Off Topic International Break Thread

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We played similarly awful football in 2018 and most of 2020.

Qatar was different though. The football was adventurous, bold and largely full of confidence.

We've regressed at a rate of knots. And I believe that the nervousness and caution underlying it all is the fact that Southgate has basically been told that if he doesn't win it, he's gone. Another manager might have been better at dealing with that kind of pressure, but it has reduced Southgate to a nervous wreck and this is directly reflected in the team's approach and body language.

The fear of losing is palpable. It stems from the very top.

Levy Out
 
Ange talks a good game but I’m not sold on him yet, I think he’s stubborn and tactically naive.

I share these concerns about him but I'm mindful that he's new to the PL and will hopefully learn from his first full season with us.

On the other hand, if you're looking for managers who are stubborn and tactically naive, Southgate has to be front of the queue.
 
I share these concerns about him but I'm mindful that he's new to the PL and will hopefully learn from his first full season with us.

On the other hand, if you're looking for managers who are stubborn and tactically naive, Southgate has to be front of the queue.

Ange won’t change, new to the PL he may be but he’s been a manager for a long time and he has his ways and he believes in them so I don’t see anything changing. Spurs with a decent cup draw could possibly win a trophy under him and that would be job done.

Southgate isn’t a good manager, I’m glad he’s got to the last 8, Saturday will probably be the last game for him though as there is something majorly wrong atm. I like him as a person though and results wise he’s done well with England, it’s time for a change though.
 
I share these concerns about him but I'm mindful that he's new to the PL and will hopefully learn from his first full season with us.

On the other hand, if you're looking for managers who are stubborn and tactically naive, Southgate has to be front of the queue.
The thing with Southgate is he was ideal for 2018 as the plan for that tournament was basically vibes above all else - which somehow mutated into aggressive tubthumping after scoring a stoppage time winner against Tunisia in the opening game that had members of the squad talking about "it" coming home like they were tabloid journalists filing copy down the pub after eight pints of Stella

But he absolutely should have gone after 2022, as his subs against France were the sort of thing you see every season where a manager who has run out of time and ideas chases a game by making cosmetic substitutions when it matters and potential game changing ones deep in stoppage time
 
I'm not able to watch the France game at the moment (it's coming up to half time), but just thinking re England's poor performance... has France scored a goal yet that wasn't an own goal or a penalty?
 
I'm not able to watch the France game at the moment (it's coming up to half time), but just thinking re England's poor performance... has France scored a goal yet that wasn't an own goal or a penalty?

Nope. No goals from open play yet. Which is remarkable, considering the attacking talent they have.
 
Just give OG the Golden Boot now.

it’s about time we saw an end-to-end, open game with plenty of goals - or SoTs at least. Some drab games recently.

I actually think this has been a pretty drab tournament overall. Lots of giant killings have kept the entertainment up, but overall compared to the previous two tournaments I've found this one severely lacking. Too many dull as dishwater games, England at the heart of most of them.
 
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Another scrappy game.

It’s like watching League One games where teams make up for a lack of ability with organisation, physicality and work rate, hoping that the one or two quality players they have will create and take some limited opportunities.
 
Diogo Jota doing exactly what he does for Liverpool, but justice is served. Ronaldo misses the penalty!