Don’t do it lids.
Come on, let’s not hit the meltdown button until at least Monday.
Come on, let’s not hit the meltdown button until at least Monday.
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Paul Rideout
Player Valuation: £40m
Who in the Croatian midfield wouldn’t you have in the England team? Kane is the superior forward, the back 5 are 50/50 imo, goalkeepers are both solid.
Just my opinion (as a non-Englishman who grew up in Merseyside from 10). But I think Croatia has the better team net. Yes they should have been more tired, but their game isn’t based on physicality as much as England’s (I actually thought England looked dead on their feet from half way through extra time).
However, totally agree - France would have torn England a new one in the final (Mbappe vs Maguire lol)
kenada_blue
Welcome to Barcelonaton FC
Well, yeah. There's a reason why certain players play for top clubs and others don't.
Overall, if we want to win stuff...we need to upgrade over Siggurdson.
brieverton
Player Valuation: £50m
I agree with the sentiment of all of what you wrote, and most of it in practice.
We want to see progress not only in league placings and cup runs, but also quality and style of football. It's a huge ask and will take time.
I do think though that we have to at least maintain last years league position for this season or improve it and finish seventh, just to at least start the process of improvement and momentum-building.
I also think we absolutely have to reinforce the squad in the next four weeks. We should be able to manage that whilst clearing the squad of at least a few more whose services are no longer required. Not doing so makes the managers task infinitely more difficult and if we stagnate or regress, our attractiveness to potential signings of the quality we seek diminishes further and further, as does our ability to pay for them.
I'm certain that the club finds it hugely difficult as it is to attract players of the right quality who can propel us to the next level. It's chicken and egg. We had ample evidence of that in Koeman's first pre-season when we all thought it would be far easier than it turned out. Since then we have lost our discipline and caved in, buying too many average players with no consideration for value for money. I honestly felt that last summer, any executive oversight and control of transfers went completely out of the window, and Moshiri takes the ultimate blame for it.
I'll settle for progression and improvement year on year and bit by bit, but we are already so far behind that, regardless of the constraints that undoubtedly exist, we need to start to build some momentum and positive feeling from day one, and just seek to eek out improvements in every single area on and off the pitch. I'm certain that Silva will get a better tune out of the squad, but he needs reinforcements in the right areas badly, and needs them over the next few weeks.
kenada_blue
Welcome to Barcelonaton FC
Never. Doubt. The K.
FTY
Player Valuation: £80m
I'm doubting it very much right now because I do not feel nice this morning
As you say, Croatia are a much better team.
@GwladysBlue - I agree that it's a disappointing result, but England played extremely well in getting there. While the opposition wasn't the toughest, youc an only beat what's in front of you and England did that with style and (for lack of a better word) character. Spirit I wished Everton would have shown last season.
Southgate's instilled an identity and belief in a young squad, even if I don't think his tactics were always the best and I wished he'd have taken a bigger variety of player (i.e. a Wilshere, because we didn't have a midfielder to get on the ball and set the tempo). But, Southgate is sticking to the system and that's the way to create a successful side. So while I don't agree with the 'enjoy the journey' shouts, I am optimistic that England have taken a massive step in the right direction.
Back to Everton, if there was a hint of us being able to sign any of those back-up Croatia midfielders, bloody hell. Brozovic has come on leaps and bounds last season and is an excellent deep-lying playmaker. He's probably exactly the type of player we need if Schneiderlin is staying, but we ain't got a hope in hell. Kovacic will probably end up at City.
We'll see whether this Digne enquiry is just a way to get Celtic back at the table for Tierney, and although I have my concerns over Mina's pace (if in a two with Keane) he'd be a good signing. Flipping heck, we're after Barcelona players here lads, not Swansea. Let's enjoy it (and hope it comes off, like).
Three signings in and i'll be happy. In an ideal world four, but if it means not buying a left winger for the sake of keeping Lookman, I'm happy to bite the bullet on that.
@davek Moshiri has pumped money in.
However, you're right in that I don't think he's put the right people around/below him to manage that money correctly.
Everything seems to be one step forward, two steps back. It's not been for a lack of trying, but there's definitely lessons that have had to be learned.
I'm hoping that the ruthlessness shown with Sam, Walsh, Elstone etc (who I've been well-informed by someone I know at the RFL was pushed as much as jumped) shows that those lessons have been learned, somewhat.
However, you're right in that I don't think he's put the right people around/below him to manage that money correctly.
Everything seems to be one step forward, two steps back. It's not been for a lack of trying, but there's definitely lessons that have had to be learned.
I'm hoping that the ruthlessness shown with Sam, Walsh, Elstone etc (who I've been well-informed by someone I know at the RFL was pushed as much as jumped) shows that those lessons have been learned, somewhat.
Whichever way you look at it, any new signings we bring in won't be embedded into the team for the August fixtures. But we can use those fixtures to get them up to speed. Ideally we sign 2 or 3 players this week and get working with them. But, I think its all going to happen during the final 10 days of the window (ins and outs). And, I'm ok with it. Our first 4 fixtures before the September internationals are ok.
GwladysBlue
Player Valuation: £70m
You’ve literally just named their three best players and then named two of England’s worst.
Erm ok.
I feel that the inactivity, even though lots of clubs are in a similar position with regards to signings, is rightly or wrongly causing the concerns/nerves to grow.
I'm not expecting a mass influx of players like some people desire (more along the lines of three or four like @BlueToff), but one soon will start the ball rolling.
I'm not expecting a mass influx of players like some people desire (more along the lines of three or four like @BlueToff), but one soon will start the ball rolling.
Paul Rideout
Player Valuation: £40m
Got an easy group and finishing second got us another relatively easy knock out run , first decent team we met put us out . That England team are the worst in my memory and I honestly believe the euro 96 team would have got to the final as would the euro 2004 team
Really? I don't like Henderson but even I have to admit he's been one of England's best players this tournament.
Deli Ali and stearling have been England's worst two players.
He’s named both sides CM tho so they’re playing against each other in the most important area of the pitch
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