Apologise to Southgate

[MikeH72]

Think England fans overrate the players cos they believe the premier league is the centre of the universe tbh and have done for the last 25 odd years.

Maybe we just actually have a fairly average side apart from a couple of players.

Every international team is basically a collection of average players with a couple of standouts. There is no team of Galacticos that exists in international football.

This argument holds no weight and is a very very weak defence of Southgate.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Think England fans overrate the players cos they believe the premier league is the centre of the universe tbh and have done for the last 25 odd years.

Maybe we just actually have a fairly average side apart from a couple of players.

Even then, Spain are the same and even worse, yet looked far superior. No one had heard of one of their defenders up until he was shockingly a starter, and the other plays in the retirement leagues (after spending a good few years in the Prem himself).

Now, this kinda falls apart if you apply it to the other teams England faced - are Slovenia and Slovakia some fantastic outfits with standout players? Or a very poor Serbia and anonymous Denmark?

 

[Billy Dean]

Let’s be honest, we wouldn’t have beaten Belgium in 2018 even if we wanted to finish top of the group.

Yes probably but both teams changed up all 11 players in the hope to lose that game. You can probably say Adnan Januzaj cost Belgium a place in the final

 

[MikeH72]

Also, if I never have to hear about Kyle Walker’s “recovery pace” again, I’ll be delighted. That second goal, I genuinely think Ashley Young would’ve got to that ball first, he was like 70-30 favourite.

 

[MikeH72]

Yes probably but both teams changed up all 11 players in the hope to lose that game. You can probably say Adnan Januzaj cost Belgium a place in the final

In any other tournament topping the group would land you on the kinder side of the draw, however such is Southgate’s luck that the one time he was never going to top the group is the one time we somehow end up on the better side as a result. If the tournament draw was normal we’d have probably gone out in the last 16.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

Every international team is basically a collection of average players with a couple of standouts. There is no team of Galacticos that exists in international football.

This argument holds no weight and is a very very weak defence of Southgate.

He has a very good tournament record especially considering what went before. Isn’t the greatest manager in the world but I guarantee whoever eventually replaces him doesn’t do any better.

 

[Del-boy]

The term “nice guys finish last”, couldn’t be more apt about Southgate. Nice fella, but will never win anything.

 

[MikeH72]

He has a very good tournament record especially considering what went before. Isn’t the greatest manager in the world but I guarantee whoever eventually replaces him doesn’t do any better.

He’s got a very good tournament record because he’s been fortunate enough to draw bums right through to the latter stages. If the next manager gets similar luck of the draw then it’ll be an interesting discussion.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

Even then, Spain are the same and even worse, yet looked far superior. No one had heard of one of their defenders up until he was shockingly a starter, and the other plays in the retirement leagues (after spending a good few years in the Prem himself).

Now, this kinda falls apart if you apply it to the other teams England faced - are Slovenia and Slovakia some fantastic outfits with standout players? Or a very poor Serbia and anonymous Denmark?

England got to the final and gave easily the best team in the tournament a decent game. 10 minutes away from extra time,
Don’t really know what people expect tbh.

 

[MikeH72]

England got to the final and gave easily the best team in the tournament a decent game. 10 minutes away from extra time,
Don’t really know what people expect tbh.

Try looking at the pattern of how the game unfolded. Once again we scored a goal and immediately retreated to the edge of our own box and gave the opposition the ball and tried to hang on for penalties. It’s not a one off, and it’s not because Spain are so incredibly wonderful and unbeatable, it’s a pattern that we’ve seen repeatedly time and time again. With a range of different squads of players too.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

That argument is dated now.

Only have to look at Bellingham and Kane, where they played last season and what they delivered.

Factor in 2 finals on the spin and it makes the shout of England just over hyped by own fans as a nonsense really.

Evidently they're a very good team.

Not saying we don’t have some outstanding players, just the idea that we had the best squad in the competition or players to choose from is not the case.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

Try looking at the pattern of how the game unfolded. Once again we scored a goal and immediately retreated to the edge of our own box and gave the opposition the ball and tried to hang on for penalties. It’s not a one off, and it’s not because Spain are so incredibly wonderful and unbeatable, it’s a pattern that we’ve seen repeatedly time and time again. With a range of different squads of players too.

Could be loads of reasons for that. The Spanish team were getting criticised for doing the same through the tournament. Maybe they dictated the play.

 

[FrenchDarrenBent]

That argument is dated now.

Only have to look at Bellingham and Kane, where they played last season and what they delivered.

Factor in 2 finals on the spin and it makes the shout of England just over hyped by own fans as a nonsense really.

Evidently they're a very good team.

England never had trouble finding excellent players. I struggle to find an era where there were no elite defenders or midfielders.
It's up to the manager to mould them into a good team.

It's cliche, I know, but true.

 

[MikeH72]

Could be loads of reasons for that. The Spanish team were getting criticised for doing the same through the tournament. Maybe they dictated the play.

What could the reasons be do you reckon? The reasons that it keeps happening tournament after tournament, against different teams? There definitely is a reason for it, I’m just trying to tease it out of you.

 

[Furey1878]

The fella leaves with his head held high I reckon, the draw has helped but if anyone had told you Southgate would get 2 Finals and a Semi Final when he first signed I think most would have thought they were on spice.

He's got his limitations like, don't really see the point in sacking him though unless you can convince a proper elite level coach to come in for the long term.