Lord Snooty

Like trapped wind these things are better off out than in.

Like I said it's step in the right direction having a plan A after six years without one. I think he will adapt. Doesnt strike me as the type rest on his laurels.

Me too. Heard it was and groin strain wasn't it? Knocks and niggles. Another little thing that that can make and difference to the thinking

I just wonder if he's going to be on of those where it never quite clicks at International level. There's been a few. Mind, there's been some players who I thought looked better at that level than league level. It really is a funny old game.

I think Sterling will always divide opinion. It was interesting in the last game to see him as the furthest forward of the front pairing. I think a case could have been made for Vardy or Rashford in that role on the shoulder of the last man. Both being more accomplished finishers. On the other hand in the deeper role in the previous game I thought he was an absolute handful of a player and played a key a part as anybody on the collective result. It would have been harsh to drop him after that performance. It's all swings and roundabouts.

Oh they're bent as hell. But it's all about money isn't it. In that sense I don't think it'd do them any harm having England in a final to be honest. I never agreed with us wasting money bidding for the World Cup when it was quite obvious that without back handers there is zero point putting any bid forward. Don't think it ever helps us much generally that our press seems to be one of the few that calls them out on their corruption either. But there we go.

Who knows. It's up in the air. I do know one thing. I'm one of those who watches all the boring friendlies. More out of a sense of duty than anything. But since he's taken the mantle I've actually enjoyed watching them. They're not the best. But they at least now attempt to play football. Attempt to try and attack. Far from brilliant. But they have a go. He might have not had a plan B (Though we did appear to go to a back four a little too late in proceedings.) But at least we had a plan A to start with. Which is something we haven't had since 2012. I think he 'achievement' for want of a better word is getting a group of players well organised, into a system which suits them and got everyone doing their jobs in a relatively short time after the Allardyce fiasco. And he's dropped people. Something others always seemed a bit unwilling to do. They're a young side. Hopefully , they and he will learn from it. Whether they do is a different matter. But theyve been decent to watch. Which in today's world of attritional scared to lose football has been quite refreshing to see from the national side.

Get it off your chest dnhc! It was an odd one with the ref. Because he was seeing things. He wasn't one of these running around with the blinkers on. He just didn't seem remotely interested in punishing people for them. For men Lovren could have gone in the first half for two yellows. As it is he made 120 minutes without a booking! Vrsalijko another. Stamp on Alli. Shove in Kanes face. The headlock on Rashford. The push on Kane on a 33 break. Hurling Danny Rose over the byline. Remarkable really. His best trick of course was when he kicked Rashford in the back. ..and earned himself a free kick. Rebic was also another who clocked up in my opinion at least three fouls which were of yellow card standard. I think there's a few of these tricks we need to learn as well as tactical changes!! Thing is the refs awarded the kicks. Just not got the cards out. So...what can you do Who knows. Maybe he thought it would ruin the game. Or that he'd lose control.I don't think he was bent. But his leniency did play a part in procedings Not sure about a wider FIFA conspiracy!

We may not win anything again. But I don't think we can say we didn't compete. We've gone toe to with World Cup finalists. Exactly. That a lock of paint and a millemete of Subasics' stud stopped it. I think they were always going to have a spell. But like I said I think Southgate should have changed thing before their equaliser. He didn't. He'll know that he probably should have. Looming from the outside he's decided to stick with the system that the players know beat. He'll beat himself up about it. He will probably learn from it too.

We'll it was something that I'd have changed. I'd have shuffled it an put a couple of wide players in in front of our wing backs as they were getting totally doubled up on. But like I said. It's easy to say from the comfort of the chair and not having the pressure on my shoulders. Croatia have some brilliantly talented players. Also have some fine tuned in the dark arts. A team like that were always going to have a good spell of domination.

Not saying they are just more lucky than the rest at all. Just saying that when it comes to the crunch games it's fine margins which can make all the difference. I know people prefer the needle flying up and down the gauge from ' going to win it' to 'we're totally Shìt and will never win anything ever again.' In my opinion we had the first half. Lovren and Vida were all over the place and Vrsalijko was lucky to stay on the park. Second goal I think they'd have collapsed at the back. We didn't. They dominated the second half , as a team with their undoubted quality were going to at some stage of the game. Then again the the equaliser comes from a cross by a player who for my money should have been in the changing rooms. Small margins. Little things can make a big difference. If I was being overly critical I be lived that we should have changed our formation in the second half before they pulled one back, ad the wide overload was becoming an obvious tactic. That too might have made a difference. Little things that are easy to say from the comfort of my arm chair without the pressure.

Fine margins. That shot of Kanes that got deflected onto the post by their keeper getting a couple of millimetres of his studs to the shot goes in and we probably win the game. That's football.

If you have 3 keepers I'm always of the opinion it should be the second best one that's out on loan getting game time and the 3rd best on the bench as back up.

Age and the long standing knee complaint make this a no brainer. A more than useful player to us when he was fit. Very effective, especially holding the ball up in tough away fixtures. But the refreshing of the squad is vital. Things have to be shaken up. Mind. Not sure where people have been getting the 35k a week from.

I said rational people!