Rumours that England will be unchanged tonight. Presumably because the first game went so well. [Insert definition of insanity here...] Teams that have done well in other tournaments have learned and adapted. Southgate doesn't seem to do this. Wasn't it in Italia 90 that Robson didn't have a great first game but changed it for the rest of the competition? Can't remember it that well, but please correct me if wrong. Again the problem for me is TAA and Foden out of position (not much we can do about Tripps, though we should have brought another, fit, real left back to the tournament). If you are intent on shoehorning Foden into the team (which I don't think his England form deserves, but nevertheless), then he plays on the right where he sometimes (often, not sure) plays for City. Not only that he plays on that side with Walker, so there's familiarity. The latest plan the pundits keep saying is that Foden plays as 10, and Bellingham drops back alongside Rice. This to me sounds like a plan to get Foden in the team, not a plan to make the team stronger. When will they learn! But you know what? One day Foden will have a good game for England playing on the left and then everyone will say "there, told you so, he's class". Then the next 10 games he will be rubbish on the left, and people will just be waiting for the next time to confirm their wrong thinking.
Playing Foden on the right means dropping Saka who is one of England’s best players though. Dropping Trent makes more sense and Jude can play the deeper role. Either way Southgate needs to make a brave decision. I think he will stick with the line up and system from the first game, for all the stick he’s got, England won and kept a clean sheet.
Apparently in Italia 90 the team begged Robson to change the formation. Went to 3 at the back (Walker, Wright and Butcher) iirc.
And Robson didn't let his ego get in the way of changing things. But managers must generally have a big ego or why would they go to a club that regularly sacks managers on a whim thinking "they won't do that to me", or in international terms, "none of those managers successfully got Lampard and Gerrard in the team, but I know different..." Mind you the media and pundits don't help, as they are basically clamouring for the "best" players to be played, even if they don't fit.
Beat the Danes and that’s guaranteed top spot in the group due to that Serb-Slov result. So, who’s looking forward to some Southgate-ball?
It's been given to McTominay. Scotland's last 8 (I think) goalscorers at major tournaments have all been McSomething. Presumably not including McRudiger.
Rightly so, it was on target so it’s his goal. The keeper would have saved it without the deflection but if they start giving goals like that as own goals then there will be an huge increase
Only the 5th time in 97 games apparently. I think he’s right to go same again. Shaw still isn’t fit to replace Trippier and dropping Foden and/or Trent wouldn’t make sense to me just yet.
Shaw not even fit enough for the bench is worrying as he was meant to be able to take part in the game today, if he has had a setback I would imagine he is unlikely to play any part in the tournament.
Was a very risky decision to select him in the first place. More so when he never even called up Mitchell and then also sent the only other left footed defender home. Tripps is a good player but he's almost useless on the left flank.
What's he going to do if Trippier's not available? Put Gomez there? Looks like his only option. Should've left Shaw out and probably replaced Dunk with Colwill or something. England's obvious problem position and he's just hoping it will be ok.
England start again at walking pace tempo. It’s not the best use of such dynamic players. Like watching Spurs under Conte. So easy for teams to sit in and defend when England are in possession. We need a player who can pass between the lines - like Kroos.
