Match Day Thread General matchday thread.

I am not sure what prejudices you harbour, but as a person who wouldnt even really call himself an England fan, I feel not beating Slovenia with the players England has at their disposal is a fair reason to ask questions and is down to logic more than entitlement.

Take Pep's City for example, if they were to finish 5th next season, with the quality they have, people would ask questions.
What went wrong, what should be done to fix it.
I dont think England fans are entitled. I dont think, for example, if this 0-0 had been against Spain or France, that people would be up in arms.

 

I think it shows Southgate's genius. He didn't need his players to take unnecessary risks or use up to much energy. He's pacing them for the long haul. He knew 2 goals in three games would be enough to top the group.

What the average football fan doesn't understand is Gareth's genius goes far above their understanding. Southgate is essentially the Einstein of football managing.

 

Fixed that for you.

 

better than being the Epstein, though he did coach the youth team..........

 

Also you have to take the result in context with the rest of their performances in the tournament.
If England had battered Serbia and Denmark 4-0 then an off game against Slovenia, when they had already topped the group would be more palletable.
But when people see 3 **** performances on the bounce, against middling opposition, in a tournament, when the team is expected to perform, then naturally people are gonna start raising eyebrows.

 

Not really - apart from the lack of a fit and functioning left back the squad ain't bad ... the problem has been playing players out of position and an unwillingness to rest an immobile and (so far) ineffective striker ...

As all Leicester fans can attest, despite getting huge plaudits for his performances in this tournament in the Danish press, Jannick Vestergaard is incredibly vulnerable to pace - you don't need trickery - just run past him ... Watkins plainly demonstrated this in his cameo ... that Soutgate disregarded this, or was just too damn stubborn to change until forced, is a damning indictment of his management... apart from a rather fortunate tap in, the Danish defence had a very comfortable evening against Harry the tortoise ...

 

My expectation going into the Denmark game was it would be a draw or decided by one goal, the former happened. The last time there was four or more goals in the game, we lost to Denmark. Anyone that had bothered to check the head to head between these two teams would have known that.... https://www.11v11.com/teams/england/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Denmark/

So your expectation was too high, especially for someone that's not even interested in England.

 

The last two ocassions when there was four or more goals in a game against Denmark...

16 Nov 2003	England v Denmark	L	2-3	International Friendly
17 Aug 2005	Denmark v England	L	4-1	International Friendly

 

Yeah, it's evolved to merely viewing the results on paper and being accused of entitlement if you question the actual performances and coaching.

 

The last time there was four or more goals against Slovenia was 9 years ago, the last two games, prior to the most recent game, had only produced one goal...yes and it's still one in over 270 minutes of football.

 

Why would two games played 20 years ago have any bearing on this tournament?

 

Because there's been six games since then and not one produced the four goals you were expecting...

09 Feb 2011	Denmark v England	W	1-2	International Friendly
05 Mar 2014	England v Denmark	W	1-0	International Friendly
08 Sep 2020	Denmark v England	D	0-0	UEFA Nations League
14 Oct 2020	England v Denmark	L	0-1	UEFA Nations League
07 Jul 2021	England v Denmark	W	2-1	UEFA European Championship

 

I wasnt expecting four goals against Denmark
I just said that if England HAD scored 4 goals against Denmark, then the 0-0 against Slovenia might have been more palletable.
I cant speak for everyone, but I look at the results in context.

 

That place last night was a finalist in Welsh Gastropub of the year this year, you need to go rediscover. I've been to the Abercrave and Pen y Cae Inn before and it neither are as good as that place.

 

but why would you even mention 4 goals against Denmark, why talk such nonsense. All the results so far are within the measure of expectation based on past performances, not Southgates fault you bigged yourself up into a frenzy and it never happened, you're just a typical Chelsea fan.

 

Will tell you in a few months mate

 

Again, if you feel expecting England to beat Slovenia, is "hyping up into a frenzy" then you must have really low expectations for both England and your definition of a frenzy.

 

Golden generation an internationally respected coach.

 

Vestergaard wasn't playing!

 

Everyone let’s all stop the fighting and understand it could be worse
We could be Wales