England - Euro 2021 Discussion | FA chairman: Southgate to be offered new contract until Euro 2024

England played ok, nothing special but its probably best to save the better performance for the last 16, can't see us winning it though, the selection was mind boggling but a win is a win
 
Good first 20 minutes, weren’t troubled by Croatia who offered basically nothing.

Phillips MOTM.
 
Such a conservative setup. Why is trippier left back when Shaw would offer so much more?
Why do you need 3 DMs?
Foden at right wing?
Pickford looks like a Sunday league keeper
Finally still can’t get over that Mings is an international player
Because Southgate is an ultra-defensive, championship level manager. He's holding this talented young English side back.
 
I thought England were fine. Comfortable. They nullified Croatia and never looked in danger.

I’d like to see them play a little more expansively in the other group games. Hoping to see Grealish too. Mings isn’t great or anything but this forum has a really warped perception of him.
 
For some reason I find it really uncomfortable watching a right footed player at left back, cutting back every time they're in a position to cross.

Maybe it's bad memories from watching Young do it for United for so long.
 
Rashford came on in the 72nd minute and ended up playing out right, upfront and about 2 minutes of stoppage time out left. Southgate hasn't got a fecking clue.

It’s getting tiring watching him being used as an utility player. Really do prefer players are played in their strongest position.
 
I thought England were fine. Comfortable. They nullified Croatia and never looked in danger.

I’d like to see them play a little more expansively in the other group games. Hoping to see Grealish too. Mings isn’t great or anything but this forum has a really warped perception of him.
It's because he stamped on Zlatan once. I think he's been very good for Villa since joining.
 
Absolute bore fest and I thought we were poor. I feel as the praise they are getting is so disingenuous.
 
For some reason I find it really uncomfortable watching a right footed player at left back, cutting back every time they're in a position to cross.

Maybe it's bad memories from watching Young do it for United for so long.
Would love for someone to bring some insight into the coaches thinking with this. He has Shaw and Chillwell and still plays Trippier at RB???!!! How.
 
Also, what is the actual reasoning behind Grealish not being one of the first names in the starting 11? He's probably apart from Kane the best player in the team. Is it because he plays for Villa?
 
Also, what is the actual reasoning behind Grealish not being one of the first names in the starting 11? He's probably apart from Kane the best player in the team. Is it because he plays for Villa?
I would hope because he was recently injured and deemed not quite 100% yet. Since it's Southgate calling the shots though, all bets are off.
 
Good result , good start. Tournament football is unpredictable , hopefully we can grow each game . Phillips was a big plus hopefully he can keep it up.
 
I thought England were fine. Comfortable. They nullified Croatia and never looked in danger.

I’d like to see them play a little more expansively in the other group games. Hoping to see Grealish too. Mings isn’t great or anything but this forum has a really warped perception of him.

It's all relative though. He is being compared to the usual level of Terry/Ferdinand/Maguire...which he is not at. But to be fair to him he is not the usual starter. He is a decent backup I guess.
 
Absolute bore fest and I thought we were poor. I feel as the praise they are getting is so disingenuous.

Yeah, you would swear with the way the pundits are speaking that we won 5v0 with peak-Brazillian style football.

In truth, we created three chances, with two shots on target. About seventy to eighty minutes of the game, we played with a defensive mindset.
 
I think they should change something up front with none of Kane, Sterling and Foden doing particularly well.

Fullbacks should change too. Aside from Trippier not being a LB and aside from Walker not playing well, I don't think they need to be quite so conservative given how defensively strong the Rice/Phillips midfield is.

A solid start if they develop from here. Not so much if they stick with it as is.
 
Absolute bore fest and I thought we were poor. I feel as the praise they are getting is so disingenuous.
This is in the typical boom-bust cycle of the media when England are in tournaments.

Win a game and they're suddenly talking about what lineup should England put out in the final.

Lose a game and suddenly the team is full of overpaid premadonnas.

They can't understand that it's probably something in between.
 
I think they should change something up front with none of Kane, Sterling and Foden doing particularly well.

Rashford - Kane - Sancho

Also Shaw should start considering he’s been one of the best LB’s in world football this past calendar year.
 
Had a feeling Croatia may flop in this tournament and all signs from this game leadme to believe they will.

As for us, still dont understand that sarting line up. I thought we were decent, defensively di dwell organisation and positioning wise, thoguth Mings had a very good game despite not being troubled too much.

I think the praise is well over the top from the pundits but often is results driven cooments. Individually on the ball I thought only Phillips stood out and I think that is a big positive. Rice, Mount and Foden were ok but far more to offer and Kane had a poor game. I thought both full backs were pretty poor on the ball for us though defended well.

A positive start attitude and results wise. Good camaraderie and organisation.....but once we get in to th eknock outs we will need Maguire and I also feel Reece James, Chilwell or SHaw, Bellingham and Grealish should really be starting in this side personally
 
Shaw for Trippier and Grealish for Mount against Scotland please
 
I don’t think the big teams will be worried watching that today. England beat a mostly geriatric Croatia but aside from the first 20-25 minutes, I wasn’t that impressed.

Phillips is a good player though. Poor man’s Kante.
 
Mount did absolutely nothing wrong to be fair, he won't be dropped and rightfully so.
You could put the full stop after "nothing". Time we started integrating our better players into the 11.
 
I'd rather teams weren't particularly worried by us, works in our favour. Being underdogs will suit us just fine. If we can quietly go about our business and keep winning that'll do for me.
 
Rashford - Kane - Sancho

Also Shaw should start considering he’s been one of the best LB’s in world football this past calendar year.

Not just that but I think a more attacking option at fullback makes sense for the team generally. A defensive six of Walker, Stones, Mings, Trippier, Rice and Phillips is a bit too stolid as Trippier is more limited offensively in that position. Shaw or James in to offer more in attack would be a good change, I think.
 
I don’t think the big teams will be worried watching that today. England beat a mostly geriatric Croatia but aside from the first 20-25 minutes, I wasn’t that impressed.

Phillips is a good player though. Poor man’s Kante.

Yeah, it is far too defensive. This isn't the Croatia team of three years ago, so I think they were actually there for the taking.

We made it harder than it should be. Dropping deep and allowing them to have the ball for long periods of the game. Not enough forward thinking.

It will cost England badly in the future.
 
Yeah, you would swear with the way the pundits are speaking that we won 5v0 with peak-Brazillian style football.

In truth, we created three chances, with two shots on target. About seventy to eighty minutes of the game, we played with a defensive mindset.

It's as if they have been told to be incredibly positive. It was pretty bizarre!
 
Very tight game and we weren't really troubled so a good start. Phillips was terrific and we saw we need a direct runner like Sterling.

We'll have to be very lucky to beat a France, Portugal or Germany in the last 16 because we don't have the players to control a game against them but hopefully we can win the next couple of games going into it.
 
Pretty solid performance against good opposition and it’s a long way towards qualification for the next round. Plenty more to come from this squad. 8/10
 
I'd rather teams weren't particularly worried by us, works in our favour. Being underdogs will suit us just fine. If we can quietly go about our business and keep winning that'll do for me.

"We're not shit, we just want you to think that" :lol:
 
England's biggest issue, which was demonstrated yet again even against a declining Croatia team, is their lack of ability, confidence and composure in controlling a game with the ball.

We will be outdone in this aspect against sides such as France, Italy, Germany and maybe Holland too.
 
Mount did absolutely nothing wrong to be fair, he won't be dropped and rightfully so.

But you would drop Sterling who was arguably our best player and won us the game?

Think it will be the same team. However, if anyone was to come out, it probably should be Foden for Grealish.

Grealish Kane Sterling
Mount Rice Phillips
 
Strange Scotland aren’t playing today. You a could argue it’s unfair that we get an extra day…

Surprised all teams in the group don’t play the same day.