Netherlands v England - Wed 10th July, 20:00 | Euro 2024 Semi-Final

[mattcity5]

It was nothing to do with Shaw. The Dutch changed their formation, meaning they outnumbered us in midfield. Therefore we couldn’t pass between the lines as easily, so our possession tended to be slow and uncreative.

Our spare man was in defence and that’s where we passed mostly in the second half until Watkins spread the play.

Shaw sent in a lovely ball that Watkins nearly scored from just before he actually did score.

This is it.

The Dutch having been fairly open this tournament, and I think they'd seen how negative England had been, expected more of the same and thought it wouldn't be much of a problem to them.

We surprised them by taking the game to them and putting them on the back foot. They adjusted at half time and became much more compact, reducing the spaces for Foden, Mainoo and Saka to operate in. Much more like the other games we've played this tournament against slightly lower level countries.

That was why we were worse second half, not because of Luke Shaw.

 

[Bewar3them00n]

This was the performance that should’ve been the base level to start with from the opening game, not in the semifinal.
England will certainly have to step it up a few notches Vs Spain, have a perfect game, not just a good 45, Southgate will need to change it up as soon as the performance flags in the 2nd half, keep the intensity up, Palmer, & Watkins have proven themselves, & if Southgate has promised everyone has a part to play, then Gordon’s pace is also an option.
Can England step it up another notch in the final? can Southgate fully throw off the handbrake, or are we going to be taught a footballing lesson by Spain?

 

[Ajm1985]

I have explained. England looked worse in that second half and not the team that started the game. Shaw wasn't needed at half time. An adjust in central midfield was. As your angling for an argument BlueHammer so I leave you be.

That isn't an explanation of how Shaw's substitution apparently made everything worse or made Foden worse or made England imbalanced - you are just saying things were worse.

 

[SebastianBlue]

This is it.

The Dutch having been fairly open this tournament, and I think they'd seen how negative England had been, expected more of the same and thought it wouldn't be much of a problem to them.

We surprised them by taking the game to them and putting them on the back foot. They adjusted at half time and became much more compact, reducing the spaces for Foden, Mainoo and Saka to operate in. Much more like the other games we've played this tournament against slightly lower level countries.

That was why we were worse second half, not because of Luke Shaw.

And certainly not because of Foden.

 

[Ajm1985]

It was nothing to do with Shaw. The Dutch changed their formation, meaning they outnumbered us in midfield. Therefore we couldn’t pass between the lines as easily, so our possession tended to be slow and uncreative.

Our spare man was in defence and that’s where we passed mostly in the second half until Watkins spread the play.

Shaw sent in a lovely ball that Watkins nearly scored from just before he actually did score.

Indeedy, as I've stated - more bodies in midfield and a change to zonal marking rather than m2m. I'm bewildered as to a reading of it being Shaw's fault/appearance and that being reason to start Trippier.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

I didn't get to see the game last night as I was at the Co-op Live watching Kings Of Leon. It was a great gig but obviously plenty of people weren't always totally focused as they were trying to find out the score. Internet coverage was hit and miss but I had my Bet365 app open when England scored the penalty. Others were watching delayed streams on their phones so the cheers only started about 30 seconds after I knew we'd scored.

In the dying minutes of the game someone next to me was watching it on his phone. Again, he was behind by about a minute. I wasn't paying much attention until he said "I think we've scored!". The match was still showing 1-1 but he'd had a pop-up from a WhatsApp chat from a mate. At this point there were no big cheers around the arena but I checked my own phone and sure enough I had a WhatsApp from a mate too. It was only when the bloke's phone got to the point of Watkins scoring that pockets of cheers started to break out around the place. I'm not sure what the band members thought - being from Tennessee - but they certainly fed off it, and a short while later the drummer had somehow managed to snaffle an England retro shirt from somewhere!

I see The Killers actually paused their gig at the O2 and streamed the last few minutes of the match!

I saw a clip where sweet Caroline was being sung at the KOL gig.

Fun fact. Nathan Fallowill is a City fan.

 

[cheekybids]

Well that was a bit more like it.

Thought everyone bar maybe Kane, Bellingham and Rice had a really good game.

If we can repeat that on Sunday, we should have at least a fighting chance. Still clearly underdogs though.

Rice definitely needs to up his game if Rodri isn’t going to totally run the show though. Although I have to say, after mocking the early hype that Mainoo is looking like he’s going to be a serious player. Not sure I can ever recall a player so young playing that position with such authority.

All the City boys looked right back on their game aswell, so looking forward to Sunday. Hopefully we can give them a decent game and after that, who knows?

I thought exactly the same & have been critical of Mainoo. I think he’s played really well & connected with Foden.

I think our own Rico is under-estimated when you see how £105m Rice can’t take the ball off the defence on the half turn.

 

[Crooked_rain]

I thought exactly the same & have been critical of Mainoo. I think he’s played really well & connected with Foden.

I think our own Rico is under-estimated when you see how £105m Rice can’t take the ball off the defence on the half turn.

The thing I've criticised Mainoo about in the past was his positional awareness but that's because he's been asked to have more defensive responsibility at the rags and he's either not good enough to take that responsibility or not experienced enough, or maybe a bit of both.

He was essentially drafted into a rag team to do a job that multiple Champions League winner casemiro can no longer do because he can't run. But from what ive seen, he's not that kind of player. I think he was part of the problem for the rags, their midfield being too easy to play through. He wasn't an improvement on Casemiro in that respect.

Get him next a solid defense midfielder and let him concentrate more on driving with the ball and he definitely has talent.

As much as I'd like to criticise the little rag, there's definitely a potentially very good player in there, if he's used right.

I don't see a very versatile player and don't think he will be even in the future, but I see a player who will carry out a task very well if used to his strengths

He's better on the ball than Bellingham anyway.

 

[Vienna_70]

The commentators seemed to take great delight in pointing out how many games Phil has played for England, since his last goal or assist.

It’s no fucking wonder, as he’s been stuck out on the left, in a very conservative setup for most of that time.

 

[cheekybids]

The thing I've criticised Mainoo about in the past was his positional awareness but that's because he's been asked to have more defensive responsibility at the rags and he's either not good enough to take that responsibility or not experienced enough, or maybe a bit of both.

He was essentially drafted into a rag team to do a job that multiple Champions League winner casemiro can no longer do because he can't run. But from what ive seen, he's not that kind of player. I think he was part of the problem for the rags, their midfield being too easy to play through. He wasn't an improvement on Casemiro in that respect.

Get him next a solid defense midfielder and let him concentrate more on driving with the ball and he definitely has talent.

As much as I'd like to criticise the little rag, there's definitely a potentially very good player in there, if he's used right.

I don't see a very versatile player and don't think he will be even in the future, but I see a player who will carry out a task very well if used to his strengths

He's better on the ball than Bellingham anyway.

That’s exactly what I’ve criticised hm for. Mainoo plus Rice to do Rodris job.

 

[Crooked_rain]

That’s exactly what I’ve criticised hm for. Mainoo plus Rice to do Rodris job.

And still not as good

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

I criticise Mainoo because he had a leg up by virtue of just being a utd player. Fast tracked into the squad whilst there were other better players, at the same age, just that they dont get the spotlight that comes with utd.

He's turned out alright though tbf. Still got a leg up though.

 

[cheekybids]

I criticise Mainoo because he had a leg up by virtue of just being a utd player. Fast tracked into the squad whilst there were other better players, at the same age, just that they dont get the spotlight that comes with utd.

He's turned out alright though tbf. Still got a leg up though.

The things he’s done well is what Rico has demonstrated for 2 seasons.

 

[Crooked_rain]

The things he’s done well is what Rico has demonstrated for 2 seasons.

Rico can do that job for sure but it's hard to see him breaking into the England squad again unless he starts getting more game time at City. Let's see what the new season brings.

I don't think Rico really kicked on last season from the season before

 

[SebastianBlue]

I thought exactly the same & have been critical of Mainoo. I think he’s played really well & connected with Foden.

I think our own Rico is under-estimated when you see how £105m Rice can’t take the ball off the defence on the half turn.

And Rice is shite scared of making a forward pass.

That was the most frustrating thing for me. Time and time again he would receive the ball with no pressure, turn to look down field, see at least one (if not more) channels to pass the ball through to a waiting forward player in a decent position, but instead choose to play the ball sideways or backward.

Only when the wingbacks or the forward players dropped deep did they regularly get the ball off Rice; Mainoo (and at times Foden) had to do all of the progressive passing, which he thankfully did very well.

I understand that Rice isn’t meant to play the Rodri role in the England side, nor is he meant to be the deep-lying playmaker, but he can at least pass the ball forward once or twice a match, surely!

 

[cheekybids]

And Rice is shite scared of making a forward pass.

That was the most frustrating thing for me. Time and time again he would receive the ball with no pressure, turn to look down field, see at least one (if not more) channels to pass the ball through to a waiting forward player in a decent position, but instead choose to play the ball sideways or backward.

Only when the wingbacks or the forward players dropped deep did they regularly get the ball off him, Mainoo (and at time Foden) had to do all of the progressive passing, which he thankfully did very well.

I understand that Rice isn’t meant to play the Rodri role in the England side, nor is he meant to be the deep-lying playmaker, but he can at least pass the ball forward once or twice a match, surely!

The Dutch adjustment was to leave him on the ball.

 

[paulchapo]

And Rice is shite scared of making a forward pass.

That was the most frustrating thing for me. Time and time again he would receive the ball with no pressure, turn to look down field, see at least one (if not more) channels to pass the ball through to a waiting forward player in a decent position, but instead choose to play the ball sideways or backward.

Only when the wingbacks or the forward players dropped deep did they regularly get the ball off Rice; Mainoo (and at times Foden) had to do all of the progressive passing, which he thankfully did very well.

I understand that Rice isn’t meant to play the Rodri role in the England side, nor is he meant to be the deep-lying playmaker, but he can at least pass the ball forward once or twice a match, surely!

That was the most frustrating thing, though to be fair Kane wasn't making any runs in behind. As soon as Watkins came on he made the run, Palmer saw it, gave him the pass and the rest is history. Kane has to be dropped for the final as we'll be on the backfoot for most of the game and we need players able to stretch them on the break.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

And Rice is shite scared of making a forward pass.

That was the most frustrating thing for me. Time and time again he would receive the ball with no pressure, turn to look down field, see at least one (if not more) channels to pass the ball through to a waiting forward player in a decent position, but instead choose to play the ball sideways or backward.

Only when the wingbacks or the forward players dropped deep did they regularly get the ball off Rice; Mainoo (and at times Foden) had to do all of the progressive passing, which he thankfully did very well.

I understand that Rice isn’t meant to play the Rodri role in the England side, nor is he meant to be the deep-lying playmaker, but he can at least pass the ball forward once or twice a match, surely!

Rice was actually third in the Premier League for passes into the final third last season, but the gulf between him (240) and Rodri in first (378) is fucking ridiculous

Rice was only just above Dias and Akanji, in fact

 

[SebastianBlue]

Rice was actually third in the Premier League for passes into the final third last season, but the gulf between him (240) and Rodri in first (378) is fucking ridiculous

Rice was only just above Dias and Akanji, in fact

Which indicates either Rice is scared of making a mistake passing forward in the England team or Southgate has instructed him to seldom do it.

Either way, there is a problem.

I also wonder about the average pass distance for those passes in to the final third—my gut would have Rodri’s average much higher than Rice based on his role and how we play versus Rice’s role and how Arsenal plays. That is, Rice made far more 15 yard forward passes from just inside the middle third of the pitch than Rodri did.

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

Rice was actually third in the Premier League for passes into the final third last season.

The bit your didn't mention, was it was the other team's final third!