The Footie Thread

[Deleted member 16999]

That’s why I am comparing them!
I think Grealish brings much more to the team.
If we’re under the cosh and need speed on the counter then Rashford yes.
But if we have control of the game and trying to unlock a defence Grealish.

You want Rashford, if on the pitch, on the end of the unlocking as Grealish won’t get you the goals Rashford would, no good unlocking a defence if we don’t have an end product.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It's not unusual to take a top player recovering from injury to a tournament if they are pretty sure to recover during it in the latter stages. From a live interview I saw TAA said he is still recovering and I'm sure could have played no part and we had just as good defenders available anyway. The main difference imo is that the tribal instinct of Man u, Liverpool, City etc etc players not to get along together has disappeared now with Southgate's squad and the team spirit has built and built to the extent they now play more like a club team, good management by Southgate !

The tribal nature around the England team will always be there - with fans and with players - mainly with fans , players it’s something that only happened during Sven era when both him and the media allowed the “over hyped culture to breed” - the team went and played in other stadiums - in manchester the Liverpool players were booed , in Liverpool the Manchester players were booed , then Chelsea arrived on the scene - a lot of the players were the “star players” in the top teams and we’re gaining success each year for the club

Now at the successful clubs the English players aren’t what is seen as the stars - the English players in the main don’t get too over hyped. There is no more “golden generation”

And right now the fans should feel positive about the Euros - everything has opened up in front of the team , the strong teams have tripped over themselves to allow a big gap that England should walk through to get to the final - it shouldn’t matter about the tactics etc because it’s tournament football , the analysis will happen after it finishes - England will soon have to face what it looks like being the strongest team in the comp - if they play Italy in the final it’s going to be the test- obviously both have to get past their respective opponents in the semi finals first, but if England do fall over against Denmark then questions would need to be asked. Until then go a long with the ride -

 

[clubchamp98]

I agree Grealish has delivered some good stuff and Kane has benefited and woken up after some lacklustre performances.
The blind alley stuff is just something that can be resolved , his potential is there .
Let’s hope they can do the job in the allocated time, god knows how they miss penalties especially when you have an object you can hit at pace whilst some poor bloke tries to cover a big area ..

Potential is not good enough imo in the England team.
How long has he been playing for UTD.?
He’s gone backwards this season for whatever reason and the only battle he has won was with Boris.

 

[Orikoru]

What about giving him credit for doing his job? He was on his toes, good positioning and snuffed out the danger when the midfield and defence let the attacker through?

No discussion about any outfield player mishitting a pass or giving away a throw in from a mishit.

Walker cocked up as well and got away with one. It's just a fact the goalie errors cost goals I'm afraid. As we've said before, Pickford has errors in the locker (more than most goalies over the last two years), but luckily he got a few out of the way without being punished, which is all you can ask for. You really don't need to take offence on his behalf EVERY time his name gets mentioned, he won't thank you for it.

 

[clubchamp98]

You want Rashford,

No I want Grealish.!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Walker cocked up as well and got away with one. It's just a fact the goalie errors cost goals I'm afraid. As we've said before, Pickford has errors in the locker (more than most goalies over the last two years), but luckily he got a few out of the way without being punished, which is all you can ask for. You really don't need to take offence on his behalf EVERY time his name gets mentioned, he won't thank you for it.

Taking offence??? Said time and time again Dean Henderson should be England’s No1.

The point is people like yourself seemingly desperate for him to let England down so you can post how you knew it would happen!

 

[Orikoru]

Taking offence??? Said time and time again Dean Henderson should be England’s No1.

The point is people like yourself seemingly desperate for him to let England down so you can post how you knew it would happen!

Read it that way if you want. I don't want him to make mistakes, I just expect him to because we've seen it enough times - in fact I was saying it's a positive that he's got them out of the way at a time when it didn't cost us anything. Hopefully now his mistake quota for the tournament is used up.

 

[Hobbit]

I’ve fought Pickford’s corner on this numerous times, he’s England’s No 1 because he’s never let us down when representing his Country, same as Stones I believe, but in the 4-0 win the other night his mis-hit clearance was mentioned by the commentators on both BBC & ITV as well as a comment on here.

As for the other keepers you mention, they’re not English.

I read the above with a wry smile but isn’t it a little ironic the lengths you go to defend Pickford, and in the next breath berate Southgate.

We’re splitting hairs though. I do dislike the laboured build ups from the back but it’s obviously in the team to play quickly too. Btw, I do think Pickford is more than good enough. Every single player makes the odd error, and to a large extent it’s also been splitting hairs on the full team selection. Swap a couple of players out and I don’t think it would affect the overall team performance much.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I read the above with a wry smile but isn’t it a little ironic the lengths you go to defend Pickford, and in the next breath berate Southgate.

We’re splitting hairs though. I do dislike the laboured build ups from the back but it’s obviously in the team to play quickly too. Btw, I do think Pickford is more than good enough. Every single player makes the odd error, and to a large extent it’s also been splitting hairs on the full team selection. Swap a couple of players out and I don’t think it would affect the overall team performance much.

Bit of a stretch when all I’ve said is he’s never let England down.

 

[Orikoru]

Bit of a stretch when all I’ve said is he’s never let England down.

And you've only said it 35 times.

 

[harpo_72]

Potential is not good enough imo in the England team.
How long has he been playing for UTD.?
He’s gone backwards this season for whatever reason and the only battle he has won was with Boris.

Yes but that could be said of a few of the players in the England squad.
We have also been extolling the virtues of great management.. so we could say OGS hasn’t yet found a way of getting it out of Rashford, but he really needs to sort out the midfield and get a CDM in ..

 

[harpo_72]

I read the above with a wry smile but isn’t it a little ironic the lengths you go to defend Pickford, and in the next breath berate Southgate.

We’re splitting hairs though. I do dislike the laboured build ups from the back but it’s obviously in the team to play quickly too. Btw, I do think Pickford is more than good enough. Every single player makes the odd error, and to a large extent it’s also been splitting hairs on the full team selection. Swap a couple of players out and I don’t think it would affect the overall team performance much.

I have no questions of Pickford, he has done his job very well and he has communicated well apart from the one Walker let go but that’s once, no harm done and they have had a reminder.
But like you say Southgate can change players and still get a strong team that plays to the plan. But he also can change it up there is that much depth.
I actually enjoy it when Henderson comes on and I know Rice did a great job but to have a swap available is great.
I think that is evident in a lot of the positions. I will though repeat what the BBC said about HM, when he is in the back 4 they are calm and he gives them a dimension that Mings or Stones don’t.. but they will in time.
Luke Shaw has been brilliant and so long May it continue .. but the position is under a lot of competition!
Pickford you would leave be as well.
Kane.. well everyone on here feels he is irreplaceable and if he has woken up and delivering then he is .. (I know I have been a detractor but all was justified)
The rest do have a replacement who can do the job as well but might be dimensionally different.
If anything this is a very balanced England squad and fair play to the manager with his selections

 

[Deleted member 16999]

And you've only said it 35 times.

About 5 times less than you’ve mentioned you’re expecting him to make a mistake.?

 

[Orikoru]

About 5 times less than you’ve mentioned you’re expecting him to make a mistake.?

I was right though, he's made them now.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I was right though, he's made them now.

He’s let England down?
High standards you have, pity you don’t apply them to Kane, he’s let us down more than Pickford.?

 

[Orikoru]

He’s let England down?
High standards you have, pity you don’t apply them to Kane, he’s let us down more than Pickford.?

Making a mistake isn't the same as letting the team down if it doesn't cost us anything does it? I already said above that he got away with them so it's all hunky dory. Just like Kane missing the one good chance he had in the group stage didn't cost us anything either.

For the avoidance of doubt, Pickford has been one of our best players this tournament, and I'm not arguing anything contrary to that. I was just happy that the mistake I was expecting him to make didn't cost us anything. And you still thought you had to leap to his defence over that. Then again if I said the sky was blue you'd argue it was green. Let's just move on shall we?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Making a mistake isn't the same as letting the team down if it doesn't cost us anything does it? I already said above that he got away with them so it's all hunky dory. Just like Kane missing the one good chance he had in the group stage didn't cost us anything either.

For the avoidance of doubt, Pickford has been one of our best players this tournament, and I'm not arguing anything contrary to that. I was just happy that the mistake I was expecting him to make didn't cost us anything. And you still thought you had to leap to his defence over that. Then again if I said the sky was blue you'd argue it was green. Let's just move on shall we?

Or let’s not and suggest a mishit is no more than that and you apply different rules to Pickford than you do anyone else.

Big of you to give him credit for this tournament when in the past you’ve delighted in taking the p!ss.

 

[Orikoru]

Or let’s not and suggest a mishit is no more than that and you apply different rules to Pickford than you do anyone else.

Big of you to give him credit for this tournament when in the past you’ve delighted in taking the p!ss.

Well, him starting became a moot point when all his competition were injured. But he has risen to the challenge well and proved a lot of people wrong, including me. I certainly rate him higher now than I did before the comp.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Well, him starting became a moot point when all his competition were injured. But he has risen to the challenge well and proved a lot of people wrong, including me. I certainly rate him higher now than I did before the comp.

He's been the best keeper in the tournament (so far).

 

[stefanovic]

Haven't had much confidence in England since the golden generation, but at least we've reached the semi's this time.
Looking back over the managers, we've had Swedes, turnips, Italians, con men and fraudsters.
Only winner was Ramsay but he referred to the Argentine's as animals in those NPC days.
Southgate does appear to be a bit different.
Predict England win by one goal on the basis of more fire power.