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The Footie Thread

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Well it’s 3 points


But that’s standard Southgate there in the second half , no dynamic changes , players dropping deeper

Play like that against a top team and they will lose

He has a key decision to make when it comes to the left hand side

And that incudes Foden who was non existent in that game

Shaw will help but zero width on the left meant Serbia could just close down the right and England had nothing to go to

Foden doesn’t have the same impact as Bellingham so atm it’s prob the right call to bring in Gordon and put Foden to the bench
 
Good to win, but not great. We went too deep, didn't hold the ball. How many long balls did Jordan hoof?

One of the things that stood out for me, after watching Germany and Spain, we were very static up top, too slow in our passing. Both of those teams had far more zip in their play.

Saying all this, we won and Serbia are clearly no mugs.
 
Game of 2 halves, very good display in the 1st half, Serbia had to come out and go for a goal.

For all the worries about our defence before the Comp, I think they were our outstanding.

A win’s a win, 3 points in the bag and in all honesty after watching Denmark & Slovenia earlier on, I think Serbia will be dificult to beat.

I can’t blame Southgate for us giving the ball away so much in the 2nd half, that’s on the players.
 
It's a win, and a clean sheet. But only a goal from a deflected cross, and several squeaky bum moments...
Looking for improvement in next game
 
Bunkermagnet said:
Kane may be a good striker, but with no pace he is a liability. Why he wasn't subbed I don't understand.
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Cos even when he's having a poor game, he is a blooming nuisance when the ball is played up to him, he gets in defensive headers and without a great save, he would have scored the winning goal. 😉

My Italian mate just messaged me laughing about why some English folk moan about a win.

This isn't figure skating. No extra points for style.
 
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IanM said:
Cos even when he's having a poor game, he is a blooming nuisance when the ball is played up to him, he gets in defensive headers and without a great save, he would have scored the winning goal. 😉

My Italian mate just messaged me laughing about why some English folk moan about a win.

This isn't figure skating. No extra points for style.
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You have an Italian mate? How cosmopolitan.
 
BrianM said:
The negativity astounds me, you won tonight against a tough team, there no mugs, Foden for me is world class, but Southgate doesn’t set up for him, which for me he should.
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The team sets up to play to the strengths of Bellingham - and he is someone that’s produced for England ,

Its choice they need to make - allow Bellingham to roam in that 10 or put him next to Rice , shackle him and let Foden roam in the 10
 
The negativity is around the fact we will have to beat much better teams in the later rounds and playing the same as we always do means we won't beat those teams.

No matter how poor we are I expect us to get 9 points in our league. That doesn't worry me. It's the last 8 and last 4 where we won't progess playing like we did tonight which is playing like we have when it matters in the last 2 major tournaments.

We have a great squad of individual players that Southgate manages to not gel as well as he should with poor tactics and poor subsititutions. Two of Serbias chances came from poor touches from TAA who did nothing. It should be Foden or Saka on the right or Foden or Bellingham in the middle, Foden nowhere near that left side, he was really poor today and needs leaving out currently, lets try Palmer or Gordon who seem way more comfortable there.

Again substitutions to hang on to what we have rather than what we can get. If they had scored I couldn't see us getting another goal.

16 teams out of the 24 qualify, never an issue that Englad wouldn't.

It's just so frustrating with what we get with what we have, such a waste.
 
clubchamp98 said:
Yes thought Watkins should have played a part if we’re going to go long.

Very disappointed with Foden again.
Think Gordon deserves a chance.
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Problem for me is the player I'd be trying to squeeze in is Bowen. Work rate. Helps out defending, came on instantly set up kane

But Saka won't get dropped (rightly so). And neither will get moved to the left

Barmy when both are left footers lol 🤣
 
Right side looked good, even when Bowen came on. Bit worrying about Saka’s stamina. Seems like he’s only got 65mins in him for a couple of months now. Defensively solid although I’d like to see Pickford get the ball out to feet quicker. He was taking too long, which gave the opposition time to push up meaning Pickford had to kick way too much. The left was poor - if only Grealish was there…

Great game from Rice & Bellingham but not so good from Foden. Bowen slotted in seamlessly but Gallagher has had better games.

I’d be tempted to play the same 11 in the next game, giving Foden 60mins to find some form. He’s too good to leave out but he’s had two poor games lately. If he’s off it, I’d be tempted to put Palmer there.

But credit to Serbia for coming out of the blocks fast in the second half. The England players are bullied too easily when a team gets into their ribs.
 
Very good first 30 mins but it’s a worry how we dropped off in the second half.

It’s all very well saying it’s the first game and it’s a win but it doesn’t mask the fact how we played second half.

It’s frustrating when the talent in that team should push on and dominate more, credit to Serbia how they played second half though.

It was like a re-run of the Italy game which still annoys me as imo we wasted a glorious chance of winning.

We can’t go on and win this tournament if we get a lead in a game and then try to protect that lead sitting back and being negative.

That in a nutshell is the problem with Southgate, are we going to waste another great chance to win a major competition especially with the talent he’s got to choose from.
 
Jeez guys. I’ve been watching England long enough to be the world’s biggest pessimist but the negativity on here is next level!

It’s tournament football and it was the first game. Could point to many teams in many tournaments who started slowly and gained momentum. Could point to a lot more who hit the ground running only to see the wheels fall off in the first stage of the knockouts.

I give you Spain 2010 and Argentina 2022. Lost their opener in the World Cup, went on to win the whole thing.

Not saying I expect us to win the Euros. I don’t. But to be moaning about only doing just enough to get three points in the opening game of a major tournament and failing to set the world alight in the process is encroaching on First World problems territory IMHO.
 
Don Barzini said:
Jeez guys. I’ve been watching England long enough to be the world’s biggest pessimist but the negativity on here is next level!

It’s tournament football and it was the first game. Could point to many teams in many tournaments who started slowly and gained momentum. Could point to a lot more who hit the ground running only to see the wheels fall off in the first stage of the knockouts.

I give you Spain 2010 and Argentina 2022. Lost their opener in the World Cup, went on to win the whole thing.

Not saying I expect us to win the Euros. I don’t. But to be moaning about only doing just enough to get three points in the opening game of a major tournament and failing to set the world alight in the process is encroaching on First World problems territory IMHO.
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But we do think we can win the Euro's with the squad we have. That's the thing with the negativity. We are all thinking what a waste, we need a better manager. You don't get many opportunities and this really should be one like the last 2.

I hate the term 1st world problems, like this is the football thread and this is the place to talk about these things, my son got mugged at the weekend and my brother's 's wife's mum died on Saturday but everything else is still happoening andw e do know what is an isn't important but in teh football chat it is. If you want 3rd world problems visit those topics.
 
No team has ever come flying out of the blocks in a tournament and sustained that right to the final. A narrow win and 3 points in the bag for your first game is ideal. Performance is almost irrelevant at that point, they just need to be hitting form once we get to the quarter finals.
 
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