England Discussion

Without Kane and Saka, England's attack is not world class. They'll struggle to score against any team in the European Championship.
 
You don’t need to have a world class attack. You just need to not love ordinary characters and grafters like Maguire, Dunk, Bowen, Watkins, Gallagher…He always seems to manage to pick a team where 60% of it are an image of himself. Ego maniac.
 
There is surely no way that Ineos, in all their currently impressive execution and hiring decisions, will make a move for this useless idiot.
 
You don’t need to have a world class attack. You just need to not love ordinary characters and grafters like Maguire, Dunk, Bowen, Watkins, Gallagher…He always seems to manage to pick a team where 60% of it are an image of himself. Ego maniac.

Maguire and Dunk shouldn't be playing but Bowen and Watkins have some of the best attacking output in the world this season. They're good players.

I don't understand this stuff about personnel not being right in the attack...the attack was more than good enough to penetrate an inexperienced Brazilian defence but the problem is that there is shocking attacking tactical nous on display and it relies on moments and individuals. That's on the manager.
 
He's holding England back.

Shouldn't be anywhere near the conversation of being next United manager.
Agreed with both points. That first point needs to be realised more. This is a brilliant England team who I truly believe would have won both the most recent euros and the World Cup if they’d have had a world class manager
 
Maguire and Dunk shouldn't be playing but Bowen and Watkins have some of the best attacking output in the world this season. They're good players.

I don't understand this stuff about personnel not being right in the attack...the attack was more than good enough to penetrate an inexperienced Brazilian defence but the problem is that there is shocking attacking tactical nous on display and it relies on moments and individuals. That's on the manager.
Bowen and Watkins should be nowhere near a side wanting to win the euros or a World Cup.
 
Bowen and Watkins should be nowhere near a side wanting to win the euros or a World Cup.

Nonsense. Watkins has 32 goal contributions this season and Bowen has 25, they're excellent squad players and backups.
 
Terrible manager. Underachievement is his specialty.

This England squad is so strong.

Is it though?

You've got a back 5 with Pickford, Chilwell and Maguire starting. Has Stones been at the top of his game this season, or even playing centre back in the main?
Then midfield has a huge question of who goes alongside the 2 certainties of Bellingham and Rice.
Plus the deputies for the front 3 are either injured, not as good as we'd like or not in form.

Basically tonight was a good reality check before the hype wagon ramps up to silly levels.
 
Is it though?

You've got a back 5 with Pickford, Chilwell and Maguire starting. Has Stones been at the top of his game this season, or even playing centre back in the main?
Then midfield has a huge question of who goes alongside the 2 certainties of Bellingham and Rice.
Plus the deputies for the front 3 are either injured, not as good as we'd like or not in form.

Basically tonight was a good reality check before the hype wagon ramps up to silly levels.

Still don't understand why Pickford keeps getting dragged into the not good enough crowd...?
 
Without Kane and Saka, England's attack is not world class. They'll struggle to score against any team in the European Championship.

Any team. Any

Albania
Hungary
Slovenia
Romania
Slovakia
Serbia
Austria

So we won't be able to score against any of those teams without Saka or Kane?

Rashford literally scored against Italy in October, who, I'm sorry to say, are in the Euros.

Are you sure?
 
Bowen and Watkins should be nowhere near a side wanting to win the euros or a World Cup.

That won't be. They'll be squad players.

I doubt many potential winners will have bench players much better than these sorts. Our problems are in the starting line-up.
 
Is it though?

You've got a back 5 with Pickford, Chilwell and Maguire starting. Has Stones been at the top of his game this season, or even playing centre back in the main?
Then midfield has a huge question of who goes alongside the 2 certainties of Bellingham and Rice.
Plus the deputies for the front 3 are either injured, not as good as we'd like or not in form.

Basically tonight was a good reality check before the hype wagon ramps up to silly levels.

I agree with this, serious holes in the first 11, nevermind the squad.
 
Agreed with both points. That first point needs to be realised more. This is a brilliant England team who I truly believe would have won both the most recent euros and the World Cup if they’d have had a world class manager
England have cried out for such a well rounded, technical bunch of players and they're being wasted by Southgate.

The fact in the Euro final, as soon as Shaw scored he went to a back 5 showed me he doesn't have what it takes to win a major trophy and I don't want a manager like that at United.

The English FA need to be talking to Jose before the Portugese wise up that Martinez is a very poor manager.
 
England have cried out for such a well rounded, technical bunch of players and they're being wasted by Southgate.

The fact in the Euro final, as soon as Shaw scored he went to a back 5 showed me he doesn't have what it takes to win a major trophy and I don't want a manager like that at United.

The English FA need to be talking to Jose before the Portugese wise up that Martinez is a very poor manager.
Agreed again.

Would love Mourinho as England’s manager too. Feels like a perfect match and would be the job that gets his “special one” reputation back. Also think he plays better football than he’s given credit for.
 
Is it though?

You've got a back 5 with Pickford, Chilwell and Maguire starting. Has Stones been at the top of his game this season, or even playing centre back in the main?
Then midfield has a huge question of who goes alongside the 2 certainties of Bellingham and Rice.
Plus the deputies for the front 3 are either injured, not as good as we'd like or not in form.

Basically tonight was a good reality check before the hype wagon ramps up to silly levels.
Funny how things change. England squads of recent past were sort of blessed with quality CB’s in abundance (Rio, Terry, Campbell to name a few). Now there’s (debatably) world class (or close to) options almost everywhere else - but not at CB.

Only thing I disagree about is the “deputies” for the front 3 bit. Foden, Saka, Kane are all world class and I don’t think there’s an international team out there who wouldn’t suffer a “drop in quality” if such players were unavailable but yet England still has the likes of Bowen, Watkins, Rashford, Grealish etc. to call on (plus a few others).
 
Somewhat off topic, but the infatuation with data can be crippling to how teams play. Brazil camped deep and blocked every channel England were trying to pass into, especially after they very luckily went 1-0 up.

England then spent 15 minutes banging their heads against a brick wall trying to pass through a congested low block. What was needed, was for about 5 minutes of sustained shooting from distance. It’s low percentage - which is why managers don’t let players do it any more. But you hit a couple of long rangers on target, forcing the keeper into some saves, then you just automatically draw out the midfield the next time you line one up; leaving spaces to now pass in to.

Sometimes you have to embrace the low percentage plays, to change the mentality of the opposition. But modern teams just do the same thing, over and over and over again. Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. Just fecking twat one once in a while.
 
You can same the same for Maguire, yet here we are

Not really to the same extent considering there are better options in the squad than Maguire that would benefit England defensively and also in their general performance/play style.

Pickford is way down the list in terms of problems for England.
 
Not really to the same extent considering there are better options in the squad than Maguire that would benefit England defensively and also in their general performance/play style.
You don't move away from consistent performers. This is generally true at club level, nevermind international football where you can never know who will even be available
 
Not really to the same extent considering there are better options in the squad than Maguire that would benefit England defensively and also in their general performance/play style.

Pickford is way down the list in terms of problems for England.

Yep Pickford is fine. Just I hope Branthwaite starts the next game. He’s been great this season.
 
You don't move away from consistent performers. This is generally true at club level, nevermind international football where you can never know who will even be available

Maguire was shocking tonight and there is a plethora of options at CB that are just as good now and will be better in future than him like Konsa, Colwill, Branthwaite etc.
 
Maguire was shocking tonight
Who gives a feck, it's a friendly. He's played 3 tournaments and was one of the best CBs in all 3. That's what the manager is going to care about, as he should.

and there is a plethora of options at CB that are just as good now and will be better in future than him like Konsa, Colwill, Branthwaite etc.
All of them untested
 
Who gives a feck, it's a friendly. He's played 3 tournaments and was one of the best CBs in all 3. That's what the manager is going to care about, as he should.


All of them untested

You just said you play your most consistent performers? So clearly it does matter? He's also put in a bunch of mistakes over the past 1-2 years for England.

I'm convinced you're on an elaborate windup regarding England/Southgate.