Martinez is an idiot.. can't rely on the approach he took with portugal vs Czech.. England dies not have average players, but I would say there is some logic with what mystic says.. can't understand why Southgate does not trust his players with a lead..
The England midfield is not good enough I'm sorry. Rice does a lot of things well but he doesn't have control nor sound technique. Either Jude doesn't want to look after the ball or he can't. Don't even get me started about TAA. Even if Foden comes into the middle, he'd be like fish out of water as he doesn't have his city mates. Gallagher is best known for his industry. Wharton is untested and underwhelming.
Best chance England has is to play counter attacking as they don't have the tools to keep and look after the ball.
English players play with a lot of other wonderful players and tools/system that make them look great in their clubs but when they come together and it's just them, it's just a bit average innit?
These players are talked about as world class and front runners for tournaments but I think they are much worse than the previous teams that seriously underwhelmed in the past.
Southgate may be alot of things but he's no fool and he knows his football. He's playing defense first and steady football because he knows these players don't have another level in them. Yet he's contrived to carry these average set of players to final and semi final games of back to back major competitions. He deserves a lot of credit for a job well done even if he does need to step aside after this competition.
That is a lot of bullshit. "These players don't have another level in them"????
Bellingham was top two player for Real last season. Rice was ours. And Foden was City's. If you can't get that midfield to work, that is a managers problem.
I had to see Portugal play Vitinha who isn't a DM rather a CM at the base of their midfield with Cancelo supporting him from an inverted RB position. And Southgate is scared to try to play that midfield which has Rice in it for protection. Any one that plays progressive football is getting England to the semis or further playing good football.
Did Southgate instruct Bellingham not to play well? English fans and their delusion! Bellingham was a top player because he had great midfield players around him. Of all England managers in the last 3 decades how many of them have performed wonders. The same mistakes made during the Lampard and Gerard years is being repeated. Playing central midfielders as creative play makers. In my head, the last true playmaker of England was Paul Scholes. In this present generation, it is Madison. But he doesn't play for Madrid or United unfortunately.
No but he sets the team up and if it’s unbalanced ( which it is) then it’s his job to find the players who make a team and not just shoehorn the biggest players in
I am not English bro. I just can see why they are failing.
Bellingham isn't a No 10. He was always a CM. Foden isn't a left winger. And Trent isn't a midfielder. Rice's qualities are eating up space. He can hold his own on passing but he isn't a Rodri.
All of these are structural problems. The manager doesn't know how to use his players.
And Maddison lol. He is a No 10. And he isn't better at that than Foden. I am calling it like how I see it. England have a risk averse shit manager. He is likeable to the players. But he is shit.
History will be a better judge. GS may be knighted for his achievements with the NT lol.
National team football is incredibly difficult and fans should stop using club football performances to judge NT performances. It's not even remotely the same.
No midfield in Europe is built around an English man. Might be a cog, yes but that's all.
City - Rodri
Liverpool - don't really use midfield but yet no Englishman
United - Bruno
Arsenal - Partey
Madrid - Kroos/Modric
Barca - haven't even bought any English midfielder in decades.
It's not rocket science that English midfielders aren't build to dominate the game. Play to their strengths, that's counter attack and they may have a chance. They have intelligent runners and finishers always. Not just builders.
The midfield isn't poor. They aren't the best passers like Pedri and Rodri. But technically all of Foden, Rice and Bellingham are great. What they need is a way to fit them in and fit in wingers who hold the width like Saka and Gordon. If Southgate was decent, that midfield would be a challenge for anyone.
We had the same structure at Arsenal with Odegaard, Partey and Xhaka. Rice isn't as good at breaking lines but he is good enough. Foden can be a good playmaker if used the right way. And Bellingham is the ultimate box crasher. Southgate is why England are failing.
Another thing I’ve observed. Since Kane went to Bayern he’s not being asked to drop into midfield and also not asked to press. And for England he’s repeating the same. This means he’s gone from being heavily influential in the build up play to being broadly irrelevant and just waiting for someone to feed him a chance to score.
For a player who is so good at link up play and in a team that is doing shit in midfield, this approach makes zero sense. He should be dropping deep to create midfield overloads and build attacks for the wide players and Bellingham to break beyond him - then get forwards and fish for chances - same as he used to do for spurs because they always had a trash midfield
Seeing Southgate say we didn’t draw because of a lack of effort really bloody irks me
The players were literally lazy as fuck
Let’s put quality of play to one side entirely for a moment. Every time a defender or DM got on the ball, he would take 5 seconds walking with it if not being pressed, often stopping still and standing on the ball whilst having a good long think about who to pass to. Meanwhile ALL the 10 other players would usually be standing still or walking themselves so there was zero dynamism in the play and opening up of new passing opportunities
That is lazy as fuck from all accounts and is unforgivable at this level. Doing that you’d think the players thought it was a friendly against a shit team and we were already 3-0 up. Where the hell does any, let alone ALL of our players get this concept that this is okay?
Well that was shite. Just emerged from a corporate event in London and almost relieved I didn’t have the benefit of my own telly. Southgate is an utter moron and needs to go
He is too cautious. The team England have can go toe to toe with anyone. That defense isn't the best but still has Stones and Walker. And Pickford can be shaky at times. But the midfield and attack can match anyone. If went all out and coached them to actually attack, they would win majority of their games. Foden Bellingham Rice should be the midfield. I would even play a back three of Walker, Guehi and Stomes to accommodate Trent as a rightsided right back/ inverted midfielder in games like against Serbia and Denmark.
But he will never do it. That is why they lost the final of the last euros. And that is why they will fail again with him in charge.
Spain look like the most entertaining solid team to me.. haven't seen all the teams and it's early in the tournament. But the level of coaching between Spain and England is night and day... they know exactly what they want to do .. doesn't matter who is in there, they keep doing it, there was no confusion or complacency.
I did see Portugal.. I thought they looked like they were trying too hard if that's a thing.. rather then let the game come to them naturally. Seriously talented side though on paper. Still yet to see France though.
It’s incredible how few good strikers there are around right now. Spain is playing Italy and Morata and Scamacca are leading the lines. It’s all Pep’s fucking fault. Ruined football with the false 9 BS.
Spain just can't seem to build a complete team. One department has to be wanting at any given time. How the fuck is Morata still running around? They need a striker before the world cup. I see a smash and grab from Italy
Martinez is an idiot.. can't rely on the approach he took with portugal vs Czech.. England dies not have average players, but I would say there is some logic with what mystic says.. can't understand why Southgate does not trust his players with a lead..
The England midfield is not good enough I'm sorry. Rice does a lot of things well but he doesn't have control nor sound technique. Either Jude doesn't want to look after the ball or he can't. Don't even get me started about TAA. Even if Foden comes into the middle, he'd be like fish out of water as he doesn't have his city mates. Gallagher is best known for his industry. Wharton is untested and underwhelming.
Best chance England has is to play counter attacking as they don't have the tools to keep and look after the ball.
English players play with a lot of other wonderful players and tools/system that make them look great in their clubs but when they come together and it's just them, it's just a bit average innit?
These players are talked about as world class and front runners for tournaments but I think they are much worse than the previous teams that seriously underwhelmed in the past.
Southgate may be alot of things but he's no fool and he knows his football. He's playing defense first and steady football because he knows these players don't have another level in them. Yet he's contrived to carry these average set of players to final and semi final games of back to back major competitions. He deserves a lot of credit for a job well done even if he does need to step aside after this competition.
That is a lot of bullshit. "These players don't have another level in them"????
Bellingham was top two player for Real last season. Rice was ours. And Foden was City's. If you can't get that midfield to work, that is a managers problem.
I had to see Portugal play Vitinha who isn't a DM rather a CM at the base of their midfield with Cancelo supporting him from an inverted RB position. And Southgate is scared to try to play that midfield which has Rice in it for protection. Any one that plays progressive football is getting England to the semis or further playing good football.
Brilliant response
Did Southgate instruct Bellingham not to play well? English fans and their delusion! Bellingham was a top player because he had great midfield players around him. Of all England managers in the last 3 decades how many of them have performed wonders. The same mistakes made during the Lampard and Gerard years is being repeated. Playing central midfielders as creative play makers. In my head, the last true playmaker of England was Paul Scholes. In this present generation, it is Madison. But he doesn't play for Madrid or United unfortunately.
No but he sets the team up and if it’s unbalanced ( which it is) then it’s his job to find the players who make a team and not just shoehorn the biggest players in
That’s where we’ve failed in the past
I am not English bro. I just can see why they are failing.
Bellingham isn't a No 10. He was always a CM. Foden isn't a left winger. And Trent isn't a midfielder. Rice's qualities are eating up space. He can hold his own on passing but he isn't a Rodri.
All of these are structural problems. The manager doesn't know how to use his players.
And Maddison lol. He is a No 10. And he isn't better at that than Foden. I am calling it like how I see it. England have a risk averse shit manager. He is likeable to the players. But he is shit.
History will be a better judge. GS may be knighted for his achievements with the NT lol.
National team football is incredibly difficult and fans should stop using club football performances to judge NT performances. It's not even remotely the same.
No midfield in Europe is built around an English man. Might be a cog, yes but that's all.
City - Rodri
Liverpool - don't really use midfield but yet no Englishman
United - Bruno
Arsenal - Partey
Madrid - Kroos/Modric
Barca - haven't even bought any English midfielder in decades.
It's not rocket science that English midfielders aren't build to dominate the game. Play to their strengths, that's counter attack and they may have a chance. They have intelligent runners and finishers always. Not just builders.
Arsenal
Rice
Spurs - Maddison
Madrid-Bellingham
Liverpool- Henderson until recently
Leeds - Phillips until recently
Rice needs Arteta to get the most out of him.
Habesha
England's midfield is poor
That's why Declan Rice has been struggling, at this level one good player is not enough.
England's midfield isn't one off the top 6 midfields in the competition. They can't control games or dominate possession with that midfield.
The midfield isn't poor. They aren't the best passers like Pedri and Rodri. But technically all of Foden, Rice and Bellingham are great. What they need is a way to fit them in and fit in wingers who hold the width like Saka and Gordon. If Southgate was decent, that midfield would be a challenge for anyone.
We had the same structure at Arsenal with Odegaard, Partey and Xhaka. Rice isn't as good at breaking lines but he is good enough. Foden can be a good playmaker if used the right way. And Bellingham is the ultimate box crasher. Southgate is why England are failing.
2024 Euros leading goal scorer: Own Goal (5)
Another thing I’ve observed. Since Kane went to Bayern he’s not being asked to drop into midfield and also not asked to press. And for England he’s repeating the same. This means he’s gone from being heavily influential in the build up play to being broadly irrelevant and just waiting for someone to feed him a chance to score.
For a player who is so good at link up play and in a team that is doing shit in midfield, this approach makes zero sense. He should be dropping deep to create midfield overloads and build attacks for the wide players and Bellingham to break beyond him - then get forwards and fish for chances - same as he used to do for spurs because they always had a trash midfield
Seeing Southgate say we didn’t draw because of a lack of effort really bloody irks me
The players were literally lazy as fuck
Let’s put quality of play to one side entirely for a moment. Every time a defender or DM got on the ball, he would take 5 seconds walking with it if not being pressed, often stopping still and standing on the ball whilst having a good long think about who to pass to. Meanwhile ALL the 10 other players would usually be standing still or walking themselves so there was zero dynamism in the play and opening up of new passing opportunities
That is lazy as fuck from all accounts and is unforgivable at this level. Doing that you’d think the players thought it was a friendly against a shit team and we were already 3-0 up. Where the hell does any, let alone ALL of our players get this concept that this is okay?
Well that was shite. Just emerged from a corporate event in London and almost relieved I didn’t have the benefit of my own telly. Southgate is an utter moron and needs to go
Southgate: 'we don't have a Kalvin Phillips replacement '
This comment sheds light on why England will never win anything under Southgate.
That's absolute BS at the highest order...
One nil and you freaking park the bus?!
He is too cautious. The team England have can go toe to toe with anyone. That defense isn't the best but still has Stones and Walker. And Pickford can be shaky at times. But the midfield and attack can match anyone. If went all out and coached them to actually attack, they would win majority of their games. Foden Bellingham Rice should be the midfield. I would even play a back three of Walker, Guehi and Stomes to accommodate Trent as a rightsided right back/ inverted midfielder in games like against Serbia and Denmark.
But he will never do it. That is why they lost the final of the last euros. And that is why they will fail again with him in charge.
Spain look like the most entertaining solid team to me.. haven't seen all the teams and it's early in the tournament. But the level of coaching between Spain and England is night and day... they know exactly what they want to do .. doesn't matter who is in there, they keep doing it, there was no confusion or complacency.
Did you see the Portugal game. They looked like the most complete team, along with the Spaniards.
Thought Portugal looked very much like ManU when Ronaldo was there last.
Plenty of work to get the ball through to the final third-- then looking for no one but CR7 to get him shots.
It's a low-efficiency plan. Has been for 5yrs.
I did see Portugal.. I thought they looked like they were trying too hard if that's a thing.. rather then let the game come to them naturally. Seriously talented side though on paper. Still yet to see France though.
Ya.. not sure what happened to Jorginho .. injury at half time or whatever..but without him in there, Spain is one way traffic at the Italian goal.
This Euros has been an OG fest.
Italy now succumbing to it!
Nico Williams looking like a world beater today. Fantastic performance. The wage will be steep but he does have quality.
It’s incredible how few good strikers there are around right now. Spain is playing Italy and Morata and Scamacca are leading the lines. It’s all Pep’s fucking fault. Ruined football with the false 9 BS.
Gyokeres is good.
Spain just can't seem to build a complete team. One department has to be wanting at any given time. How the fuck is Morata still running around? They need a striker before the world cup. I see a smash and grab from Italy