Italy v England | Thurs 23rd March 2023, 19:45

[SebastianBlue]

Personally I’d put winning away in Italy for the first time in 60 years slightly ahead of getting twatted 4-0 at home to Hungary but it’s a close one.

To be fair, it is surprising how fine a line there is between those two results.

 

[I'm Blue]

I thought that was humiliating for the lad.

If he was on a yellow I’d have had no complaints.
The fact Saka was on the pitch still shows he’s a clueless ****.

 

[coolcity]

If that’s the case Southgate is even more clueless than I thought.
They were camped out long before the red as well.

Totally agree. Got away with one there, exact same tactics as the defeat in the last Euro final. Get in front, had them by the balls then as soon as they start to play a bit we decide to try to hang on for the rest of the match, but don't freshen up the team early enough.

Never understand it when teams try to hang on like that, at least leave one or two up the pitch if you're going to punt the ball upfield, otherwise it just keeps coming back.

 

[Mancity1980]

Southgate is a want to be pep but he is so far departed form pep mentally. his problem is he is old school england at heart. Look how he managed the second half.

pep defends a lead by having ALL of the ball. Southgate defends a lead by sitting back and letting the opposition have all of the ball.

pep would never have subbed off phil. He would have had as many technical players on the pitch as he could and played keep ball. southgate subbed off phil becuase saka used to play full back so southgate instinctively thinks i want a defender. He cant grasp defending by possession.

Yes, he is a wannabe Pep and indeed he falls far short, however I don’t think he is old school, just a school with an inadequate Ofsted rating.

 

[Pedestrian]

I thought that was humiliating for the lad.

Really poor decision. He’s a worker and runner. Could play anywhere except nets.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Omg you are deluded
Didn’t trouble us ?

Wow you are a space cadet

How many saves did Pickford make that second half ?

 

[burning blue soul]

Italy had to go for the jigglier and we were down to 10 , totally normal for us to be camped in our half and to see out the game

It wasn’t baffling for me, he sacrificed an attacker for a defender - needs must. Unfortunate for Phil but I would guess Southgate trusted Saka more defensively and holding the ball up

Saka had been running for 80 minutes. Foden was fresh legs. Considering we were going to be playing on the break for 10 minutes it was a fucking clueless decision from a clueless manager.
There is literally nothing that Southgate can now do, short of winning a world Cup, that I will change my lowest estimations of his abilities.

 

[billblu]

thisSouthgate is a want to be pep but he is so far departed form pep mentally. his problem is he is old school england at heart. Look how he managed the second half.

pep defends a lead by having ALL of the ball. Southgate defends a lead by sitting back and letting the opposition have all of the ball.

pep would never have subbed off phil. He would have had as many technical players on the pitch as he could and played keep ball. southgate subbed off phil becuase saka used to play full back so southgate instinctively thinks i want a defender. He cant grasp defending by possession.

this is so true I was sick of seeing the ball go long and just coming straight back at us he wants to try and play like pep but shits his pants when the pressures on

 

[coolcity]

Whenever watching England under Southgate I’m always of the belief that everything that’s positive that happens is down to the individuality players rather than the tactics.
Southgate is just negative in everything he does, including taking off a fresh Phil Foden.
Yeah I’m not a fan

Absolutely spot on. Same with most ex-defenders turned managers, that's their mentality. We should never have been ending the game hanging on but then it was the same in the Euro 21 final, and we know how that ended. Got away with it tonight.

 

[Mancity1980]

He tried a Panenka if I remember rightly.

He made a right cock of it if I remember rightly!