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The Footie Thread

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Just waiting for the criticism of Southgate's choices/set up/substitutions/half time team talk etc etc
I guess when playing the worst ranked team in world football it’s going to be hard to pick a wrong team or set up wrong or make the wrong substitute ?‍♂️
 
Italy failing to top a poor group just highlights how bad Southgate got it wrong in the final. Italy are a decent team who should've been overpowered, their strength lies in the midfielders who keep and pass the ball. Go direct and use the wings and England win that. Sit back like a coward as Southgate did then you come unstuck.

We all know when it comes to the crunch in Qatar Southgate will bottle it and protect a lead or play for pens.
 
But they clearly ARE second class (at best). They're not good enough to be able to compete. In 9 and a half games they've scored one goal and conceded 41. They're not gaining anything from playing in this match apart from financially. They'd be far better off in a competition with Kosovo, Gibraltar, Lichtenstein etc where at least the matches would be competitive.

I agree....you just cannot develop as a team if you never have possession of the football.
 
Italy failing to top a poor group just highlights how bad Southgate got it wrong in the final. Italy are a decent team who should've been overpowered, their strength lies in the midfielders who keep and pass the ball. Go direct and use the wings and England win that. Sit back like a coward as Southgate did then you come unstuck.

We all know when it comes to the crunch in Qatar Southgate will bottle it and protect a lead or play for pens.

Lets hope he gets the sack before the World Cup and that the FA have seen your post here, as you clearly know more than Gareth and would do better.
 
So should we bin the League 1 & 2 Clubs from Cups which PL Teams enter and non-league Clubs from the FA Cup?

They can play the Countries you list anytime, but how would they improve?

Well we effectively have pre-qualifying in the cups with all of the preliminary rounds, then the first and second rounds "proper" before the big boys enter in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.

They would improve by actually having possession of the football and being able to try to play....rather than ceding possession and concentrating on keeping the score down. The coach might actually be able to formulate an attacking plan and then try to modify it during a game, helping him develop as well. All you learn by being constantly battered is how to get up off the floor a little more slowly.
 
Well we effectively have pre-qualifying in the cups with all of the preliminary rounds, then the first and second rounds "proper" before the big boys enter in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.

They would improve by actually having possession of the football and being able to try to play....rather than ceding possession and concentrating on keeping the score down. The coach might actually be able to formulate an attacking plan and then try to modify it during a game, helping him develop as well. All you learn by being constantly battered is how to get up off the floor a little more slowly.
Yes totally agree.
It might be financially good to play the likes of England.
But looking at the faces and body language of the PLAYERS it’s not doing them any good imo.
 
Yes totally agree.
It might be financially good to play the likes of England.
But looking at the faces and body language of the PLAYERS it’s not doing them any good imo.
If I was able to leave my day job as a plumber, carpenter, delivery driver, etc. and play a game of football against England, France, Spain, Portugal, etc. I'd be loving it. I wouldn't care if we lost 50-0, at least I could tell the grand kids about the day I played against a player like Kane, Ronaldo of Mbappe. Of course, I cannot speak on behalf of the San Marino players, only as an individual. I'd say leave it as it is, especially now they still have the Nations League to compete against lower level opponents.
 
If I was able to leave my day job as a plumber, carpenter, delivery driver, etc. and play a game of football against England, France, Spain, Portugal, etc. I'd be loving it. I wouldn't care if we lost 50-0, at least I could tell the grand kids about the day I played against a player like Kane, Ronaldo of Mbappe. Of course, I cannot speak on behalf of the San Marino players, only as an individual. I'd say leave it as it is, especially now they still have the Nations League to compete against lower level opponents.
That might sound good but it’s every game .
That can’t be good for the players.
I see your point but they are competitive sports men.
 
If the smaller nations don’t play the larger nations in these qualifiers then they simply wouldnt exist

The money they get from these matches keeps the FA of those countries going each year

It’s starts to get a bit like snobbery if nations suddenly start to deem other nations not good enough to play the bigger nations.

There is no hardship on the likes of England etc to play these nations

Remember the Faroe Island beating Austria or Liechtenstein getting a draw against Ireland
 
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