England vs Serbia match day thread

Yeah but they didn't, and I thought Croatia looked poor. But that gives credit to how Spain looked, doesn't it. Maybe!.

 

Too many times in the second half when they were trying to run the.clock down they played the ball back to the keeper. So from being in Serbia's half with outfield players on the ball pushing forward to maybe grab a second they pass the ball back to Pickford who is then challenged and skies the ball to anyone. You can't score in your own half but you can concede if you drop a bollock.

 

I’m more concerned they’re with that arsehole Matt Forde

 

For all the brilliant numbers 10s we have (Bellingham, Foden, Palmer etc.) all our chances were created by traditional wingers getting to the byline and putting a cross in.

We should have used Saka/Bowen much more often and got Gordon/Eze on the other wing too.

 

There’s no need to be playing Trent Alexander Arnold or two holding midfielders imho

he needs to play with one (rice) then put Bellingham where TAA was (because he’s that good he can’t cover so much of the pitch and also get forward.
Then put Foden in his best position and someone else on the left.


The team looks unbalanced to me and he’s just trying to shoehorn players in, but play defensively

much improement required. He needs also to be not afraid f taking Kane off..

 

Sad as it makes me, as I was hugely optimistic for the tournament and I still am to a point, that was a very ‘Southgate’ performance second half, even the last fifteen minutes of the first half.

Stopped playing. Sat back, getting deeper and deeper all the time. As though no lessons have been learnt from previous tournaments, and as though the front five or six players we have on the field - whichever six he selects in front of the back four - would not be amongst the best in the tournament.

Ironically it was the back four, at least defensively, which arguably performed the best and was in advance the biggest fear. Trippier was restricted going forward - but for obvious reasons. Bellingham was great and Saka had good moments in the first half though went out of the game later.

But we can and hopefully will grow into it and improve. Win on Thursday and we are through and can have a free hit to play whoever we want against Slovenia.

 

I'd make just one change on Thursday, Gordon in for Foden.

 

Like reading a Reds Matchday Thread this. We haven't won 7-0 so Southgate out.

 

Usual suspects?

Placed the query cos I can't be arsed to trawl through 9 pages....

 

Bud... how did you watch this match?

 

I tried iPlayer but it's too smart for the VPN so I had to bite the bullet and get Optus Sport.

 

Curious. What's the beef with Matt Forde?

 

I'm a Southgate backer, but actually thought our performance overall was below par. We always look best with two quick guys either side of Kane. Like Foden but not obvious where he slots. Personally wouldn't pick Alexander Arnold. Team lacked clarity of intention compared with recent years.

 

Agree about Trent AA. Why has he suddenly become a first pick?

 

100% this, it's no guarantee of success but let's play players in their actual positions.
I like Southgate and think he has done a lot more good than bad, really hope he doesn't stick to this TAA experiment and just accepts it was a false step.

 

Ok let's go back to the good and the bad again lol. We've had over a day to think about this a bit more now.
It was a good first half and bad second half wasn't it, where we could have scored 2 or 3...but we didn't, and it nearly cost us in the end.

 

It was very much a st George's park performance. Fa coaches training new fa coaches to coach how the fa wants it's coaches to coach.
Result? There's no difference in the dull 'attack form20 minutes and sit back for 70' football that has infested English football.

Can't blame Southgate, the poor sod came out of the same classroom as Collins