The Official England Thread- The Team We All Support [Vol 3]

[Westyn]

Southgate must put Gordon and Palmer in the staring XI against Switzerland.

[bobski1]

TEKNOPUG said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Overall Southgate has done a pretty good job, after the whole Hodgson calamity and Big Sam debacle. Some integrity and decency has been restored. No scandals, he hasn't been caught with his fingers in the till, or spouting religious claptrap to the press. The players seem to enjoy being part of the England set up, there's not club rivalry between players, and we're still in this tournament (although I don't expect to win it).

Whoever comes next is taking over a far better situation than GS walked into.

He's very good at everything accept the actual stuff happening on the pitch. If he'd employed an experienced assistant manager, who had actually acheived success previously, rather than a load of yes men who've never done anything; JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK:

FA's own website said:

Last role was at Burton Albion, who he left in September 2022 when they were bottom of League One......

Agree with this he does have some good qualities and has stabilised the setup but as a manager/coach is where is lacks and unfortunately this is what is showing on the pitch. Other factors do contribute player fatigue etc but he has a 26man squad for a reason, to use and rotate when players need a rest. You can't leave somebody out of the squad and then go on to say I wish I had somebody like him. During ET half time you could see he was going around the players trying to boost moral and but it seems he's more their friend than manager which again is perhaps why there is difficulty in him making the tough decisions like sub off kane at 60min rather than waiting till 5mins left. Although one thing does keep coming back is that the team has done well in spite of GS rather than because.

I don't know who would replace him in terms of manager but I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep him around the setup

[Blib]

Basically, this tournament is ours to lose.

[Arrivalist]

Westyn said:

Southgate must put Gordon and Palmer in the staring XI against Switzerland.

He should, but on his current form he probably won’t.

[Carl_VivaEspana]

Dave200 said:

Look at Rice, and he's not even the best player at his club this season. That was Odegaard.

7 goals and 8 assists in the league , per season is Robert Pires territory.

[trackdemon]

Carl_VivaEspana said:

7 goals and 8 assists in the league , per season is Robert Pires territory.

Not bad for a DM, eh?....

[unrepentant]

TEKNOPUG said:

He's very good at everything accept the actual stuff happening on the pitch. If he'd employed an experienced assistant manager, who had actually acheived success previously, rather than a load of yes men who've never done anything; JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK

I must admit to be being a bit detached over here in the US but I was surprised when I saw Jimmy on the bench.

[Challo]

Blib said:

Basically, this tournament is ours to lose.

I take it you havent seen Spain play, or us.

[TEKNOPUG]

unrepentant said:

TEKNOPUG said:

He's very good at everything accept the actual stuff happening on the pitch. If he'd employed an experienced assistant manager, who had actually acheived success previously, rather than a load of yes men who've never done anything; JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK

I must admit to be being a bit detached over here in the US but I was surprised when I saw Jimmy on the bench.

He's Clough without a Taylor...

[TwigtheWonderkid]

TEKNOPUG said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Overall Southgate has done a pretty good job, after the whole Hodgson calamity and Big Sam debacle. Some integrity and decency has been restored. No scandals, he hasn't been caught with his fingers in the till, or spouting religious claptrap to the press. The players seem to enjoy being part of the England set up, there's not club rivalry between players, and we're still in this tournament (although I don't expect to win it).

Whoever comes next is taking over a far better situation than GS walked into.

He's very good at everything accept the actual stuff happening on the pitch.

Well that puts him in the top echelon of England managers, because all be one of his predecessors never won anything, most never got as close as Southgate, and were hopeless at the off the pitch stuff.

And we are still in this tournament. Most people fawn over Italia 90 and what a great job Bobby Robson did, but the first 4 games were a carbon copy of this tournament. Crap in the group, finished top with 5 points, 2 draws and a win, and we were by and large fking hopeless. Scraped thru the round of 16 with a last gasp saving goal against Belgium where we were 2nd best during the actual game.

We then were rubbish in the QF v Cameroon and got out of jail late on thanks to two pens. We lost the semi to Germany where we were the better side and 34 year on everyone thinks it was a high point of English football!!!

Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Tuesday 2nd July 16:40

[Adam.]

Dave200 said:

Of England's "abundance of riches" you've got:
- Rice, not even the best player at his club on current form
- Foden, I'm struggling to recall a single decent England performance
- Kane, isn't playing well and is barely managing the basics
- Bellingham, looks absolutely knackered

thats a strange argument used to support GS

Rice was excellent for Arsenal, and has been solid so far
Foden was brilliant at City, GS is ruining him by playing him in the wrong place
Kane was excellent for Bayern, GS is ruining him, with his negative tactics leaving him isolated
Bellingham is knackered because GS should be rotating him with Foden

[JuniorD]

It tiredness is an issue, the England players must be mentally fatigued because you don't get physically fatigued from dandering about aimlessly for 100-odd minutes every four or five days.

[Dave200]

Carl_VivaEspana said:

Dave200 said:

Look at Rice, and he's not even the best player at his club this season. That was Odegaard.

7 goals and 8 assists in the league , per season is Robert Pires territory.

https://www.arsenal.com/news/odegaard-retains-mens-player-season-award

[mickk]

JuniorD said:

It tiredness is an issue, the England players must be mentally fatigued because you don't get physically fatigued from dandering about aimlessly for 100-odd minutes every four or five days.

I'm not sure tiredness is the issue, plenty of other premiership players doing well in these matches.

[Dave200]

Adam. said:

Dave200 said:

Of England's "abundance of riches" you've got:
- Rice, not even the best player at his club on current form
- Foden, I'm struggling to recall a single decent England performance
- Kane, isn't playing well and is barely managing the basics
- Bellingham, looks absolutely knackered

thats a strange argument used to support GS

Rice was excellent for Arsenal, and has been solid so far
Foden was brilliant at City, GS is ruining him by playing him in the wrong place
Kane was excellent for Bayern, GS is ruining him, with his negative tactics leaving him isolated
Bellingham is knackered because GS should be rotating him with Foden

Kane plays in exactly the same place and as part of exactly the same formation for club. That he's failing to hold ball up that's played into feet isn't anything to do with tactics or formation.

The midfield has been very poor so far, and they've looked out of ideas for how to get the ball through some fairly agricultural defence. Where's the box to box midfielder who's been playing well for Arsenal this season?

Why has Foden been so poor for England even when he's been played in different positions? He's played left wing loads for City and not looked so lost.

[cerb4.5lee]

Challo said:

Blib said:

Basically, this tournament is ours to lose.

I take it you havent seen Spain play, or us.

I was thinking the same!

[johnboy1975]

extraT said:

Will someone tell Pickford to stay on his line. I’ve noticed a few times he has a tendency to wander around / stray out of the box. That lob would have been embarrassing, if it had gone in.

Had this argument on twitter. Guy was adamant Pickford was blameless. I say he needs to shoulder some of the blame although most goes to Stones (I think it was?) for an incredibly st pass.

Forget which borefest it was (Denmark?), Pickford hoofed it long 15 times in 2nd half.

(Serbia)

https://x.com/IJaSport/status/1803802381886324868?...

On Sunday he was playing as an out and out centre back (almost!)

I've never seen England do this before (I don't think). Is this a new tactic, play out from the back, Pep style? Not sure I've seen the keeper leave their box so often even when playing out, it's normally done inside the penalty area, I thought?

Pickford was England's lowest rated player on Sunday (6.4) which is pretty harsh considering the competition. IMO there would have been a raft of 3,4 and 5's if it had finished 1-0

[TEKNOPUG]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Well that puts him in the top echelon of England managers, because all be one of his predecessors never won anything, most never got as close as Southgate, and were hopeless at the off the pitch stuff.

Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Tuesday 2nd July 16:40

He's still failed at every tournament. Being slightly less rubbish than other rubbish people doesn't mean he's any good. All the other managers had previously been successful in club management, so may be the issue was with the players and all the off-field issues?

GS may have fixed the off-field issues but he's never demonstrated he's any good with the onfield matters, at any time during his career.

Do you want him at Chelsea? Do you think any Prem club will be clamouring for his services?

[JNW1]

Given our indifferent performances so far I thought our odds must have gone out and therefore it might be worth putting a few quid on us to win the tournament; however, slightly to my surprise, it appears we're still the favourites on Betfair!

[CountyAFC]

Holland. 2-0 up and breaking in numbers in injury time to score a third... Insanity!!!