UEFA EURO 2024 (52 Viewers)

[CCFCSteve]

Mainoo will have caused a headache.

If he (finally) did want to drop Bellingham back into the 8 role Mainoo would be the sacrifice and he was a silver lining today; fully committed, progressive on the ball and played without fear.

He HAS to play two wingers next game, the Foden/Trippier combo is such a hindrance. Foden on his own out there offers very little, unless he’s playing away from the position he’s supposed to occupy.

Rice has had a pretty poor tournament, but I wouldn’t drop him.
Bellingham Rice
Palmer Foden Gordon/Eze
Kane

Agree 100% about Mainoo. Stand out player that showed bollocks when more experienced players were shrinking under the pressure

 

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[SkyBlueMatt]

We've been f*cking sh*te through the whole thing and Bellingham scores with an over head. If that's not a sign that everything we're trying to do is shite.

I think we would play better without a manager. We're not getting any further so everyone calm down l.

Sent from my M2101K6G using Tapatalk

 

[baldy]

It's the players being almost obsessed with the criticism that they're rightly getting that fuckin irritates me - it took an overhead kick for them to have their first shot on target in the 90th minute against the mighty footballing force that is Slovakia ffs
Plus the dopes haven't been getting criticism anyway - It's Southgate

 

[Skybluekyle]

It's the players being almost obsessed with the criticism that they're rightly getting that fuckin irritates me - it took an overhead kick for them to have their first shot on target in the 90th minute against the mighty footballing force that is Slovakia ffs
Plus the dopes haven't been getting criticism anyway - It's Southgate

I actually thought Gordon's comments were the most respectful, "they expect more from us and it's a compliment".

I'm happy we're through, as I was in the group games, but fuck me we have to be much better.

 

[wingy]

Get rid of that straight jacket, and stop trying play chess, terrible to watch!!

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

He really is an arrogant arsehole.

It is true though. Fans seem to forget that previous teams and ‘golden generations’ have failed to deliver under top managers. As long as we get through each round, I don’t care how we do it.

For context, it’s the first time England have reached back to back quarter finals in the Euros. That’s how shit we were.

The post-Southgate era will be interesting. The expectation seems to be that all will be good with a new manager. It probably won’t.

The players and the manager need to block out all the external criticisms and either fail/succeed on their own terms.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Klopp

Would never happen and I also don’t think he’d make a great international manager.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Pickford
Walker Stones Konsa
TAA Saka
Bellingham Rice
Palmer Kane Gordon does look kind of tasty

Want toney to be involved too though. Thought he was fantastic tonight.

I’d actually keep the same team but in a 3-4-3 / 3-4-2-1 with Foden and Bellingham as the two AMs or wide players. Mainoo deserves a start too.

I like the idea of TAA at RWB too, but Trippier is a play I trust more defensively. If Shaw was fit, TAA would be viable.

Next game, I’d switch Konsa for Guehi and just change the shape. I don’t think the personnel is wrong.

 

[shmmeee]

Is there any hope Shaw is fit for next Saturday?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

He really is an arrogant arsehole.

The thing is that he isn’t and in most other interviews he’s done comes across as very well grounded and level headed. Dare I say that Southgate has gaslighted the fan base into trying to think that the football is still great and that their negativity towards it is the problem.

When you hear all the player comments this tournament they seem to have bought into that. This man is causing more damage to the national team beyond his shit football.

 

[OffenhamSkyBlue]

A few random thoughts on what i saw.
We only started to play with any energy when Trippier went off - he slows the entire game down and gets in the way of Foden rather than overlapping with him. When Saka was in that position, Foden moved inside and started to play with some freedom like he shows at Citeh.
Why did Southgate pick Shaw as his only true LB in a squad of 26, if he is that crocked?
Why on EARTH did he sub Mainoo? Our most creative and energetic player on the night.
Waiting to 89 minutes to bring Toney on was sheer madness. "I was confident we'd get that goal, just didn't think I'd have to wait that long". You dozy coont - it was your fault!
Why do people think Southgate has been successful? We've won nothing in his 8 years.

I dread to think who the next manager will be, but they have to be able to get more out of a talented bunch of individuals than Southgate has.

If we don't have more attacking threat (by playing genuinely attackers whose strength is attacking football, not playing in the centre circle) and defensive cohesion, the Swiss will tear us a new one.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

The thing is that he isn’t and in most other interviews he’s done comes across as very well grounded and level headed. Dare I say that Southgate has gaslighted the fan base into trying to think that the football is still great and that their negativity towards it is the problem.

When you hear all the player comments this tournament they seem to have bought into that. This man is causing more damage to the national team beyond his shit football.

The difference is that the players and management are task orientated. All the mattered in the group stage was qualifying for the KO rounds. Now we’re there, it’s just one game at a time.

If Foden stayed onside and Rice’s shot creeped in, we’d have taken a very different view of the match. Which shows the margins involved in tournament football.

It’s likely Southgate’s last tournament unless we win it all so we can get round to kicking the next guy in charge of the group.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

A few random thoughts on what i saw.
We only started to play with any energy when Trippier went off - he slows the entire game down and gets in the way of Foden rather than overlapping with him. When Saka was in that position, Foden moved inside and started to play with some freedom like he shows at Citeh.
Why did Southgate pick Shaw as his only true LB in a squad of 26, if he is that crocked?
Why on EARTH did he sub Mainoo? Our most creative and energetic player on the night.
Waiting to 89 minutes to bring Toney on was sheer madness. "I was confident we'd get that goal, just didn't think I'd have to wait that long". You dozy coont - it was your fault!
Why do people think Southgate has been successful? We've won nothing in his 8 years.

I dread to think who the next manager will be, but they have to be able to get more out of a talented bunch of individuals than Southgate has.

If we don't have more attacking threat (by playing genuinely attackers whose strength is attacking football, not playing in the centre circle) and defensive cohesion, the Swiss will tear us a new one.

On LB, who would you have picked? The only English LBs playing at a high level is as followed:
Shaw
Chilwell
Gomez (covering Robertson)
Mitchell

50% of those are in the squad and Chilwell has just come back from a long absence. Trippier has played LB for England before and played well, even with Foden against Italy in the qualifiers. However, I do agree that he’s not playing well and if Shaw is not fit, we have to consider playing with wing backs.

 

[OffenhamSkyBlue]

On LB, who would you have picked? The only English LBs playing at a high level is as followed:
Shaw
Chilwell
Gomez (covering Robertson)
Mitchell

50% of those are in the squad and Chilwell has just come back from a long absence. Trippier has played LB for England before and played well, even with Foden against Italy in the qualifiers. However, I do agree that he’s not playing well and if Shaw is not fit, we have to consider playing with wing backs.

I think Gomez would be the best. But your "at a high level" comment is key. If there are so few Prem (or overseas) clubs with a decent English LB, are there no dedicated LBs in the Champ? That has to be better than putting a square peg in a round hole. It's just a suggestion, but i don't watch enough other clubs' games to know the personalities. The Prem obsession is what is stifling the England set-up.

 

[Otis]

A few random thoughts on what i saw.
We only started to play with any energy when Trippier went off - he slows the entire game down and gets in the way of Foden rather than overlapping with him. When Saka was in that position, Foden moved inside and started to play with some freedom like he shows at Citeh.
Why did Southgate pick Shaw as his only true LB in a squad of 26, if he is that crocked?
Why on EARTH did he sub Mainoo? Our most creative and energetic player on the night.
Waiting to 89 minutes to bring Toney on was sheer madness. "I was confident we'd get that goal, just didn't think I'd have to wait that long". You dozy coont - it was your fault!
Why do people think Southgate has been successful? We've won nothing in his 8 years.

I dread to think who the next manager will be, but they have to be able to get more out of a talented bunch of individuals than Southgate has.

If we don't have more attacking threat (by playing genuinely attackers whose strength is attacking football, not playing in the centre circle) and defensive cohesion, the Swiss will tear us a new one.

Yup. I know Foden hasn't played well, but Trippier at left back, greatly hampers his game.

Trippier also makes far too many mistakes.

I am guessing on Mainoo it might have been because of the yellow card.

He was having a very good game wasn't he

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

I think Gomez would be the best. But your "at a high level" comment is key. If there are so few Prem (or overseas) clubs with a decent English LB, are there no dedicated LBs in the Champ? That has to be better than putting a square peg in a round hole. It's just a suggestion, but i don't watch enough other clubs' games to know the personalities. The Prem obsession is what is stifling the England set-up.

After Shaw, Trippier is probably the best option we have then. Who does this uncapped Championship LB get selected over? I don’t see the rationale, personally.

If Shaw isn’t fit, the only thing I can think of is playing Saka LWB in a 3-4-3. It worked yesterday because we were desperate and playing a team who were happy to have less than 30% possession.

 

[Otis]

The difference is that the players and management are task orientated. All the mattered in the group stage was qualifying for the KO rounds. Now we’re there, it’s just one game at a time.

If Foden stayed onside and Rice’s shot creeped in, we’d have taken a very different view of the match. Which shows the margins involved in tournament football.

It’s likely Southgate’s last tournament unless we win it all so we can get round to kicking the next guy in charge of the group.

Yeah, very tiny margins. A few more seconds and we would have been out of the tournament.

We have to play better. That's 4 games in a row where we have stuttered and stumbled (5 if you include the Iceland friendly).

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Yeah, very tiny margins. A few more seconds and we would have been out of the tournament.

We have to play better. That's 4 games in a row where we have stuttered and stumbled (5 if you include the Iceland friendly).

Agreed, reading Southgate’s post-match comments I think we will see changes for the Switzerland match. It looks like he’ll consider Saka at LB moving forwards.

Specifically, Trippier gets dropped for me if we continue playing 4-2-3-1. Konsa comes in for Guehi at CB I assume.

 

[MalcSB]

It is true though. Fans seem to forget that previous teams and ‘golden generations’ have failed to deliver under top managers. As long as we get through each round, I don’t care how we do it.

For context, it’s the first time England have reached back to back quarter finals in the Euros. That’s how shit we were.

The post-Southgate era will be interesting. The expectation seems to be that all will be good with a new manager. It probably won’t.

The players and the manager need to block out all the external criticisms and either fail/succeed on their own terms.

It’s true that previous ”generations” have failed, but have they played so badly with such an awful, turgid style of play?
It’s not all down to the manager, I doubt he tells the players not to move and try to find space. Southgate may be trying to generate a siege mentality with the squad and the players comments would suggest he is being successful in that. Unfortunately, it isn’t translating into better performances on the pitch.

Speaking as he did, which cam across very much as a “fuck you” to to supporters was ill advised. Some recognition that, actually, they didn’t play well and actually both failed to pressure and appeared vulnerable defensively when playing the 50th ranked team might have been a better optic.

 

[MalcSB]

The thing is that he isn’t and in most other interviews he’s done comes across as very well grounded and level headed. Dare I say that Southgate has gaslighted the fan base into trying to think that the football is still great and that their negativity towards it is the problem.

When you hear all the player comments this tournament they seem to have bought into that. This man is causing more damage to the national team beyond his shit football.

Your observation about Bellingham’s usual demeanour actually makes his comments appear worse and more considered. It was a metaphoric two finger salute to the supporters. Kanes comment that England fans would have enjoyed that was also pretty moronic, I enjoyed two moments of that match. Well three if you include Toney’s first piece of play.

Southgate may share MR’s reluctance to make substitutes, but he certainly doesn’t share Robins’ post match honesty. Sooner GS goes the better.

 

[MalcSB]

The difference is that the players and management are task orientated. All the mattered in the group stage was qualifying for the KO rounds. Now we’re there, it’s just one game at a time.

If Foden stayed onside and Rice’s shot creeped in, we’d have taken a very different view of the match. Which shows the margins involved in tournament football.

It’s likely Southgate’s last tournament unless we win it all so we can get round to kicking the next guy in charge of the group.

There’s quite a number of “ifs“ which would have put us 3-0 down.

 

[MalcSB]

After Shaw, Trippier is probably the best option we have then. Who does this uncapped Championship LB get selected over? I don’t see the rationale, personally.

If Shaw isn’t fit, the only thing I can think of is playing Saka LWB in a 3-4-3. It worked yesterday because we were desperate and playing a team who were happy to have less than 30% possession.

How many times have England taken players who aren’t fit in the vain hope that they will be able to play before we are knocked out? IIRC it was Maddison last time,

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

It’s true that previous ”generations” have failed, but have they played so badly with such an awful, turgid style of play?
It’s not all down to the manager, I doubt he tells the players not to move and try to find space. Southgate may be trying to generate a siege mentality with the squad and the players comments would suggest he is being successful in that. Unfortunately, it isn’t translating into better performances on the pitch.

Speaking as he did, which cam across very much as a “fuck you” to to supporters was ill advised. Some recognition that, actually, they didn’t play well and actually both failed to pressure and appeared vulnerable defensively when playing the 50th ranked team might have been a better optic.

Football fans as a whole have a short memory. In 2010, we had a great team that failed to win an EASY group (literally The Sun’s headline after the draw) and ended up getting battered by Germany. This happened in 2002 and 2004. (Harder groups) too.

Even look England’s record at tournaments pre-Southgate, it was genuinely awful and the common denominator is Southgate. 100% win record on the opening game, won 3/4 groups we’ve been in and the first England manager to get back-to-back quarter finals.

I hope he wins the tournament and rides off into the sunset.

How many times have England taken players who aren’t fit in the vain hope that they will be able to play before we are knocked out? IIRC it was Maddison last time,

Presumably, assessments taken place on Shaw had him being fit before this point as Maguire was dropped. It’s football, sometimes recovery times take longer than expected.

Hindsight is 20:20 but decisions were made last month with the best info at the time.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

The difference is that the players and management are task orientated. All the mattered in the group stage was qualifying for the KO rounds. Now we’re there, it’s just one game at a time.

If Foden stayed onside and Rice’s shot creeped in, we’d have taken a very different view of the match. Which shows the margins involved in tournament football.

It’s likely Southgate’s last tournament unless we win it all so we can get round to kicking the next guy in charge of the group.

We’re back again to the results being ok so the terrible performances can continue.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

We’re back again to the results being ok so the terrible performances can continue.

In tournament football, the result is all that matters. There’s plenty of examples where teams looked average in group stages, slow in the KO stages and build into the tournament.

I’m interested in what changes we’ll make in the next round. Saka will likely play LB/LWB and I’d like to see Palmer or Gordon to come in. We need to be more direct/risky against the low block which tbf, we’ll avoid here on in the tournament. 3/4 games have been against teams who will stick 10 behind the ball.

 

[Grendel]

We’re back again to the results being ok so the terrible performances can continue.

Well as long as they keep getting through I suppose that’s ok really

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Well as long as they keep getting through I suppose that’s ok really

It also assume there's a play excitingly and win guarantee, as opposed to a Keegan type where you attack and lose regularly (and his England team wasn't as good to watch as his club sides anyway!) or, worse, the Hodgson peak of play terribly, lose terribly... potentially inspired by Robson in '88.

 

[Otis]

Well as long as they keep getting through I suppose that’s ok really

So hard though. I didn't enjoy that performance at all yesterday and when we won, all I felt was relief and nothing else. No sense of joy at all.

First shot on target in added on time.

 

[wingy]

So hard though. I didn't enjoy that performance at all yesterday and when we won, all I felt was relief and nothing else. No sense of joy at all.

First shot on target in added on time.

First shot on target I don't think,if a post is counted as wide?
Non the less a thoroughly boring watch of a boring team playing a boring managers style,abs dogshit , carry on for all the modernists.
All's well with the game!!

 

[Deleted member 5849]

So hard though. I didn't enjoy that performance at all yesterday and when we won, all I felt was relief and nothing else. No sense of joy at all.

First shot on target in added on time.

Oh yeah, terrible. tbf haven't seen one person defend that performance.

 

[David O'Day]

He can't drop Mainoo, he's the only midfielder that can knit it together and is always quick and progressive.

We need to stop forcing players into the team and pick the best team rather than best XI

If you want to play someone else on the left then it has to be Bellingham or Foden that is out

 

[MalcSB]

I hope he wins the tournament and rides off into the sunset.

So do I.
I also hope he rides off into the sunset if he doesn’t win the tournament.

 

[PVA]

God, these players get such an easy ride for putting in truly pathetic performances. The set up is horrendous but if these players were as good as people are making out you’d think they’d at least manage to look like semi-competent footballers. Watch these games and look at how many touches it takes our players to get the ball under control, how often the first touch is awful, how poor some of the passing is. It can’t all just be blamed on the manager and the system.

I must have imagined Kane, Bellingham, Saka, Foden and Palmer scoring 112 league goals last season then!

They are outstanding players, who have had outstanding seasons.

The fact they look bang average together can only be down to the manager.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

He can't drop Mainoo, he's the only midfielder that can knit it together and is always quick and progressive.

We need to stop forcing players into the team and pick the best team rather than best XI

If you want to play someone else on the left then it has to be Bellingham or Foden that is out

The last two goals Foden was an offside away from an assist and a goal. He’s not playing badly imo.

If we don’t change formation, I can see Gordon playing LW (Foden RW) with Saka LB. Personally, would prefer Palmer but Saka at LB is quite risky so Gordon offers more balance and Palmer as a super sub works for me.

 

[David O'Day]

Bellingham and Foden the new Gerrard and Lampard