I never really understood why we've never won anything since 1966. We've had some decent teams, progressed well, it can't always be the managers fault. Do we bottle it? Does it never seem quite as important as PL club football? I don't know, but the squad we've got now, LB notwithstanding!, must have last 4 potential. It's a bit daft of the BBC to come up with the 'no more excuses' stuff, we're not entitled, there's 3 or 4 other top class sides, mostly with better pedigrees all wanting to win it aswell. I want us to win but I mostly don't want us to let ourselves down.
Sometimes small margins. Penalty taking skills have cost us dear especially when you think we were within pens of being euro champions. On that occasion I do feel Southgate’s negativity cost us. I would have rather seen England go at Italy and lose than lose on pens. Although we went out to France it could have gone either way. The players are definitely there.
Simple really.Said in 1966 we would never win anything again until there was a Hull City player in the team. And 58 years later am still correct.
I can’t agree with this. 2018 in hindsight is a decent side, but it was also young and not expected to do very well. We had a good run to get to the semis 2021 I think is the one that got away and maybe we should have won, however we came as close as possible. I also think we underestimate the route - Denmark were a really good team in the tournament and galvanised by what happened to Eriksen. We performed very well against Ukraine and Germany, whilst not at their best, are still no mugs. We were really really good at the World Cup (USA aside) and deserved to beat France. Senegal are a decent side and we outplayed them. Pickford’s mistake last night is the only goal he’s conceded for England that has been his mistake (this stat was going round from Opta last night). Southgate has also consistently got the best out of players like Maguire and Henderson, and has also brought through a lot of youth into the setup. Think of the mess we were in in 2016. Winning a tournament is obviously now the next step, but I don’t think it’s the only thing to show he’s been very successful. Only one team can win a tournament, it’s very very difficult to do.
If you think we were in a mess in 2016 look back to the 1970s. Failed to qualify for the Euros in 1972, the World Cup in1974, the Euros in 1976 and the World Cup in 1978.
He’s been by far and away the best England manager in my memory. Every tournament he’d managed we’ve turned up to, we have played good football and been in with a real shout of winning it. Unlike every England manager in the 20 years preceding him, we literally embarrassed ourselves every two years, we even failed to qualify once. Every. Single. Manager. Every. Single. Tournament. And arguably, they ALL had better players at their expense than any squad Southgate has managed. Even the stats agree, he’s best England manager in 50 years and the 2nd best of all time.
I can't believe Lee Carsley isn't a shoe in for the senior job once Southgate leaves. I reckon we'll have another decent tournament but the expectation is off the charts now where anything less than winning it is deemed as a failure
bowen had his first england goal disallowed. narrow margin. saw a stat the other day: england wins in knockout games 1968-2016: 6 2018-2022: 6 six in three tournaments in four years under southgate, six in 48 years before southgate. take your pick.
Think England have the best midfield and forwrds in decent numbers they’ve ever had - who seem well knitted together . Defence is a worry Belgiums counter pace was frightening , Walker and Shaw would help . In the ‘old’ days when we played a lumpy number 9 it always amazed me why the Italians could play a lightweight centre half who could easily manage them . Surely we could do with a technically clever defender or two not just a player like Dunk ?
We'll hopefully be okay for centre backs in the Euros, it's a bit bizarre that Stones, Maguire, Guehi, Tomori and Colwill have all managed to be injured at the same time.
100%. Southgate has got to be on his knees desperate to pick him, sad thing is I think he is when it comes to left backs. Chilwell not playing consistently or with any form for his club but gets the nod in back to back internationals. He then performs absolutely abysmally in both games. Makes you wonder what he has to do to get dropped from the squad.
Having another left back available to replace him might be a good start, had Trippier been available he'd have played in one of the games and he's a right back, that's how short we are for options.
He's Chelsea's first choice left back without a doubt, and one of their key players at club level. The fact that he and James are constantly injured is one of their biggest problems. It's his fitness rather than form that's his biggest issue.
