Man, I thought the bedwetting was bad when Wycombe are going through a tricky spell!
I see Southgate is bemoaning the lack of a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips. Couldn't agree more, but the answer is not to play Declan Rice there. He's not as good at it and we lose his influence higher up the pitch meaning we lose control of the midfield.
He needs to grasp the nettle, play Gordon wide left, leave out Foden and play Wharton to allow Rice and Bellingham to dominate midfield.
But all this aside, we're actually in a great position. In control of a group which if we win offers a very reasonable route to the semi finals. We'd have to pay a 3rd placed team in the next round and a runner up in the quarters.
It's not how you start a tournament that defines how it's remembered, it's how you finish it.
Fear of losing rather than joy of winning is the key with Southgate. I agree that the player formerly known as Kalvin Phillips (not the one who played for West Ham) did a great job of breaking up play and then giving it to the more creative passers was a superb tactic but that player has been off the scene for almost 2 years now so why bemoan his loss now? You may as well say David Batty was a loss.
This squad has a couple of square pegs in round holes and at the top end of football you cannot do that. TAA has not played that role consistently for his club but we play him there as we don't want to drop him. Trippier is not a natural left back and taking Shaw was an absolutely ridiculous decision. P
laying six across the back makes us easy to defend against. Spain will rip us to shreds. Germany will simply wait for us to make the errors that inevitably come and pick us off.
Broadly agree, @eric_plant but hope we aren’t so desperate that we have to resort to the bribery and corruption alluded to in your penultimate paragraph!
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub: not sure TAA has played centrally at all for Liverpool. He definitely looks like a fish out of water there.
The main problem with the side that started the last two games (and, unfortunately, it’s going to apply to the next few games as well) is the fact that players who shine at club level do so because they know just where their teammates are going to be and are therefore able to pick accurate passes. The flaw in that argument of course is that it applies to a greater or lesser extent to every other nation.
I agree that the player formerly known as Kalvin Phillips (not the one who played for West Ham) did a great job of breaking up play and then giving it to the more creative passers was a superb tactic
Sounds like the key player missing from the England squad is Josh Scowen
I think while the team is a collection of very talented individuals, there are some major structural issues that have been on show for a little while.
We lack an experienced midfielder to play with Rice. That means Rice is too shackled protecting the back four. Gallacher is OK, Mainoo promising and I am told that Wharton may be the best of the lot but in truth I know little about him.
we only have one decent left back and he is injured, leaving us very lopsided.
attacking wise we have excellent attacking midfielders but that strength is concentrated in the centre and the right. The left is well behind.
Kane is an excellent goalscorer but increasingly he wants to come short taking the space of the strongest players in the team. We don’t really have compelling striker alternatives.
Many a team has won tournaments after failing to impress in the groups. Perhaps that could happen to us too. It’s a little hard to be confident at present.
Whatever the truth or not behind the Kalvin Phillips point, surely Southgate knows better than to mention a player who isn't in his squad, wasn't good enough to get into his squad and hasn't been in the picture from some time. It was an own goal with the media. What does it say to the likes of Mainoo and Wharton and the rest of the squad who aren't getting games when your manager references missing a former player after only 2 games of a tournament?!
I think Potter is holding out for the job, and I actually think it would be a great fit. He has overachieved pretty much everywhere he has gone, and has a very distinctive style that he knows how to coach. I don't regard the Chelsea debacle as being a problem.
Comments
England have only recently been 'strong qualifiers because it's so easy to qualify for the euros.
It's great that you love soccer Shev.
But you don't seem to get it.
(I realise you are a windup)
There's some great d in the Germany team and 3 pointers from everywhere
Man, I thought the bedwetting was bad when Wycombe are going through a tricky spell!
I see Southgate is bemoaning the lack of a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips. Couldn't agree more, but the answer is not to play Declan Rice there. He's not as good at it and we lose his influence higher up the pitch meaning we lose control of the midfield.
He needs to grasp the nettle, play Gordon wide left, leave out Foden and play Wharton to allow Rice and Bellingham to dominate midfield.
But all this aside, we're actually in a great position. In control of a group which if we win offers a very reasonable route to the semi finals. We'd have to pay a 3rd placed team in the next round and a runner up in the quarters.
It's not how you start a tournament that defines how it's remembered, it's how you finish it.
Fear of losing rather than joy of winning is the key with Southgate. I agree that the player formerly known as Kalvin Phillips (not the one who played for West Ham) did a great job of breaking up play and then giving it to the more creative passers was a superb tactic but that player has been off the scene for almost 2 years now so why bemoan his loss now? You may as well say David Batty was a loss.
This squad has a couple of square pegs in round holes and at the top end of football you cannot do that. TAA has not played that role consistently for his club but we play him there as we don't want to drop him. Trippier is not a natural left back and taking Shaw was an absolutely ridiculous decision. P
laying six across the back makes us easy to defend against. Spain will rip us to shreds. Germany will simply wait for us to make the errors that inevitably come and pick us off.
Who would you have taken to play Left Back instead?
Broadly agree, @eric_plant but hope we aren’t so desperate that we have to resort to the bribery and corruption alluded to in your penultimate paragraph!
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub: not sure TAA has played centrally at all for Liverpool. He definitely looks like a fish out of water there.
The main problem with the side that started the last two games (and, unfortunately, it’s going to apply to the next few games as well) is the fact that players who shine at club level do so because they know just where their teammates are going to be and are therefore able to pick accurate passes. The flaw in that argument of course is that it applies to a greater or lesser extent to every other nation.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean old chap
Read your penultimate paragraph again young man.
I agree that the player formerly known as Kalvin Phillips (not the one who played for West Ham) did a great job of breaking up play and then giving it to the more creative passers was a superb tactic
Sounds like the key player missing from the England squad is Josh Scowen
👆nailed it
I think while the team is a collection of very talented individuals, there are some major structural issues that have been on show for a little while.
We lack an experienced midfielder to play with Rice. That means Rice is too shackled protecting the back four. Gallacher is OK, Mainoo promising and I am told that Wharton may be the best of the lot but in truth I know little about him.
we only have one decent left back and he is injured, leaving us very lopsided.
attacking wise we have excellent attacking midfielders but that strength is concentrated in the centre and the right. The left is well behind.
Kane is an excellent goalscorer but increasingly he wants to come short taking the space of the strongest players in the team. We don’t really have compelling striker alternatives.
Many a team has won tournaments after failing to impress in the groups. Perhaps that could happen to us too. It’s a little hard to be confident at present.
Ah...."in control" as in the outcome is in our hands. Beat Slovenia and win the group
Good point on Rice
Sadly, no, not as subtle as that. It was the “suggestion” that we pay a third placed team in the next round.
I was even devious enough to delay my comment beyond the hour limit for editing.
Sorry. I’m just killing time waiting for a scheduled (9.20 am) telephone appointment with my GP. Unfortunately he’s notoriously erratic.
Ha ha....read it about five times and still didn't notice
I'd be a rubbish proof reader
There's a grain of truth there
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2w3_PZh0IR4&pp=ygUWdGhpcyB0aW1lIGVuZ2xhbmQgMTk4Mg%3D%3D
There are no words to describe the b side of the 82 vinyl.
And this top of the pops appearance just gets better with every moment. Life is wonderful!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EYDS3O1KIUc
Whatever the truth or not behind the Kalvin Phillips point, surely Southgate knows better than to mention a player who isn't in his squad, wasn't good enough to get into his squad and hasn't been in the picture from some time. It was an own goal with the media. What does it say to the likes of Mainoo and Wharton and the rest of the squad who aren't getting games when your manager references missing a former player after only 2 games of a tournament?!
An exceptionally odd thing for Southgate to say, as if Phillips was some kind of all time great at the role he played.
Leif Davis
I would pick Scowen over Phillips all day. Southgate is so boring, he would play Messi at centre back.
ITV commentary is so damn inane. This one has just informed us that only one of these two teams can get three points from this game.
Rangnick next England manager?
I think Potter is holding out for the job, and I actually think it would be a great fit. He has overachieved pretty much everywhere he has gone, and has a very distinctive style that he knows how to coach. I don't regard the Chelsea debacle as being a problem.
Ex-Wycombe player as England manager? I'll take it.
Would be a very uninspiring choice.
my money would be on Klopp or even Guardiola.
I agree. He would be a very good England selection.
It is amazing how organized and purposeful Austria look. Maybe United should have hired Thor Ragnarok full time.
Holland is not a country.