Summer window

He’s always looked poor or ineffective when I see him recently. When he first came on the scene he looked amazing, like a generational talent.

 

Spot on. And I think the last paragraph says it.

His agent will have been promising him all sorts with a new deal elsewhere, ( and a nice cut for himself). The agent won't be bothered, he'll just move onto the next one

 

Aye he hasn’t stepped forward.

when you look at how Grealish has come on and the continued growth of Bellingham, he does seem to have stood still.

His position is a handicap, cos we don’t know what it is. All the ability but looks lost as a 10

 

Still short at the back IMO.

But up there all round with France, Spain, and possibly Germany, who never lie doggo for long!

 

Tbh I think a lot of it is down to how teams set up against City. Pretty much everyone parks the bus so their midfield are camped on the edge of the opponents box and it’s difficult for wingers to run at defenders which Foden is brilliant at, whereas sterling wasn’t but he got into pockets in the box well.

 

Crewe at home in milk cup

 

Couldn't agree more, he's only ever been at clubs with stupid levels of resources, making it very easy for him to take credit for what his ridiculously paid coaching staff are doing. That said, there can be no doubt that he's improved a fair few players in his time there, most notable being Grealish for me, he's cut out the antics from his game which I hated. Summing up, Guardiola's techniques work when he has the budget to do so. (Just an opinion before I get it rammed back down my throat!)

 

They may well work without too but I doubt we’ll ever know. .

 

I find this a very strange opinion. He's done better than any other England manager since Ramsay, has completely harmonised the squad, for first time it feels like a club, players clearly love him, no call offs, they've just battered a decent side 7.0. It's also the first time an England side dominates the ball completely in games.
They blew it against France and Italy but it was a missed penalty in both games. Fine margins. Let's forget about the wins over Croatia, Germany, Ukraine, Senegal as that was down to players and not Southgate....
England have had talent before, do you not remember Scholes, lampard, Gérard, Cole, Terry, Owen, ferdinand in same team? Awful to watch, pathetic.
I don't think this is all down to Southgate but he's part of a strategy from FA and its working. It will take a very good team to beat England in next summers euros. Yes Southgate might have his limitations but I'd be surprised if anyone would have done a better job overall

 

So people think Guardiola is a fraud for battering every team they come across because they have a budget similar to teams around them but think Southgate is doing a wonderful job after winning nothing with one of the best international squads in world football..

If Pep was England manager I’d eat my own ****e if we didn’t win either the euros or World Cup at the first time of asking.


Worth looking at the difference between when Southgate opts for 3 at the back and Pep does.

England v Italy in the euros final when they absolutely pummelled us and somehow we took it to penalties, we had 3 centre backs with 2 full backs and 2 defensive midfielders. Meaning the only attack minded players on the pitch were Kane, Mount and Sterling.

City v Madrid, obviously a 4-0 win for city.

3 centre backs, 2 defensive midfielders with 4 attack minded midfielders behind a striker.

That’s not having an unlimited budget, that’s having a pair of bollocks and the tactical know how to beat your opponent - which Mancini did against England.

 

Mad thing is, we probably aren’t, he just picks the wrong ones.

Tomori has been superb for Milan and is rapid and strong, Stones as good as any last 2 years.

It’s his unwillingness to pick the right players at the back that ****s me off.

We are **** at LB mind, Chilwell v Theo Hernandes is a walkover for France.

 

Shaw and James are our best 2 full backs. James has absolutely no luck with injuries though

 

Is that not because he would have the best players among the international squads like you just mentioned? Clough would be doing it with Macedonia. That’s why Peps a fraud

 

West Ham should go for cash and Phillips????

 

Exactly

 

It's all based on what he learnt from Cruyff and the ideas that Cruyff left behind at Barcelona (all of which was based on the ideas of Rinus Michels, who developed the ideas of coaches before him) but Guardiola is easily the most influential coach of his generation. Clubs at every level are trying to play like a Guardiola side and he's constantly developing his style. He's taken that Ajax/Barcelona Cruyff approach and developed it further.

 

Just hope I get back in time for the Antiques Roadshow.

 

I guess that’s the point. If you get found out at Rochdale away it’s time to move down a division.

 

Aye Reece James is quality, Shaw is ‘solid’

 

A budget similar to everyone around them? Absolute bollocks. Jack grealish cost more than the entire inter Milan team. The total cost of the first 11 and subs was 850m that day. He is a good coach of elite footballers but its easy getting talented and engaged footballers to play certain systems and adapt. His first job he had peak Messi, iniesta, xavi etc and that gave him a great start to build his reputation so folk like you would believe the baloney said and written about him.