Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

It kind of does though as you need a full team of players. England never seem to see that the team is more important than the individuals.

I don’t think many people are watching these performances and thinking “You know what? A left back would solve all our problems.”

How they are being coached and what they are being instructed to do seems to be a far bigger issue.

 

[Papa Shango]

International football is quite chill though, lots of old ass managers historically.

Gets to chill for months at a time.

Well yeah but its for people winding down or losers who never were more often than not.

 

[Simon Buttle]

They are labelled one of the best teams in the world by the very people who are moaning about them not being good enough!

Being boss in the group stages doesn't mean you will go on to win the tournament.

People are complaining because it's boring, but that's what England are.

Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia in the opening game of the World Cup but still went on to win.

 

[JohnRoss23]

Startling differences between the two teams today. Denmark were cohesive, clearly well drilled and more than the sum of their parts. England were disjointed, anxious and a brunch of misfiring individuals than a team.

England have the much better players but can’t put it together. Southgate needs to prioritise team over individual talent - and find a balanced team to unlock any potential England have in tournament. Can see why England fans are really frustrated.

Credit to Denmark though they were really good and clearly came with a plan they enacted well.

Always find it strangely disconcerting when you write something normal.

I was waiting for the punch line as I read chico's post

 

[kenada_blue]

Kopites are so weird in their defence of Trent La.

None of them can be serious if they think a midfield with him in there would win them titles.

He's not a scapegoat or a reason why that England side looks unbalanced. It's not his fault. It's the management.

But they want to make it about them.

At least it's not Pickford.

 

[davek]

Southgate flailing around looking for an effective way to play mid-tournament tells you all you need to know about his coaching ability.

Playing Tripe Alexander Arnold because he's been told to by the English press sums him up.

The feller is a disaster as a MF at international level.

That cant continue.If it does you'll know what a spineless little get Southgate is.

 

[Lapeno77]

Should have picked Hendon. Missing his leadership

 

[Obes]

Rice was worse tbh

Well, yes. But we at least know Rice is a capable midfielder and, it’s fair to say, that was an out-of-character performance. TAA, simply, has no business playing in this midfield. He doesn’t play there for the RS and never has, so why does he think these games are the ones to see if he can when there are actual midfielders available to him?

 

[longers]

The point being made is the volte face made in that BBC studio from about 4 nights ago when they were calling him the greatest playmaker in the world.

IMO he's nowhere near what Rooney was when he was 18.

He wins with Madrid. Brilliant. I'd win with Madrid and I've got arthritic big toes.

He didn't just win with Madrid though did he. He won La Liga player of the year, Real Madrid player of the year, won the most player of the month awards and was the second highest goal scorer in the league in his first season in Spanish football at the age of 20 years old.

Young Rooney was better than him though, young Rooney was a freak of nature.

Well yeah but its for people winding down or losers who never were more often than not.

I thought that was his deal though ? Club football too much stress, needs time out etc

International football seems perfect for him

 

[Papa Shango]

I don’t think many people are watching these performances and thinking “You know what? A left back would solve all our problems.”

How they are being coached and what they are being instructed to do seems to be a far bigger issue.

That's not what I am saying though.

For a team to do well you need to have your system set up right, having a left back who actually plays left back would be a start, Same with Arnold and Foden, forcing them in to positions they don't play in. I can't even think who the next up left back behind Shaw would be but it should be him playing there.

 

[Papa Shango]

I thought that was his deal though ? Club football too much stress, needs time out etc

International football seems perfect for him

It would cause havoc with his cycling on and off stuff though.

 

[everton fan number one]

“We don’t have a natural replacement for a Kalvin Philips”- Southgate

 

[Chegsy]

Kopites are so weird in their defence of Trent La.

None of them can be serious if they think a midfield with him in there would win them titles.

He's not a scapegoat or a reason why that England side looks unbalanced. It's not his fault. It's the management.

But they want to make it about them.

At least it's not Pickford.

 

[Papa Shango]

Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia in the opening game of the World Cup but still went on to win.

Lost to Cameroon in 1990 and made the final too. Actually England were rubbish in the 1990 group stages too.

 

[miami]

Although a kopite, Sam quek has just said, ‘Gareth Southgate is the type of person who would take the minus offer on the chase’. Sums Southgate up in a nutshell.