I said ‘better’, not ‘great play’. For once we looked hungry - and 5/5 penalties is unheard of for England.
I'm not even sure it was better it was keystone cops stuff at the end. England are dull, conservative, and Mr Southgate changes that when England concede. England have really talented players, and real talented players to chuck on, and yesterday they were chucked on. England's game plan ended up being three at the back, one in midfield and six attackers.
Is coming home. Masterstroke playing for no nil then puttin on all them penalty takers. Look at Toney stared the keeper down like a gunslinger with balls like church bells and passes the ball into the corner.
You and me both. Formation ? Nobody will work it out, not least as Southgate doesn't have a clue either.
The 1st half was definitely better than the previous 4 games, we pressed and tried to get in behind d down the right with Saka. The 2nd half and ET was as bad as the other games, Trippier down the left simply doesn’t work, there is no balance, or threats to get to the byline and cross it, and teams know it, so it’s easy to defend against. Both England & France seem happy to not concede, rather than try to score first. I see more penalty shoot outs to decide our games.
I have always thought that Pickford acts like a plonker but my son sent me a photo of his water bottle where he had all of the ways the Swiss penalty takers would go with their attempts. My techno incompetence doesn't allow me to copy and paste that from my phone so does anyone else have a way to highlight that great pic? Well done Jordan despite me thinking bad of you.
Inver Pickford is given information as to which way to dive by the goalkeeping analysts. He does as instructed. Decent keeper but a fruitcake.
Post rule change which turned keepers into outfield players I think he is excellent. England's best in decades. At the other end of the pitch, it is time to do the near unthinkable and drop Harry Kane. He is not right, and nowhere near his normal levels.
I agree, Kane looks fatigued and a shadow of his time at Spurs. In Southgate's non system I'm not sure any striker would fare any better. Against the Swiss I noticed time and again him appearing on the edge of our box helping us defend. All well and good but when we win it there's no outball. He should stay on the halfway line, he'd occupy at least 2 of the opposition and save his energy for use in the opposition box. Kane won't be dropped, much too big a call for Southgate.
Bitter krauts demanding a replay and that Anthony Taylor and his VAR team be removed from the tournament……. Thousands sign petition demanding Germany vs Spain be REPLAYED https://mol.im/a/13609741
Think we get changes and Southgate goes.. Pickford Walker Stones Guehi Shaw Rice Mainoo Saka Bellingham Foden Kane
Weve got this. We can nullify the Dutch, sedate them and neutralize them, with Harry barely moving around the midfield and sideways to back to sideways and back passing we'll bore them into submission, send them into a coma and win on penalties.
It's not rocket science. Early on Southgate picked Trent - Wrong He picked Foden LW - Wrong. He set up 4 at the back - Wrong. Tonight we look the far better side......so far.
