Football is coming home, Euro 2024 Final, England v Spain(Sunday 8pm)

[NeilMorepies]

I like what you have done there.

Not my fault I can’t spell Carlos ;-)

 

[DualityNSNO]

I've said it before but without doubt the absolute best thing about England getting to consecutive finals is seeing how obsessed and triggered the "home nation" goblins get

I seen a Scottish guy on my feed watching the game in a Spain shirt. Utterly hilarious stuff. Absolutely love it.

Game's definitely not gone

 

[TheBigIguana]

You would have absolutely despised prime Busquets.

I did! Still do!

There’s a thread in the ale house about what your role was when you played growing up and it clicked for me because this is exactly how i played. We played 4-1-4-1 and I was the DM. I’m crap. But when we overmatched the team I was awesome. Move the ball, win some headers, give it to the guys that can play a bit and just dominate a game. Then when it’s hard there is absolutely nothing you can do to fix it.

So yeah probably need therapy or something to sort that all out but I think it’s why I despise that role, because I’m so personally aware of how fraudulent you can be to fill it.

 

[carlos21]

Not my fault I can’t spell Carlos ;-)

Does not matter at least you are having fun.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

We should pick our technical players, as a country we continue to overlook them. we seem preoccupied with physical players like Rice and Bellingham or in previous generations Henderson Gerrard Lampard etc. Their physicality counts for nothing at the top level when we can’t keep the ball. Too many of these players except for maybe Stones Foden and Palmer don’t have to make the play for their clubs. Bellingham especially has had a season finishing off Kroos and Modric’s build up play. He’s not capable of doing that role for England.

You are 100% correct but this will sail over the heads of most people. They can’t figure out why Xhaka who was mocked at times at Arsenal absolute dominates Rice at international level. They don’t understand why a player like Tadic who played for lowly Southampton can give us the run around. These guys are footballers first, not athletes.

 

[pfim]

Okay mate here:

Harry Kane - big, strong, good vision; play the ball to him as the #9 he is for his club and in all games in the qualifiers for this tournament. Preferably play a team that will get the ball to him - see how Spain set up for Alvaro Morata - get the ball through Morata, who stays up front. Failing that, use the fact he'll be marked by at least one player and get the attacking midfielder who plays behind him to come into the box and dictate play a bit more, as he's gonna be a bit more free, and you'll also have wingers attacking the box and chucking crosses in. Also have him stay as a focal point (like, again, Morata, who is an actual mascot of a player at this point) even when you're defending so you have someone to hold up the ball using his physicality, which Kane has. Makes sense so far, right? I hope anyway.

What actually happens: Kane drops deep to actually play with the ball as he has no support, the ball never gets to him up front, there's no crosses to him at all; the attacking mid isn't behind him, they are actually 2 and they're both out wide. He's getting the "Pickford special" of the ball being aimed at his massive head, to head it down for Foden who isn't the type of player at all himself and then run the channels so he can cross it, sadly he can't cross it to himself in the box. During corners you have everyone back in the box and the hope is that Kane blocks shots instead of starting attacks (which is exactly what happens for his club 99% of the time).

Then Kane gets subbed off, and you have the exact same situation with literally anyone else - Watkins had even less impact in the time he played this time and he barely touched the ball himself too.

That said, he's been mediocre this entire tournament, as have literally all the outfield players, and they've all made stupid mistakes and played like they want to go home early but sleepwalked to a final.

Southgate is a football terrorist.

I agree but Kane’s efforts on those aerial duels is criminal. I mean, no effort. For someone wearing the armband, it’s a tough look.

 

[AndyP94]

I don't mind Southgate as a type of DoF for England. He is not blinded by Manure, Arsenal, Chelsea Man city or Liverpool players in the sense of playing for them clubs guarantees a place in the team. He has looked beyond the so called top six to the benefit of the England team but he is not a great tactician to get the best out of those players.

Previous managers have been guilty at looking at 'ONLY' the so called top six teams for players without the hindsight of realising that they may look better than what they really are. I believe Southgate has looked beyond that. He has been a good judge of player despite who they play for and that is why he has got us to the finals of the last 2 euros. He just hasn't got the qualities required as a coach/manager unfortunately

I agree. Feel sorry for Southgate and despite us not winning a tournament under him, he’s got us to two finals, a semi and a quarter final. He’s just not got them over the final hurdle or two.

The tactics though this tournament especially haven’t been great and the style of play has been a bit dull though with the players he has.

 

[DualityNSNO]

I did! Still do!

There’s a thread in the ale house about what your role was when you played growing up and it clicked for me because this is exactly how i played. We played 4-1-4-1 and I was the DM. I’m crap. But when we overmatched the team I was awesome. Move the ball, win some headers, give it to the guys that can play a bit and just dominate a game. Then when it’s hard there is absolutely nothing you can do to fix it.

So yeah probably need therapy or something to sort that all out but I think it’s why I despise that role, because I’m so personally aware of how fraudulent you can be to fill it.

I mean this is exactly why the USAMNTEKTNEMTNMENTEM isn't good, if that's your genuine opinion and experience from a pivot role

 

[Miked1e]

Okay mate here:

Harry Kane - big, strong, good vision; play the ball to him as the #9 he is for his club and in all games in the qualifiers for this tournament. Preferably play a team that will get the ball to him - see how Spain set up for Alvaro Morata - get the ball through Morata, who stays up front. Failing that, use the fact he'll be marked by at least one player and get the attacking midfielder who plays behind him to come into the box and dictate play a bit more, as he's gonna be a bit more free, and you'll also have wingers attacking the box and chucking crosses in. Also have him stay as a focal point (like, again, Morata, who is an actual mascot of a player at this point) even when you're defending so you have someone to hold up the ball using his physicality, which Kane has. Makes sense so far, right? I hope anyway.

What actually happens: Kane drops deep to actually play with the ball as he has no support, the ball never gets to him up front, there's no crosses to him at all; the attacking mid isn't behind him, they are actually 2 and they're both out wide. He's getting the "Pickford special" of the ball being aimed at his massive head, to head it down for Foden who isn't the type of player at all himself and then run the channels so he can cross it, sadly he can't cross it to himself in the box. During corners you have everyone back in the box and the hope is that Kane blocks shots instead of starting attacks (which is exactly what happens for his club 99% of the time).

Then Kane gets subbed off, and you have the exact same situation with literally anyone else - Watkins had even less impact in the time he played this time and he barely touched the ball himself too.

That said, he's been mediocre this entire tournament, as have literally all the outfield players, and they've all made stupid mistakes and played like they want to go home early but sleepwalked to a final.

Southgate is a football terrorist.

Still not got a clue what you are saying….

Kane has been mediocre for the last 3 tournaments.

Same style same play…. He is quite simply a Hinderance to this England team.

People go on about his goals… any half decent striker will score the type of goals he does.

You say he is that good…. He goes to the team that he dominated German football for 10+ years and still doesn’t win anything…

Unlucky or just not that good… I’ll go for the latter.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

I’ve got that down as 3 more than Rodri

Watch the game you don’t see Rodri. Watch Rodri you see the entire game. Honestly pal, I’ve played football at a decent level, you are clueless.

 

[NeilMorepies]

I seen a Scottish guy on my feed watching the game in a Spain shirt. Utterly hilarious stuff. Absolutely love it.

Och, leave off the Scotch mate, it’s the first team in the six they have supported this Euros that’s won a game.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Yeah whatever, he’s literally the only functional DM on City so when he’s out they lose because it’s like Bernardo Silva trying to do that job. If City had Gueye as backup it’d not look nearly as impressive.

 

[DualityNSNO]

I agree but Kane’s efforts on those aerial duels is criminal. I mean, no effort. For someone wearing the armband, it’s a tough look.

Nah this game he was hot garbage as were all the outfield players in my opinion - I honestly believe part of this is frustration.

Also those aerial duels - he's never been going for them anyway. An absolute scam artist at those and it's a miracle he's not killed someone

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

I did! Still do!

There’s a thread in the ale house about what your role was when you played growing up and it clicked for me because this is exactly how i played. We played 4-1-4-1 and I was the DM. I’m crap. But when we overmatched the team I was awesome. Move the ball, win some headers, give it to the guys that can play a bit and just dominate a game. Then when it’s hard there is absolutely nothing you can do to fix it.

So yeah probably need therapy or something to sort that all out but I think it’s why I despise that role, because I’m so personally aware of how fraudulent you can be to fill it.

Jesus Christ. Busquets was amazing. No wonder the US at sh!t at football. It’s beyond your comprehension.

 

[TheBigIguana]

I mean this is exactly why the USAMNTEKTNEMTNMENTEM isn't good, if that's your genuine opinion and experience from a pivot role

My whole thing is that to be truly good in that role you’ve either got to be penetrating or disruptive. Rodri is neither. Jorginho is neither. Busquets was neither. That works when you’ve got Messi, or all the talent Spain had, or Kante around you. The moment those edges fade you’re just playing simple passes going nowhere. People talk about luxury players. That for me is the ultimate in that. It’s awesome when you’ve already got all the other pieces.

I really think today is a good example. Spain had previously little with him on. He goes off, the team is far more dynamic, and suddenly the chances are flowing.