Wow. With every single ounce of respect I can muster, winning a couple of league cups doesn't really equate to me thinking that this is the man. Although I must admit, picking four right backs so you can play one of them at left back is proper top drawer genius, not sure who else could have thought of that gem I am right here to be proven wrong though. See you in a couple of weeks. Let's see.
I've not said he's brilliant though have I mate? Or even that he's good actually. Just pointing out that it's wrong to say he's got no experience when he clearly has. That post made no comment on his managerial ability.
This is like listening to Talk Sport. You've never played, you're not a football man, bollocks. So what valid experience is it you're saying he has? That he's played loads of football? Ok, that clears it up. Far be it for anyone who's not played 500 games to have any opinion or idea. Like I've said, we'll see in a couple of weeks.
He's experienced in that he's spent decades in the game and has managed an international side for 5 years (plus an age group for 3). Again, I'm not saying he's very good and don't think he is particularly. I've repeated that a lot this weekend and I'm really not sure why people are ignoring that. He's quite clearly tactically limited. Really don't get what your beef is here. When we go out the tournament isn't going to mean that he's not experienced, whether he's good enough is a different question entirely.
Why don't we just agree we should let Southgate do whatever he's going to do, and then speak how well he's done or not, after we are knocked out. Far as I'm concerned, it wasn't the passionate performance I would have expected for a home nations derby, only the players and the manager know the reason for that. It's not reflective of them as individuals, it's just saying it was an unacceptable performance, especially considering we are supposed to have the best league in the world (Premier League).
Tripper was better than Shaw, the natural LB. so maybe Gaz isn’t as bad. Plus Gilmore, Tierney and Robertson had cracking games. McGinn wasn’t half bad either. That’s their high. Reverse the two results we have had and people would be bouncing.
was a shame that Scotland could pick Kane to feck it up for us. We had players having an off day. He didn’t make the right/enough subs to change but had to ensure he didn’t lose, same as Scotland. McTommeney was also impressive at CB.
Very much this. It's more than simply two results, or simply looking at it as 4 points from 2 games. The performance as much as the result is an indicator of how we'll do in the knockout rounds. If the squad was **** I'd have no qualms at all and consider a Q/F as the side doing well. But we have a decent squad (maybe some lack of depth in central defence but otherwise very good) and some real talent in key positions especially the attack. Yet tactically we've demonstrated pedestrian football, playing in front of the opposition, passing sideways and back instead of playing to those very talented players' strengths. That's largely down to the manager and the coaching. When you instil that mentality in the players and put out the type of performance we've seen in both our opening games, we'll crumble the moment we come up against decent opposition. And it won't be because the players are **** because they're not - but because it's the style of football the manager is putting out.
Well when you've all stop crying about how bad you are or how good you should or could be I'll be here to dish out hugs. I got you.
I haven't got a beef. But I would genuinely ask anyone who watched us play for a nil nil drawn, at home, against Scotland, with squad that is packed full of genuine talent and flair, yet had TWO holding midfielders in the starting team; Do we think Gareth Southgate is the man? Against some of the teams we've seen so far, I think not. Sorry and that. I know it's not allowed to suggest wer'e ****, or that the England manager is way out of his depth, but that's how I see it. But what would I know, I'm just someone on a football forum? Just like the rest of you.
Agree with a fair bit of that but I don't think the squad is as good as some suggest. Both CB and CM is very poor compared to the top sides imo and feel it's a tournament too soon for some of the younger players. I thought the performance was pretty decent against Croatia without being brilliant. Started at an incredible pace but couldn't feasibly keep that up in the heat and we managed it well restricting them to nothing. Like I say, not brilliant but decent enough. I also think QF's would be a good result. We're quite clearly not one of the best four sides on the continent.
Like I say, I don't think he's brilliant and certainly isn't the man to win anything (Not alone there) but hasn't done terribly so far and deserves our support until he does so. We were poor the other night I agree completely and the two holding midfielders turned out to be a poor decision. Still could have it won it had one of the two early sitters gone in mind. My issue is that he's trying too hard to protect our weaknesses (defence) instead of playing to our strengths. I kind of get the logic as if you can keep clean sheets then you've got a chance but I don't think it'll work against the top sides. I just think this result in isolation doesn't matter a great deal. As I said earlier, it's all about the end result not how you get there. If we reach the quarters and lose narrowly to a favourite then we've had an okay tournament which is about right for this group. I'm happy to wait for him to fail before sticking the knife in. He's done better than anyone else in the past two decades so far.
Who would you like to see come in to replace him, honest question. No trap, he has done better than any manager since sir Bobby. So if he crashes out in group he goes. Crashes out on first KO he goes. Any further and we can at least say he deserves a pop at the WC next summer?