The Football Thread.

sev112

Can’t be unchanged as Guehi banned

so
Pickford
Tripper RB ( not left)
Walker/Stones CBS
Gomez LB

And a few others further up

bloodandtears

why didn't Ben Chilwell get taken?

guitars4you

TTony said:

That surprised me a bit @guitars4you !

Agree that he needs more careful handling than Jack Clarke.  We’ve a lot of young players about the place now, need to make sure that they all see a way through from the U21s and into the first team.

After the season at Norwich, Skipp was supposedly destined to be the future of Spurs for years ahead.  But he’s not found his place, and there are plenty now ahead of him.  We need more players “making it”.

And you got Rodon back.

He would have made his debut etc the season before, but a) McGuinn nobles him in pre-season for a few games then b) he broke his toe at home 

His brother his coming thru' the ranks as well and many say he is better

We all know that some make it and some don't - Hard to say if 40 mill is a good deal or not for either of us 

If he becomes 1/2 as good as his great uncle Eddie then 40 mill will be a bargain 

Looks like I'll be following Spurs for a while

RaymondLin

Shrews said:

RaymondLin said:

We were totally lucky in beating them.  There is no way you can convince me that it was his plan all along to not have any shots on target for 90mins and to get an equaliser with an overhead kick with a minute to go.

This is similar to Man United last season, they won a bunch of games...and they were lucky, like the opening game against Wolves.  They had no identity in their style of play, everything so slow and their league position reflected that.

Anyway, Southgate clearly has faith in his players to do something, clearly more faith him them than me......

I was actually a little disappointed when Bellingham scored, he bailed him out, a split second brilliance does not justify all that crap that came before it.  Now we are going to get another 90mins of turd against a better side.  Mark my words, he will not change his team and we will be just as crap in the next game except we won't get another overhead kick goal like that again. 

Yep, it will be the same boring England, but we will still win. Likely an unchanged side too, other than the forced one at the back. 

Personally I think the Swiss played their cup final against Italy and don't have the strength in depth off the bench like we do. As they fatigue, we will get stronger for a comfortable but boring 3-0.

Our "Strength in depth" don't have a recognised left back, with no good left wingers (that will actually get gaming time, not when we were seconds away from going out).

Our "strength in depth" means the remaining center back to come in due to suspension is likely going to be Dunk.

As for Fatigue, I am not sure if you counted the days but Switzerland had an extra day's rest and they didn't have to play extra time to get it done.

Whatever strength in depth we have, Southgate won't rest players, except for 1, out of his hands.  Strength in depth means nothing when he refuses to use it.

munckee

bloodandtears said:

why didn't Ben Chilwell get taken?

He came back from injury and hadn't regained his form by the time the squad was announced I think,

guitars4you

Come on Belgium 

Placidcasual79

Like anything else football goes through changes, fads and fashions.....it's been popular for teams to play 3 upfront with strikers/wingers playing on the side of their weaker foot - so they can cut inside and shoot or pass - where the player moves infield there is space on the outside for overlapping full/wing backs... there is a lot of focus on the style of press your team employed as well with low blocks, high intensity press or teams that look to bring you on to them -  like Brighton for example..... 

But what I think I've noticed is that the classic number 10 isn't really a thing any more..... playing off the striker. or in front of midfield who gets into space, links play and makes things happen.....I wonder if that sort of player is considered a luxury these days....maybe there are some -  Floria Wirtz, Martin Odergarrd........ I remember the classics like Juan Roman Riquelme at Villarreal or Pablo Aimar at Valencia.....and one of my all time favourites Peter Beardsley 

Anyone?

swiller

Bonjour la france.
Vous etes pants.

guitars4you

Well I thought England were poor, boring, bland, lacking passion and ideas

France plus Belgium can join that club - non event as a game after nearly an hour 

TTony

Disappointed with France.

No sign of Marine le Pen on the right wing, despite all the press chatter.

swiller

TTony said:

Disappointed with France.

No sign of Marine le Pen on the right wing, despite all the press chatter.

If it goes to pens, im sure she will come on

Schnozz

guitars4you said:

Well I thought England were poor, boring, bland, lacking passion and ideas

France plus Belgium can join that club - non event as a game after nearly an hour 

To be fair, England have managed to do more than qualify, as well as score their own goals (without Maguire); something that the inferior nations of the UK can only dream of.

In Gareth we trust ~ Dixon

mgaw

Shrews said:

bloodandtears said:

Shrews said:

Everyone's a great armchair manager, everyone can see the problems and how to correct them. We should all apply for the job because we know best! 

The one who has previously got us to a final, who probably wants to win more than anybody in the country, the best manager we've had in terms of results and progress since Alf Ramsey, the one who knows how the players play individually and within a team (and squad) more than anyone in the country, the one who knows the physical and mental state of each player better than anyone in the country. The one who has managed us to four games unbeaten in this particular tournament. 

Well, he should be fired. 

taking that view then...  the players are letting him down massively in this tournament because the games have shown little to suggest its a cohesive team with a plan.

Or look at it another way. 

This is tournament management. How often have we seen English teams burn out late in tournaments with the usual inquest results of:

- We need a winter break
- We need less games in a season
- The English youth doesn't get enough playing time to develop

I have no doubt whatsoever that the instruction in those first three games was win the group and don't worry about looking worldbeaters to the press and public.

Boring, boring and frustrating to us at home. But effective nonetheless. 

Slovakia are a very good side. My outside tip for the tournament. No surprise to me that they sank the Belgians in the first game, had they won last night they would have gone all the way to the final.

But we weren't 'lucky' in beating them. We saw the job out, they didn't. Southgate made a tactical decision extremely late in the game (yep, I thought it was too late too). Brought on Toney to cause 5 minutes or so of mischief. It worked. Slovakia succumbed (eventually) and couldn't get back into it, the mental toughness and concentration waned and ours didn't.

That's an extremely important trait for team morale.

How often do we hear pundits say 'Grinding out a poor 1-0 on a cold November night away from home makes you title contenders' or the sign of champions is when you don't play well but still grind out a win'?

Yet here we are 'grinding it out' but the call instead is 'sack the manager!'

What's more is that we know we have incredible talent out there and know that they can and should play better. I would rather know that going into the last 8 than think we have reached the best of our ability. 

But it’s boring as f

LionAquaLooper

I think we'll see a much better England now. That Slovakia win was big and will have done wonders for their confidence. 
Shame because I've got Switzerland in my Euro sweepstake lol

Rocker

The BBC Sports website has a ‘live’ text coverage games. No matter what team is playing, if a player from that team had any connection with English clubs any time in the past thirty years, it is always included in the text. Come on, the guy might have played for Gillingham ten years ago but he has moved on several times since and is now playing international football for his country, let it go. 

EricTheWeary

Watched a bit then had to walk the dog. My phone says 1-0 so something happened. 
I was in Bayeux the night France won the world cup which was utterly bananas so I'll declare a soft spot. 

guitars4you

Big difference between a poor Belgium and a poor England - We turned up but just had no idea how to play, be it any game plan given to the players before hand or not - Belgium just couldn't be bothered to play - All that talent but zero interest in trying to beat France - At least the likes of Georgia want to play

p90fool

Well despite my criticism of England I now fancy them to go all the way having seen France and Belgium.

Placidcasual79

Anyone watching the Portugal game? There is so much I like about Portugal. I like technically gifted players better than physically gifted players and I like tactical astute teams rather than more rigid teams - I dont even mind some technical fouls - not diving -  technical fouls - that is part of the game and culture in other countries. But I can barely watch cus of that chap Ronaldo - his egotistical petulance encapsulates many of the difficulties within football. I was astonished at how some attempted to justify his interview with Piers Morgan....but then Piers Morgan is seismic cock...... in fact there are few bigger cocks than Morgan and Ronaldo - but there is one..... one who stands above all, apart from all cocks... bigger in ego, more bloated and grotesquely distorted in their self awareness....... the one man charisma vortex that is Martin Keown. 

What a bell end. 

EricTheWeary

Ronaldo was in the team against Georgia, Portugal basically put out their B team for that match so I thought he might be on the bench for this. But no he's there in all his ridiculousness. I'm watching bits, still emotionally drained after the England match...