Yorkshire Humour - After scoring just two goals in the whole tournament and drawing 0-0 with Slovenia, Gareth Southgate was asked why we don't seem to be scoring many goals. "I just don't think we've got a natural replacement for Bobby Charlton" Southgate replied.
Allardyce has the highest England win percentage. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.
Pretty sad about this, it means if we make it to a semi final I am going to miss it. Wanted to finish 2nd. It also gives us the easy route so even if we do make it we won’t deserve to be there anyway.
It’ll be interesting to see where we go from here. It’s still really possible that we’ll do quite well and possibly even win it. Stranger tournament performances have happened but the signs don’t look promising. Equally, knock out football is a different beast to group stages. If the plan was save energy but top the group, job done. But I do feel as though it’s made it harder for us to break through into excitement now. As you say, we could stumble into the final now and still not capture any sort of it.
My expectation of winning the group has been met, my expectation of being entertained, interested, roused etc hasn't. I can live with that but breaking through into excitement in knock out football isn't going to happen unless our top club players step it up for their country. It's all still there to have and we do have the players, what a waste if they let us down.
I agree, but those players could still break through. It’s far from over yet and the games from here on out will automatically feel different by the nature of it being knock out.
Gareth southgates lucky charm with the easiest possible draw to the final has happened yet again And scoring 2 goals in 3 games still topping the group Hes the luckiest man alive Its insane
I would def start Mainoo and Palmer. Much more direct Bellingham looks like the year is catching up with him but has to start again. Gordon on earlier for sure. Why oh why Southgate thinks Gallagher before others is beyond me and that alone is why he needs to go after this tournament.And if Kane doesn’t get more involved ( it’s like having 10 men at times) then get Tony on as a genuine physical presence who will actually try to go for the 50/50 headers.
And then to continue southgates insane luck Austria top a group with france So france are in a seperate side of the draw As poland got a penalty that was saved and then retaken Id want to southgate in my foxhole
I hope so too mate but I'm more excited to see more of Guehi, Mainoo and Palmer than more of Bellingham, Saka and Kane unless they step up.
I’m looking forward to seeing more of Mainoo and Palmer. Guehi has been great and I think he’ll be our starter for a while now But if Bellingham, Foden Kane and Saka don’t step up we won’t win the tournament. It’s a weird balance for international teams isn’t it - we’re favourites because of those players and without them we probably wouldn’t be. So do you try and get them going or play players with less ability who might not take you as far.
I thought we did ok last night against a side that parked the bus. Their star striker barely had a touch and got hooked. The fluency still isn’t there but Southgate’s subs changed the game positively. I do think Bellingham needs to get his finger out and be given a defined role to stick to. Last night he seemed to get in the way as many times as he contributed positively. We need to improve in the knockouts. There were signs last night that we are preparing for that. Plus teams will now come at us rather than just defend, which plays to England’s strengths. I realise none of that matches the moany tailspin a few usual suspects have descended into. I’m not sorry about that. Someone even said this morning that the way to beat a team parking the bus was the launch balls over the top and behind them. You cannae defy the laws of physics captain.
Just a mo.....Didn't Peter Taylor have one game? Which they won? PS...On the Foden criticism ..He's not a left winger....Unfortunately, the brains trust that is Southgate can't see it...And Holland doesn't have the balls, the gumption, or the gravitas to tell him...One or all three.
