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

[JTFactsPlz]

Zero game management in the last 20 minutes. Would love to know the real reason Grealish didn’t go.

Because Southgate doesn't like Jack personally, and Jack having a tricky season with City gave Waistcoat the excuse he's always been looking for to drop him.

 

[Craig]

Before I start I don't rate Southgate but the above statement is just wrong.

He took over from the utter top hat Allardyce and has created a spirit in the England team I have never seen before in my time as a football fan.

Southgate has almost created a club side mentality, no cliques, no issues and a squad of players fighting for the shirt.

The only issue with Southgate is tactically and making the big decisions during games, something so far he has looked out of his depth at.

The Foden we know at City has so far not turned up for England but that's has happened to dozen of players before and will in the future.

Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes 3 players that never reproduced their club form regularly in the National team.

Your last paragraph is spot on. However, what was the problem back then? Shoehorning players in who weren’t suited to the position they played and a rigid formation. Scholes stuck on the left is the same thing we’re seeing now with Phil.

 

[JTFactsPlz]

everyone on here has an irrational hatred of Bellingham it seems, he was the only fucker who looked any good last night. Just saying.

Hating someone because they're an arrogant, egotistical **** isn't "irrational". Far from it, in fact.

 

[Crooked_rain]

He thinks he’s being progressive having him there instead of a Henderson or Gallagher type. Al it’s doing is helping to completely unbalance the side at the expense of probably our most talented player. That left side looked nonexistent last night but wait until we play a good team that attacks us down there.

I'd honestly pick Gallagher ahead of Arnold if we stick with this system of Foden left and Bellingham 10.

Rice has to stay disciplined in his England role, so I think the midfield would benefit more from a gallagher type next to him, he's someone with enough energy to get you moving up the pitch.

Arnold doesn't do that, he only offers long range punts, 90% of which never find their target. I think Gallagher would at least bridge the gap better between Rice and the forwards.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hyping up Gallagher, he's certainly nothing special but for a team to function I think he would serve the team better than Arnold. Arnold is a luxury/wasteful player that we can't afford to have in midfield.

The reality is neither Gallagher or Arnold should be starting. Bellingham should drop a bit deeper as an "8" and Foden goes in his position but Waistcoat hasn't got the nutsack to tell Bellingham to play that role, even though he did for Dortmund.

 

[mackenzie]

I'm sick to bleeding death of hearing about Jude Bellingham already.

 

[Keeper!]

Your last paragraph is spot on. However, what was the problem back then? Shoehorning players in who weren’t suited to the position they played and a rigid formation. Scholes stuck on the left is the same thing we’re seeing now with Phil.

All due respect but great players play in any position.

I do think we as a nation over rate our players so much.

Foden matured incredibly this season, he was magnificent but so far for England's that's not the case, but does he have the same quality of players around him for the National team?

We all know the answer to that

 

[Ghandi's Flip Flops]

Unpopular opinion: but I see Bellingham in his current guise as part of the problem, not the solution. He's just the twisted love child of Bryan Robson & Gerrard.
Robson in the 80s world cups was all over the show, box to box, (even scoring one of the quickest WC goals etc) and the media constantly rating him 9/10 or 10/10.
The problem was, the team was struggling, with the likes of Hoddle having to plug the gaping holes left in midfield by Robson and not allowed to play his natural game.
It was only after fortuitous injuries to Robson, and the intro of Reid and Wilkins that England started to look like a team.
Roll on the years and the same happened with Gerrard. All over show and never where he should be, and the team always looking unbalanced, to accommodate him.
Bellingham seems to be exactly the same, constantly encroaching into other players positions hindering their game, no discipline or positional awareness, causing chaos within the team, and then the team lose any semblance of control once his energy levels drop.
And now the media are also championing him as our great hope.
Would Pep give him as much free reign as Southgate? Not a chance, he would reign him in like he did with Grealish for the betterment of the team.
Unless England get a decent manager like Pep, we've got another 12+ years of this shit to come.

Posted in the England Euro squad thread but thought I'd add it here as well

 

[stonerblue]

Hating someone because they're an arrogant, egotistical **** isn't "irrational". Far from it, in fact.

So you've met Bellingham have you?

 

[Keeper!]

I'm sick to bleeding death of hearing about Jude Bellingham already.

Would you if he played in sky blue?

 

[BerkshireBlue]

Absolutely no shape to that team whatsoever.

I thought it was 3 5 2 for the first 10 minutes which worked perfectly (and actually suited the players on the pitch) then Foden moved to the left and stopped wondering and it ended up being 4 5 1 for the rest of the match. so no surprises that Kane was isolated and Foden not at his best.

 

[metalblue]

You’re right he won’t get moved. So there lies the problem. You have a midfielder alongside Rice who’s not up to it whoever you pick. Your most talented player in Foden completely wasted to the point he’ll probably end up losing his place as the tournament goes on. An absolutely unbalanced team with nothing down the left.

It was obvious once he left Grealish out that Foden would be in his worst position and the team would lack balance. This moron in charge as had over a year to plan for this.

If he was set on playing such a deep defensive line he needs the odd ball carrier in that team. Grealish would have done that job for him all day, got him up the pitch and win fouls…then we could lob the ball in for the big lad to score - which is about Southgates coaching level. Foden was the only one I remember doing it with any success (once). It makes his decision to leave Grealish out even more bizarre.

Based on what I saw last night it appears Southgate is, having picked an unbalanced team, just relying on the players to figure it out.

 

[splinter]

Whatever for? He creates and scores goals. Play him in his correct position and get the best out of him. It’s not rocket science.

I couldn't give a flying fuck about England..want Phil to chill on the bench..Nice and rested to destroy the prem next season. Fuck waistcoat

 

[Craig]

All due respect but great players play in any position.

I do think we as a nation over rate our players so much.

Foden matured incredibly this season, he was magnificent but so far for England's that's not the case, but does he have the same quality of players around him for the National team?

We all know the answer to that

That’s not true though because as we’ve seen with City it’s all about balance in a side. Players have different attributes and some don’t have the physical ability to play wide. Phil has a wand of a left foot but a pretty average at best right. He can’t cut in the same from the left and hit rockets with his right the way he can with his left. He also (apart from that covid spell when he had a sprint coach) doesn’t have real pace to leave quick fullbacks for dead over a distance from the left to go on the outside.

Are you saying Scholes wasn’t a great player because he couldn’t play left wing effectively?

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

I'm sick to bleeding death of hearing about Jude Bellingham already.

It's only going to get much worse !

 

[mackenzie]

Would you if he played in sky blue?

I don't care which club team any England player comes from if they do well for England. Never have. If their performance/contribution merits praise then great. But this is OTT.

 

[Keeper!]

That’s not true though because as we’ve seen with City it’s all about balance in a side. Players have different attributes and some don’t have the physical ability to play wide. Phil has a wand of a left foot but a pretty average at best right. He can’t cut in the same from the left and hit rockets with his right the way he can with his left. He also (apart from that covid spell when he had a sprint coach) doesn’t have real pace to leave quick fullbacks for dead over a distance from the left to go on the outside.

Are you saying Scholes wasn’t a great player because he couldn’t play left wing effectively?

You know what, I don't give a sh1t about England, Spain, Portugal , etc.

I wish they were all knocked out ASAP and our players this time next week were booking a long summer holiday, international football is painful.

 

[Crooked_rain]

All due respect but great players play in any position.

I do think we as a nation over rate our players so much.

Foden matured incredibly this season, he was magnificent but so far for England's that's not the case, but does he have the same quality of players around him for the National team?

We all know the answer to that

I don't think it's just case of him not having the same players around him.

Its certainly a factor though. Last night you could see him making little runs into spaces but nobody puts the ball into him. For city they would because they're well coached and have the ability and confidence they can play the ball into him between the lines and he can take it.

Even so, he was poor at times last night, a few awful passes that you would never expect from him.

Quality players like him should still be making their mark in these events. Tactically things may not be completely ideal to get the very best out of him, but it's still a game of football you're going to get opportunities to show your class or you still have to impose yourself on the game and he definitely didn't last night.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

If he was set on playing such a deep defensive line he needs the odd ball carrier in that team. Grealish would have done that job for him all day, got him up the pitch and win fouls…then we could lob the ball in for the big lad to score - which is about Southgates coaching level. Foden was the only one I remember doing it with any success (once). It makes his decision to leave Grealish out even more bizarre.

Based on what I saw last night it appears Southgate is, having picked an unbalanced team, just relying on the players to figure it out.

Surely Southgate should be road testing systems in the friendlies leading up to the Euros not in the first game. Some of those players who didn’t go must be well pissed off we started a game with three right backs instead of taking players who can actually play in those positions. His man management of players seems to be lacking and is breaking the trust of players omitted and also now playing with his bizarre tactics.

One take away from last night we are very lucky we get to see City play like they do week in week out. Last night was boring tedious stuff, hopefully Southgate ends up at Old Trafford.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

If he was set on playing such a deep defensive line he needs the odd ball carrier in that team. Grealish would have done that job for him all day, got him up the pitch and win fouls…then we could lob the ball in for the big lad to score - which is about Southgates coaching level. Foden was the only one I remember doing it with any success (once). It makes his decision to leave Grealish out even more bizarre.

Based on what I saw last night it appears Southgate is, having picked an unbalanced team, just relying on the players to figure it out.

Probably, because from all the evidence we have seen from him, he hasn't got a fucking clue about how to go about it.

 

[Keeper!]

I don't care which club team any England player comes from if they do well for England. Never have. If their performance/contribution merits praise then great. But this is OTT.

I think your telling pokies