It is now time to switch to a new Money AM football blog as the world cup is now over and we all look to the future.....World cup 2010 is over, Bravo Espana, and Forlan, once again and bring on the new season !.....I never expected the last thread to be such a success...thanks all.... so this new one might go on for years without the need to edit the title...we shall see...

But RF your view (when it comes to successful betting) is well lets say.. -):

Better odds now rf ... 3.25 on betfair and lengthening :-)

Who are the yellow ones Brazil ?

Blimey is that the same Valencia who played for Man U this season? Trust England to make shite players look good. :O)

PUKKA Rooney looking a lot better tonight, although goal looked a bit dodgy.

Barkley sheer class, the new Duncan Edwards.

Best player so Frank lampard.

Milner looks well out of position.

Oxley Chamberlin looking good.

Not even I'm old enough to have seen Duncan Edwards play gf. Certainly Barkley has Gazzas class and may even be better. Oxley Chamberlain looking good.

There you go Roy, Barkley and Lambert great goal!!!!

Hope you didn't put any money on that pile of tripe RF?

Bit harsh Stan, ok the defence was shite but they won't be playing. Plenty of positives especially Barkley and Oxley Chamberlain and Milner won't be playing in that position again he's better than that.

Worrys though again with PUKKA Rooney, looked exhausted when he came off. Better than saturdays performance but was wilting the further the match went.

Barkley reminds me of film of Duncan Edwards, a player who puts his foot on the ball and as the time to look up and spread the ball just like Edwards, sorry Chris but I cant see any comparison to gazza who was our last true world class player, but I rekon Barklay will prove to be better.

Wories over Oxley Chamberlain and his injury, it will be crucial if its bad news.

Rather an entertaining game.

Still too many questions ROY as to sort out.

Barkley impresses in first England start
by Lyndon Lloyd | 04/06/2014 Comments (124) jump
Ecuador 2 - 2 England

Ross Barkley enjoyed a hugely promising outing in his first start and John Stones made another late cameo for England in a 2-2 draw with Ecuador in Miami's Sun Life Stadium.
Barkley showed some lovely touches and flashed a low drive wide in the first half before laying up England's second goal for Ricky Lambert to lash home early in the second half.

Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka were rested but Stones was again included on the bench hoping to earn his second England cap with a substitute's appearance.

Deployed in his favoured "number 10" role behind the striker, Barkley sparkled at times for England and might have got himself on the scoresheet inside six minutes but Ricky Lambert delayed the pass and the Everton man was flagged a yard offside.

A surging counter-attack and a delicious back-heel that almost carved the Ecuadorians open when Wayne Rooney teased the ball across the face of Ecuador's goal provided more evidence of what Barkley could do before he drove past his marker and lined up a long-range drive that arrowed not far wide eight minutes before the break.

Better was to come from Barkley, though, who skinned his marker with a deft touch and then feigned to shoot before laying up Lambert to drive into the far corner from the angle and make it 2-1 to England with 51 minutes gone after Rooney had cancelled out Enner Valencia's headed opener in the first period.

Stones made his entrance in the 74th minute, replacing Luke Shaw, entering an increasingly open game as the South American side, having equalised through Michael Arroyo's terrific 20-yard shot, began pressing for a winner.

After 83 minutes, Barkley was withdrawn in favour of Danny Welbeck while Stones made a couple of strong forays down the right after switching to that flank following Raheem Sterling's dismissal for a rash tackle on Antonio Valencia.

Barkley's showing drew praise from almost all quarters, with Oliver Holt in The Mirror saying that "there were positives [for England]. Most of all, that means the performance of Ross Barkley who was England's best player and produced a series of surging runs that pressed his case for inclusion in Hodgson's starting line-up against Italy in Manaus."

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail evoked comparisons with Paul Gascoigne, saying that the "Everton midfielder was brilliant for England in Ecuador [and] appeared quite at home in his first start for the Three Lions."

Hodgson, though, was less effusive and appeared positively defensive in his post-match interview. He singled out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Phil Jones as being "outstanding" but criticised Barkley for losing the ball too much, even though his Opta Stats revealed a pass-completion rate of 91%.

Asked whether Barkley would be among the starters against Italy in Manaus in 10 days' time, the England manager said: "There always seems to be an enormous obsession with one player...

"I will be prepared to start any of the players in any game, but I'm not prepared to address your obsession with Ross Barkley.

"If he's going to be the player we want him to be, he has to make better decisions when he turns with the ball.

"That's not a criticism, but there were other performances out there today. Oxlade-Chamberlain and Phil Jones were outstanding, as was Jack Wilshere in the middle of the park, while Rickie Lambert scored a magnificent goal."

Reader Comments
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Paul Hewitt
1 Posted 04/06/2014 at 19:16:30 Let’s hope he gets a full 90 minutes.
Dick Brady
2 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:09:47 I don't know why John Stones is on the bench. I wouldn't pick Phil Jones or Chris Smalling over Stones.
Mike Gaynes
3 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:16:40 Ross looks absolutely confident and in full command. Just played a backheel to Rooney that was a work of art.
Paul Hewitt
4 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:17:45 After that goal, I don’t know either.
Chris Wilson
5 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:18:00 Yeah, Ross playing forward. Did just kinda bail out on a defensive challenge though.
Eugene Ruane
6 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:20:46 That England defence is looking very... iffy.
Chris Wilson
7 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:21:04 Whew! Some Barkley magic there!
Colin Glassar
8 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:22:40 Townsend has had a pop at Ross about three times now. What a gobshyte he is.
Chris Wilson
9 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:26:48 Has Rooney dyed his hair? It seem darker on my feed.
Eugene Ruane
10 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:30:32 After the goal, Lampard gave Rooney's hair a little celebratory tousle and he almost shat (slapped it back into place dead quick). Guaranteed that within three months of young Wayne retiring, he'll look like Stan Ogden (one for the teenagers there).
Kevin Tully
11 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:32:47 It goes that colour when you have your arse hair transplanted onto your head Chris.
On the subject of Rooney, he looks like a 45-year-old when playing International football.

Chris Wilson
12 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:36:05 Are you sure it's "arse" hair, Kevin? There are a few other options on the human body. ; )
Paul Hewitt
13 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:40:43 I hope Ross comes out second half and is not taken off for Stevie G...
Colin Glassar
14 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:46:11 I think Andy Townsend has done Ross's head in. He's been hiding ever since Townsend started having a go at him.
Paul Hewitt
15 Posted 04/06/2014 at 20:48:36 I think Ross had a decent half.
Tony McNulty
16 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:09:16 To borrow some of Billy Connolly's script, when Townsend is speaking it's a great opportunity to practise your "Fuck offs."
Mike Gaynes
17 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:10:57 Ross just ripped Ecuador apart and served up a goal for Lambert. Add another £5 million to his value, folks.
Rob Halligan
18 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:10:24 A brilliant run by Barkley to set Lambert up and all Townsend has gone on about for about 2 minutes is the new shite forward. No credit at all given by Townsend about Barkley's run. Gobshite!!!
Patrick Murphy
19 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:14:00 Yeah, Rob... but according to Townsend the pass to Lambert from which he scored wasn't really good enough. I like Oxlade-Chamberlain but you would think that he is head and shoulders above Ross listening to the commentators.
Dick Brady
21 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:19:03 I must be watching another game. I think Barkley has been okay and had a couple of promising moments but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been terrific and is really playing his way into Roy's thoughts.
Patrick Murphy
22 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:21:48 Good one Dick - you are always fair with your assessments of all things Everton. I'm not saying that Oxlade-Chamberlain hasn't had a good game but he has lost the ball as much as Ross but I don't hear Townsend mentioning that in his commentary.
They have both done well and both could play more than a bit-part in the World Cup Finals.

Rob Halligan
23 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:18:27 He's done quite well, Chamberlain. Had a few decent runs. I don't think Wilshere has done much though. he's been caught in possession a few times. A decent player but, for me, he is vastly overrated.
Patrick Murphy
24 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:27:03 Can we buy that lad? He can hit a ball.
Dick Brady
25 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:25:19 I think both Oxlade-Chamberlain and Barkley will be substitutes for the World Cup and both will probably be used as an impact player late into games. Possibly Oxlade-Chamberlain is playing his way into the 'first substitute' role although Barkley has done okay and shouldn't be overlooked.
Annoyingly it looks like Raheem Stirling is playing his way into the starting 11 and that will make it even harder for me to support England. The more RS players they add to the starting 11 the harder it is for me to truly get behind them.

Must be annoying for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Barkley too because Stirling is actually younger than both of them.

Mike Gaynes
26 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:32:59 And now Stones is in to win it!
Dick Brady
27 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:32:14 It's so good to see John Stones get a second cap. I think Roy has really been impressed with Stones's attitude and application; hopefully it's the start of a very long and successful International career for Stones.
Chris Wilson
29 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:36:13 Ewwww... double red card. What's Townsend saying now?
Patrick Murphy
30 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:35:31 That made Townsend look a prick seeing as they both got sent-off, it was a poor challenge and a poor reaction by Valencia. But I am getting sick and tired of this anything that a RS player does is valid regardless of the evidence in front of their eyes.
Dick Brady
31 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:36:55 Commentator suggesting that's there's a national clamour to get Raheem Stirling in the starting 11 and Roy's been fighting that temptation and protecting him.
Really??? Is the nation really clamouring to get Stirling into the starting 11?

Personally I couldn't care less if Raheem Stirling starts.

Charles Brewer
32 Posted 04/06/2014 at 21:39:49 It's a friendly and Sterling went in with a typical Redshite tackle. Valencia would have been perfectly justified in snapping his leg after that one.

Oxley Chamberlain..........thigh strain not tear.

2 weeks out.

Hodgson as up to 1 day before Italy game to decide wether to stick with him or send home.

Looks like Uruguay game will be his target, figers crossed.

Yes, he was a breath of fresh air so that is good news.

Yep fingers crossed Chris, just think him Barklay Lelanu sterling charging full length of pitch straight at the centre of opponents defence, its a pretty frightening (for foreigners)thought but what a lift for the nation.

Last night watched it twice again.

What stood out was how fit they were and lasted the distance in that sweaty heat, previous England teams would have wilted.

Great to see these kids all coming through at once.

And Pirlo (greasy sweaty little whop) can go to hell if our kids play like that against Italy.

Im starting to get excited now and into the World Cup, even bought a replica shirt.

I liked Oxlade-Chamberlain's performance (hope I've spelt his name correctly).......superb in my view...hope he recovers well.....even if he misses one or two games....he's still worth bringing along, he creates so much space for others to run into......England can win this group, difficult as it is !....England better be careful with injuries caused by careless opposing teams....I'm very suspicious of these so-called accidental injuries just before or during early stages of major tournaments !...

RF yep it would be disaster if Gerrard got injured hes the only player in the squad who can play in front AND protect the back four.

Lampards a good player and hes Gerrards deputy but we all saw the other night just how exposed we can be on the counter attack and Lampard isnt that type of player.

I suppose Jones could do the job but then youd be taking away the attacking role needed in that position and the experience.

I just pulled Colombia in the sweepstake.

Chris Carson [Send an email to Chris Carson] [View Chris Carson's profile] - 04 Jun 2014 22:12 - 3035 of 3043
Bit harsh Stan, ok the defence was shite but they won't be playing. Plenty of positives especially Barkley and Oxley Chamberlain and Milner won't be playing in that position again he's better than that.

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It would've helped if the midfield didn't let Ecuador waltz through. Think the defence improved a lot during the game - ex Milner - given there was no cover. No surprise only bringing Johnson does nothing for England. Clyne is half decent, which is a half better than Johnson. 5 3 2? Wilshere still with the hardman act, :rolleyes:.


Shortie - 06 Jun 2014 14:58 - 3043 of 3044
I just pulled Colombia in the sweepstake.

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No Falcao doesn't help.

Cheers,
KidA

Well that was forgettable!

Only watched the first half before the electrical storm caused the stoppage and then the last 20 minutes or so of the match, so you are probably right.

One of the worst international matches I've seen. Very aggressive play by the Hondurans, coupled with poor refereeing, caused England to lose part of the plot. Gerrard was a bit too aggressive in his role as captain too, I thought.

And the chances missed by Sturridge?!!! Don't these guys practice improving their accuracy at this level? Do they not realise how poor their passing and shooting actually is?

Also, they were more than lucky to get out of the match without any injuries, IMHO.