there and it's a dangerous free kick chance now. Yellow card for Esmajli.
Free kick chance for the Three Lions
COME ON!!
29 needed off 20 balls
Rubbish free kick from HK.
Hate this laying down too!!
Hits the wall...pushing in wall...not much there!
Useless effort anyway
X-rated from the Albanian defender. Gets a deserved yellow.
Poor free from Kane.
These two top of the group
Pathetic free kick from Harry Kane and then some foul that I didn't see gets called
Ismalji not a smiley one when he got booked
Dull, dull, dull.
Did anyone answer why there is no VAR for all of these WCQs
Denmark two up vs Moldova.
England going the wrong way!!
SO PATHETIC!!
Pope with more poor distribution now.
I'm not sure why they aren't using VAR. Is it because VAR sucks?
Moment of concern....getting the ball on to Pope's feet....here' an idea...don't pass it back to him
22 from 17
Why does Sterling skip away clear but then play it back? Zero in on the goalmouth FFS
Only in the Prem does it suck
BLOODY PEP
Albanian VAR is manned by sketch artists and it takes too much time.
Kal is noticeably more cautious in an England shirt.
That Shaw was too long a pass and definitely not a Sterling pass
WHO CARES ABOUT THE PASSES!!!
LOL! Same bloke who does the courtroom sketches, Steve?
SO BLOODY SLOW
Here's a stat to ruin Dave's whole day: England have had 75 per cent of the possession.
Then I guess I will go with Steve's answer
The ball goes in the box... of course the cross doesn't beat the first man
Here's an idea....get the ball and run forward and try and beat a man
Albania have been more dangerous
Oh - dangerous ball through there from the Albanians but Pope mopped it up.
Foden gets the ball...for Citeh....he'd put that in the top corner...for England....pass it sideways
I don't think that's true, Dave - they're just Leicester City in disguise. I hate that stuff. They're the home side - they should play like it.
England received more passes than I did shortly before prom
Rice missed a header...Shaw almost blows it!
Dont think what?
half hour...NO SHOTS....COME ON!!!
Danes three up vs Moldova. Southgate needs to watch what they're doing
19 needed off two overs
Hope i'm not bugging you...going to keep it going anyway
I don't think that Albania have been that dangerous. They've had one half-chance. But otherwise they're just parking the bus at home. They should be embarrassed by this display. Play the game!
I was thinking the same thing. This is Sharky-Rogers kind of opposition. Very poor to watch.
A SHOT ON GOAL....woooo.....Walker straight at the keeper
Kyle Walker with a long range shot straight to Berisha
Decent hit by Kyle Walker. To be fair, though, he's scored more with the prossies than on the footer pitch in recent years.
The other two games in this group kick off later
Poland v Andorra
San Marino v Hungary
Come on England...START PLAYING!
Get at them England!!! This is dull, old hat, and risky.
England passing more than I do in a year combined on the freeway
Rob Smyth on the Guardian blog: "If it stays like this, Gareth Southgate will be tempted to take off one of his holding players at half-time. I’m not sure you need Phillips and Rice in a game like this."
Exactly!
Why can't players take players on!!!
not exactly rocket science
Has Kane touched the ball in the box!!!!
Denmark four up vs Moldova. They've scored more goals than England have had shots this match
Agreed - Southgate is going to have to find a way to play against boring, defensive teams.
FINALLY!!!!!!
A cross to Kane and it is a goal!!
WAY! HARRY KANE AND ABEL TO GIVE ENGLAND THE LEAD
Great cross by Shaw
YESSSSSSS!!!!!
Great header from Kane! That was coming for a while now.
England in front 0-1!
Finally! Kane with a glancing header. Good technique there.
That Shaw was a great pass Harry Kane and Abel to score with a well placed header
15 off 8
Free space ahead and went sideways
The answer to the question is yes. Harry Kane has touched the ball in the box. The header from which he scored
14 from the last over
Danes FIVE up vs Moldova. Why can't England do this?
That should open this match up a bit. The Albanians can't just sit back and try to hit on the break.
oooh....Kane off the bar
LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT THE BALL IN THE BOX!!!
Oh - off the bar from Kane now!
OH! Harry Kane and Not Abel to score his and England's second as his shot crashed off the bar
Dane's fifth goal scored by a Bees player
Run out
13 from 5...one wicket remaining
The ball has been in the box twice....scored and hit the bar
WHY NOT DO IT MORE OFTEN
12 off four
Harry Kane with very few touches in the box. One scored and one off the bar. Agreed with Dave that he needs far more touches and England would be thrashing these mugs
12 off three
An upset in the making . Georgia takes the lead vs Spain
12 off two
Half time
NOT BLOODY GOOD ENOUGH
No stoppage time as England is one up at the half
Half-time whistle goes - it's been a bit frustrating but 0-1 will do at this point. Albania was never going to be a team that England put to the sword. I'll take 0-2 or 0-3.
8 off one .... England need a wide
1-0. Only good thing about that scoreline is that it's England in front... barely. I hope Gareth rips up that game plan and lets loose the hounds in the second half.
India win by 7 runs
Greenwood dropped out of U21 squad
Rash dropped out of main squad
Martial limps off hurt for France
Cavani still hurt?
Players out for the second half
Too negative....come on England!!
Agreed, Steve. England needs several goals to force their boring opponents to a Plan B which doesn't exist for them
Second half underway in Tirane
We are off
No changes
England with 81% possession in the first half. Southgate needs to focus more on scoring and less no keep ball.
Don't give Albania any credit.... be attacking ENGLAND
Possession sure hasn't helped Spain. They're trailing despite having 80% possession in the first half.
is sancho injured this round? he'd be a good option.
Agreed. Other than that one counter Albania hasn't contributed anything to this match other than being training dummies
Tom just noticed.... good point...why is there a Euro emblem next to the time....this is the World Cup
Useles control from Sterling....should have been in!
OVER RATED!
Not sure why Sancho isn't in the squad. His Dortmund teammate. made his debut vs San Marino on Thursday. When He was told to come on Southgate shouted HEY JUDE
My picture is going wonky
absolutely no change.... Sgate must be happy
Eagle eyed Tom. Well done Tom.
Foden with a shot...saved onto post
DO MORE LIKE THAT
OH! Shot from Sterling tipped on to the post by Berisha
I'm back from a bite of beef stew for lunch to see Razza hit the post!
I'm surprised that Sancho isn't in the squad as well.
Sorry wrong Citeh player. Foden with that tipped off the Sterling pass
what is with these keepers having blinders against England...two in a row....where's a Scottish keeper from the 70s and 80s when you need one
Sounds like a tasty lunch, Bob.
Modern day crossing..... scandalous!!
Agreed, Bob. I think Sancho was replaced by Dortmund teammate, Jude Bellingham
Albanians resorting to just fouling now to put off England. It's not working. A second goal is imminent.
Do they play the same role? I thought Bellingham was more defensive.
Not sure if the Albanian keeper has had much to do. SM keeper was brilliant Thursday, but this one I think has had only a couple of saves to make. England need to test him far more frequently
I think Bellingham plays a similar role to Sancho. Not sure if I'm correct
Oh - nice ball by Shaw through to Sterling there. Corner.
Harry Kane and Not Abel to score as he shoots well over off a corner
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