Serbia v England - Sun 16th June, 20:00 | Euro 2024 Group C

[cleavers]

After a good start, it was mostly turgid to watch, as expected with this idiot in charge.

 

[Lauz9888]

Don't want to sound like a stuck record - what's done is done - but that second half was crying out for Jack. When you're defending way too deep and lumping the ball up the pitch whenever you can get hold of it, there's immeasurable value in a player who can stay high and wide, gather the ball from a panicked pass, and keep hold of it for long enough for the rest of the team to get out of its own box. Especially when Kane drops so deep too.

The set-up fucks Phil over but I can't help but feel that's a result of some misguided compromise. Southgate is telling Phil he's on the left "but it's okay, come inside whenever you want" because he knows Phil wants to play central. It'd serve the team better (and give Phil a better-defined role) to tell him he needs to occupy the wide left space when he doesn't have the ball, and in which sort of scenarios it makes sense for him to bring it central.

At the minute he's just lurking awkwardly in the half-space, and neither he nor his teammates seem to understand where he's expected to be.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

Everyone putting the boot in for Foden these cunts are loving it, why are England trying to play a system they’ve never played before first game of an international tournament. We’ve ended up with three right backs starting which is nuts, and sticking one as a holding midfielder in Alexander Arnold.

First time we play a team with a bit of quality England will be out. You can’t be searching for a system to play first up in a group game. This should have been done in the friendlies.

Just mind boggling that the solution to TAA being the weakest defender in the squad is to pretend he's a midfielder instead of just benching him

 

[PragueBlue]

Bit insipid.

Have an easy group and will obviously progress to the knockout stage but not much fun to watch. I can't see them winning it but you never know.

 

[mrbelfry]

Uuuuurgh so much nonsense on bbc about Foden. Man was demanding the ball constantly

 

[RayCTID]

dont think so, we would have had two chasing pickfords hoof

Would have played in Serbia's hands. There was a lack of control from England in that performance.

 

[Totnes Blue]

He's just talked about himself in the third person.Sign of a massive ego.What a bellend.

 

[Totnes Blue]

Bellingham that is.

 

[RayCTID]

Uuuuurgh so much nonsense on bbc about Foden. Man was demanding the ball constantly

Called it before the tournament began that Phil is the neutrals scapegoat (not that he was brilliant vs Serbia)

 

[Jesus2020]

England fans have no idea about what good football is. Utd and arsenal fans would sell any player for Foden on their team but all of a sudden he's not good enough? Jokers.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

ITN are absolute wankers, remind me of the Utd v City anniversary year.

Cunts!

 

[Kippax77]

But at least Jude got lots of camera time..... the cnut

PS sorry if that upsets you England diehards, i just can't stand him

 

[Phil1]

just generally curious - hasn't Foden played most of his career for City on the left attacking side ? I know he's played more central last season or so and been superb, but before that he was on the left and he was still frighteningly good.

For him to flourish he needs quick balls on the half turn. Not one England player is capable of those passes so he runs into pocket’s constantly only for the ball to go sideways or backwards.
This shitshow will never get the best out of him because englands stars are the media driven ones who normally play in red.
Bellingham is quality but I’ve never seen him do anything other than 10 minute cameos when he fancies it.

 

[mexico1970]

Typical England performance, started well and flattered to deceive come full time. 3 points in the bag will get out of this group and get fucked off against a cohesive side either in 90 mins or penalties.

 

[Bantamgaz]

The biggest surprise tonight ?????

That folk are actually surprised at this sort of performance.

The man should have been fooked off after the Italy final he is fooking clueless.
You could have put any player into that team tonight and they would have struggled.
The attacking 4 have a total of well over 100 goal between but wasted yet again on a fooking negative coach.

 

[HelloCity]

just generally curious - hasn't Foden played most of his career for City on the left attacking side ? I know he's played more central last season or so and been superb, but before that he was on the left and he was still frighteningly good.

It’s hard for wide players to impact the game when they receive the ball so deep. It’s why Saka also completely went out of the game 2nd half.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

We won our first game.

 

[GortonBlue62]

Not sure I get the bellingham hate on here. If he'd chose us....

I'd prefer him as an 8 and phil as 10 but they are right. Bellingham is grabbing it by both balls.

Surely if the post match discussion is about Jude, the question has to be where was his influence in the second half? Does he get a free pass for the last hour?

 

[BlueHammer85]

TAA what’s the point? England can’t afford a tourist in midfield, he can’t defend either. Both Kane & Foden wasted tonight because there’s no connective tissue. Foden & Bellingham need to be closer, & someone who can put a shift in, not be carried like TAA. That was almost as bad as the Iceland game

i know this isn't popular, but TAA does give us something different - there's not many players that have the range of passing he does, he can create and score and set pieces are a major factor in tournaments. I would stick with him in the centre midfield role where we lack options.

 

[marco]

i wonder what pep thinks,, it would be nice to know but we never will