England v Switzerland - Sat 6th July, 17:00 | Euro 2024 Quarter-Final

[5 Hit Gibbon]

I think if Kane is too injured to start, England will look much better.

Watkins will play so much more effectively with Bellingham and Foden.

Kane will probably say he's OK, even if he's not. He did the same thing for the CL final with Spurs.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

120 mins of boredom after the previous 120 mins of boredom. Expecting another 120 mins of boredom in the semi and a crushing defeat in the final against Spain. This is a real Southgate masterclass. He is actually making people believe that if they go through this shitfest game after game, there will be a happy ending. There is no light at the end of this tunnel.

jeeez, why do you watch it!

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

120 mins of boredom after the previous 120 mins of boredom. Expecting another 120 mins of boredom in the semi and a crushing defeat in the final against Spain. This is a real Southgate masterclass. He is actually making people believe that if they go through this shitfest game after game, there will be a happy ending. There is no light at the end of this tunnel.

We can grind out 120 mins against Spain, then win on pens.

 

[HorlocksWalk]

jeeez, why do you watch it!

Probably him back memories of old City,

 

[Haaland94]

 

[hilts]

We have but you still have to beat who is in front of you by hook or by crook

that's one final, two semi-finals and one quarter final in the last four tournaments, with a possibility of turning one of those semi's into another final.

But I'm still expecting the typical to happen.... we will scrape past the teams we probably should and lose to the first serious outfit we come up against

Its a bit of an odd argument though that

You can only beat what's in front of you unless what's in front of you isn't crap and then you can't. It seems to me England always lose to a half decent side so how far we progress just depends on who we meet.

 

[lust overlord]

jeeez, why do you watch it!

It's incredibly frustrating to watch England stumble about in tournaments.
It's rarely enjoyable even though you can't help but watch it and hope we muddle our way through.

 

[ShaunMCFC]

Correct.
He's still not performing as well as he might,but a definite improvement tonight imo.

Much improved, thought he was asking for it all the time. Not his fault if players aren’t brave enough to give it him in tight spaces

 

[SebastianBlue]

I believe he played more centrally today, we have all used being stuck wide left as an excuse for being quiet which is valid. But not for today. He hasn't had a goal or assist in the tournament yet.

Needs a decent game sharpish.

He actually played well today. For me one of three players who did (Foden, Saka, Mainoo).

Was he as brilliant as he regularly is for City? No.

But he also doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of team around him or a decent manager, and it was the first time playing in the setup on the tournament. It doesn’t help that many of the players around him play for themselves, not the team, which is completely different to what Phil is used to at club level, where performances like that would get you benched in a hurry.

And, once more, his teammates were largely either afraid to give him the ball in dangerous positions or, in the case of Bellingham, seemingly refused to do so for their own reasons. I lost count the number of times Phil was calling for the ball in space and was ignored. It happens with Rice, Saka, Mainoo, Bellingham, and Konsa. Only Stones, Walker, and Kane even tried. I spoke earlier in the thread about why I think that is (mostly because they haven’t played with him enough to be confident he is going to make something happen or recycle possession, rather than lose the ball, if they do). And I don’t think the way Bellingham plays in that same position helps (they have seen how bad playing a ball to him with his back to goal on the edge of the opposition box can go).

Beyond all that, he was one of the few players with any composure on the ball and was directing players as to what to do with the ball throughout the match. He was the one actually running the game, while Kane and Bellingham ambled around the box, and Rice hid away. Mainoo and Saka were the other ones consistently contributing.

I really don’t understand where the “Foden had a poor game” analysis is coming from, especially compared to his attacking partners.

 

[domalino]

Kane will probably say he's OK, even if he's not. He did the same thing for the CL final with Spurs.

I think he’s been doing the same thing all tournament, he’d never have come off if he could have possibly taken a penalty so maybe this finally forces him out of the team.