I spent half a decade in Wales and have not been a stranger to the principality since. I met all sorts, but very few who wanted England to thrive at rugby union. That sporting rivalry aside, a more convivial people you will not find, even during the Six Nations, best time to be in a Welsh pub in fact. There isn’t wide support for anything more than devolution in South Wales although the further west and in particular the further northwest you go, the more likely you are to find sympathy for Plaid Cymru.
When I woke up this morning I had several warm splashes of pleasure over the thought of the impending England vs Netherlands fixture. Then I remembered that Kieran Tripper or Phil Foden (or both) will be providing the width on the left hand side and not the actual left winger that is Anthony Gordon.
I feel the biggest threat to England getting to the final could be Southgate’s loyalty to his players. Kane has struggled and with Watkins and Toney available he really should be rested but that won’t happen.
Shaw has got to play left back and Palmer needs to be in the starting line up. However, none of that will happen.
Seems likely that we will find out in just a couple of months time whether A.N.Other manager agrees with Southgate's style of play or not, until then I think you are right, it is a squad of 26 but really it is the same first 11 throughout with the other 15 hoping to get on for a few minutes at the end of the game.
I saw it differently. Both a longer and shorter term view. Toney in for an injured Kane and Southgate, having had sense knocked into him, also picking Palmer and Shaw to start on Wednesday but not ruling out a start for Eze. Konsa probably replaced by Guehi (back from suspension) despite having performed really well against Switzerland. Possibly even a rest for the disappointing Walker, with Stones, Guehi and Konsa as the back three. Saka and Eze as wingbacks.
We have got ourselves into a strange pickle as we sit back further and further in games so much so that I wouldn't be surprised if Kane is watching some of the game in the same UK pub as me on Wednesday despite starting.
Maybe the opposition are far better than we given them credit for or maybe if we actually took a risk or two and set up to attack we'd have been 3-0 (3-1?) up at half time in some of the games and able to rest players, let supporters be vaguely entertained and have less heart attacks.
If he wins he's god and all is well but against the better opponents they are less likely to crack and spending 90/120 minutes trying to win the game rather than the last 30 seconds will offer more opportunities.
As someone who remembers watching the England team in the 90s, complaints about the style in which we’re reaching the latter stages of major tournaments seem faintly ridiculous.
Believe me, having grown up not watching them in international tournaments - because they never qualified - in the seventies, I feel that even more so.
Bit of a reach..but I'm going to compare it to the election of our new Prime Minister. Derided in some quarters as 'boring', we finally have a calm, industrious, intelligent person at the helm after the lunacy and national embarrassment of Boris Johnson.
Are we finally getting it all right or have we been really lucky to this point? I agree it doesn't really matter to this point, but I'm not sure everyone will still agree if we go out tamely having not really given a game full beans (bad phrasing but kind of fits).
We are much better equipped, experienced, skilled and prepared than the squads under Graham Taylor let alone further back but that probably only raises more questions about how we manage to be so poor for 120 minutes.
There are lots of concerns indeed. But winning is all for me. I've rarely experienced excitement more than Jude's last minute scissor kick, Saka's goal which was pure footballing quality, and a confident penalty shootout win.
Southgate has been extremely lucky in every tournament with the knockout draw. But so has every former champion in these tournaments.
I think we've all enjoyed the 5 minutes of each game we have played well in and the results but there's no need to claim the rest of it wasn't better viewed from behind the sofa.
Exactly this. It isn’t boring but confidence inspiring football. I have no problem with “score and park the bus, they’ll never break us down” football. But that isn’t us, we are “Concede and hope for a moment of magic football” which however you spin it, is not the same thing.
Which works when you're up against Sunderland and others with a budget of two old pennies and a piece of string, less so when you have the Premier league player of the year, La Liga young player of the year, the Bundesliga top goal scorer and a bench full of people who would have started in previous years.
Fair point. This England team certainly hasn't showed it's true potential. Let's hope now it's the business end they will be allowed to express themselves, create the space and not give up the chase.
Comments
Holland won their sole European title under a Conservative government.
I spent half a decade in Wales and have not been a stranger to the principality since. I met all sorts, but very few who wanted England to thrive at rugby union. That sporting rivalry aside, a more convivial people you will not find, even during the Six Nations, best time to be in a Welsh pub in fact. There isn’t wide support for anything more than devolution in South Wales although the further west and in particular the further northwest you go, the more likely you are to find sympathy for Plaid Cymru.
Just a few seconds?
Yeah. The normal few seconds. Do you not get that when you wake up @drcongo ?
Or are you planning your next attack on somebody's unfortunate speech through the bitter nights?
Comes from the same part of the brain as racism
A lack of response suggests you are indeed planning to attack someone's unfortunate speech. Oh dear.
When I woke up this morning I had several warm splashes of pleasure over the thought of the impending England vs Netherlands fixture. Then I remembered that Kieran Tripper or Phil Foden (or both) will be providing the width on the left hand side and not the actual left winger that is Anthony Gordon.
I feel the biggest threat to England getting to the final could be Southgate’s loyalty to his players. Kane has struggled and with Watkins and Toney available he really should be rested but that won’t happen.
Shaw has got to play left back and Palmer needs to be in the starting line up. However, none of that will happen.
Seems likely that we will find out in just a couple of months time whether A.N.Other manager agrees with Southgate's style of play or not, until then I think you are right, it is a squad of 26 but really it is the same first 11 throughout with the other 15 hoping to get on for a few minutes at the end of the game.
I feel bad for saying this but when Kane nearly took out Southgate I saw our route to victory…
I know it's the ultimate fickle response, but if Southgate can guide us to win this tournament I won't give a flying fight who played and who didn't.
However, it's a fine margin as currently I think Southgate has got himself into a rare pickle over selections for his starting 11.
I saw it differently. Both a longer and shorter term view. Toney in for an injured Kane and Southgate, having had sense knocked into him, also picking Palmer and Shaw to start on Wednesday but not ruling out a start for Eze. Konsa probably replaced by Guehi (back from suspension) despite having performed really well against Switzerland. Possibly even a rest for the disappointing Walker, with Stones, Guehi and Konsa as the back three. Saka and Eze as wingbacks.
Most of that won’t happen, unfortunately.
We have got ourselves into a strange pickle as we sit back further and further in games so much so that I wouldn't be surprised if Kane is watching some of the game in the same UK pub as me on Wednesday despite starting.
Maybe the opposition are far better than we given them credit for or maybe if we actually took a risk or two and set up to attack we'd have been 3-0 (3-1?) up at half time in some of the games and able to rest players, let supporters be vaguely entertained and have less heart attacks.
If he wins he's god and all is well but against the better opponents they are less likely to crack and spending 90/120 minutes trying to win the game rather than the last 30 seconds will offer more opportunities.
It's a lovely image. Watching the match in a pub and Harry Kane rocks up at the bar in full kit ordering a lucozade.
As someone who remembers watching the England team in the 90s, complaints about the style in which we’re reaching the latter stages of major tournaments seem faintly ridiculous.
Believe me, having grown up not watching them in international tournaments - because they never qualified - in the seventies, I feel that even more so.
It's mad isn't it? For decades England were full of effort and passion but didn't know how to play the 'international game.'
Finally we are doing it and Joe Bloggs is upset because it's not exciting enough.
Bit of a reach..but I'm going to compare it to the election of our new Prime Minister. Derided in some quarters as 'boring', we finally have a calm, industrious, intelligent person at the helm after the lunacy and national embarrassment of Boris Johnson.
Are we finally getting it all right or have we been really lucky to this point? I agree it doesn't really matter to this point, but I'm not sure everyone will still agree if we go out tamely having not really given a game full beans (bad phrasing but kind of fits).
We are much better equipped, experienced, skilled and prepared than the squads under Graham Taylor let alone further back but that probably only raises more questions about how we manage to be so poor for 120 minutes.
There are lots of concerns indeed. But winning is all for me. I've rarely experienced excitement more than Jude's last minute scissor kick, Saka's goal which was pure footballing quality, and a confident penalty shootout win.
Southgate has been extremely lucky in every tournament with the knockout draw. But so has every former champion in these tournaments.
I think we've all enjoyed the 5 minutes of each game we have played well in and the results but there's no need to claim the rest of it wasn't better viewed from behind the sofa.
A fair summary of the great years Ainsworth gave us
Exactly this. It isn’t boring but confidence inspiring football. I have no problem with “score and park the bus, they’ll never break us down” football. But that isn’t us, we are “Concede and hope for a moment of magic football” which however you spin it, is not the same thing.
Which works when you're up against Sunderland and others with a budget of two old pennies and a piece of string, less so when you have the Premier league player of the year, La Liga young player of the year, the Bundesliga top goal scorer and a bench full of people who would have started in previous years.
Fair point. This England team certainly hasn't showed it's true potential. Let's hope now it's the business end they will be allowed to express themselves, create the space and not give up the chase.
Another lovely image...Ainsworth approaches bayo 'fancy playing for Wycombe?'
Byo..'what have you got?'
Ainsworth..'Two old pennies and a piece of string...and glory at Wembley.'
Bayo..'yeah go on then you mad bastard!'
In a Marlow bistro.
Talking about two old pennies and a piece of string did anyone else play pitch-and-toss as kids.
I'm a bit younger. Kerby was our game. In the eighties
Was that Mega Drive or SNES?
Are you an England supporter?