Internationals March/June (Euro Play-Offs + Friendlies)

PoTMS said:
The better team won. Wales would've been cannon fodder in that group, Poland less so.
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They may be a better team … they weren‘t tonight. We definitely had the first half and bits of the second. We also had better chances (just).

They’re obviously technically good and passed it nicely but there was only really one moment I was worried. Other than pens (back to technique… as I said before it got to them)
 
FootballHQ said:
Can't see Poland doing anything at the actual tournament. Lewa well past his best and obviously dosen't have the quality around him like he does at club level. Zalewski started well but faded, Zielinski the ultimate top level club player who can't translate form into international level.

I was impressed with their RB though, he'd be a good pick up for many prem clubs at a decent fee given he's played in the CL for Lens this season.
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Four out of six third placed teams go to the 1/8th, and we are in group with France, Netherlands and Austria. We made it out of the group in the last WC and I think we have a good chance to get to the R16 this time too.

Wales played really well today though and I feel it for the Welsh fans, a very close game. I absolutely fecking hate penalties and always lose my mind when such an important thing is decided by essentially a coin flip.
 
V.O. said:
Rob Page is a moron.

Went into extra time with 4 subs to use, and proceeded to stand there with his thumb up his arse watching almost every player walk around absolutely fecked, and only eventually subbed a subsitute.

Didn't bring on fresh legs to try and win in extra time. Didn't bring on a penalty taker for the shootout. Literally just stood there and hoped for the best. Useless.
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Why did Brooks come off? He was the best player on the park and I didn’t notice any injury or anything.
 
I’d argue Wales are better than we have been for a long time. We are probably a better team overall than we were 8 years ago, we just happened to have a prime Gareth Bale back then.
 
BeforeKeanetherewasRobson said:
Not a great bench have we? But maybe Ramsey just for a pen? (experience)
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Everybody was blowing out of their arse for most of extra time. Just having three players with fresh legs would have made a lot of difference, as it did for Poland in the second half of ET.

The starters you'd have been taking off wouldn't have been much better quality wise anyway.
 
youngrell said:
Why did Brooks come off? He was the best player on the park and I didn’t notice any injury or anything.
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The only way it makes any sense if if he was injured, but yeah, it wasn't an obvious one.
 
V.O. said:
Everybody was blowing out of their arse for most of extra time. Just having three players with fresh legs would have made a lot of difference, as it did for Poland in the second half of ET.

The starters you'd have been taking off wouldn't have been much better quality wise anyway.
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Yeah probably. Would’ve been fun to see Savage run around like a puppy
 
pablo__p said:
Barring poor Dan all penalties were really solid.

Get in Poland, happy that my country won but the quality of football was below the par.
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Then again, a guy I was watching the game with asked me if I ever saw better 5/5 penalties than this fecking smashing Poland served - and I was perplexed, but couldn't remind a better one :lol: top notch
 
V.O. said:
So one of the two subs Page actually used by choice was to chuck on an ill player? :lol:
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Brooks is quality and well worth putting on for the last 20 of ninety minutes to try and get the win and it nearly worked
 
Two mistakes from Pickford (poor clearance and he could have caught that cross). England should beat this Belgium team.

Germany reborn with Kroos and Brazil has a very young and promising team
 
Zlatan 7 said:
Brooks is quality and well worth putting on for the last 20 of ninety minutes to try and get the win and it nearly worked
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Yeah, fair enough, it's probably not the stick to beat Page with, I'm just seething at the inaction during ET.

In fairness to him, we played way above the level I was expecting in both games. Just felt pretty helpless seeing the game slip away from us with him watching on, after otherwise doing very well over the two ties.
 
Red Star One said:
Four out of six third placed teams go to the 1/8th, and we are in group with France, Netherlands and Austria. We made it out of the group in the last WC and I think we have a good chance to get to the R16 this time too.

Wales played really well today though and I feel it for the Welsh fans, a very close game. I absolutely fecking hate penalties and always lose my mind when such an important thing is decided by essentially a coin flip.
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Played o.k v France in World cup until they scored, big ask to get anything from that unless it's the last game and France put out a B team, Tunisia beat them in that scenario in the World cup.

Dutch game will be lively with possibly a red card but their midfield will walk all over the Polish one.

Austria playing very well currently and have a pretty experienced squad, can see similar exit to the last euros.
 
Red Star One said:
Four out of six third placed teams go to the 1/8th, and we are in group with France, Netherlands and Austria. We made it out of the group in the last WC and I think we have a good chance to get to the R16 this time too.

Wales played really well today though and I feel it for the Welsh fans, a very close game. I absolutely fecking hate penalties and always lose my mind when such an important thing is decided by essentially a coin flip.
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Just promise us you'll play better than that if you face England at the tournament, and we'll be even. ;)
 
Bowen was excellent tonight, maybe Englands best player alongside Bellingham and mainoo.
Hope he gets more regular starts.
Also prefer toney over Watkins, toney is much better at providing a focal point.
 
Was at the Ukraine-Iceland game.

great atmosphere and ending, then caught the tram back to the city Center just in time for Polish penalty shoot-outs.

Another happy ending. It’s a good night to live in Wrocław ! The city is absolutely buzzing
 
al.gabiru said:
Two mistakes from Pickford (poor clearance and he could have caught that cross). England should beat this Belgium team.

Germany reborn with Kroos and Brazil has a very young and promising team
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Are you for real?
 
Mainoo with the best England debut I've seen in years.

He's guaranteed a ticket to Germany.
 
Wilt said:
Southgate needs to find a way to start them both
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Why? It's always good to have options from bench. England should stop forcing players for the sake of it. Play the team that complements each other rather than trying to fit in all good players.

If Foden isn't good as LW then there are other options who are, they should start. Foden can come as a sub to change the game.
 
roonster09 said:
Why? It's always good to have options from bench. England should stop forcing players for the sake of it. Play the team that complements each other rather than trying to fit in all good players.

If Foden isn't good as LW then there are other options who are, they should start. Foden can come as a sub to change the game.
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Exactly, or else we end up with the Gerrard-Lampatrd-Scholes fiasco again

As good as Foden has been in the PL he hasn't really done that much at international level, Saka on the other hand has
 
roonster09 said:
Why? It's always good to have options from bench. England should stop forcing players for the sake of it. Play the team that complements each other rather than trying to fit in all good players.

If Foden isn't good as LW then there are other options who are, they should start. Foden can come as a sub to change the game.
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Why on earth would anyone of sound mind have a player as good as Foden sat on a bench? Ridiculous.
 
Wilt said:
Why on earth would anyone of sound mind have a player as good as Foden sat on a bench? Ridiculous.
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And the history repeats, just play all good player without much sense without any thought about if they fit together or as a team they are better.
 
Red in STL said:
Exactly, or else we end up with the Gerrard-Lampatrd-Scholes fiasco again

As good as Foden has been in the PL he hasn't really done that much at international level, Saka on the other hand has
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Exactly. I don't know how he fits with England team but if his play style or position clashes with Saka then it's better to bench one of them. From what I have seen Saka has been better for England. It's ridiculous that even in 2024 people think "let's put all of them on the pitch" without any thought about overall balance.
 
roonster09 said:
And the history repeats, just play all good player without much sense without any thought about if they fit together or as a team they are better.
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Find a way. Start the best players, you don’t bench them.

England need creativity on the pitch, not sat on a bench.
 
Wilt said:
Find a way. Start the best players, you don’t bench them.

England need creativity on the pitch, not sat on a bench.
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Kane, Saka, Bellingham and Grealish if he plays, that's plenty of creativity.

Tournaments are not won by just 11 players, it's won by squad. You need strong 11 and also players who can make impact from bench.

Like I said I don't know what the dynamics is with him and Saka, but if upsets the balance then one of them should be on bench. Just because they are good players doesn't mean all of them should be on the pitch.
 
roonster09 said:
Kane, Saka, Bellingham and Grealish if he plays, that's plenty of creativity.

Tournaments are not won by just 11 players, it's won by squad. You need strong 11 and also players who can make impact from bench.

Like I said I don't know what the dynamics is with him and Saka, but if upsets the balance then one of them should be on bench. Just because they are good players doesn't mean all of them should be on the pitch.
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I get the importance of a squad, but Foden is much too good to bench. England currently have a wealth of very good players (wasted on Southgate), a good manager will make it work.

Seems Foden has played more minutes than any other City outfield player, he’s good enough to hold his place for Guardiola….
 
Wilt said:
I get the importance of a squad, but Foden is much too good to bench. England currently have a wealth of very good players (wasted on Southgate), a good manager will make it work.

Seems Foden has played more minutes than any other City outfield player, he’s good enough to hold his place for Guardiola….
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Foden isn't too good to be on the bench. Only players who are too good are Kane and Bellingham, you can add Rice too.

He might have played lot of mins for Pep, that doesn't mean much for Southgate. The squad composition isn't the same, strengths and weakness are not the same.
 
roonster09 said:
Foden isn't too good to be on the bench. Only players who are too good are Kane and Bellingham, you can add Rice too.

He might have played lot of mins for Pep, that doesn't mean much for Southgate. The squad composition isn't the same, strengths and weakness are not the same.
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Think we’ll have to agree to differ.

Kane and Bellingham aside, personally think Foden the best English prospect since Rooney.
 
Wilt said:
Think we’ll have to agree to differ.

Kane and Bellingham aside, personally think Foden the best English prospect since Rooney.
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That may be the case at City but he's been largely wank for England. It's not exactly like it's a small sample size either, he's played 33 games. Saka has shown much more in an England shirt and has nailed down that RW slot.
 
Utd heap said:
That's a fairly mad assesment of a decent 15 minute cameo. Too many better players in the areas he likes to play. And I like him as a player.
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I don't think he's a better player overall than say Foden or Bellingham but today he added a real cutting edge when coming on which really stood out.

If the midfield going forward in Mainoo and Rice, then he shouldn't play ahead of Bellingham obviously, but in games England should win I wouldn't be against Bellingham, Rice and him in a 433 with Saka and Foden on the wings.
I think he'd do really well with Bellingham running beyond him.
 
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