Clueless Southgate

[Adz]

Kane (and Grealish) excepted, they're all bit part players in their clubs successes rather than the driving force. And Kane (and Grealish) isn't at one of the big clubs.

We're weak at centre half and weak at cdm. Southgate therefore has no choice but to play 2 holding defensive midfielders.

What a crock of sh!t they have not been bit parts, at all.

Bellingham will be the answer to our problems in the middle, just a bit too young at the moment

Not one of them is the main man at their club, Kane and Grealish excluded.

That's not what you said, but rice for sure and you could make an argument for Mount also. How many of Italy or France or Germany or anyone else are the main man, seeing as there can only be one per team and the best players are within about 20 or so European teams?

[Millennial Snowflake]

This is the inevitable over correction against the absurd expectations we tend to have. Likes of Foden, Mount, Sterling, Stones, Walker, James, Chillwell, Maguire, Henderson and Kane have all been key players in teams that have reached European finals in the last few years. There should be a way you can fashion a team that manages to compensate for the obvious shortcomings in central midfield (though granted I've been saying that all my life).

I get that we are a level below your France or Germany's. But that makes the stodginess of the football even worse in a way. If we aren't going to do anything at these tournaments, we might as well have some fun in the process. 1/3rd of goals scored by an Englishman at a major tournament this summer have been by a Chilean ffs.

Yeah but CM is the hardest area on the pitch to hide weaknesses in. You can get away with it against the lesser sides but deep into tournaments you’re bound to come up against a quality side who can exploit it

Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying we have no chance of winning the thing - we have the attacking talent to cause any teams problems, but they can’t do anything if we can’t get the ball

Except the obvious anomaly of Greece in 2004, I can’t think of any tournament winners - or top sides that have knocked us out - that haven’t had a top class CM. Modric helped Croatia pass us off the park in 2018, Pirlo and Italy passed us to death in 2012, Germany in 2010, even Belgium comfortably had the better of us twice in 2018 too

I agree, but to a certain extent you can counter lacking a top class central midfielder through a slick pressing set up. Liverpool won the champions League with Henderson and Milner as their key CMs. But cause Kane can't really move anymore, we can't press as a team. The gaps when Saka or Sterling pressure the opposition defender on the ball and the next receiver are enormous.

I think there's an argument to be made that going with DCL or Sterling as false 9 would give us a lot more energy and cohesion in pressing the opposition, which would make the lack of a deep lying playmaker less of an issue because you'd smother the opposition.

But all easier said and done. Would take massive cajones for Southgate to drop his top scorer and captain.

All very good points, and don’t disagree with any of them. The only thing about that approach that concerns me is it means playing a high line which a partnership of Maguire and Stones wouldn’t be comfortable with. If France or Germany beat our press it has the potential to get extremely ugly against Mbappe or Gnabry/Werner.

I guess you can fix that by moving to a back three with Mings / bringing Walker inside for some extra pace, but that also means in reality that only one of Mount, Grealish and Foden plays

[Mistadobalina]

I think that's where Italy will get torn to shreds. They are playing a high line with Chellini and Bonucci. But it's certainly more fun to watch and feels like an identifiable style that could be built on. Once Tomori, White etc get more experience, then you have some pace to play a high line. If Italy can play that way, I don't see why we couldn't - I am confident we have better players for it than them.

The current set up doesn't know what style it wants to play, who should play in it and what this means for our next tournament, which is next year lest we forget. All feels a bit of a waste of time.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

The only two whose absence has a direct impact on their teams results and performances

Yep, this is what I'm trying to get at.

[Adz]

The only two whose absence has a direct impact on their teams results and performances

Yep, this is what I'm trying to get at.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/footbal ... ague-title

Do go on...

[Ornchurch]

The only two whose absence has a direct impact on their teams results and performances

Yep, this is what I'm trying to get at.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/footbal ... ague-title

Do go on...

But the expert pundits say that Liverpool’s woes were all down to Van Dijk being injured

[moonwalk19]

Sometimes less talented teams who work their bollocks off and play well get good results in derby matches.

A 3-0 win on Tuesday and you’ll all be noshing Southgate off again. It’s a pragmatic England and has been for years. Quite happy with it when it gets you to the semis.

There is no chance us getting a 3-0 win against any of the teams in Group F. As other people have said on this forum Southgate is not the manager for England at this time with lots of talented and skilful players in the squad. Very negative

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

The only two whose absence has a direct impact on their teams results and performances

Yep, this is what I'm trying to get at.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/footbal ... ague-title

Do go on...

Can't believe you made me click on an express link.

[Currywurst and Chips]

Another disappointing team by Southgate
Mings dropped, even though he was England's best player against Scotland in a defence that kept a clean sheet.
Foden dropped, but clown Stirling left in.????
Stirling must have something on Southgate, because however useless he is, he never gets dropped
The sooner Southgate goes the better

Moron...I knew they'd be a comment from you.
Shame there was no comment when Stirling missed a sitter, I would have scored.
From someone who's doesn't actually go and watch football..........

[Max B Gold]

dies ist eine völlige Katastrophe

[Monkey Boy]

Southgate...genius

[Millennial Snowflake]

Sterling has 15 in his last 20 for England

One of coyos worst ever calls and that takes some doing

[Dunners]

State. Of. This. f*cking. Thread.

[Beradogs]

Not seen us play before. The football was dire but apparently we are usually worse. Two good goals mind and it’s how Italy used to win things. Bore the other team to sleep.

[BoniO]

Not seen us play before. The football was dire but apparently we are usually worse. Two good goals mind and it’s how Italy used to win things. Bore the other team to sleep.

Christ. I'm agreeing with Bera.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Wasn’t pretty but as stated, Southgate did what was needed

[Real Al]

If only we still played the scintillating football we used to play in tournaments.

[Jack]

Delighted England won, but for an hour or so it was defensive cautious boring football. Keeping clean sheets is one thing, but there must be entertainment as well, and England, under Southgate provide little entertainment

[BoniO]

If only we still played the scintillating football we used to play in tournaments.

Ha - there's some truth in this of course. We've never been a flair team but I can't recall us ever being so consistently dull to watch. We got a win but I didn't enjoy the game at all. If you want to win at any cost then this is acceptable I guess. I like to watch an exciting game of football and last nights games demonstrated that this is still possible if you set up to play with flair and aggression.

[Currywurst and Chips]

If only we still played the scintillating football we used to play in tournaments.

Ha - there's some truth in this of course. We've never been a flair team but I can't recall us ever being so consistently dull to watch. We got a win but I didn't enjoy the game at all. If you want to win at any cost then this is acceptable I guess. I like to watch an exciting game of football and last nights games demonstrated that this is still possible if you set up to play with flair and aggression.

Mug

[BoniO]

If only we still played the scintillating football we used to play in tournaments.

Ha - there's some truth in this of course. We've never been a flair team but I can't recall us ever being so consistently dull to watch. We got a win but I didn't enjoy the game at all. If you want to win at any cost then this is acceptable I guess. I like to watch an exciting game of football and last nights games demonstrated that this is still possible if you set up to play with flair and aggression.

Mug

Plagiarist

[WickfordO]

I get the feeling there are a lot of Max B Gold alias' on this thread. Can't stand England winning.

[Max B Gold]

I get the feeling there are a lot of Max B Gold alias' on this thread. Can't stand England winning.

Balderdash. Ihr Name wird auch auf der ze Liste stehen

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

Are the same people that moan continuously about Orient the same ones moaning about England?

[Mike pinner]

If only we still played the scintillating football we used to play in tournaments.