If y'all play with the likes of Mainoo, Gordon, Palmer... England should get to the final without breaking a sweat. I really can't see any danger in that side of the draw apart from Austria to an extent but I think their effectiveness will lessen the further they get and England can't face them for a while yet. Italy were lucky to get second in their group and look toothless and the Dutch do not look convincing.
England Euro 2024 Squad and Discussion
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Foden going home has done Southgate a favour. Don’t get me wrong, I want him back and part of the squad, but his lack of availability for preparations for the Slovakia clash should mean that he is forced to play a more natural left sided player, like Gordon. If he combines that with playing Mainoo in midfield, and giving Palmer more minutes off the bench, I can see England doing much better. Foden is a brilliant player but he, Bellingham and Kane all operate in the same spaces, and there is no balance to the team. Gordon isn’t as good as Foden but he will balance the team out better, and it’s all about having the most effective team. Not the best individuals.
He really should drop Kane, in my opinion. But he won’t. The rest is the next best thing.
He really should drop Kane, in my opinion. But he won’t. The rest is the next best thing.
He'll get it all wrong again vs Slovakia and England will be lucky to scrape though.
Judging from how England has played so far this tournament, I wouldn’t put it past Slovakia to knock them out.
Having said that though, their route to the final is obviously a cakewalk compared to other side of the bracket.
Having said that though, their route to the final is obviously a cakewalk compared to other side of the bracket.
Wow to think the only reason he won't play Foden is because he can't. Get fecking Gordon in already.
It's wild that Southgate has had this ridiculous luck to get the piss easy route every tournament he plays in.
Italy is arguably the weakest of the big nations, and that's the only big nation on your side of the draw? Austria are capable in a one of game of upsetting England but the pure player quality difference between England and every other team on that side is wild.
Congrats on another deep run Southgate. Going to go deep again and then lose to the first team with equal ability, but will get praise because he got far and beat the teams you'd expect that talent to beat 99% of the time despite playing like garbage.
Italy is arguably the weakest of the big nations, and that's the only big nation on your side of the draw? Austria are capable in a one of game of upsetting England but the pure player quality difference between England and every other team on that side is wild.
Congrats on another deep run Southgate. Going to go deep again and then lose to the first team with equal ability, but will get praise because he got far and beat the teams you'd expect that talent to beat 99% of the time despite playing like garbage.
Everything has fallen into place. Regardless of performances to date, anything less than a final is a serious under achievement given thd draw.
Once again it's worked out in our favour, Southgate given a more favourable run to the final, on the "easier" side of the draw.
Yet I still think chances are Italy will do us again, if we can fumble our way past Slovakia first, obviously.
Yet I still think chances are Italy will do us again, if we can fumble our way past Slovakia first, obviously.
Italy really do look shite though. Swiss could easily take them.
They don’t half luck out with the draw. 3rd tournament in a row they’ve avoided the big or in form teams.
Southgate will fluke his way to the final with the help of this lucky draw and he'll get offered an 8 year extension. Maybe even a lifetime contract.
You'll never get rid of this guy.
You'll never get rid of this guy.
To be fair yes, they look average, but then I don't really know how they managed to win the Euros last time either.
I'm picking Switzerland to beat them.
Italy looked horrible against a horrible Croatia team, and they barely beat Albania.
Don't really know why people rate them so much. Their squad is very limited in quality, they look harmless in attack.
I think the Swiss beat them but if they do somehow progress, I don't see them scoring against England.
England has the easiest path to the final ever. Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria. Reads like a qualifying group draw.
What an easy draw for England. Very lucky.
How is it the third in a row? England beat Germany on their way to the final last time..
Also played france in the quarters of the world cup..
That German side was one of the worst in living memory, yes we did draw France and we unsurprisingly lost as we always do against top 10 teams.
Southgate has been the luckiest England manager in history, if he doesn’t make the final it will be a disgrace with this draw. Sadly for us people will then say how amazing he is when the reality is any manager worth anything would have done at least what Southgate has done with the draws he’s had.
If England beat Slovakia they'll play Italy or Switzerland right?
Going out to Italy in the quarter finals seems about right for England
Going out to Italy in the quarter finals seems about right for England
Could easily just as well have Slovakia, Switzerland and Austria to beat to get to the final. Even with lackluster performances, they've put themselves in the right side of the bracket once again. No excuses for team nor Southgate not to reach the final now.
Can't rule out the Italians though
We were great last time, that's how we won
Can Southgate survive elimination by Slovakia in the 1/8 of the tournament?
Exactly. Yes it's the easier side but still have to play italy and that means a exit.
He's going regardless. Only if we win does he have a chance of staying, and even then, I think it would be a good time to leave.
Have you seen them play this tournament? Played off the park by Spain, needed a last-minute equaliser against Croatia to advance. "That means an exit" seems like an over the top statement.
Well if you can't be good then be lucky...
I'm not going to pretend it was the best Germany side of all time but they've had much worse. It had Neuer, Kimmich, Hummels, Kroos, Havertz, Muller etc. Definitely one of our best knockout victories for sure.
It's a great side of the draw to be on, though if it ends up Slovakia, Italy and Netherlands I'm not sure I fancy us with how we're playing.
I've pretty consistently defended Southgate on the basis of his record, but this is really starting to look and feel more than a little concerning. One thing is the performance, which obviously has been poor except for the evident defensive solidity. Another is the things that are being said, which leaves you wondering if both manager and squad has drifted off into an alternative reality. Kane castigating pundits for not being more supportive - really Harry? What do you expect, that the pundits disbelieve their own eyes and remain upbeat over such obviously poor performances? They wouldn't be doing their jobs and also wouldn't be doing the team any favors. I hope someone in that group has stood up at some team meeting and said out loud "We've been shit, what are we going to do about it"? If not, there's something fundamentally wrong with the culture of that group. And then Southgate's cultured moaning about the negative reactions, as if that was something fundamentally unreasonable. And the absurd claim that "We've made England fun to watch again". And the somewhat surreal claim that they were much improved against Slovenia. It's all very well with a stable, nurturing and supportive environment, but if that is overdone to the point where you can no longer smell the coffee but instead talk yourself into an illusory sense of adequacy, it's a problem.
I think England will be fine. It's International football at the knockout stages, it's an entirely different competition now. What matters is being disciplined at the back and being able to hold onto the ball when under pressure.
The second half from England showed a lot more promise with regards to ball retention, something they've struggled with. If Mainoo, Bellingham, Foden, Palmer can circulate the ball well among themselves in these games, England have a chance.
The second half from England showed a lot more promise with regards to ball retention, something they've struggled with. If Mainoo, Bellingham, Foden, Palmer can circulate the ball well among themselves in these games, England have a chance.
I agree, we could get to the final not at our best but the performances have to improve quite a bit, otherwise there's a good chance we will slip up in one of those games. I suppose the same largely applies to those other sides too though, it's not like Italy and Netherlands have been really good this tournament either.
Nobody remembers the shit group stages if we go on a decent run. Mexico 86 was dire until we were forced into major team changes and powered through knockout almost doing the Argies. Italia 90 group games were terrible but you only ever see highlights of Platty's goal, Lineker scoring against Cameroon and Germany, and Gazza's tears. 96 was better as we hammered Holland and got the nation going until Germany nicked it at the death...and so on and so on.
We'll win handily on Sunday and gain momentum. Final against Spain is a very real possibility now and anything can happen in one game.
We'll win handily on Sunday and gain momentum. Final against Spain is a very real possibility now and anything can happen in one game.
England is a perfect representation of their country when you think about it. A right wing people think is strong and assume should work even though it's fecking useless and actively making things worse, a center that doesn't know what it's supposed to do and a left wing populated by right-wingers who keep moving center
Funny yet true. I suppose Spain are an armada of intricately constructed and seemingly intimidating ships that aren't very good at shooting and will likely sink if they face England.
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I still hold out hope that the group stage and knock out stages are very different beasts. In the group stage England played 3 teams who would all have been delighted with a draw, in the knockouts the same won't be true I don't think. There's nothing to say this England team can't spark into life and a change here and there can do wonders and against better teams we'll get a bit more space as they'll try to play a bit more.
I'm still confident this team will make it to the final.
Straight up way too easy to nullify this team.
Southgate picks a team that lacks pace, doesn't want to get in behind, lacks a proper midfielder with a wide passing range.
I can see why Trent was used but he's not a midfielder.
Kane, Foden, Palmer, Saka all clog up the middle.
Rashford despite a horrible season and questionable attitude would actually help this side. Hell even Sterling would.
Watkins would definitely help but Southgate is probably too scared to even sub a half fit Kane at 60 Mins.
Mainoo needs to start and Southgate is really gambling on a half fit Shaw to perform a minor miracle and add some much needed width.
In international football you absolutely need a creative threat from deep - a long range passer or a tricky winger that can advance the ball.
Southgate picks a team that lacks pace, doesn't want to get in behind, lacks a proper midfielder with a wide passing range.
I can see why Trent was used but he's not a midfielder.
Kane, Foden, Palmer, Saka all clog up the middle.
Rashford despite a horrible season and questionable attitude would actually help this side. Hell even Sterling would.
Watkins would definitely help but Southgate is probably too scared to even sub a half fit Kane at 60 Mins.
Mainoo needs to start and Southgate is really gambling on a half fit Shaw to perform a minor miracle and add some much needed width.
In international football you absolutely need a creative threat from deep - a long range passer or a tricky winger that can advance the ball.
I remember the Sun doing sack Robson phone ins during Mexico 86. In 1990 the players forced him to switch to 5 at the back and totally change the team. None of this is new.
I think Slovakia will be very happy with a draw, or at least a boring game, where they hope to nick a goal against us. Italy are definitely boring, probably think they will hope to lock up shop on us. Austria will play their high pressing game, probably 65/35 we can beat them. If the play as well as they can they beat us. None of the teams we are playing against give away space really.
The amount of people thinking Italy are a sure thing has surprised me. If Switzerland keep playing how they have, they are a horrible proposition for Italy.
The only thing you can confidently predict about Italy at the moment is that they'll change sides at half time.
Ouch
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