I know I am biased as a City fan but I think Gundogan has been fantastic for Germany in this tournament. The performance against Portugal was superb. It was amazing to watch the pragmatic Germans playing with so much freedom. What pisses me off is I honestly believe that England have the players to produce the same sort of style but it will never happen.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.
The difference is the sides you mention, while having their own shit moments, have another gear to go up and often produce when the chips are down. England stumble and stutter through and that is our top gear, so when we meet a better team we're. fucked.
We've had three poor performances but won two, just and drawn one, as I said in a later post I guess you have to give credit for that.
It's the moaning that makes watching England bearable. We should always qualify for tournaments because the odds are stacked heavily in the top teams favour. It's what we do when we get there that's the moot point. We now have a great crop of exciting, technically gifted young players. This tournament is probably too soon for them to win it but we should be seeing signs of real progress in style and substance but we're not really
We create very little and the teams we have faced are not top teams, I don't think the players are being slagged, more the Manager for his lack of how to set a team up to play possession based attacking football, rather than possession based defensive, dull football. There's no fluidity to England's football which isn't good enough when the manager has had as long as Southgate has had.And how did France play against Hungary ?
Spain.. drab draws v Sweden and Poland
Not many play such amazing attacking football in tournament football, recent Euro winners Portugal were Terrible and they won the thing , same for Greece.
international football is often tight, uneventful and defensive because so much is riding on it.
so far we’ve had one poor performance v Scotland and 2 good performances against Czech and World Cup finalists Croatia.
I’m not expecting us to win the Euros. Absolutely not. But the constant negativity against England and slagging off at players is more tiring than watching any England game.
He's got the entire setup wrong. How many of those players play with 2 defensive midfielders in their club side? Why is Kane constantly coming to pick the ball up near the half way line? He should be told just to stay in the box and do what he does best and be an outlet for other players and score goals.Yes. You have been spoiled!
But previous tournament winners have shown that’s how you often win tournaments
I think most managers in the world set up with 2 defensive mids then the 3 behind a lone striker.
I don’t see that as negative.
I think at International football it’s just very hard to get the same fluidity that you get from the Prem, simply because players are not used to each other - rather than the managers input tactically.
Correct, we could get through with another "nil", but with the players at his disposal the way we play is bordering on criminal. We have a good defence, and in Phillips a good sitter in front, who can also play the ball forward decisively, and the team has pace too, but he doesn't utilise it.We create very little and the teams we have faced are not top teams, I don't think the players are being slagged, more the Manager for his lack of how to set a team up to play possession based attacking football, rather than possession based defensive, dull football.
How would you play them though, given that Sterling's favourite side is the left, same as Foden ? (I'd play Philipps on his showing so far, he looks more capable of passing forward to me.My team for next Tuesday would be
Pickford
Shaw
Stones
Maguire
Walker
Philips/Rice(can't decide)
Bellingham
Mount
Foden
Kane
Sterling
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 ;)I know I am biased as a City fan but I think Gundogan has been fantastic for Germany in this tournament. The performance against Portugal was superb. It was amazing to watch the pragmatic Germans playing with so much freedom. What pisses me off is I honestly believe that England have the players to produce the same sort of style but it will never happen.