The Footie Thread

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Well done England...I suppose...??. At least my daughter is happy; my Mrs is a little more than half-happy, and my lad split 50:50, with this evenings results...and I can go with that ?

 

[PJ87]

I had a go at mount for it so only fair

For crying out loud you 3. Learn. We just lost 2 players because of covid rules now your risking more ?

Doesn't help Southgate setting example by hugging the oppo manager

Henderson did it correctly.. just fist pumps

ITS NOT HARD

 

[Beezerk]

For a team like England it's the semi you should be aiming for, not getting out of the group. Serial underachievers.

Would you like a chaser with that pint of bitter? ?

 

[ColchesterFC]

For a team like England it's the semi you should be aiming for, not getting out of the group. Serial underachievers.

I wouldn't agree with the bit in bold. I think the only recent squad that has underachieved is the "Golden Generation" with Lampard/Gerrard/Scholes/Beckham etc in the squad that should have done better than they did. Looking at the Euros there's Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, England + 2 others that would be expecting quarter final as a minimum. Get a decent draw and they're expecting a semi final, but easy to go out in the quarters when you come up against another big team. When you get to a World Cup and throw in Brazil and Argentina then quarter final is about right as an expectation with the hope of doing better than that.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Generally I agree. The only alternative that I can see, and again it's one that I don't think will ever happen, is to try some Pep tactics and play Foden (?) in the false 9 position and go for a 4-1-4-1 formation. Pickford, Trippier, McGuire, Stones, Shaw, Rice, Sterling, Grealish, Henderson/Mount, Saka/Sancho, Foden. Let's get as much of our attacking talent on the pitch as possible and let the opposition worry about us rather than us worrying about them.

Doesn't necessarily have to be Foden in the false 9, could stick Sterling up there and just have a completely mobile front 5.

You’re forgetting one thing…Southgate.

Next Match - guaranteed starters(barring injury):

Pickford
Maquire
Sterling
Kane.

Now find 7 others.

 

[clubchamp98]

You’re forgetting one thing…Southgate.

Next Match - guaranteed starters(barring injury):

Pickford
Maquire
Sterling
Kane.

Now find 7 others.

Think Shaw should be in he played well imo.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Think Shaw should be in he played well imo.

Wooooosh
There’s a few who should be in and some of them 4 who shouldn’t, but it’s Southgate.

 

[PJ87]

Wooooosh
There’s a few who should be in and some of them 4 who shouldn’t, but it’s Southgate.

------------------pickford

Tripper----stones ---maguire -- Shaw

------------------rice ---grealish

Sterling -------foden---------saka

----------------------kane

 

[ColchesterFC]

------------------pickford

Tripper----stones ---maguire -- Shaw

------------------rice ---grealish

Sterling -------foden---------saka

----------------------rice

I know Rice is good but I'm not sure even he's good enough to play as a holding midfielder and centre forward at the same time.

 

[PJ87]

I know Rice is good but I'm not sure even he's good enough to play as a holding midfielder and centre forward at the same time.

For some reason my phone auto corrects rice and Kane lol

But who knows Kane likes to play midfield and this is Southgate .. stick Declan up top

 

[Val]

Would you like a chaser with that pint of bitter? ?

Not bitter whatsoever. We had no expectations in this tournament, weakest side on the group and finished bottom as expected. The serial underachievers failed to beat us. I'd be bitter if I was an England fan tbh, in fact I'd feel cheated. Large nation with a team of superstars that failed to beat Scotland, a small nation with 2 top class talents and a bunch of grafters.

Gloat all you like, you won't get bitterness from me, far from it on fact. Football is 3rd place in the sports I follow.

 

[clubchamp98]

Wooooosh
There’s a few who should be in and some of them 4 who shouldn’t, but it’s Southgate.

Thing is , if your going to base your team on the defence then you need a stable back line.
Shaw for me Maguire,Stones and ?
Walker was ok but just dosnt see the forward pass quick enough.

 

[Piece]

First half was ok and the second half crap. After watching these three Eng games, we have good players, made up to be a bang average side by Mr Southgate.

 

[chrisd]

Not bitter whatsoever. We had no expectations in this tournament, weakest side on the group and finished bottom as expected. The serial underachievers failed to beat us. I'd be bitter if I was an England fan tbh, in fact I'd feel cheated. Large nation with a team of superstars that failed to beat Scotland, a small nation with 2 top class talents and a bunch of grafters.

Gloat all you like, you won't get bitterness from me, far from it on fact. Football is 3rd place in the sports I follow.

The serial underachievers did however manage to do exactly what was necessary, they won their group, progressed to the last 16 and are still there to stand a chance of turning into achievers. I'm not suggesting that we will beat the likes of France or Germany, Italy etc but the teams who win the tournament usually start slowly and improve as the tournament goes on, I've seen Germany do this a number of times.

Let's face it, Scotland's only wish was to beat England, they didnt do it no matter how much they upped their game, it strikes me as similar to 1966, they have lived on beating us in our first game after we won the World Cup and have lived on it ever since - it meant nothing to England fans any more than last weeks result does, our "auld enemy" is Germany or Brazil etc etc , not Scotland. Maybe Scotland should look at how to get through to a knockout stage which, in my opinion, was not beyond them from that group but no, beating England was the be all and end all, the only goal they had!

 

[Junior]

Love to see a starting XI with Grealish, Foden and Saka. What are the odds though?

 

[Orikoru]

Kane is building up fitness, he's still one of the best strikers in the world. You don't lose that in 3 games FFS. He's had one chance in 3 games due to the rubbish service and negative tactics.

DCL is decent but he wouldn't get a game at any club in the Top 6. That's his level. England's best chance is giving Kane minutes to build fitness and hoping Southgate stumbles on his best formation and starting eleven.

This tournament has disaster written all over it though.

100% agree with that. Wanted to write something similar last night but figured I'd just get written off as a biased Spurs fan. But anyone seriously thinking DCL will come in against Germany or France is kidding themselves. Kane is a world class striker, if we actually created 5 or 6 chances he would score 1 or 2, but we just haven't. He did finally have one good chance last night, but the keeper made a very good save. Other than that he's had nothing but scraps to feed on. DCL is levels below Kane, to think he'd do any better on this kind of service is laughable. He's someone you throw on late on when you need a goal and you start lumping balls into the box.

 

[harpo_72]

Love to see a starting XI with Grealish, Foden and Saka. What are the odds though?

If he can drop / rest sterling then very high!
I think to an extent the England manager job is ridiculous. You have the press trying to get you into trouble (aka Big Sam) or making up stories (Venebles and Bashier) . Then the premier league has too many teams and plays too many games .. so you get knackered players. The premiership pays too much , and actually certain pay grades should only be attainable if you deliver at international level ( that is a motivation technique plus cost cutting)
Scotland- actually under performed against Croatia they should have won 1-0 , but got slack or burnt themselves out trying to beat England (who were poor, no denying).
They were also naive against the Czechs .

The other point is I have not seen the English play like a premiership side. They have had a defence , yes, but it’s wobbly. They have not played at the pace or aggression either .. so for me I think international football is decidedly bland and poor to watch .. I want to see our best players playing premiership football which is undoubtedly the best league in the world

 

[Orikoru]

View attachment 37181

I had a go at mount for it so only fair

For crying out loud you 3. Learn. We just lost 2 players because of covid rules now your risking more ?

Doesn't help Southgate setting example by hugging the oppo manager

Henderson did it correctly.. just fist pumps

ITS NOT HARD

They showed a bit on telly after this where he then stood a metre away to continue the conversation and somebody brought him a mask to wear as well. So now that that's been seen on telly he should be fine.

 

[harpo_72]

100% agree with that. Wanted to write something similar last night but figured I'd just get written off as a biased Spurs fan. But anyone seriously thinking DCL will come in against Germany or France is kidding themselves. Kane is a world class striker, if we actually created 5 or 6 chances he would score 1 or 2, but we just haven't. He did finally have one good chance last night, but the keeper made a very good save. Other than that he's had nothing but scraps to feed on. DCL is levels below Kane, to think he'd do any better on this kind of service is laughable. He's someone you throw on late on when you need a goal and you start lumping balls into the box.

That’s a poor return for world class.. 5-6 chances should yield 4 or more goals look at the top strikers the conversion rate is greater

 

[Deleted member 29109]

That’s a poor return for world class.. 5-6 chances should yield 4 or more goals look at the top strikers the conversion rate is greater

Which world class striker has an 80 to 90 percent conversion rate?