No mention of Macedonia vs England tonight

Outside of France, largely down to the Mbappe factor - who should they fear at the Euros?

Spain are shite.

Genuinely can’t think….Germany as hosts?

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Would argue England’s run in Euro 2020 was down to playing weaker teams. They played arguably the worst German side I’ve seen in my lifetime, then Ukraine and Denmark. They then came up against a very workmanlike Italian side (who I’m still convinced were doped up to the eyeballs), and imo they lost that game due to Southgate’s poor management - taking off Rice and leaving Kalvin Phillips on when they were arguably on top in the second half killed England’s momentum altogether and iirc Italy started piling the pressure back on. Then the awful penalty calls - giving Saka the 5th penalty

Last year’s World Cup was classic England. Did well against the weaker sides and the moment they came up against a top team in France, they buckled under the pressure.

2018 World Cup a similar story. Beat Colombia on pens (woohoo!), beat Sweden, got beat by Croatia.

Kane missed a pen that would have made it 2-2 if I remember it right. They were pretty much a match for them but the defence is not as top class as the midfield and attack. Not much in it anyway (the game against France) - wouldn’t say they buckled.

Originally Posted by Gypsum Fantastic

Kane missed a pen that would have made it 2-2 if I remember it right. They were pretty much a match for them but the defence is not as top class as the midfield and attack. Not much in it anyway (the game against France) - wouldn’t say they buckled.

Yeah that’s fair enough. Probably worded it wrong, but the point stands re: Southgate‘s poor management. Goals are goals but even if they’d got a draw, France scored twice from open play and England would have scored twice from the spot. Genuinely think he has no idea how to actually play to the strengths of the squad, which, as you said, are the attack and midfield.

Originally Posted by Stickman

Outside of France, largely down to the Mbappe factor - who should they fear at the Euros?

Spain are shite.

Genuinely can’t think….Germany as hosts?

This is said at every tournament though, especially the Euros. Even Greece managed to win a Euros ffs. I just think its mindblowing with the teams and players they've had, with other teams in turmoil or nothing like they were, England still can't do it. There's always one well drilled team that susses England out and promptly KO's them.

Southgate is £#%&!ing £#%&!. Solksjaer with a waist jacket and a big nose/overbite.

Cowardly selections and substitutions. Picking favourites. Shit in game management. Zero tactical flexibility.

If England ever win anything, it'll be despite the manager, just like it would have been with us.

Originally Posted by Stickman

Outside of France, largely down to the Mbappe factor - who should they fear at the Euros?

Spain are shite.

Genuinely can’t think….Germany as hosts?

France are the best team out there but I don't particularly rate their defence and they don't have a reliable No 9 (Giroud still plays there most of the time) or a decent coach... Germany are currently in rotten form but that could change of course.

Originally Posted by atticusgrinch

If England ever win anything, it'll be despite the manager, just like it would have been with us.

you mean if we'd had Southgate and if we'd won something under his management?

international qualifying matches are delusional. its all well and good topping groups peppered with teams that aren't expected to qualify, but when it comes to the crunch at tournament, forget about it.

fancy having a two week break to play the likes of malta and macedonia.

You can't read anything into tournaments from these qualifiers.

England's biggest problem will be when they face a top 5 nation in a tournament as it's always been during my lifetime.

Put simply - they freeze up and fluff their lines when the opportunity presents itself.

They had their biggest chance at wembley against that drug-fuelled Italian team in euro 2020. They won't ever get a better chance than that. They blew it.

Southgate is what he is. A very polite softly spoken company man who's so blandly inoffensive he's incapable of doing anything resembling drastic when the pressure is on.

Originally Posted by doudou

France are the best team out there but I don't particularly rate their defence and they don't have a reliable No 9 (Giroud still plays there most of the time) or a decent coach... Germany are currently in rotten form but that could change of course.

England’s 11 is better than France now, since Bellingham clearly put his stake in the ground as the best midfielder in the world. Kane’s doing a madness in Germany. England have the best player from both those leagues. The bulk of the defence that just won a Treble. Rice in front of them who, while functional in many respects, is an excellent holder.

Southgate still won’t win £#%&! all because it’s Southgate. A dozen better managers in the league at least.

Originally Posted by VanHaaksbergen

England’s 11 is better than France now, since Bellingham clearly put his stake in the ground as the best midfielder in the world. Kane’s doing a madness in Germany. England have the best player from both those leagues. The bulk of the defence that just won a Treble. Rice in front of them who, while functional in many respects, is an excellent holder.

Southgate still won’t win £#%&! all because it’s Southgate. A dozen better managers in the league at least.

god I wish we’d signed him. Exactly what we needed in midfield.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

god I wish we’d signed him. Exactly what we needed in midfield.

Proper unlikeable little gimp though ain't he....

Rice rice baby

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

Proper unlikeable little gimp though ain't he....

Rice rice baby

Total @#%&! off the pitch. Fantastic attitude on it.

I think he's a really good international manager. having a fairly basic game plan, which is defensive first, and a degree of consistency in selection seem to be how to be successful in the international game. you also need a huge slice of luck to go all the way in the tournament. finishing 4th, 2nd, 5th suggests he's doing something right.

the first run to the WC semi in 2018 was arguably the most impressive. the starting line up was nowhere near world class.
Pickford, trippier, young, walker, stones, maguire, Alli, Henderson, lingard, sterling, kane.

the "England lose to the first good team they face" makes me laugh because it becomes self fulfilling. e.g. Germany in euro 2021: because England beat them, they can't be good.

Originally Posted by pedr0

I think he's a really good international manager. having a fairly basic game plan, which is defensive first, and a degree of consistency in selection seem to be how to be successful in the international game. you also need a huge slice of luck to go all the way in the tournament. finishing 4th, 2nd, 5th suggests he's doing something right.

the first run to the WC semi in 2018 was arguably the most impressive. the starting line up was nowhere near world class.
Pickford, trippier, young, walker, stones, maguire, Alli, Henderson, lingard, sterling, kane.

the "England lose to the first good team they face" makes me laugh because it becomes self fulfilling. e.g. Germany in euro 2021: because England beat them, they can't be good.

they were shite. They didn’t even make it out of the group stages in the 2018 World Cup or last year. Don’t think it’s particularly controversial to say England played an awful German side.

Originally Posted by pedr0

the first run to the WC semi in 2018 was arguably the most impressive. the starting line up was nowhere near world class.
Pickford, trippier, young, walker, stones, maguire, Alli, Henderson, lingard, sterling, kane.
.

You must be having a laugh. 7 of that England side had played in or won a European Cup final within a couple of seasons. Young was a good player in his day.

They got to the semis having won 3 games in normal time (Panama; Tunisia; and a Zlatan-less Sweden whose biggest player was Lindelof). Squeezed by Colombia on penalties. Lost to Belgium twice (including being done by the mighty Januzlai) and Croatia. Joke of an achievement.

Who has a better 11 than them now in world football?

*North Macedonia

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Bv1a0oREx/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Originally Posted by believe

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Bv1a0o...RlODBiNWFlZA==

Because Gerard.

Originally Posted by Finport Red

Because Gerard.

Left wing Scholes ffs

£#%&! off, isn't it?