England men's fixtures omdt.

[lukeyswfc]

We just aren’t bold enough. Everything is like for like and be safe.

 

Issue is our defence and GK is very poor compared to the other big nations.

 

We have a cracking attacking line. Let’s just use it. That’s why most people are annoyed with Southgate and England.

 

Southgates tactic is, if plan A doesn’t work, I’ll try plan A again with a like for like sub.

[scram]

I said it at the time and got rounded on but failing so dismally to beat an achingly average Croatia side in the WC semi would be a nadir in our international football exploits

 

Not saying we'd have won the final but it set the template of safety first,  stand off and watch rubbish that has followed

 

I can't help feeling that this generation of great players will be just another false dawn of what might have been

[JohnnyQuinnsQuiff]

2 hours ago, SiJ said:

Tbf, England stacking it against a top side at a tournament has been going on for ages, long before Southgate rocked up. 

 

How many top sides have England put to the sword at a major tournament since say 1990? 

 

We battered the Dutch at Euro 96 in the groups. 

 

Lost to Portugal numerous times. Italy always have our number, the French, Uruguay. 

 

Brazil in 2002. 

 

Beat Germany in 2021, but then they have been in decline ever since winning the WC in 2014.

 

Let's be honest that Italy side we lost to in the final was nothing special really. Struggled to qualify for major tournaments since the beat us. 

Right now, Southgate has the most talented bunch of players any England manager has had for a very long time. A bunch that any decent manager would mould into world beaters. Not a chance with Southgate. He doesn’t have the ability to do that.
 

Southgate previously would not pick players who weren’t playing regularly for their clubs. Then when Maguire, Shaw weren’t playing regularly for their clubs, he picked them. He’s a hypocrite, he has set ways which do not benefit the players that he decides to play. He should be playing players in positions that they are comfortable with. Not to fit his tactics that change drastically when we’re up against a decent team that believe they can beat England.

 

The problem is that Southgate doesn’t believe we can beat the ‘big hitters’. He’d take drawing against them as a great result. He’s scared to lose.

 

If we progress through the Euro’s, we’re in line to meet France. Guess who my money is on (and it doesn’t begin with E)?

 

In the past we’ve had decent managers with mediocre players. Now we have very decent players with a very mediocre manager.

[owls maniac]

13 minutes ago, JohnnyQuinnsQuiff said:

Right now, Southgate has the most talented bunch of players any England manager has had for a very long time. A bunch that any decent manager would mould into world beaters. Not a chance with Southgate. He doesn’t have the ability to do that.
 

Southgate previously would not pick players who weren’t playing regularly for their clubs. Then when Maguire, Shaw weren’t playing regularly for their clubs, he picked them. He’s a hypocrite, he has set ways which do not benefit the players that he decides to play. He should be playing players in positions that they are comfortable with. Not to fit his tactics that change drastically when we’re up against a decent team that believe they can beat England.

 

The problem is that Southgate doesn’t believe we can beat the ‘big hitters’. He’d take drawing against them as a great result. He’s scared to lose.

 

If we progress through the Euro’s, we’re in line to meet France. Guess who my money is on (and it doesn’t begin with E)?

 

In the past we’ve had decent managers with mediocre players. Now we have very decent players with a very mediocre manager.

What about Sven? Decent manager, decent side, won fizz all. 
 

Same with the side in 1990. 
 

Maybe the issues run deeper than the manager and we’re once again looking for a scapegoat. 

[Waddle93]

6 hours ago, FreshOwl said:

Most successful still isn’t good enough though is it? 

 

Might not be but its a fact, people wax lyrical about Venables and Robson but weren't as successful as Southgate.

Only 1 team can win a tournament and we have a chance but imo France are massive favourites then you have Germany on home soil.

Followed by and say 3rd favourites us, Portugal, Belgium, Spain so if we reach a final we've over achieved again.

[Waddle93]

2 hours ago, JohnnyQuinnsQuiff said:

Right now, Southgate has the most talented bunch of players any England manager has had for a very long time. A bunch that any decent manager would mould into world beaters. Not a chance with Southgate. He doesn’t have the ability to do that.
 

Southgate previously would not pick players who weren’t playing regularly for their clubs. Then when Maguire, Shaw weren’t playing regularly for their clubs, he picked them. He’s a hypocrite, he has set ways which do not benefit the players that he decides to play. He should be playing players in positions that they are comfortable with. Not to fit his tactics that change drastically when we’re up against a decent team that believe they can beat England.

 

The problem is that Southgate doesn’t believe we can beat the ‘big hitters’. He’d take drawing against them as a great result. He’s scared to lose.

 

If we progress through the Euro’s, we’re in line to meet France. Guess who my money is on (and it doesn’t begin with E)?

 

In the past we’ve had decent managers with mediocre players. Now we have very decent players with a very mediocre manager.

 

This side isn't better than out golden generation and they never made it past the 1/4 finals and I'd question if it's better than the 1990 side also.

[JohnnyQuinnsQuiff]

8 hours ago, owls maniac said:

What about Sven? Decent manager, decent side, won fizz all. 
 

Same with the side in 1990. 
 

Maybe the issues run deeper than the manager and we’re once again looking for a scapegoat. 

What issues run deeper?
 

The issue is, we’ve a very good squad of players and Southgate cannot get the best out of them, because he can’t.

 

Sven’s problem was he insisted on playing Lampard & Gerrard together in similar roles. Robson had an overrated side.

 

The current squad of English players available are as good as any other nations squad. Friendlies, even the European Nations Cup games, are a chance to see how far you can get your players to perform. A chance for for unpicked players to be given an opportunity. What does Southgate do? Insists on picking Harry ‘Whoops’ Maguire, for instance. He’s frightened stiff of losing, that’s the issue.

[markg]

I think that Southgate could have done much better in certain games, and you don't need world class players in every single position to win a tournament, but I think that you need more than we have. I don't rate our squad anywhere nearly as highly as some do, but it could just be me.

[owls maniac]

2 hours ago, JohnnyQuinnsQuiff said:

What issues run deeper?
 

The issue is, we’ve a very good squad of players and Southgate cannot get the best out of them, because he can’t.

 

Sven’s problem was he insisted on playing Lampard & Gerrard together in similar roles. Robson had an overrated side.

 

The current squad of English players available are as good as any other nations squad. Friendlies, even the European Nations Cup games, are a chance to see how far you can get your players to perform. A chance for for unpicked players to be given an opportunity. What does Southgate do? Insists on picking Harry ‘Whoops’ Maguire, for instance. He’s frightened stiff of losing, that’s the issue.

But as has already been pointed out, only one team can win a tournament and we are always up against 3 or 4 football powerhouses who on their day can win. Luck plays a huge part of it in these games of fine margins. The mental fragility of the players is also a huge factor. Who would have thought Kane skies that pen against France?

 

I just think it is naive to think that by swapping Southgate for a Kevin Keegan like figure (another flop as England manager) who will go all out attack will somehow automatically deliver a better outcome than what Southgate has already managed.

[sheffield_dave]

11 hours ago, Waddle93 said:

 

This side isn't better than out golden generation and they never made it past the 1/4 finals and I'd question if it's better than the 1990 side also.

 

I genuinely think this is a pretty tough England side to figure out. I would argue it's certainly front loaded.

 

The number 1 is perennially fighting relegation at club level. Walker isn't getting any younger. Stones is no longer just a centre back for his club, so it's another player who isn't matching his club role or position for England. It starts looking extremely limited extremely quickly after that at the back. If you're serious about winning anything than I'd regard Maguire and Chillwell being half of our back 4 as a problem.

 

Obviously the talent level picks up dramatically further forward but I also see a lot of question marks. I think the cratering stock of Phillips, Mount, Henderson and Rashford - some of Southgate's old reliables - puts a bit of pressure on to find different answers. The talent is there to suggest those answers should be easy to come by on paper but.. in reality I think we've still got to show that we've figured out how to use all that talent. I don't think Friday suggests we're any closer to figuring out how to use Foden.

 

 

[Owl_For_a_Lifetime]

I fear Bellingham / Foden is becoming the new Lampard / Gerrard. Both want to play the same position and everyone (media & public alike) are foaming at the mouth to have both in the starting 11.

 

The one type of player England don't have is a deep lying playmaker who can dictate the tempo of a game (much like Xavi or Pirlo). Rice is doing his best but he's covering as a destroyer and No8 at the same time for us at international level. For all his running, Gallagher didn't look to be the answer in terms of a foil for Rice the other night..

 

I've no doubt Madison or Bellingham could do that job but this is again playing them out of position to what they do week in week out for their clubs..

[alanharper]

18 hours ago, SiJ said:

Tbf, England stacking it against a top side at a tournament has been going on for ages, long before Southgate rocked up. 

 

How many top sides have England put to the sword at a major tournament since say 1990? 

 

We battered the Dutch at Euro 96 in the groups. 

 

Lost to Portugal numerous times. Italy always have our number, the French, Uruguay. 

 

Brazil in 2002. 

 

Beat Germany in 2021, but then they have been in decline ever since winning the WC in 2014.

 

Let's be honest that Italy side we lost to in the final was nothing special really. Struggled to qualify for major tournaments since the beat us. 

 

I've said it before, but until we beat a below par Germany in Euro 2020/21, we hadn't beaten any of the big footballing nations in the knockout stages of any World Cup or European Championship since 1966 (other than a penalties win v Spain in 1996 but they weren't really a force back then). Beaten a few in the group stages but as soon as we face a top nation (Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, or erm, Iceland) in the knockout stages that's our lot. 

 

We're probably just not as good as we think we are! 

 

[JohnnyQuinnsQuiff]

10 hours ago, owls maniac said:

But as has already been pointed out, only one team can win a tournament and we are always up against 3 or 4 football powerhouses who on their day can win. Luck plays a huge part of it in these games of fine margins. The mental fragility of the players is also a huge factor. Who would have thought Kane skies that pen against France?

 

I just think it is naive to think that by swapping Southgate for a Kevin Keegan like figure (another flop as England manager) who will go all out attack will somehow automatically deliver a better outcome than what Southgate has already managed.

I don’t recall saying that we should get a ‘Kevin Keegan like figure who will go all out attack’?
 

I simply said that Southgate does not have the ability to get the best out of the players.

 

If only one team can win a tournament, does that always rule out England?

[JohnnyQuinnsQuiff]

11 hours ago, markg said:

I think that Southgate could have done much better in certain games, and you don't need world class players in every single position to win a tournament, but I think that you need more than we have. I don't rate our squad anywhere nearly as highly as some do, but it could just be me.

I certainly don’t rate the defence that Southgate insists on picking, that’s for sure.

[Kopparberg]

8 hours ago, alanharper said:

I've said it before, but until we beat a below par Germany in Euro 2020/21

Part of me thinks that that will be this squads highlight, so it’s a good job I enjoyed it 

 

Not sure myself why some of the TalkSport guys have us winning the tournament… as there’s been a pattern of what England generally do - slap some lesser teams around then go out to someone half decent

 

I feel like the starting 11 isn’t conclusive - and is possibly going to be worse off in terms of personnel and style than before… with Southgate thrown in.  
 

Unless Bellingham and Kane link up and kill teams for us I see it being more of the same ‘nearly men’ stuff. 
 

Not sure we have an elite level mentality and arrogance to show other teams that we’ll beat them when it counts. 

[Wednesdayitewastaken]

Nice to see Mainoo getting a start today. Hope that this midfield three will be our permanent one

[Bannofan]

A Belgian front 3 of Trossard - Lukaku- Doku up against  Konza - Stones-Dunk- Chilwell could be interesting...

[Bannofan]

Also reckon Toney will have a good game tonight. His penalties and set pieces should have him as Kanes deputy ahead of Watkins. 

[marconi]

Glad Gallagher’s out.

Looking forward to seeing more of Mainoo, he’s a class act.

[TheEnchanter]

Diabolical defending. Sloppy, lazy, slow. Fed up of playing like this under Southgate. Always reactive.