leffe186

At least we know they learn from their mistakes. Was one of the biggest issues against Ukraine.

What a waste that was.

Thank fuck for that, would have been a mesmerisingly bad decision.

Not gonna lie, I would dearly love this to be a complete annihilation.

Oh Fucking yes

Lovely finish that.

And it’s noticeable that when Kane drops deep players are moving into the space created. Also that the ref is being a little more generous to the Scots

Don’t see Scotland accepting that. Or the crowd letting them. England been good so far. Much better shape and movement than against Ukraine. Some really lovely and more meaningful passing - like that move there. Frankly, man for man they’re appreciably better than Scotland at, well, football. Fascinating game though. And I do mean that

Did like Sourness’s comment about how England need to “take the handbrake off”. I had to explain the significance of the Scotland-England fame to an American mate earlier. I did warn him it was going to be a long explanation

*he says, on his knees crossing himself furiously*

Posted this at half time. It’s such a glaringly obvious issue with the way the team play that it feels like they haven’t even discussed it.

We’re a team in every sense except what actually happens on the pitch.

If Kane is going to come deep or go wide then Bellingham and/or Maddison need to be a bit more aware and fill that gap. They don’t quite seem to be on the same wavelength.

I just don’t understand the plan going forward at all. I presumed they were trying to do a sort of 4-2-3-1, and it sort of is. Rice is holding on the left, Henderson sort of holding on the right. , Maddison is leftish but floating. Bellingham is kinda everywhere but advanced, Kane is doing what he wants again. The one showing the most positional discipline is Saka. It would make more sense to me to have Maddison free behind Kane, make sure Kane is playing as a proper CF and have a more overt left-sided player mirroring Saka on the right.

Silly because Ukraine clearly aren’t particularly good.

That was coming. Overloads on our left every time. I’m really not sure what our plan is in midfield and up front.

Presume it’s really hot there? Good start by England.

Bellingham is so fucking good

Really like this Bradford kit. Would be better if the hoops were all the way down the back too but that might be slightly too Rugby League.

Fuck, didn’t realize it was Turkey v Armenia tonight. Armenia 1-0 up as well. How often have they played each other? Edit: I see Turkey won back in March. If they lose this i wonder if they just pretend it never happened.

I think you might have missed my point. It’s not that they’re not good, it’s that they’re being poached en masse.

I mean, it’s a conveyor belt of talent being poached from Championship sides

Oh yeah, totally my bad. Guess it’s a straight choice between Pope and Johnstone then.

I had forgotten Pope’s age too. He’s 31, while Pickford is 29, Ramsdale 23 and Johnstone 20. You can see Southgate’s thinking there too - if he thinks of Pickford as the #1 (which obviously he does) and if there’s not that much to choose between the others (which seems fair enough) then of course you take the younger back-ups with a view to the Euros and the future. Again, that calls into question his choice of Maguire and Henderson. But to call the exclusion of Pope “genuinely absurd”’ and wonder “why the hell he isn’t in the squad” seems…a bit reactionary. Edit: My bad! Don’t know why I thought Johnstone was 30 not 20 - just don’t pay enough attention . Guess it’s a straight choice for Southgate between Johnstone and Pope for the third keeper? Have no idea how good Johnstone has been this year.

Wasn’t even born in England