Well that was the dullest game of the tournament so far.
Day 3 | Poland vs Netherlands | Slovenia vs Denmark | Serbia vs England
- Thread starter SilentWitness
- Start date
Serbia were poor. A better side beats England tonight
Foden should be dropped for that performance. I wouldn't start Trent on Thursday either.
That's because his methods worked a hell a lot of the time. He knew how to hold on to a 1-0 without it being a nervy ending.
15 years ago. Nowadays you rarely win big trophies with these tactics. That is why Jose is in Turkey
If they want to keep hold of the ball, the best player in the England squad for that is Kobbie, let's be honest
Which is still too many.
Yeah, they'll get out of the group most likely but go out to the first top side they play. All my years watching these tournaments it's always the same, they always look disjointed and underwhelming going forward, and lack any decisive control in midfield, given the players they have at their disposal. Probably have to go back to 1998 or even 1996* to see an actual free-flowing, coherent England performance.
*(edit): maybe 2004 being fair, although I can't remember much beyond Rooney being a beast.
We make circus acts look good
Fabregas indirectly telling the truth, some of these players aren’t as good as they’re hyped to be.
I think its just the way we played in that 2nd half that is leaving a bad taste in the mouth.
Play like that against France and we get beaten. Simple as that.
Southgate special
Agreed though that is just one of the benefits of having Rice in the side. I think if Shaw is fit, TAA switch out and someone else on the LW will make a huge difference.
I think a better team than Serbia probably beats England today. Serbia had more than enough chances but didn't have the quality up top to make something happen.
Foden was anonymous. His inclusion in the team needs to be questioned. Thought Bowen looked quite good when he came on. Bellingham was the difference maker, which everyone knows he has the ability to be at a given moment and why he's arguably the first name on the team sheet. Insane how rapid Walker still is.
Foden was anonymous. His inclusion in the team needs to be questioned. Thought Bowen looked quite good when he came on. Bellingham was the difference maker, which everyone knows he has the ability to be at a given moment and why he's arguably the first name on the team sheet. Insane how rapid Walker still is.
Finally someone questions Foden. Well done Fabregas
I’m not comparing him with anyone. I’m talking about his performance in the match.
Jesus, it’s the first game of a tournament. You want to grow into the tournament, teams that peak early rarely win the whole thing.
Kobbie needs to play instead of TAA. My nan can replace Foden (despite having passed away)
Micah just there thinking "when do I laugh?"
There isn't a hope in hell Mourinho would put out that team either.
Called it
Guehi was excellent. Looked very composed out there. Not phased.
Don't know what match Southgate was watching to leave Foden on for 90 minutes.
Gallagher or Mainoo to start in CM with Rice and Bellingham. Eze or Gordon on the left instead of Foden in the next match.
Gallagher or Mainoo to start in CM with Rice and Bellingham. Eze or Gordon on the left instead of Foden in the next match.
Foden and Alexander Arnold should be dropped.
Both were awful, especially Foden who is always awful for England.
Kane looked incredibly slow and immobile.
Both were awful, especially Foden who is always awful for England.
Kane looked incredibly slow and immobile.
Which was pretty average. Not bad, not good. 6 or 7 (for the goal)/10. First 20 minutes good. Rest of the half ok. Second half nowhere to be seen.
Nothing from that performance that we didn't already know about England. I also think Southgate sees his team as more dangerous on the break than this "controlling attacking" team their fans assume they are.
Where Southgate falls short is in not being able to select the right personnel to play the type of football he's envisioned for his team.
Where Southgate falls short is in not being able to select the right personnel to play the type of football he's envisioned for his team.
Think for England going forward, it has to be either Foden or Bellingham, with someone like Gordon on the left stretching the game.
Weird that Foden struggles so much, when there's a similar profile of player he plays with at Man City ie KDB.
Irregardless, that midfield is not winning anything when you see the technical operators that the likes of Germany, France and Portugal have.
Weird that Foden struggles so much, when there's a similar profile of player he plays with at Man City ie KDB.
Irregardless, that midfield is not winning anything when you see the technical operators that the likes of Germany, France and Portugal have.
This game is Southgate in a nutshell. Instead of killing a game off he tells them to drop off and get dominated despite being a better team while making completely shite subs, and how did Foden last the whole match?
This is what cost England the Euro final against Italy and a better team tonight would've punished them.
This is what cost England the Euro final against Italy and a better team tonight would've punished them.
But Trent is world class when nobody tries to take the ball off him…..
They had two corners I think, missed opportunity given the height in their team and a below par backline for England.
Overall an uninspiring win for England with the familiar flaws on display. Will need a kind knockout path to reach the final this time.
As much as I'm not a Kane fan, he was further up there today than he usually is.
Foden and Saka did nothing, they never actually do anything and yet get all the hype. They are England's real weakness, we need better and more direct players who can actually create chances.
Southgate is not the man. Boring and negative football. No idea how England are favourites.
I actually think Serbia can feel bad they lost this game, they weren't any worse than England.
Kane did the dark arts of forward play today, constantly winning fouls.
There wasn't the service at all for him today, other than that one great Bowen cross in the 2nd half.
Once his lucky waistcoat is back from the drycleaners, everybody else will shit bricks. Think Captain America grabbing Mjolnir.
England were poor. A game like a barenuckle fight. I agree if Serbia had more guts they could have gotten a result, but the England team is -on paper- a 1.5 billion all-star team. Serbia deserves a lot of credit for keeping the game open.
It is always sketchy to pick a favourite after the first round of matches, so far Spain looks like the team to beat.
And there's only one answer to this question. Foden is a very good player but there's no way he should be benching Bellingham.
Saka set the goal up
Did Saint Jude really just refer to himself in the third person? 
England. Built better.
England. Built better.