That's arguably Colombia (who beat Spain in a friendly pre-tournament).
Gareth Southgate
- Thread starter keithsingleton
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That's arguably Colombia (who beat Spain in a friendly pre-tournament).
Colombia have also reached the final of the CONMEBAL Copa America, so they are a decent team.
They're unbeaten since 2022 when they played Argentina who they now play in the final.
Spain have also been on a great run though, they've played themselves into great form with a strong end to qualifying and then tournament so far. It's going to be a big task for England but I think the 5 at the back formation is the one that can beat them.
International ball and club ball are nigh two different sports
Man keep this guy away from United. England has not impressed, in fact we have rode our luck like crazy, and have had incredibly easy runs in these tournaments.
Goldbridge has a shear meltdown at the very mention of his name and slags him off for the hell of it shitting brick in case his Dutch mancrush messes up and sir Gareth gets the united job
At the end of the day, he's made a couple of finals, might win against decent opposition, but his runs in tournament have genuinely been very easy each time, and he's usually shit the bed with negative tactics as soon as he's come up against good teams. Anyone not realising England are doing a lot in spite of of him rather than thanks to him (though of course he's gotten a few decisions right over an 8 year tenure) are blind to the facts. I will however absolutely credit him with creating a positive environment for the team (until this summer, where it seemed more of a mixed bag) which wasn't the case prior to his arrival.
Because he had one awful season in his managerial career?
Both his European performances in Ajax and his first season at United eclipse anything Southgate has ever done, and the latter winning the Euros wouldn't change that, it's a 7-game tournament with a ridiculously overpowered team. ETH is competing against the best of the best in the best league in the world, Southgate is competing with an overpowered team against other washed up managers in international tournaments, where tactics are outdated and frankly don't even matter that much. That's why it seems less robotic and more enjoyable than modern day club football at times, because it's more "arcade". You can prefer that, but the last 15 years of tactical revolution in club football moved it so far ahead of international football that with the rare exception (Flick, Enrique, Nagelsmann), only coaches like Southgate take international jobs. And him not being able to even put out a balanced XI with one of the most talented squads is comically bad, considering everything I've just wrote. Foden might be a system player, but why doesn't he tweak the system to Foden's needs if he's so hellbent on starting him? Yesterday was actually the first game he did that, and Foden suddenly looked decent, interesting. It took Southgate 5 games to do it. Also, why do some of the best players in the world look like a shadow of themselves at times? Not everyone is a Mainoo or a Saka who doesn't need structure and can perform in shitty environments.
From the 24 Euro managers, can you name me a single one of them other than Nagelsmann, who you feel like could take over one of the biggest clubs in the world and actually do well? Or even get the opportunity for a job like that?
England being in the final in the first place, despite the continuous self-sabotage from Southgate, is another great indictment of the true level of international football.
Funny how no one would dare compare ETH to Southgate if Saka's shot didn't go in vs the Swiss and England went out. The perfect example of the fickleness and flip-flopping of football fans. Southgate cannot chat to any of our managers post-Ferguson, not just ETH.
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I've been shitting on him all tournament but fair play, last night he did well from a management perspective. That first half was great and his subs were made at the right time and we won the game through them.
Damn. People really traumatized about the possibility he might end up at United 
Hate to admit it, but Brent is absolutely correct on that score.
'Sir Gareth' would be a complete disaster as United manager.
What I find interesting is that we seem to start every tournament under him really poorly and then grow into it and have gone far in most of them which was never the case pre-Southgate.
It's hard to tell if this is the plan, or it's just the team gradually gelling (in lieu of any actual strategy). It seems like too much of a coincidence to be pure luck though.
Either way, still don't want him anywhere near the United job.
It's hard to tell if this is the plan, or it's just the team gradually gelling (in lieu of any actual strategy). It seems like too much of a coincidence to be pure luck though.
Either way, still don't want him anywhere near the United job.
Sorry but have to disagree. Once again went with Tripper whereas there are better options. We played well in the first half even though at times were sloppy. In the second half, he just didn't react tactically. Holland were defending deep, we needed more width because they crowded the midfield yet he did nothing. The subs should have been made earlier. We needed some freshness and legs in midfield so Wharton should have been brought on. When they were made, we were going into extra time aimlessly until a bit of magic from Watkins. From a managerial perspective, I think he's been poor. It will be a big test for him against Spain.
He's such a shit manager.
Say what you like about his managerial skills (depressingly, abjectly shite) but he isn't half lucky, and luck is worth something in tournament football. Getting all the way to the semis/finals without playing any of the favourites is some doing especially when hes done it what? 5 times now.
It’s great and all but when the chips are down and he’s up against something other than average he generally loses.
We will lose against Spain and everyone will congratulate him for another final and ignore all context once again
Seriously though what was he actually attempting playing Alexander-Arnold as a tempo midfielder v Serbia and Denmark, Mainoo been miles ahead in his understanding of what is required as he's an actual central midfielder.
That's the sort of decision you can get away with in a major tournament if you ditch it during the groups, league seasons are less forgiving when you lose a couple in a row.
That's the sort of decision you can get away with in a major tournament if you ditch it during the groups, league seasons are less forgiving when you lose a couple in a row.
I don’t want Southgate anywhere near United but his strength is beating teams he is supposed to beat (like United are supposed to beat Copenhagen and Galatasaray). As for mentioning Saka’s goal, Ten Hag was a toenail from being dumped out of the cup by mighty Coventry. Neither manager belongs at United and we (United) will have a new, better qualified man in place by Christmas.
Absolutely incredible the 180 a lot of people have done on him in the space of a game or two
He's absolutely pulled a "Homer" with some of these results.
He's absolutely pulled a "Homer" with some of these results.
Just like with ETH after just one game.Absolutely incredible the 180 a lot of people have done on him in the space of a game or two
He's absolutely pulled a "Homer" with some of these results.
That's not a strength. It also keeps the sample size low that there are truly meaningful games only every 2 years.
Also, please don't list Champions League games as examples, as Southgate has never managed one for a reason. Ten Hag convincingly beat teams like Juventus and Real Madrid in that competition with Ajax. Convincingly beat Barcelona with Manchester United in the Europa League. Deservedly beat the best club side ever in the FA Cup final 2 months ago.
You're still not grasping that each and every one of these performances is more impressive than any performances Southgate has ever managed. What are the biggest games where England had a good performance with Southgate? Beating a weak Germany team at Wembley?
2018: Beat Tunisia, Panama, Colombia, and Sweden. Lost to both good teams England met: Croatia once and Belgium twice.
2021: Beat Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine and Denmark. Drew to Scotland and lost to Italy (which was one of the worst game managements I've ever seen after going 1-0 up). Germany was also a very weakened side compared to where they usually are. Denmark is a decent team but England's win was far from convincing, obviously. Arguably lost to the first good team they met.
2022: Beat Iran, Wales and Senegal. Drew to the USA and lost to France. Lost to the first good team they met.
2024: Beat Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Drew to Slovenia and Denmark. The Netherlands aren't great either and the win wasn't convincing.
If England win the final against Spain, that will genuinely be the first time they beat an unarguably elite level opponent in 6 years, 4 international tournaments, and 26 games.
And each time they had a top 3 squad going into the tournament.Keep gassing him up for barely doing the bare minimum whilst comparing him to a coach that's been successful on the highest level of football for 5+ years.
Damn. People really traumatized about the possibility he might end up at United
In six months time, when Sir Gareth is still basking in the glory of his Euro win and Man United are 10th, this place will start to agree with Dan Ashworth that Southgate is the man for the job.
Agree. He hasn't got a single tournament win which even ranks ahead of Wales vs Belgium in 2016, he's had an incredibly lucky run of favourable draws and scraping by against some teams close to England's level.That's not a strength. It also keeps the sample size low that there are truly meaningful games only every 2 years.
Also, please don't list Champions League games as examples, as Southgate has never managed one for a reason. Ten Hag convincingly beat teams like Juventus and Real Madrid in that competition with Ajax. Convincingly beat Barcelona with Manchester United in the Europa League. Deservedly beat the best club side ever in the FA Cup final 2 months ago.
You're still not grasping that each and every one of these performances is more impressive than any performances Southgate has ever managed. What are the biggest games where England had a good performance with Southgate? Beating a weak Germany team at Wembley?
2018: Beat Tunisia, Panama, Colombia, and Sweden. Lost to both good teams England met: Croatia once and Belgium twice.
2021: Beat Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine and Denmark. Drew to Scotland and lost to Italy (which was one of the worst game managements I've ever seen after going 1-0 up). Germany was also a very weakened side compared to where they usually are. Denmark is a decent team but England's win was far from convincing, obviously. Arguably lost to the first good team they met.
2022: Beat Iran, Wales and Senegal. Drew to the USA and lost to France. Lost to the first good team they met.
2024: Beat Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Drew to Slovenia and Denmark. The Netherlands aren't great either and the win wasn't convincing.
If England win the final against Spain, that will genuinely be the first time they beat an unarguably elite level opponent in 6 years, 4 international tournaments, and 26 games.
Keep gassing him up for barely doing the bare minimum whilst comparing him to a coach that's been successful on the highest level of football for 5+ years.
I'm guessing you say "one of the worst" because just the last season had all the other examples of the worst game management you've ever seen, from a different manager, even after going 2-0 up.
Yes, England had a top-3 squad at the 2018 and 2022 world cups. Indubitably.
Is he a Sir yet?
Not before Monday
I didn't say ETH was faultless. I said he was ten times the manager Southgate will ever be. I can't believe I have to defend ETH against Southgate. Like I said, the fickleness and the flip-flopping of football fans.
But I won't do that anymore, I can just wait and I'll be proven right.
England were okay in one half, and honestly neither team deserved to win. We were lucky Saka produced a stunner to keep us in the game, after conceding late on. Come on now we're not exaggerating.
Probably but we aren’t exactly setting the league alight under ten hag
He deserves respect.
He's raised the standard for England when it comes to tournament football.
Two finals and a Semi-Final in the last Four Tournaments...
That's the standard.
Credit Sir Gareth
He's raised the standard for England when it comes to tournament football.
Two finals and a Semi-Final in the last Four Tournaments...
That's the standard.
Credit Sir Gareth
Most likely but eventually he's going to fluke a win against one of these teams and be heralded a hero.
I've wanted him gone ever since he bottled the Croatia game in 2018. Even if he does beat Spain I don't think he'd get a PL job.
I don’t think he will take an EPL job because no club with any prospects will offer him one and he’s chock full of imposter syndrome so won’t take on a challenge because he knows full well it all unravels very publicly.
His next job is a step up in the FA. He will have a consultancy/ambassadorial role which pays him a fortune.
Surely it’s more likely that he’d eventually draw a group with one good team and one average team rather than 3 poor teams. He’ll finish third and crash out, and everyone will agree that he was an absolute fraud all along.
He was 30 seconds from this happening against Slovakia.
Southgate might be a hack, but losing the Croatia game had a lot more to do with players not taking chances when you were on top, then being methodically and systematically broken down and figured out by a superior midfield. Give some credit to the opposition.
He has over 25 games in international tournaments, 2 finals (maybe a win), 1 SF and 1 QF. There is always some luck in cup competitions, but luck can only get you so far. I genuinely wonder how he would do at a decent club - not United of course.
He'd probably be alright at a midtable club but wouldn't take a crystal palace to the Europa League, he'd make them hard to beat and probably finish between 10th-13th
Hoping for an England win as it's the better insurance policy for making sure we don't hire him.
What a time to be alive.
What a time to be alive.
And Southgate sat and watched with no ideas as they figured us out. We had better players overall and a good manager could have used them.
Ya agreed, probably a level below Hodgson, but above a big Sam.