Much improved performance second half but I’m still convinced Southgate will shackle them too much in the tournament and that it may cost us. I hope to be proven wrong. And it’s also quite sad to me to see such a limited Italy side. They were tactically sound enough but were relatively easily swept aside that second half; they have so few ‘top’ players.
In his latter years, yeah I'd agree - not that Owen did much at all in his later years either. I thought you just meant English striker in general bud.
The individual excellence of Bellingham and Kane won us that game. And I am thankful. Whenever Italy managed to get near our penalty area, they were far more of a threat than they ought to have been. Kalvin should have been off for a second yellow. So I wouldn't call that easily beating Italy. Just thanks To Harry and Jude.
Well Kane's first doesn't count, penalty init. So it was a draw, at best!?!? Obviously need to chalk off Rashfords cos he's been **** for utd. Might as well just call it a loss, because Phillips.
What I'm taking from this thread is that if we go up and England win the Euros quite a few posters on here will be totally pi$$ed off....
yea there’s always that risk. And I have seen it happen many times before. There definitely seems something different about this lad though. he seems to glide through games and already looks a touch better than every player on the pitch. He’s 20 years old. He often appears like he has a second more than anyone. Reminds me a little of players like Zidane in that way. He seems to have it all. On top of everything he seems a thoughtful, intelligent and grounded lad.
I think that's the reason he will be considered one of the best mate. Got his head screwed on properly, is humble & grounded as you say. He knows what he's got and he seems grateful for it, and willing to work very hard to make it continue/happen
I think he's going to be the best player in the world for the next 10-15 years. He's so good it's ridiculous. Looks head and shoulders above everyone in a team that already contains some of the best players on the planet. Aged 20. (I'm assuming he's not reading this, as I don't want to put too much pressure on him )
I think that's really ridiculous when fans or managers try to dismiss goals. Because they are apparently 'only' penalties, or free kicks, or from some other set piece. If a team are good and threatening at set pieces, then that's something they deserve credit for.
I'm firmly in the Southgate holds us back camp and will be until he starts winning the really big games playing without fear. I didn't see tonight's game and am happy to be told we won well but let's be honest there was no real pressure tonight. Needing a point to qualify with games against two minnows still to come. It seems we have a rapidly developing world star in Bellingham now at the forefront of a fine group of players. When it comes to the crunch games in the Finals next year, if we play without fear in them, that's when he'll win me over.
I really don't understand this. We had 15 years or so of a golden generation who did **** all and got nowhere near what Southgate achieved. It seems daft to hammer the guy who has reached both a WC semi, lost a Euro final on penalties and but for Kane missing a penalty would probably have reached a WC final. Do I think Southgate is a tactical genius? No, but that's not what international management is about. You don't impose your own philosophy, you figure out what is the best combination of the players you have available given they spend a very limited amount of time together.
Yeah but how much of it was also possibly down to him that, after getting us there, we then totally threw away those winning positions. Leading against Croatia in the Wc Semi, and leading away to Holland in the Nations league Semi, and leading against Italy at Wembley in the Euro Final. As good as that is to keep getting that far, a large part of me also thinks it could/should have been so much better. And it disappoints me to have to admit that.
