Super Duper Branko Strupar

OOH!

Cant see Argentina surviving another 30 minutes of this. Need to finish it now.

Went for a dump on 79mins. Just back. FFS

I dont understand the anger towards him personally. Its not like we went out against France not attacking them. He even changed system mid WC, he gets credit for that from me, many a manager wouldn't. He's made our most threatening midfielder a focal point, he's given the 2 wide forward positions to 3/4 of our most talented forwards. He struggles with depth in central defence and GK but that's not his fault. It's hard to argue against his selection this WC or indeed his tactics since going 433. By the end he pretty much played what I'd think is our best 11 and attacked with it. Yeah Henderson but who would replace him, ballsy to put him back in imo, and it worked. Yet more credit to Southgate. If we had another really dynamic CM and 2 shit hot CBs we'd be one of the favourites every time, with Southgate as manager. You cant blame him for our lack of ability in certain positions. Saying that Tomori should have been selected. Maddison wasnt fit for the most part, so he gets a pass on not playing him. But I would expect him to be playing more from now on when fit.

The progression from the last 3 tournaments is clear to see, we were very good this WC and very unluckily lost to the Champions and we had a very good chance of winning. Our national set up still has an awful lot of catching up to do. France nurture talent from youth through to the national team, their national set up is excellent, ours has suffered from fragmentation and all too frequent changes. We need the long term vision for the national team theyve been following more recently, not just pick whoever might be hot right now, but build a consistent, repeatable framework with excellence from the top down. Southgate isnt ideal, there's things he does I dont agree with, but it's not really about him, more so the organisation, structure and vision. And currently that I cant argue with.

People arent pissed off we were knocked out in the QF?

I bet my right bollock he'll be absolutely fine.

Makes sense.

Hilary Clinton said something similar about 2017.

Would love Messi and Alvarez to tear them up, be a huge ask, though. Might need to be cleverer than they have been so far but also looking to attack with intent. Think it'll be a good game, just gutted it's not an evening match. Wonder if Di Maria will be back.

Who would have been on the bench if Nkunku was fit? Dembele? Maybe Knunku wouldve been on the bench, dunno. Dembele hasnt really done owt of note to my knowledge and has seemed passive. Do like the look of this Kolo Muani from the small bits Ive seen with Frankfurt.

There you go. Shame.

Well that one passed me by. Never heard of him.

To be fair, mind, we were all over them at this stage and looked like winning. Only for our defence to be not up to keeping out an easy chance. I see France scoring on the break as much as I see Morocco scoring, atm. For all their endeavour.,

Danny Murphy, man.

He's using his strength due to his low centre of gravity in a different way but still amazingly.

Aye they need to carry on and drop back as he slows to nullify the burst, but I imagine thinking that and then executing it in the moment is canny hard

Keane casually dropping he was better than Wright and Neville.

He reminds me of me playing in the park at like 13

Wow. Gvardiol skinned

I mean it's not Walton's fault, that's the law. I can see it both ways tbh but I'd prefer if that wasnt a penalty. You get clashes where there is no fault in football.

"Hi, I heard you were doing some background checks on a recent candidate. Do you have an email address please?"

Messi gets that foul but Kane doesnt