I will add it doesn't matter who we play, or in what position, when we've got Southgate, who I don't think is even defensive minded, I just think he's absolutely terrified of getting beat by a minnow ir getting a humping by a big side, england will struggke
Watching it I was wanting them to go to 3-5-2 with Watkins / Kane up front allowing Gordon to be wide left and as it showed Palmer / Saka wide right with 3 still in the middle. The only question would be the 3 in defence. Stones in the middle with Walker and Guéhi either side. With 2 up front Kane can come short as required but we still have Watkins pace .
You'd need probably bowen and gorden, real pace down the sides. But you could gave foden and palmer perhaps playing off him, who'd be happy to go past him. If it clicked that would be a terrifying front 5. Pipe dream of course
Mainoo looks the best bet alongside Rice at the moment. Gallagher might have played himself out the team tonight. Thought Trippier did alright so could start with him and then bring Trent on later if Southgate doesn't trust him in defence. Agree on taking Bellingham out for now and playing Foden central. Foden was about our best player tonight and he made things happen more than Bellingham. He did alright out left but put him more middle and then put a proper wide player there. And Kane doesn't first with the rest of the team right now, but Southgate doesn't trust anyone else to finish as well as him (with reason).
Agree, but think that's possibly one too many up front against decent teams, with not enough in the middle. I'd probably drop Palmer and just encourage one of Rice or Mainoo to push up when they can. Rice managed it a few times tonight.
There's definitely options, depending on opposition, freshness and form. You know it's going to be tge same starting 10/11 come the next match though. I think that's probably what I find most depressing
I made the decision to take my daughter and her friend to the cinema and sit in the car park waiting and I think I made the right decision too
It'll be fine. There's a run now of average sides now thst as long as you don't give them an easy chance you can get to pens. Netherlands - poor enough imo. Defensively terrible yesterday. Italy in the quarters? They played a classic Italy game last time where they basically defended against France and worked like dogs closing down. They would be a challenge bit pens is possible here. This is a lot better that it might have been
This is all very well if all you're concerned about is progress, but I expect to be entertained by good football and England have been dismal.
Honestly looking at where the team is now it will require a manager change to make any great improvements. It's knockouts now so job 1 is not to concede a goal. Job 2 is not to concede a goal for Southgate too so scoring one is down his list.
I never usually watch internationals. I’m only watching England because I have them in the sweep. Apart from being devoid of ideas, they all look tired. Long season? Do the other teams look as tired?
There's been some ding dong games. Honestly France don't look great either, Holland look a joke I honestly think the tired thing is an excuse for England. Kane is in Germany. Guehi can't be tired Pickford cant be tired Walker foden and stones can't be that tired Rice, saka? Tripper has no excuse Bellingham? No excuse playing in Spain The reality is the team is nervy, unbalanced and picked badly from the squad selection.
Internationals are never important to me... But if we get to the final I'll suddenly be more interested and ecstatic if we win. I'm an internationals plastic.
They brought up some numbers for the top 20 players in tournament who had played most minutes this season for clubs. From memory england had 5/6 of those players but I think some of them were Watkins & konsa who hadn’t actually played yet and 1 other that wasn’t really playing. Plus TAA.
So what I’m classing as ‘tired’ is more likely ‘can’t be bothered’? I think, in general, other nations seem more cohesive and passionate as teams; the national anthem singing being a case in point. Even Scotland belt it out. Whatever we personally think about national anthems or just our national anthem, players should look proud to be representing their countries, ours just don’t.
