he played in a friendly against Brazil. I think Southgate places a lot of store in the players performances in the age groups which is why i think RLC went to WC.
I hope so, we have some talent. If managers see them getting experience with the national team they maybe forced to give them a chance in the first team squads.
Look at Chelsea 5 successive youth FA cup wins Youth CL finalists but who thinks many ,if any, will ever get a real chance in their first team.
Tough one to decide. It is true, the chelsea youth do not get an opportunity at the club (bar christensen last year) but: 1. how many chelsea youth players have made it big since? none of them are pulling up any trees. Is that because we didn't give them the opportunity and they didn't develop or because they just were not good enough? (maybe a bit of both). 2. this is also true of most of the big clubs (in terms of youth). From your club, the young players to make it through and be big are Sterling and Trent. Can't think of many others. Of recent years at chelsea of the top of my head: - PVA - at palace, middling defender cannot defend - Solanke - not achieved much so far with you - Chalobah - injured but looked good with watford, was actually gutted he didn't get more chances as i think he's going to be a beast later - Traore - At Lyon i think. Done okay but struggling to start - Ake - would have liked more opportunities but struggled at Bournemouth last year - Loftus Cheek - my fellow supporters love him, i think he's average. Hasn't done much at palace imo - Ryan Bertrand - Should have kept, i think he's great - Kalas - dunno - Lewis Baker - with huddersfield?
RLC would deffo have been better than Bakayoko have the squad players you have purchased instead been any better ?
Probably would have been better than Bakayoko and our signings. Can't disagree with that. However, is he good enough for a team challenging for the top, probably not. Just because we signed crap players doesn't mean we should make do with RLC. It's like keeping Mignolet because you sign Karius. Nope, you should be binning both for a better keeper
F#ck me, the hype over this England team is astonishing. We found out that we are better than Sweden and not as good as Croatia. It’s nice to have had the run and we all enjoyed it but all this blowing smoke up their backside is making me chuckle. We got found out against Croatia, tactically, physically, mentally....after getting lucky with the draw.....it was good fun but no more than that! Now we’re f#ckin nailwd on winners in 2022
That’s the way we roll in this country though....build em up.....then knock em down. Personally, however much I like the fella, I think Southgate is limited and that showed against Croatia.
I think Southgate is the main positive too come out of the world cup. He's looked at what he's got and used them as best he can target than pick a formation/ eleven and make it fit. PS... what I meant by the last comment was the people that don't normally watch football but become experts when there is a international tournament on.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the bloke but tactically we were poor against Croatia. Perhaps he’ll learn from it, perhaps not....but he’s got a lot of time inbetween tournaments to prepare so I guess we’ll find out over the next 2 years!
He needs to learn that unless you are Germany 2014, you sometimes have to change tactics or formation. Also that sometimes taking a miss firing player out is for the best. Against Croatia it would have been better if Sterling or Lingard had been dropped and Delph or Dier had started
I actually think that Sterling ran them (Croatia) ragged. If that lad could finish or had a final ball he’d be world class. Unfortunately he has neither....but yes, I agree that he needs to learn to change during a game if necessary.
I agree - I think the set up was good and credit to Southgate. But the in game management was poor and one dimensional. But the best thing about this team is that we beat teams we’re supposed to.
I don't think he was that poor. Had we taken our chances in the first half, it would be a very different story
Kane was woeful and had to come off, but as captain he was untouchable. Sterling's pace was stretching Croatia, we needed more pace up top in someone like Rashford. He got that all wrong and we lost any threat.
I'd say he needed to switch the system. Sticking with 352 which became 532 left the midfield three far too expose and inevitably they were ****ed later in the game.
