It's literally the same manager. Why is anyone expecting better from the boring Southgate? Should've been sacked, not given another tournament to do fuck all in.
Nobody really plays as well in the national colours as in their club teams. The fluency is never there lol. How much coaching sessions do national team players get in a year? It's almost impossible to expect great football but England's level was bee poor today
Aside from suiting city better, it’s also simply easier to play well in a dominant team
When foden walks onto the pitch for city most weeks the opposition have already half given up and expect to get slapped. They then go on to spend 95 mins chasing 11 city shadows and getting nowhere near them. They’re on constant edge for absolute magic from the likes of KDB or Bruno and have to expect Haaland can score at literally any moment.
In such a set up, the stage couldn’t be more set for Foden to do his thing. In world football, it couldn’t be easier for him than it is at city
But England isn’t that team. And England has a history of accommodating players based purely off looking good at their clubs irrespective of being underwhelming for England (the endless gerrard Lampard midfield of meh, mason mount etc)
I just think foden no longer has the excuse of youth. He’s 24. He has 34 caps. In those 34 games how many individual matches has he stood out? Maybe 3-4 in total? Every other one he’s been this kind of floating butterfly of irrelevance.
People blame southgate and yes he’s a limited manager, but saka clearly didn’t get the memo. Saka put dreadful Emery and early arteta years arsenal on his back without hesitation. He’s consistently delivered for southgate as well.
We have plenty of good forwards on the bench who haven’t had 34 matches to move past the ‘young boy deer in the headlights for his country’ phase. Either foden needs to deliver immediately or we should be reducing his role to a squad player and investing chances in others like Eze and Palmer who have so far barely had a chance and are chomping at the bit
For me the elephant in the room in the England team is as usual foden
Guy has 4 goals in 35 games. His mid-20s. Why after all this time does he always still appear like a timid boy on the periphery of most England games?
He gets all the plaudits at club level but frankly he is making hay when the sun is (always) shining at a totally dominant city team. The moment he joins up with the England team and is playing in a team which isn’t as good as city, he just fades into this timid boy.
He either needs to actually start showing up for England or get dropped. Club form means nothing if you’re consistently irrelevant for England.
Buy we've made it so difficult for ourselves in the 2nd half.
Foden indeed was uncharacteristically a total liability.
But the decision to play TAA in midfield by Southgate was baffling to say the least. That was such an unnecessary experiment to try out. Once Serbia played with more aggression we totally lost the middle of the park.
Anyway, onwards to the next game vs Denmark and hopefully Southgate is a bit more pragmatic and plays players in their natural position.
Plenty of teams didn’t have any issues with the opening game. I know you’re the biggest patriot on here Un but there are just too many bums on this team.
I have never heard or read anything negative about Kevin Campbell. That is a testament to what a great man he was. May he rest "at ease".
Great post Pete. Don’t understand some of these comments on a post like this but it is what it is.
It's literally the same manager. Why is anyone expecting better from the boring Southgate? Should've been sacked, not given another tournament to do fuck all in.
Nobody really plays as well in the national colours as in their club teams. The fluency is never there lol. How much coaching sessions do national team players get in a year? It's almost impossible to expect great football but England's level was bee poor today
Ryan
You are right. Suits Man City's game to a T but is unrecognisable once played in a different system.
I really hope that Southgate remedies this by not playing Foden and TAA in our next game.
They both break our game down.
I would replace both with Eze and Gallagher, respectively, in our next game.
Aside from suiting city better, it’s also simply easier to play well in a dominant team
When foden walks onto the pitch for city most weeks the opposition have already half given up and expect to get slapped. They then go on to spend 95 mins chasing 11 city shadows and getting nowhere near them. They’re on constant edge for absolute magic from the likes of KDB or Bruno and have to expect Haaland can score at literally any moment.
In such a set up, the stage couldn’t be more set for Foden to do his thing. In world football, it couldn’t be easier for him than it is at city
But England isn’t that team. And England has a history of accommodating players based purely off looking good at their clubs irrespective of being underwhelming for England (the endless gerrard Lampard midfield of meh, mason mount etc)
I just think foden no longer has the excuse of youth. He’s 24. He has 34 caps. In those 34 games how many individual matches has he stood out? Maybe 3-4 in total? Every other one he’s been this kind of floating butterfly of irrelevance.
People blame southgate and yes he’s a limited manager, but saka clearly didn’t get the memo. Saka put dreadful Emery and early arteta years arsenal on his back without hesitation. He’s consistently delivered for southgate as well.
We have plenty of good forwards on the bench who haven’t had 34 matches to move past the ‘young boy deer in the headlights for his country’ phase. Either foden needs to deliver immediately or we should be reducing his role to a squad player and investing chances in others like Eze and Palmer who have so far barely had a chance and are chomping at the bit
Extremely well put.
Let's hope Southgate sees past this and puts players that are actually useful to the overall team gameplay on the pitch.
Otherwise we won't go very far in the tournament.
For me the elephant in the room in the England team is as usual foden
Guy has 4 goals in 35 games. His mid-20s. Why after all this time does he always still appear like a timid boy on the periphery of most England games?
He gets all the plaudits at club level but frankly he is making hay when the sun is (always) shining at a totally dominant city team. The moment he joins up with the England team and is playing in a team which isn’t as good as city, he just fades into this timid boy.
He either needs to actually start showing up for England or get dropped. Club form means nothing if you’re consistently irrelevant for England.
For comparisons sake Saka has 11 goals in 33 games.
Well, we got the 3 points.
Buy we've made it so difficult for ourselves in the 2nd half.
Foden indeed was uncharacteristically a total liability.
But the decision to play TAA in midfield by Southgate was baffling to say the least. That was such an unnecessary experiment to try out. Once Serbia played with more aggression we totally lost the middle of the park.
Anyway, onwards to the next game vs Denmark and hopefully Southgate is a bit more pragmatic and plays players in their natural position.
RIP Kevin! ❤️
I’m not sure if I should be hoping for an England disasterclass or masterclass in this tournament. What gets Southgate the United job quicker?
Unless you’re English you’d be hoping for a disaster class so both Saka and Rice can get some proper rest and recharge their batteries.
The worst scenario from Arsenal perspective is the England/Germany final.
Foden has been so crap it is unbelievable. Genuinely misplacing every pass.
England Honestly need a coach that plays an attractive brand of football. These players are being misused.
Yep, garbage. Hasn't realised that he's not playing for City in the PL now, and won't get a FK every time someone looks in his direction.
England aren’t winning shit, are they? They look more bang average than they have in a while. What a collection of overrated “stars”.
Plenty of teams didn’t have any issues with the opening game. I know you’re the biggest patriot on here Un but there are just too many bums on this team.
Southgate has to realise more than ever that on merit, TAA has NO PLACE in the England first 11.
Southgate needs to make some subs NOW starting with TAA.
That experiment with him in midfield has failed and he needs to be subbed off ASAP.
England ain't winning this Euros
Your manager isn't good enough
The players are good enough but you need a manager that makes 2+2=5, not one that makes 2+2=3
Spotted and England flag with The Arsenal on it.
Nice to see a Gooner out there is Gelsenkirshen.