Denmark v England - Thu 20th June, 17:00 | Euro 2024 Group C

[supercity88]

It has occurred to me that this might be at least part of the reason for England perennially underperforming. When they get to the summer they just don't have any freshness. You look at Kev, and he never really turns up for Belgium. This is arguably the best midfielder in the world for several seasons. For his club.

As for anyone saying that these England players do not have the basic ability of any other team in the tournament, sorry, but that's just laughable. Several of them — all of ours, Kane, Bellingham — play in the undisputed three best club sides in Europe, never mind England. All the others (and yes, that includes Alexander-Arnold) are very, very good players. It's not about that.
This is one of the most talented generations of England players since the 1990 team. To say, “Oh, Southgate got them to a Euro final and a WC semi-final”, well, I'm going to call it — with what he's got at his disposal, that just isn't good enough. England should be bloody winning things from time to time!

I do think fitness has played a part in previous tournaments. Generally the majority are going in having played in what is the most physically demanding league in the world and playing a considerable number of games. Capello made the decision to work them like dogs in 2010 doing high altitude training and we were absolutely fucked physically when it came to the tournament.

But there's also a cultural issue that's existed for just as long. We believe we're the best. Our league is the best, our players are the best. It's simply not true. We've always lagged behind our rivals when it comes to coaching and tactics. We've never appreciated or accepted that tactics are as vital as players. If you have the right system and tactical approach it can take you far in tournaments. Picking the best players as individuals doesn't work. And we've never had a manager who has been able to figure that out.

The way Southgate wants to play means it's Foden or Bellingham not both. He has to choose one and play someone who'll stretch the play wide left and run beyond Kane. It's not the way we should play or what I would do, but if that's how he wants to set up tactically then he has to pick the players to implement that system and he isn't.

 

[big gaz]

He was Tofiq Bahramov and was from Azerbaijan not Russia. There is often confusion over this as Azerbaijan was a Soviet Republic at the time and many people used Russian and Soviet interchangeably.
He became a referee after a serious injury ended his career as a player.

Fuck me I've been educated on Bluemoon :-)

 

[Grassland Blue]

Scotland have a song called
No Scotland
No party.
England need similar
No Southgate
We'll party......

 

[Grassland Blue]

There’s a mood of disquiet & dissent criticising Southgate from usually staunch supporters like Lineker & others on the BBC. The common consensus is that Rice. & Bellingham need to drop back & Foden push up into his No.10 role, & get a proper winger in.
Let’s see if the light penetrates his defensive mindset

Be easier to raise the Titanic.....

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I’d be tempted to play Wharton who has played as a defensive midfielder if he wants the player next to rice

 

[skillman]

Amazed Arteta hasn’t fixed this with him yet. That and hiding behind players.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Gary Lineker's analysis is great here.



And some of what they're saying is pretty worrying, because no amount of changing players is going to improve things if the person in charge can't get the tactics right.

 

[Ithryn Luin]

I see you as Bluemoons England correspondent so I’d like ask you your views on a couple of things (genuinely not taking the piss).

- do you think England dropping back after scoring is on Southgate?

- do you think Foden should be in the 10 over Bellingham?

- has Palmer left his shin pads in London?

- why is Rice not able to play the 6 on his todd?

- why does Southgate think Phillips is Ngolo Kante?

- why does Kane think he can keep dropping into midfield and give us no outball? (relating to this, why the fuck does Southgate not tell him to stay up top and stop getting in every other fuckers way)

As Bluehammer is feeling it today I will have a go.

Yes dropping back is totally on Southgate. Do you honestly believe Pep would allow City to do that? He would be screaming at them from the sidelines. Southgate yet again stood there like the proverbial rabbit in the headlights.

Foden should play no 10, Bellingham should drop back along Rice. However, his natural game would see him joining the attack. Southsafe does not rate Phil, we know this from past tournaments. FFS he even preferred Mount to Phil.

Palmer is another no 10. I would play Phil first and then perhaps bring him on for the last 20 mins.

Rice could play the 6 on his own, however Southsafe wants two DM's.

Phillips was just a workhorse. He is now a fat lazy workhorse who cannot trap a bag of cement.

Kane should be dropped. Southgate allows him free reign.

 

[supercity88]

Southgate should have gone after that disaster against Hungary in the Nations League. He lost his drive for the job, thought about quitting and we should have taken the opportunity to part ways.

There was a lot of joy and positivity around England in the past few tournaments. Lot's of "it's coming home" which was largely in jest but with a slight air of hope around it.

I feel like the whole nation is completely bored and sapped now. People in the media have talked about there being an expectation to win it, but I haven't spoken to anyone who believes we're going to win it.

There's only one thing left to say really...

"it's fucking coming home!"

 

[ShaunMCFC]

As Bluehammer is feeling it today I will have a go.

Yes dropping back is totally on Southgate. Do you honestly believe Pep would allow City to do that? He would be screaming at them from the sidelines. Southgate yet again stood there like the proverbial rabbit in the headlights.

Foden should play no 10, Bellingham should drop back along Rice. However, his natural game would see him joining the attack. Southsafe does not rate Phil, we know this from past tournaments. FFS he even preferred Mount to Phil.

Palmer is another no 10. I would play Phil first and then perhaps bring him on for the last 20 mins.

Rice could play the 6 on his own, however Southsafe wants two DM's.

Phillips was just a workhorse. He is now a fat lazy workhorse who cannot trap a bag of cement.

Kane should be dropped. Southgate allows him free reign.

Yep, if I was to answer my own questions my answers would be very similar to your opinion.

I wanted to confirm it from a none blue, just to allay my fears that I’m a biased **** more than anything! Nice one for the reply pal