leffe186

I was just making Vaj aware that you’d already made that change in policy.

You have been hoovering up kids from smaller clubs’ academies.

The thing is Yorkie, they’re professional footballers and bloody good ones. I really think they’re capable of adapting and thinking for themselves in a more orthodox structure. If you have Gordon left in front of Trippier and Saka right in front of Walker then I have confidence in those four players doing good jobs in those positions. The unknown is how the midfield adapts and whether we’re better with Kane dropping and players running past him or Toney/Watkins harassing defenders. The big issue right now is he’s setting them up to fail.

Not seen the second half yet but it’s faintly ironic that the defence has been comfortably the best part of our team so far.

This was the compromise between me and my builder. We play like shite so the flaws are exposed but we get enough to get through (probably) so we can try some interesting stuff against Slovenia. Maybe?

I’ll watch the second half when I get back - how has Watkins done up front?

Am on the bus so haven’t been watching since about the 55th minute. I don’t hate Southgate, think he’s overall been a successful manager. The problem is that he’s persisted in these last two games with two clear and obvious personnel and tactical errors that affect the whole of our play (exacerbated against Serbia because it played into their hands at the back). This is top level international football. Coaches are going to adapt and make changes that exploit clear and obvious errors, even if their own personnel is relatively limited.

Got to take my girls to a class in 10 mins. Can’t say I’m unhappy.

They’re still saying the same things. “We need to get on the ball more”. “We need fresh legs”. WE NEED A CM AND A LW ON THE PITCH. Then the other stuff happens. I wish Watkins was better. I’d rather see Gordon come on for Trent and maybe someone for Foden - maybe not. I feel like we’re being gaslighted.

Look at that replay of the pressing that worked. Kane sits in and everyone else presses - Rice, Bellingham, Saka. It can work if you have a proper CM alongside Rice so one or other of them can go past Kane, and if you have a proper LW who can reduce the chance of an out ball on that side. We’re fucking about talking about “this is what we need more of” etc. If you don’t change the team you don’t get more of it. You can’t. Change the fucking team.

There is no point in these conversations. We’ve had them all before. It’s obvious what to do. Fuck me.

The same thing as the first game. We’re good when we have the ball but only have restricted options because we don’t have a left side. When they have the ball we rarely press from the front because Kane isn’t lively enough. Foden gets sucked into the middle giving them all the time in the world out right. Then you factor in one of the holding midfielders not really knowing what to do when the oppo have the ball. Exactly the same thing as the first game. Exactly.

I don’t want to harp on too much about it but when they have the ball I’ve been watching him closely and he makes the wrong decision time and again. Makes me really nervous. Like that. He’s on the edge of the area. Eriksen runs past him into the area and TAA is focused on maintaining his position and just lets him go. Bit earlier one of the other midfielders comes back off the D to receive the ball and Trent lets him go. He should have been right up his arse. Luckily the Dane actually presumed he would be and didn’t turn - if he had he’d have had a free run to the edge of the area. Scares the shit out of me, and when it matters it might not be that obvious it’s him who fucked it.

Can we just please fuck Trent off out of CM now? He genuinely doesn’t know what to do and where to go when they have the ball.

Completely lost sight of Walker. The whole stadium saw him do it too

Trippier does well again.

Trent you are a fucking liability when they have the ball.

fucking brilliant. The entire stadium saw that before the LB did. The quick switch to the RW is working most of the time.

Good pressing. Chose the moment well there.

How is that not a push

Oh, did all the hard work. Nice play.

Fuck me look at that. This pitch is not fit.

This pitch is shocking. Trent man. *sigh*

All of these

Very lucky he gave the first one there.