Denmark vs England

The TAA experiment can work if you drop Rice and ask Bellingham to drop back into central midfield and ask Stones to be braver on the ball.

 

I think its incumbent on a manager to get a team in a style that gels as a unit, is tactically flexible, entertains and wins. These can be interchangeable and ultimately people remember the wins. But Southgate falls down a lot because his teams dont look like well-drilled units. They look unsure and play often as individuals rather than a team. They sometimes get wins but as has been said they also get lucky with those wins. They also lose games sometimes because of tactical naivety/stupidity. Its always safety first, damage limitation, sit it out with Southgate regardless of context. He's very very poor tactically and his premier league players look stifled and unsure of themselves because of that restrictive mindset. He has to go.

 

Yeah what was that about, 90 minutes and Pickford is peeing about with Stones there in midfield at the free kick. And he passed it forward 5 yards, and nothing comes from it. Ridiculous!!.

 

Oh god.

Southgate has just said that we don't have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillps.

You're making it very hard Gareth ffs.

 

Its embarrassing, mate. There's no 2 ways about that. Jesus wept. Its Denmark as well ffs. Not France or Spain!!

 

Lampard, Shearer and Neville all failed as manager. Shearer got Newcastle relegated. Neville a shambles at Valencia. Lampard poor at every club that didn't have Reece James and Mason Mount in the Championship.

Wright no managerial or coaching experience. Ferdinand a failed international footballer who never got past the quarter finals and was part of a fractured dressing room that didn't speak to anyone from a different club.

I like Micah Richards though. Seems a good bloke.

 

Fair play Fonzie, you argue with good grace.

 

By the way I didn't really want to say it, in case of it being bad luck etc. And to be honest, it doesn't really matter now does it lol.
Our game against Denmark at Euro '92, was also a draw (a 0-0), and it was also on a Thursday as well!.
Yeah, you didn't know that did you!.

 

Debate is good - its why we're all here. And when people are passionate and try to back up their point with reasoned debate then this board is brilliant.

But Kalvin Phillips. I think that's just cost me my argument.

 

No need to apologise and thanks for the considered reply.

No, by failure I don’t necessarily mean not winning the tournaments - though we had a good chance to, particularly the euros obviously.

I meant consistent failure to capitalise on a game in which we were on top, not just winning - but with the momentum, and the team of players, to go on and win the games comfortably. If you don’t watch the games themselves and just look at the record, Southgate looks incredible. I concede that. But I have watched all the games - and the same thing happening is the frustration for me.

The one tournament I don’t consider to be a failure in that regard is the last World Cup where we lost to France. That was the one time I thought we rolled up our sleeves and had a go against a side who were arguably stronger on paper all over the field. That was the one time where, whilst disappointed to be knocked out of course, I didn’t feel the team had been shackled by him - and yet we seem to have reverted to type so far this summer.

We will get out the group, and let’s see what happens from there. You are right to say I can’t conclude we won’t win anything - but I can confidently say we won’t if performances are akin to the two we’ve seen so far.

 

To be fair it’s like the 1970 Brazil side losing Pele us not having Phillips.

 

All very opinionated though.

 

So many issues with the team & the way we’re set up.

Left back’s a massive issue. He should’ve taken two fully fit natural left backs. I understand not taking Chilwell, he’s injury prone but Mitchell of Palace was in great form & Hall of Newcastle just won their player of the month for April & has played in the under 21’s.

Everytime Trippier gets it he passes back. It’s not his fault. He’s right footed & he’s not particularly quick so he’s never going to go round the outside.

He needs to stand up to Kane & Foden & tell them that they’re messing the balance of the whole team up. They need to stretch sides. All this nonsense about Foden not been at his best on the left needs putting to bed. He’s never performed for England up to now even in his preferred position & Bellingham has the no. 10 role. Foden needs to be told to stay high & wide & make runs behind the defenders for players like Trent to pick him out.

It’s like kids football watching Foden & Kane come inside & take Bellingham’s space. It’s basic stuff that you need off the ball runners to create space for team mates.

It’s almost like Foden feels he’s above the role of been a wide man for England as he’s had a great season as a number 10 for City & wants to be the main man. I watched players like Iniesta & Fabregas have to play wide for Spain as they had an abundance of riches in the middle. You might not want to play there but you suck it up & do your best for the team.

Shearer & Lineker’s comments about Kane are spot on. Shearer was right about him in the first game too when he was saying Kane not having many touches wasn’t a bad thing. He needs to be high up the pitch occupying defenders. He just causes problems coming deep.

Fair play to Southgate for showing some balls & dragging Foden & Kane off but he needs to be firmer in the next game & tell them if it happens again they’re out of the side for players like Watkins & Gordon that will stretch sides & create space for others.

And I actually feel sorry for Trent. He’s been picked for his passing ability but Foden & Kane are constantly coming short. Taking Trent off just before Watkins came on makes no sense. If you play him he needs to be on the pitch at the same time as one or two of Saka, Gordon, Bowen & Watkins otherwise it’s pointless.

 

It's been poor, no doubt at all. However we are still in it and look good to progress to the next stage.

 

Bellingham is an amazing midfielder, probably one of the best 3 in the world right now but wasn't in the game at all tonight. Pull him on the hour and put a left winger on to see how that goes. Of course he then starts your next game but tonight wasn't his night.

 

So is Laurence Fox.

 

I've just found one:

 

I'll leave it there.

 

I find the idea that Grealish is what we’re missing ridiculous. The last thing we need is another player to slow the tempo of the game down.

 

Spain look like they would absolutely murder us, shown more intent in 10 minutes than we have in 180.