To use our own Bfc club statement, 'Judge us by our actions!'. Ok Gareth mate (and I'm struggling to defend him here), it's knockout tournament footy from now on!. And even though we've done what we wanted to, we've won our group and have only conceded 1 in 3 games. This has not been great, and maybe it's not even been good. Id say at best, it's been good enough, but aren't we entitled to expect much better than that!.
He didn't play well tonight, but Gallagher has been a really consistent player for Chelsea this season. Energy, press and a knack of popping up with the odd goal. Obviously it wasn't worth a wnk tonight like, but it is what it is.
MOTD highlights later will be interesting listening to a bunch of guys like Shearer and Lineker who never won anything for England, complaining about players who might end up doing what they never did in the next few weeks.
Not making the goalie have to make a save of note in the last two games is a major worry going forward.
It was a poor, low energy performance. We had few runners, no real creativity, and a lack of significant chances. Definitely lacking an actual left back, coherence in midfield, and urgency in our press. Don’t think Gareth is the man to fix it. As Lee Dixon commented a few times tonight, we might look a better attacking team when the other team tries to create against us and we can counter. Ultimately though, we need players who want to be there and achieve something - but for the subs playing with England at a tournament for the first time, we have far too many content to go out against the first decent team and get back to their families/on to their holidays.
I like what Ian Wright said about putting Saka at left back, I didn’t realise he started off playing there for Arsenal although hell would have to freeze over before Southgate did that.
They never tried to win. They were negative for 90 minutes and quite cynical with all their fouling and play acting. This is the problem with a bloated tournament of too many groups. I am confident now groups are over we will look a lot better playing against other teams trying to win and a few people will be eating some humble pie very soon.
With how poor Tripps has been at LB, and us not having another viable option ( nice one Gareth you absolute plopp), we need to go to a back 3, with Walker as the 3rd CB. 352 with some proper width.
I don't hate this idea. Stones, Guehi, Walker as a 3, Saka and Trippier/TAA as wing backs, Rice, Bellingham and Foden in the middle, Kane and Watkins up top
I'm struggling to put into words without swearing how I feel about Southgate. A charlatan of the highest order. He's done nothing to this team, and will keep on doing nothing until this tournament is over. We'll inevitably grind out a draw and lose on penalties, boils my pass (change a for i)
They needed a point against a far, far superior side. They have a class goalkeeper and an excellent striker who could do well on the break. Why would they risk anything else? There's no excuse whatsoever. Serbia didn't sit back, so whats the excuse for that? Neither did Denmark. We were rubbish both games.
Southgate cares more about his own Legacy, that he does about entertaining the supporters. Leaving Jack Grealish at home was a massive mistake which would solve the left side problem. I shouldn’t know more about football than Gareth.? Not my job..
My cousin is an arsenal fan and ST holder. Called this from the start with having no left sided players available whilst Shaw is out. Didn't really take it on board, but he said it again tonight It's probably a fair shout tbh