Other Games - 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup Edition (+ warm-up matches): Villa-watch

[Nev]

"How far do you go back"

I go back as far as our game against Brentford when it barely raised a murmur.

[brontebilly]

I just feel he gets unjust criticism, such as the first Mexican goal.

Not everything needs blame attached to it, but if any England player is to blame it is probably him for not clearing it properly.

Ultimately it fell to him although I'm not sure what actual other options he had to clear it. But the defenders not clearing it when in the air, and the defenders not reacting when it was "cleared" surely
 have parts as well. As some noted the player who scored was being marked by Bellingham who let him run ahead whilst he stopped to watch the ball. Maybe Jude realised that as well which is why he was more ready to block the one right at the end of first half.

He should have attacked the ball in the air I thought, he can see it all the way. England seem to be a bit disorganised at set pieces, neither Konsa or Guehi are taking charge. Then again Konsa/Torres aren't exactly elite in the air but we are better organised. Clearance is terrible, try a swing on it back to where it came from. He would have been blessed if it didn't result in a goal.

Dominating the air has never been his forte but his positioning is all over the place on their chances in first half. He's woeful 14mins in letting Jimenez run across him so easily, excellent save from Pickford. Jimenez shot before half time he's drawn out to the first ball with Quansah? and leaves Jimenez free for the second ball. Jimenez should score that one. He's far too lose again on Jimenez header before half time and Pickford once again bails him out, easier save.

That's a very poor first half

[ChicagoLion]

Guehi and Konsa have looked pretty decent in the qualifiers but they are now playing much better teams, there does seem to be a lack of leadership as i think both are a bit quiet.
The only time the defence has looked solid was last 15 against Mexico with 8 at the back.

[PaulWinch again]

It’s the full backs that are the crux of the issue.

[brontebilly]

It’s the full backs that are the crux of the issue.

Letting the crosses come in too easily? Maybe but you would expect Konsa or Guehi to be dealing with the situations outlined above.

[Dave]

It’s the full backs that are the crux of the issue.

Letting the crosses come in too easily? Maybe but you would expect Konsa or Guehi to be dealing with the situations outlined above.

Against Mexico it looked to me as if that's what they were supposed to do. Assume that Stones / Burn / Guehi etc would keep heading the ball out rather than risk their wingers running past the full back.

[FatSam]

Colombia getting what they deserve for two goals in four games and half an hour.

If only they had a maverick striker available to play for them, who could create a goal out of nothing...

..who wasn't a nutjob.

[Dogtanian]

No matches today. 

[AV82EC]

No matches today. 

It’s our first day off.

[Bosco81]

He should have attacked the ball in the air I thought, he can see it all the way. England seem to be a bit disorganised at set pieces, neither Konsa or Guehi are taking charge. Then again Konsa/Torres aren't exactly elite in the air but we are better organised. Clearance is terrible, try a swing on it back to where it came from. He would have been blessed if it didn't result in a goal.

Dominating the air has never been his forte but his positioning is all over the place on their chances in first half. He's woeful 14mins in letting Jimenez run across him so easily, excellent save from Pickford. Jimenez shot before half time he's drawn out to the first ball with Quansah? and leaves Jimenez free for the second ball. Jimenez should score that one. He's far too lose again on Jimenez header before half time and Pickford once again bails him out, easier save.

That's a very poor first half

That is being unbelievably harsh on Konsa, for the Jiminez chance I'd agree he could have done better, but giving up a header on the edge of the penalty box shouldn't be an issue, Jiminez caught it well but I'd expect Pickford to save any header from 18 yards out.

For the goal from the corner, Guehi didn't attack the ball, I would expect Konsa to rely on him to clear it, and so he was surprised when the ball dipped onto his foot, it was a rushed clearance by him, although I'm not sure what else he could have done.

I don't think Guehi does him any favours, he seems to press the ball at the wrong times, and any centre half takes their positon from their fellow centre half, and if he's not where you expect him to be and keeps wondering off, it must be hard to play alongside him.

It's like the Ghana goal, where I think they were both too far across to the left, but Konsa was taking his position from Guehi so there wasn't a big gap between them, which meant then Spence had 2 men to mark, but if Spence had simply won the first header, which I'd expect my full backl to do, given the height of the bloke he was marking it would have cleared any danger.

Konsa seems to be the sweeper whenever he plays for Villa or England, but at Villa he trusts his centre back, whether its Torres or Mings, than he does Guehi.

[Somniloquism]

Same, Guehi was the defender in any position to go and head the ball and he seemed to initially stop because the attacker he was marking fell over. For Konsa to go an attack it with his head, he would have had to go through Guehi. Konsa had run slightly ahead of the line of the ball which meant in the split second to react to the ball dropping next to him the ball was going to go backwards. Although sometimes balls are played in well enough that even the top defenders can't do much with it, and England don't have top defenders.