scouse_roar wrote:We don't expect to play like the better credentialed teams. We expect to go out like we believe we can win a game and with a formation and tactics that will allow us to do so. Playing like that and preparing like that and surrendering like we did in the media... all down to Pim and the management of the team - I can't remember any side playing a 4-6-0 formation to avoid defeat - even Andorra and San Marino play with one striker.
I don't expect us to play the best stuff out there, but I expect us to attack, at the very least, have a go - something we showed no intent whatsoever of doing against Germany, and it's all down to Pim.
Actually if you read or listen to many of the so called experts they do expect us to play like and match the better credentialed teams and too many of our fans have believed the hype. We are still learners at international level and we have a team that is the shell of the 2006 team on the way down near the end of their careers.
I don't believe that Pim got his tactics right but he didn't put a 4-6-0 on the pitch to avoid defeat he put a 4-4-2 on the pitch to try to take the game up to Germany and to snatch a result. Unfortunately the players were outskilled to a man (except maybe for Emerton) and were not up to the task they had been set. That we could have chosen more suitable players for this formation is a very valid thing to argue but to suggest that we played with a midfield of 6 is an utter nonsense. We started the game with 2 up front and it didn't work because we were not able to move the ball to them effectively.
Edited by gyfox: 18/6/2010 10:11:48 AM