The Footie Thread

[Deleted member 15344]

So what exactly has Phillips (our best player against Croatia) done wrong to be dropped for Henderson? Who's not played in months apart from missing a pen he shouldn't have taken? Wrong shirt?

So out of all that your only response is about that I think they should play Henderson -

And why would do i believe he should play - he is better than both Rice and Phillips , he would add much needed leadership , expirience, drive , energy , passion , desire along with his quality on and off the ball - everything he has shown for his club over the past 36 months is everything that is missing , and if he is deemed not fit enough then put Bellingham there , Rice is poor and Phillips lacks on the ball

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I love it that people are adopting a positive “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” approach to England’s involvement in this tournament, but I can’t help feeling there’s an element of rose tinted glass wearing involved.

I’d love to see England go deep into this tournament, but the realist in me has seen enough in recent years to know that, as soon as we come up against decent opposition, we’ll come unstuck. The run to the WC semis in 2018 was fortuitous at best, where we flattered to deceive and were made to look what we are when we played sides with any class at all - distinctly ordinary.

I’ve seen nothing in the three years since to lift my mood. As per normal, we cruise through qualifying, and this time have been handed a group which, given the attacking talent available in an around the squad, we should be winning at a canter. Instead we huff and puff against a very average Croatia, and were truly awful last night.

Sancho and Bellingham haven’t had a kick, we play two defensive midfielders against a Scotland side struggling to score, our substitutions have been baffling and some key players are horribly out of form, and yet seem to be preferred over those who aren’t.

The FIFA world rankings are codswallop. There is no way on god’s earth we are the 4th best side in the world, and it’s about time we stopped expecting the side to perform as though we are.

I had a few quid at 11/1 on England not getting out of the group. I’m starting to think I may cover all my Euro bets by bedtime on Tuesday.

Maybe it’s somewhere in the middle, you can’t say we cruise through qualifying and were fortuitous at best in 2018 and then look distincly ordinary against against class and then dismiss that same class as very average!

Maybe as we’ve moved forward Croatia have gone backwards or maybe it looked that way due to our performance.

We know from experience anything can happen in a Derby, teams flying high in the League can lose to teams fighting relegation, plenty of upsets in FA Cups etc.

I agree we are not the finished article and a long way off it, but I’d also ask if it’s really as bad as some are making out based on one awful game?

 

[Billysboots]

If England win group they play either France Portugal or Germany?
finish 2nd they play Spain Sweden or Slovakia Poland?
if that's right 2nd looks the better option. Gareth knows what hes doing?

England aren’t good enough to manufacture results.

 

[Tashyboy]

For the sake of arguement, let’s just say we have four points and should get through blah de blah.

But do we see any improvement in England under Southgate in the time he has had them. Do we know what his formation is, style of play. I honestly don’t think he knows himself. The previous game Trippier at left back ?
With the attacking prowess we have at our disposal yesterday we had one attempt on target. One. That simple statistic alone should get Southgate the sack. The closest we came to scoring was a defenders header ?
Southgate said “ we struggled to break an organised team down”. He had no idea of how to change it. Changing an out of form striker for and out of position striker is Not changing it, esp when there is better form players on the bench. Sterling starting when he has struggled at City ? The FA should already be looking for the next manager although at the moment the cupboard looks a bit bare.

 

[Tashyboy]

England aren’t good enough to manufacture results.

No one has mentioned who England could face if they finish 3rd, Spain, Belgium or Holland if they win there groups. ??

 

[PJ87]

So out of all that your only response is about that I think they should play Henderson -

And why would do i believe he should play - he is better than both Rice and Phillips , he would add much needed leadership , expirience, drive , energy , passion , desire along with his quality on and off the ball - everything he has shown for his club over the past 36 months is everything that is missing , and if he is deemed not fit enough then put Bellingham there , Rice is poor and Phillips lacks on the ball

But this season what has he done to deserve his place in the team? Nothing.

Rice for England is given the unfashionable job of just sitting back protecting the defence. Which he must be doing well we haven't let in a goal .. he was given licence to roam last 5 mins and caused chaos in the box.

Henderson doesn't deserve to displace either. Bellingham deserves it more than he does.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

But this season what has he done to deserve his place in the team? Nothing.

Rice for England is given the unfashionable job of just sitting back protecting the defence. Which he must be doing well we haven't let in a goal .. he was given licence to roam last 5 mins and caused chaos in the box.

Henderson doesn't deserve to displace either. Bellingham deserves it more than he does.

Rice offers nothing on the ball , there were two protecting the back plus the two full backs sitting - Henderson and Bellingham can also protect the back four but also offer more going forward on the ball , against Scotland Gilmour dominated that midfield , being satisfied with not conceding is the sort of attitude the manager has. We missed Henderson when he wasn’t fit and right now England miss him.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Well this is a slightly different German team - so much more brighter and quicker on the ball as well as impressive closing down. This could be a cracker

That is an outstanding counter attack goal

 

[PJ87]

Rice offers nothing on the ball , there were two protecting the back plus the two full backs sitting - Henderson and Bellingham can also protect the back four but also offer more going forward on the ball , against Scotland Gilmour dominated that midfield , being satisfied with not conceding is the sort of attitude the manager has. We missed Henderson when he wasn’t fit and right now England miss him.

Rice offers plenty on the ball but isn't instructed to do so. Watch him play for club and then form a proper opinion

Or better still stick to hockey and do us all a favour ?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Rice offers plenty on the ball but isn't instructed to do so. Watch him play for club and then form a proper opinion

Or better still stick to hockey and do us all a favour ?

Are you incapable of just offering an opposing opinion without insulting the poster ?

Perfect example of why two long standing members of the forum have deleted their accounts and why others are thinking of it or have stopped posting

 

[PJ87]

Are you incapable of just offering an opposing opinion without insulting the poster ?

Perfect example of why two long standing members of the forum have deleted their accounts and why others are thinking of it or have stopped posting

Once you leave I'm sure many will return ?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Well that’s a turn around in the game - two OG’s - nothing better than watching Pepe play act all over the place but losing ??

 

[davidy233]

When you have diddies like Stephen O'Donnell and Grant Hanley in your back line alongside a boy thats a half decent midfielder but not a defender, then yes. Yes, it is.

Three of the best players on the pitch

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Are you incapable of just offering an opposing opinion without insulting the poster ?

You can't mention that Rice really isn't that good on here without some taking offence. But he's been ok for England. Nothing more.

Henderson doesn't offer much either, and hasn't been great for Liverpool when not injured this season.

I'd like to see a change of style and play, something like 3 5 2 to give more options centrally up front in the next game. However, I'd be very surprised if Southgate changes anything.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You can't mention that Rice really isn't that good on here without some taking offence. But he's been ok for England. Nothing more.

Henderson doesn't offer much either, and hasn't been great for Liverpool when not injured this season.

I'd like to see a change of style and play, something like 3 5 2 to give more options centrally up front in the next game. However, I'd be very surprised if Southgate changes anything.

People shouldn’t ever “take offence” all because someone doesn’t rate a footballer the same as others , any time I have seen Rice I just haven’t seen what all the hype is about - seems a decent player but nothing more , same level as Dier.

 

[PJ87]

You can't mention that Rice really isn't that good on here without some taking offence. But he's been ok for England. Nothing more.

Henderson doesn't offer much either, and hasn't been great for Liverpool when not injured this season.

I'd like to see a change of style and play, something like 3 5 2 to give more options centrally up front in the next game. However, I'd be very surprised if Southgate changes anything.

Hard to be more than ok when shackled with pure defensive role

He gave Philips the licence to roam more rather than interchanging like he does at club level

He is better in a two ie him and mount or in a 3 with Phillips and him swapping

He played literally as a 3rd CB to allow the full backs forward

I mean it's an ok tactic but needed against Scotland?

 

[Beedee]

Sorry if this has been discussed before and I've missed it, but why is VAR working so well in the Euros? I haven't watched every match but there's been hardly any interruptions and I haven't heard of any contentious decisions. Have they changed the VAR rules? Or are the on-field referees not making as many mistakes? Or are the VAR refs just deciding not to stick their noses in unless it's an obvious one?

 

[PJ87]

People shouldn’t ever “take offence” all because someone doesn’t rate a footballer the same as others , any time I have seen Rice I just haven’t seen what all the hype is about - seems a decent player but nothing more , same level as Dier.

Maybe because you watch more football than hockey and fail to notice ability ?

 

[PJ87]

Sorry if this has been discussed before and I've missed it, but why is VAR working so well in the Euros? I haven't watched every match but there's been hardly any interruptions and I haven't heard of any contentious decisions. Have they changed the VAR rules? Or are the on-field referees not making as many mistakes? Or are the VAR refs just deciding not to stick their noses in unless it's an obvious one?

Better officials on end

 

[fundy]

This "Own Goal" fella looks like he may have the golden boot locked up in the group stages