England v Slovakia - Sun 30th June, 17:00 | Euro 2024 Round of 16

[Akira]

Think he’s getting on now but I’ve always rated Xhaka. Akanje is sublime at CB.

Always thought that Xhaka was good. Good player, good leader. Key part of Leverkusen's unbeaten season, and key member of Arteta's squad. Had a terrible start with Arsenal where the fans were all on his back, left that behind and never looked back since.

Funnily, the one manager who couldn't make him work was the one who bought him - Wenger.

 

[SWPISHOME]

Think he’s getting on now but I’ve always rated Xhaka. Akanje is sublime at CB.

He had a tough time it at Arsenal, He was there a fair few years and always seemed like the fans was on his back. He had a good season with them when they finished second behind us two years ago.

Seems like he's now found a system which suits him at Leverkusen, Some will say it's a league that's not as tough as the Premier League but he's done well under Alsonso and had always been pretty good with Switzerland.

Akanji is an absolute animal, He's a nightmare for strikers to play against, What way do you go about getting the better of him? Defensively he's so quick and he's a unit to try and get around. I'm not just saying it because I'm a City fan wearing tinted glasses but he's been player of the tournament so far imo himself a Musiala have been the standouts for me.

 

[BlueHammer85]

I stated last night but have to repeat that the problems stem from having a right footed left back.
Trippier can only take the ball with his back to the touchline and thus cannot play a forward pass limiting options on the left.
Mrs PJ asked me why the back four were passing to each other all game. The lack of movement in front was eye watering.
Guehi for all his endeavours does not look comfortable on the ball.
Kane looks like his boots are made of cement whilst Saka is predictable.
May not be right but just my honest opinion.

I agree. Trippier has done well really considering thats just not his posistion and being right footed but we lack movement on that left.
I liked Saka going LB yesterday and that would also free up a position for Palmer or Gordon to come in, but may be a risk defensively going forward.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

I stated last night but have to repeat that the problems stem from having a right footed left back.
Trippier can only take the ball with his back to the touchline and thus cannot play a forward pass limiting options on the left.
Mrs PJ asked me why the back four were passing to each other all game. The lack of movement in front was eye watering.
Guehi for all his endeavours does not look comfortable on the ball.
Kane looks like his boots are made of cement whilst Saka is predictable.
May not be right but just my honest opinion.

Watch every England game and you'll see a big hole in midfield because the rice et al are with the defence and Bellingham and foden too far up front. Southgate needs to get the defence up the pitch and fill that hole with foden and he'll be turning on opposition defence and we will create so many more chances. He won't though, because he's too risky averse.

 

[KS55]

I agree. Trippier has done well really considering thats just not his posistion and being right footed but we lack movement on that left.
I liked Saka going LB yesterday and that would also free up a position for Palmer or Gordon to come in, but may be a risk defensively going forward.

Saka was decent at LB for Arsenal. He showed yesterday he has not forgotten how to play there. His calmness was good. We could do worse than play him there, if Shaw is still not ready. I’m betting Waistcoat didn’t try him there in practice and Saka just decided on the fly to volunteer.

 

[mexico1970]

Saka was decent at LB for Arsenal. He showed yesterday he has not forgotten how to play there. His calmness was good. We could do worse than play him there, if Shaw is still not ready.

Southgate should have dropped a division to look for a genuine left back instead of taking injured players or players he was never going to play.

 

[Akira]

I'm not just saying it because I'm a City fan wearing tinted glasses but he's been player of the tournament so far imo himself a Musiala have been the standouts for me.

Akanji has been great.

I think there isn't alot players taking the tournament by storm, at least attackers-wise. Musiala has been superb so far, probably player of the tournament. Obviously, we all expected Rodri to be excellent, but Yamal has been great. Guehi stands out for me for England.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

I stated last night but have to repeat that the problems stem from having a right footed left back.
Trippier can only take the ball with his back to the touchline and thus cannot play a forward pass limiting options on the left.
Mrs PJ asked me why the back four were passing to each other all game. The lack of movement in front was eye watering.
Guehi for all his endeavours does not look comfortable on the ball.
Kane looks like his boots are made of cement whilst Saka is predictable.
May not be right but just my honest opinion.

Considering England were playing with a double pivot in Rice and Mainoo they couldn’t take the ball and turn from the back four. Rodri is the best in the world at making himself be available and to turn to then open up passing angles higher up the field. Everything got cycled round the back four and everyone in front was static giving them hardly anything to move the ball forward too, then it goes back to Pickford who does not possess a football brain which results in him punting it high up the field giving the ball up to the opposition.

The left back problem has damaged the team with everything coming back inside from Trippier. He never goes onto his left foot, it shows how bad things are when Saka had to go back there. Why did they take Luke Shaw when he clearly isn’t fit?

All the players look leggy and knackered which is understandable after a long season, however there are teams elsewhere in the tournament playing with energy. Southgate has a huge selection headache on his hands as no one who has started has looked good and neither have the subs. Who gets dropped and picked for Saturday? Fuck knows.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

So it's an interpretation of Bellingham Versus Foden based on what the media say rather than 2 lads playing for the same team as England?

It's not Bellingham v Foden; it's me v the RDAHMeedya. The media have had a long and incessant diatribe against anything that is City and anyone who plays for City. Listen to the commentators when a City player misplaces a pass or balloons the ball over the bar. Foden has pretty much been judged on every breath he takes, whereas we have to make an allowance for the Hollywood ego!

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Say what you want about Southgate, but he really did mend bridges between team, fans and press. Very frustrating watching Bellingham and Kane destroy all that to protect their own egos.