Must be the most negative selection to start a game ever. How many subs do we get. If this is the future if our national team game plan we have a very dull future ahead
awful team selection tonight. And the first time under Southgate I’ve felt disappointed. Maybe because I’m usually there and had a pint or two so I don’t see how boring it is. He has been let down by injuries, but not many excuses to go into a game like that and play 5 at back and 2 holding midfielders. Once Mount and Grealish came on we looked a different animal and actually looked like scoring. Hopefully Gareth can learn from this and we don’t see this England again.
I could almost understand it if it was a World Cup / Euro’s qualifier that we needed a point from to qualify but the nations league should be a free pass for us to try different systems & players as we don’t need to win it to qualify. I thought a major plus point of a back 5 was to have an extra centre back for cover so you can have a more attack minded midfield yet we combine 3 centre backs with 2 holding midfielders. Phillips may prove himself a worthy England player in the future but I really don’t know why he’s brought into the team to partner a similar type in Rice when Mount’s on the bench.
Gave up interest in watching England. a couple of decades ago. Look at the results if I’m reminded they’re playing from outlets like this. Even if they reach the latter stages of a competition I may watch. ( I still want us to win. But I’d say that about ANY sport or games) But they don’t exactly thrill when I’ve seen em.
To be honest i feel like giving up on em. Southgate has been in the role for ages now and the selections and set ups still seem to me like a manager who doesn't have a clear plan or blueprint on how we should operate as a team. 3 or 4 at the back? Attacking or holding midfield? Balance? Wide attack or down the middle? Have no idea what our identity is as a team right now. Press, attacking, defensive, keep ball, punt ball... i haven't a clue what our ambition is. We have gone backwards since the semi finals. Yesterday looked like a team he picked to deliver no creativity, no drive or ambition, no new ideas, to frustrate and to bore the hell out of the opposition (and supporters). He succeeded fully.
These are essentially friendlies, they have a competitive skin on them to make them more meaningful. It was a poor, defensive selection, it needed someone with more vision in midfeld. However, it was a friendly and Southgate was testing new players and ideas.
