Czech Republic v England | Euro 2020 Group Stage

I agree England are playing below potential, but I think the missing link is a creative mid for the build-up, like Kroos or Gundo. Grealish is too far upfront and Rice/Henderson/Philips lack creative quality. You'll need a new Gazza ;)

Indeed, central midfield is the issue. Symptomatic of the slow transition from defence to attack. Southgate tried to fix it by having Kane, Sterling and Grealish come deep to pick up the ball. That worked occasionally but I think we would have more balance if we had just one DM. Preferably, Henderson but he is not 100% fit, alongside Mount and Grealish in those types of games. Maybe Phillips instead of Henderson due to fitness.

As they said on TV post game, we could well end up playing 352 in the next game due to the quality of opposition.
 
I think the victory and winning the group disguises just how shit England have been

their 3 games have been 3 of the worst in the competition so far

He’s a poor manager. Will spend a career after this managing teams like west brom and Fulham, never winning anything
 
Come on FFS. Saka was lively for spells in 1st half but nothing special. Don't get drawn into the hype. Leaving Foden out would be criminal and thats not me being biased .
Saka was undoubtedly the liveliest winger England have had in any of the 3 games so far, that's not buying into any hype that's just watching the 3 games, if you think foden has been better then the blue specs need to come off.

He never actually said anything about leaving foden out either, he simply said Saka was making the driving runs with the ball that we expected foden to make but has yet to do so. All correct.


I think with what we have seen so far and the known quality of players we need the following in the side

Sterling
Foden
Grealish
Saka

Not sure how you get those in a side with Kane Rice Mount and Phillips which waistcoat wanker will almost certainly play.
That would be my front 4 in the next round. I'd drop Kane who is offering the side nothing whatsoever. it's not as if he's just been unlucky, he's constantly looking to get himself involved in areas he has no business being involved and as such is not getting himself in positions for chances to come to him. and if he's not doing that, what does he bring to the side?

Doesn't have the pace to occupy space in behind, workrate isn't particularly good, his hold up play is decent but we're not playing like that and if we were dlc is better at it, he's just doing nothing. This is exactly the reason I'm praying he doesn't come to City, I've been saying for ages, the Kane we've seen for England this euros is far closer to what we would get at City than the Spurs Kane.

Would love to see England go with sterling upfront, foden behind and grealish and saka on the flanks, there's a fluidity about those 4 with all 4 capable of switching into near enough any of those roles and southgate can still stick to his laboured 2 holding midfielders plan and just let those 4 get on with it. Those 4 playing quickly on transition would be very very dangerous

Never ever going to happen though.
 
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Saka was undoubtedly the liveliest winger England have had in any of the 3 games so far, that's not buying into any hype that's just watching the 3 games, if you think foden has been better then the blue specs need to come off.

He never actually said anything about leaving foden out either, he simply said Saka was making the driving runs with the ball that we expected foden to make but has yet to do so. All correct.



That would be my front 4 in the next round. I'd drop Kane who is offering the side nothing whatsoever. it's not as if he's just been unlucky, he's constantly looking to get himself involved in areas he has no business being involved and as such is not getting himself in positions for chances to come to him. and if he's not doing that, what does he bring to the side?

Doesn't have the pace to occupy space in behind, workrate isn't particularly good, his hold up play is decent but we're not playing like that and if we were dlc is better at it, he's just doing nothing. This is exactly the reason I'm praying he doesn't come to City, I've been saying for ages, the Kane we've seen for England this euros is far closer to what we would get at City than the Spurs Kane.

Would love to see England go with sterling upfront, foden behind and grealish and saka on the flanks, there's a fluidity about those 4 with all 4 capable of switching into near enough any of those roles and southgate can still stick to his laboured 2 holding midfielders plan and just let those 4 get on with it. Those 4 playing quickly on transition would be very very dangerous

Never ever going to happen though.
In my opinion it's an awful thought to think that city could pay over 100 million for Kane.
He will be 28 when the new season starts and is already showing signs that he is too slow for this standard of football.
I think Aguero is still better than Kane and we gave him away for free.
It's a great pity that Pep never valued Aguero.
If we pay all that money for Kane plus 300 k a week we are stupid.
 
Yeah won't happen, Rice will play, Kane will play, the back 4 (keeper could be any) currently pick themselves for me, have Philips in front as he is the more creative of the 2, and seems quite good at the darker arts, then the other 5 can be any, so long as there is some balance.

Sadly I think he'll pick 3 at the back, 2 wing backs, 2 DM's, so only 3 proper attacking players next week, one of which will certainly be Kane.
I think this is a certainty. So effectively 7 defensive players on the pitch. Kane, sterling and mount (if available) will be the attack. well have no one who can keep the ball so it will go back to pickford and he’ll hoof it forward where we gift possession to the opposition.
WC semi v croatia all over again.
 
I think England will be the underdog in the next match and that is a helpful benefit.

And that defensive setup could be perfect against FRA or POR, who look for counters and won't get ANY. Walker agrees.

ET and penalties come in as additional options.

Germany though is a bit more adventurous and would even like to play at Wembley, in all respect of course.
England being the underdog historically means we'll lose as England only beat teams that we are expected to beat and sometimes not even then.

In every major tournament we have been involved in since 1966, we haven't beaten a team better or on par with us.
 
Saka was undoubtedly the liveliest winger England have had in any of the 3 games so far, that's not buying into any hype that's just watching the 3 games, if you think foden has been better then the blue specs need to come off.

He never actually said anything about leaving foden out either, he simply said Saka was making the driving runs with the ball that we expected foden to make but has yet to do so. All correct.



That would be my front 4 in the next round. I'd drop Kane who is offering the side nothing whatsoever. it's not as if he's just been unlucky, he's constantly looking to get himself involved in areas he has no business being involved and as such is not getting himself in positions for chances to come to him. and if he's not doing that, what does he bring to the side?

Doesn't have the pace to occupy space in behind, workrate isn't particularly good, his hold up play is decent but we're not playing like that and if we were dlc is better at it, he's just doing nothing. This is exactly the reason I'm praying he doesn't come to City, I've been saying for ages, the Kane we've seen for England this euros is far closer to what we would get at City than the Spurs Kane.

Would love to see England go with sterling upfront, foden behind and grealish and saka on the flanks, there's a fluidity about those 4 with all 4 capable of switching into near enough any of those roles and southgate can still stick to his laboured 2 holding midfielders plan and just let those 4 get on with it. Those 4 playing quickly on transition would be very very dangerous

Never ever going to happen though.
There's a few mitigating circumstances to Foden and Saka's performances.

Foden was singled out as England's biggest threat and as such was often double teamed in both games.

The other factor is that v CR we started with a creative midfielder allowing both Sterling and Saka more space as the opposition could no longer afford to just shut down the supply from wide areas.

I'd be more happy to see in the next game Foden on the left, Grealish central and see Sterling hug the touchline wide right with the three of them being to swap positions throughout the game all behind Kane.

I fear Henderson's name will appear in the starting XI so we're screwed anyway :-)
 

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