Perhaps, but I'd like to think Duff played how we played with Thomas because at the time it was best way of getting results whilst he embeds his ideas into the squad, patiently & efficiently mate. Use any asset available to you, and if it is as simple as using one player to run half way up the pitch, use it to your advantage. The change in Cole, Benson & even Kitching to some extent has been brilliant, granted theyre in the league below, but Benson looked well off it, and I was adamant Cole would have been shipped off ASAP if we had a club lined up for him
Very true bud and I agree. Fingers crossed the board see we have a gem in the manager at present and backs him to the best of their ability - especially considering where we currently are
Big fan of his, for a lot of reasons (a few that aren’t to do with his job). I felt this was his last tournament though, prior, unless something remarkable happened. I tipped - pre-tournament - a QF exit to France, so bully me. But having experienced it, I felt we were the better team on the night and very unlucky not to advance. Harsh then, to suggest Gareth has to go. But I do wonder if someone could get that bit more out of the team at this stage. He’s had a good run. He’s done a great job. Maybe it’s time for a change? In essence, I’m on the fence.
Arsene Wenger or Mickel Arteta. At a push Mauricio Pochettino or Jose Mouinho. They have to understand the English game. I hate saying this but Alex Ferguson is wasted under his Nationwide Sun Awning with his foot spa and Stanna Stair lift.
Best manager England have ever had. Southgate didn't miss a penalty today, nor did he ignore a blatant foul before France scored their first. Best team, by a considerable distance, lost today. That's football. Seen it happen many times. It feels very unjust but it's just football. We keep a very good manager and don't let the nutters rule.
I don't blame him either. He missed a penalty. It happens. Sometimes the poorer side wins. Barnsley have won when being the inferior side dozens of times in my lifetime. It just is what it is.
Never heard anyone call Southgate the best manager England have ever had - isn't football wonderful when people can have such opposing views on the same match/player/manager etc! He's certainly done an excellent job at changing players perspectives. United together under the England badge instead of divided by which club the footballer plays for. It certainly took some doing after the abysmal effort from our lads in 2016.
Stick with Southgate for me. We have played some great football at the WC. He is a great ambassador for English football. We were marginally beaten by the best team in the tournament & it could have gone either way, but I do think France edged it slightly on chances. Is anyone putting forward a better name that would take it? No. No. No.
I've made no secret of my dislike for Southgate's tactics or that I think that they cost us in the WCSF v Croatia and the Euro final against Italy. I've no complaints about last night though. We played well, were marginally the better of two very good sides; a view that was backed up by the Irish tv commentators who usually relish having a dig at us. That said we had to chase much of the game so he had no opportunity for a negative approach. i think we have one of the best teams in the world. You could throw a handkerchief over the top five or six. With the squad he has he should absolutely have achieved what he has. Let's not forget that in losing to Belgium in the group in 2018 we were then handed an unbelievably friendly route to the semi finals against teams we would have expected to beat. And this tournament we again, beat teams we should have expected to including a Senegal lacking Mane. We need someone to really harness the talents in the team. Who that is, I'm not sure but for those saying no more foreigners I'd take Klopp in an instant. Anyway, thanks Gareth. A decent bloke but, given the players he's hsd available, time to try someone else.
You have now I don’t agree he is the best, Ramsay and Robson were better from my point of view but there is no doubt he has done a great job and he is definitely the best for some time
