Great start, fantastic. Within a short time Italy got their game together and were better than us. Penalties is the worst way to lose any game but no doubt in my mind, whoever Southgate played, the better team won.
Feel quite deflated that England didnt win. Family were jumping around when England scored then .. We sat there watching Italy take inevitable control of the game due to Mr Southgates ultra defensive football. Imagine if England had won playing as they do? That is the future of English football. A Country where the skill of Jack Grealish wont start a game, a team that consistently has more chances from set pieces (5) v open play (1) last night, England's future is one where we play with seven defensive players on the pitch sat deep. As somebody who defended Southgate originally I am embarrassed for England because of how this coach approached aspects of this tournament. We have a wealth of talent and at times played like a team Its hard to really parallel because they were so negative and defensive - England perhaps were an international Burnley.
I agree and pretty much thought the same myself. For me I would have replaced Mount at half time with Grealish. Mount was incredibly wasteful throughout, Grealish makes things happen. I would have told Sterling to stay on his feet or risk being substituted, it was getting embarrassing, Kane was almost as bad, talking of Kane he does not look fit to me he looked void of a yard of normal pace and the same with Henderson whose passing was Henri Lansburyesque, shocking. Bringing on Saka was plain stupid, he was out of his depth in the semi final. I agree with Roy Keane's assessment 'some of England's senior players need to take a long hard look at themselves for allowing Saka to take one of the penalties, they should have stepped forward'. I even agree with the sycophant that is Gary Lineker for once, who tweeted this:- "I think going forward @England have to find a way of being more attack minded. Braver in possession and throwing more people forward. We have the forward talent to scare teams, at present we seem scared ourselves to release that talent". But hey we finally got to a final for a change, that is a definite plus and it looks like that is success enough in our country for a knighthood, so now onto the most corrupt world cup of all time in the vile racist, slave trading, human rightsless, homophobic, misogynistic, terror supporting country that the world cup could have been handed to, but I am sure our politically aware players will do the right thing, kerrching. The racial abuse is a national disgrace, but sadly all too predictable, examples need to be made and very publicly. PS:- The removal of their medals was the action petulant children whose parents didn't have enough money to buy them the more expensive trainers.
Rice on the day, best England player, ran his socks off...Why didn't Sterling take a pen? Why bring on 2 players, without a kick of the ball to take pens? Southgate should have made changes earlier when under the cosh in 2nd half. The best team won IMO But don't want to take away Southgates & the England's achievement in this tournament, overall a much improvement from years gone by and a deserved lift for the nation. NB. If and I know it's a big if, but IF we go and win the World Cup next year ....then that would be the ultimate and the Euros will be the forgotton distant memory that we won't care about......
Agree with all of that, being reported this morning that Grealish volunteered but Southgate went for Saka. I agree about the achievement of Southgate but he needs to learn from his mistakes, boring tactics with all of the forward flair at our disposal, poor substitutions when it mattered and a penalty shoot out doomed to failure. I suspect Southgate wouldn't let Sterling to take a pen because he feared he would go down if the Italian keeper breathed too hard in his direction on his run up. I am sure that England's players with their new found politics will obviously refuse to play in such a morally corrupt country.
I'm also convinced. 60 years ago my Dad told me the 'continentals', as he called them, are just better and more natural footballers. I thought of my Dad last night.
We didn't get beaten in 120 min of football last night regardless of style, quality, possession or team selection, we got thumped in the penalty competition, that was down to player selection and Southgate was solely responsible, his choice of some players was wrong and he has made himself look a right twat. The media are falling over themselves congratulating him this on achievment, we failed, got beat, he under estimated and should get a solid kick up the ass for his mistakes, he is to blame not the players.
A bit harsh Wiz. Penalties are a minefield and 3 of our players failed. Who knows if others would have done better, it's a lottery. I haven't ever been a fan of Southgate from his appointment but to get that group of players to the final is worthy of praise. What I'd really like to hear from the FA is that we, England, are boycotting Qatar. Fat chance, we'll now go on bended knee begging for the 2030 World Cup. Appeasement - I fu**ing hate it.
I wanted to sound harsh mate, all of this pussy footing around, bringing the nation together and piss pot politics is not what football is about, the Italean manager never exposed his youngsters by bringing 2 of them on at 119 min to take penalties, exposing an inexperienced 19 year old to win or lose it, refusing to use Grealish or even Shaw to take one. I think to reach the final was a great achievment, he has had the players, the resources, playing all of our games at home except 1 and our opposition was weaker than what the Italeans faced but he got us there, fair play but then he messed up, big time just like once before when hs missed his penalty in Euro 96. He takes the plaudits and he deserves the criticism when he cocks up and he did, what a let down.
Spot on it would prove the players give a **** about the bigger picture involving racism and a multitude of other sins, but I suspect them and an army of pundits will board the Qatar gravy train and enrich their already bulging bank accounts, advertising sweatshop made sports gear along the way. Also I agree and have signed the online petition with banning fans found guilty of racism for life, but here is my problem why are players who are found guilty of the same not banned for life? The game is full of hypocrisy's and all because it is awash with filthy lucre and the gravy train is milking it.
You are bang on with regard to Qatar but money and oily slush funds count, human rights mean nothing when the big bucks come calling and we all know FIFA was full crooks lining their own pockets , Sepp Blatter was the boss man of FIFA and he was supported shamefully by Michel Platini. Appeasement, I'm right with you.
If you go back over the years, flair players like Grealish are generally always overlooked by the England national manager. We've had so many skilful and creative players over the last 5 decades that between them only ended up with a handful of international caps. I'm talking about the likes of Tony Currie Frank Worthington Rodney Marsh Matt Le Tissier Glen Hoddle etc
Yes but they are not always overlooked - Gascoigne. In Europe system and creativity can be embraced. Its a rare beast that is truly successful with a midfield that is not able to dictate how the game progresses. England ceded midfield.
Paul Gascoigne was the exception rather than the rule. From what I've seen of the Euro's which wasn't a huge amount, England are crying out for a Paul Scholes type character.
And that is a point. Scholes was still creative, he broke lines. Italy played with Pirlo and used tens like Baggio. Spain did not leave out their passers. Successful teams that do not cede midfield and the ability to dictate passages of play centrally. Teams that attempt to invade territory not spend the games camped with two cdm's behind the second third looking to attack via full backs and wing backs - Luke Shaw became England's most creative player. England became a team that made more chances via set plays than open play.
You are correct, the problem is as BCFC fans know all to well, the choices are you build a team around your flair player or you have 10 outfield players who each do a specific job for each other. Historically we have had players like Keith Fear, Jacki Dziekanowski, JET, Paterson and now Palmer and Semenyo and the puzzle has always been fitting their undoubted mercurial talents into a team where their deficiencies are covered by others and we have almost always failed in that puzzle. You either eventually blunt that talent by making them team players or let them move on or as I said build teams around them to allow them to do that voodoo that they do so well.
when scholes et al were in the team we did get a bit of flair and interesting football but still didn't win anything! we do have a couple of young interesting players ..who after 120 mins showed they were up to the task... OK Italy took the trophy but only won it on luck!
Not sure about luck. Italy were head and shoulders better than England over the 120 minutes from what I saw.
we all see different, or look at different although what we see is the same … Both sides had some very intense moments our younger team probably made the odd error that changed the balance but I thought all in all it was a good game and experience guided them to the draw …………...
