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England Euro 2024 Squad and Discussion
- Thread starter BabySinclair
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Lack of self awareness exhibit #1
Im guilty of it. We all are. We all blame players from teams we hate
its got feck all to do with affiliations and all to do with ability.
mainoo has proven on multiple occasions that hes ready and he is our best option for CM, including a motm performance in the FA Cup final. Instead we are shoehorning a RB into midfield who unfortunately lacks the ability to play the role..
South Korea has won plenty in Asia compared to England in Europe though
Observation from yesterday match:
1. Foden should be a sub for Bellingham, but both should not play together. Both needs to have free realm around the midfield but not at the same time.
2. Need a proper left forward like Gordon or Cole Palmer. Big mistake to remove both Rashford and Grealish but what was done is done.
3. Need a proper no.8 to link between Rice and Bellingham/Foden, try either Mainoo or Wharton. Gallagher should be a back-up for Rice but both should not play together, period!
4. Trent should only be a back-up right back or if Southgate likes him so much then start him instead of Walker.
5. Kane should only be a super sub but not starting. Needs Watkins if England play counter-attack, or Toney for more muscle against big CBs and DCM.
1. Foden should be a sub for Bellingham, but both should not play together. Both needs to have free realm around the midfield but not at the same time.
2. Need a proper left forward like Gordon or Cole Palmer. Big mistake to remove both Rashford and Grealish but what was done is done.
3. Need a proper no.8 to link between Rice and Bellingham/Foden, try either Mainoo or Wharton. Gallagher should be a back-up for Rice but both should not play together, period!
4. Trent should only be a back-up right back or if Southgate likes him so much then start him instead of Walker.
5. Kane should only be a super sub but not starting. Needs Watkins if England play counter-attack, or Toney for more muscle against big CBs and DCM.
A massive overreaction for me. We are only 3 days into the tournament. We are yet to see Portugal or France play. I've heard some people say Germany are the favourites after what they did to Scotland, who were simply terrible. There's kneejerk and then theres being ridiculous.
If England lost then it would be a cause for concern, but the fact they are getting criticised despite still winning the match is music to my ears to be honest. They weren't great but that's the sort of game that england teams of yesteryear would have lost, even if they played well.
I predict England will get to at least the semi final and will happily bet on that with anyone (don't want to come across as a cnut but I think this team is special).
If England lost then it would be a cause for concern, but the fact they are getting criticised despite still winning the match is music to my ears to be honest. They weren't great but that's the sort of game that england teams of yesteryear would have lost, even if they played well.
I predict England will get to at least the semi final and will happily bet on that with anyone (don't want to come across as a cnut but I think this team is special).
Our success only really comes from the Olympics and Asian Games as our players are more motivated for reduced mandatory service. Which doesn’t involve most of our A team so I don’t really count it.
To be fair, unlike England, WC is basically out of reach for us.
As soon as Serbia stopped sitting deep and starting pressing us, we stopped playing. Way too many long balls towards Kane, absolute meat and drink for the Serbia CB's. Lost control and ended up under pressure.
TAA not a midfielder way too many lax moments in dangerous positions. Foden had a poor game, but was isolated he needs more players round him. Kane very quiet need to get him involved with balls to his feet more. Saka good first half, poor second.
Bellingham,Rice, guehi and stones were all excellent. Walker, trippier solid enough. Pickford was Pickford, way too many big hoofs with his left foot.
Main takeaway we have to be braver on the ball under pressure, unfortunately under Southgate that has always been an issue. First time we face a good opposition were in trouble I reckon. Q/F and out I reckon.
TAA not a midfielder way too many lax moments in dangerous positions. Foden had a poor game, but was isolated he needs more players round him. Kane very quiet need to get him involved with balls to his feet more. Saka good first half, poor second.
Bellingham,Rice, guehi and stones were all excellent. Walker, trippier solid enough. Pickford was Pickford, way too many big hoofs with his left foot.
Main takeaway we have to be braver on the ball under pressure, unfortunately under Southgate that has always been an issue. First time we face a good opposition were in trouble I reckon. Q/F and out I reckon.
Spot on
That needs to be the end of TAA in CM, it was a flawed experiment from the outset and I thought he was dreadful yesterday. His pass selection and awareness of space and tempo is nowhere near what you need in CM at Premier League / International level.
Even more galling when we have Mainoo sat on the bench. Honestly I think we'll look back in 5 years time, when Mainoo is established as one of the best CMs in World football, and laugh at how we started a RB in midfield ahead of him.
Even more galling when we have Mainoo sat on the bench. Honestly I think we'll look back in 5 years time, when Mainoo is established as one of the best CMs in World football, and laugh at how we started a RB in midfield ahead of him.
Foden as one of the first names that you can throw in off the bench when he could make a real impact is a much better idea than to shoehorn him out onto the left.
Team balance and dynamics would just be so much better with Gordon, I'd bet money on it.
Cesc is a great pundit, nails it.
I think we’ll laugh more how we gave Southgate the chance to manage this group of players for the time he has.
Foden chant is class though
That was by far the most uninspiring performance of the EUROs so far.
Good summary.
Let’s hope shaw is fit soon as our left side was entirely impotent.
Midfield 3 should be Rice, Wharton/Mainoo, Bellingham. Foden needs dropping for Gordon or Eze. I prefer Eze.
Kane can’t play like that again and expect to retain his place either (although we all know he will).
Lineker saying that he won’t mind that he touched the ball once in the first half was genuinely embarrassing. Don’t even think he believed what he was saying……
Well, I mainly know United fans, and we've never really liked him.
Yes despite all of our criticism of our defence, last night they played better than our midfield and attack.
0 standards.
He's not particularly good at it.Mainoo cant pass the ball?
This is always the thing with England. How do we get the best out of Foden, how do we get the best out of Saka, how do we get the best out of Kane, Bellingham, TAA. How do we wedge them all into the team and repeat the same mistakes we've made with previous generations. We're back to selecting names rather than selecting a team. If the players aren't gelling, drop the underperformers and build around those who turn up. This isn't club football where you can give them a season or two of working together every day, you get a very short time to put together a team that stands a chance, so persisting with the same players because they're decent for their club is throwing England's tournament down the drain. It's back to the Golden Generation times at this point.
Eh?
I don't think a lot of the reactions and posts are over the top to be honest. Ok, a number of them are way over the top bad and not right of course. But the consensus sounds right and fair.
I don't think you can argue against anyone who says Gareth leaves his subs way too late when in need to change a game.
- I thought Gallagher came on too late but when he did the impact was there.
- Why Kane was being allowed to constantly drop as deep as he did and not give our midfielders an option up front is ridiculous. I get that he's the captain, can score in a split second etc - but his positioning was just wrong and was shouting to be subbed and Ollie Watkins bought on for his pace to push the opposition back / Palmer
- This isn't anti Liverpool, but I just don't buy into this who AAT playing as a deep lying playmaker when he doesn't play there for Liverpool, has done it once or twice for Liverpool and he's being thrown in the deep at a major competition. He'll get taken apart when we come to playing stronger opposition.
Gareth said he learnt from Iceland - but this was a really poor result and performance - bar from a few players - and he just doesn't make the changes quick enough and is playing players (Foden possibly incl AAT) out of position rather than sticking to a system and putting the best players in those positions.
We'll get out of the groups no doubt and should go far s as the players who are there are more than capable - it just depends on how quickly Gareth reacts to situations and his set up
Whenever the English press praises its players, the player is doing very badly. Please the press should stop singing the praises of the England player. I hope jude doesn't join the list of worst players.
To build on the point regarding TAA, his biggest strength outside of his set pieces is his crossing, which I will admit is pretty damn good, but he usually does it from RB where he would usually have more space, as well as be in a better position to fire off those crosses for players waiting in and around the box.
Does playing him in CM not nullify that since he won’t be able to cross like he would when playing RB?
Does playing him in CM not nullify that since he won’t be able to cross like he would when playing RB?
I do this when I’m predicting a long day ahead because my battery runs down quickly when my data is on. I feel attacked
True, and because of this he finds himself running into positions that a right back would be in.
Honestly we should have had TAA playing in midfield for a year or two now for us to practice this, not when the tournament has started!
TAA obviously has some extreme passing skills, and in some situations i can understand why putting him in centre midfield might be an option, but i really don’t think any of those situations are when it’s in a midfield two with Rice when you have Foden, Bellingham and Saka in front of them. Even with fast paced wingers trying to run in behind it doesn’t really make sense in a similar setup, for me it would be much more natural to play him there as a last resort if any of the other players are injured or in need of rest and England have to be very direct.
What England need isn’t a very creative player next to Rice, you just need Rice and whoever partner hims to be able to get the ball to Bellingham, Foden and Saka so they can do what they are supposed to do.
I think the England's biggest problem is the lack of runners in behind. It's a huge problem as entire front 4 want the ball to feet. You can't keep a backline honest, if they're not worried about you getting in behind.
Sterling was that player for us at the last euros, and Rashford was really important at the WC.
Sterling was that player for us at the last euros, and Rashford was really important at the WC.
There's so much inexperience in this England squad at this level, especially from the bench. I think any of Rashford, Grealish or Sterling would have got on the pitch yesterday and made a more positive impact than what we'd seen.
7 for Foden and 8 for Alexander-Arnold. Jesus wept.
Could Bowen play LW? It'd be a left-footed player on LW but perhaps he could service Kane with some nice crosses. Saka on the opposite wing.
CM should be Rice - Palmer - Bellingham. Perhaps not everyone on their best position but oh well...
CM should be Rice - Palmer - Bellingham. Perhaps not everyone on their best position but oh well...
What?
7 for Kane? Madness
Crikey, what game was that guy watching.
To be fair all of his 4 touches were immaculate.
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