WilliamPS

Wrong way round - they only go abroad for ‘bankers’ - these have all worked except Tonali. PSR means the club cannot get a single big transfer wrong, so it’s a safety first strategy of PL experience is a must UNLESS the player is young and definitely going to be CL quality. If they spot a RW or CB in this category abroad they will do it, if they can’t find a banker at the right place it’s domestic. Tonalis suspension effectively derailed last season so you can see why the strategy is there.Other clubs can afford to take gambles on players who might not work out, NUFC can’t and PL experience is the best proof a player will succeed. Id love for the club to be taking all sorts of fun punts but the PSR situation doesn’t allow it, as a £40m flop on a 5 year deal with big wages is the stuff of PSR nightmares.

England now have a squad that is probably in the top 3 at the tournament but are being let down by poor management rather than lack of talent. Can anyone defend bringing Gordon on in the 89th minute? What was the point? Of course people are going to get frustrated at that. 2018 was a great story as the squad massively overachieved, Southgate was the hero but now the script has reversed. What then makes it toxic is when the manager and players come out and tell people their eyes are wrong, and a poor performance was really a good one.

Complain all you like, you’re getting an unchanged team next game.

Winning the group scoring 2 goals! Tbh as a long term Southgate sceptic I’m fairly relaxed as finally the media have locked into him being a fraud. He’ll be roasted

You troll but Southgate genuinely believes it

Roy was so so shite at England it convinced people Southgate was good

Under Ashley it was more not signing *anyone*

Some of the takes here are a bit extreme. It’s a better performance from England, more front footed. Having Gallagher looks to have given better shape. They’ve put some decent balls into the box (against Denmark they created almost zero chances) But also have to consider playing a much worse side.

Am a bit late to this but the absolutely best argument there is for Foden on the left is they are counting on Shaw to be back for the knock out rounds, and shaw has a great left foot and can overlap superbly. But relying on a crock like Shaw to make the formation and tactics work is incredibly risky.

A bigger manager would do this. Southgate is too weak to. When Spain won the World Cup fabregas was on the bench as they had Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets. Managers have to make calls but Englands is a timid bottler. worse thing is all the calls for Gordon will make him dig his heals in further.

PSR had no impact on the club that year, due to the massive underspend in the prior Ashley years. I’d the delayed it for PSR they must have been on crack as it’s hurting now (would have been better to do business earlier)

The fitness quotes and the stuff about Kalvin Phillips are just panic. This is the first time the media have really scrutinised Southgate and he’s not handling it well. However apart from some crackheads who want Bellingham pushed back into midfield and Foden at 10 the media are calling it right.

I hope Scotland go out as they are a dull side, Hungary and even Switzerland are much more entertaining

Tbh we should be pleased as if they’d nicked it on Thursday nothing would change and it be straight out in the knockout round, now something must be done. If Gallagher and Gordon came in we’d get a different England. I’m not saying they’d be amazing but Gordon holding the width and getting in behind would open up space for Bellingham and actually create some chances for Kane. Gallagher would improve the midfield massively out of possession (not so much in possession). He can’t possibly start TAA again. My fear is he’s a bottler as usual and instead of dropping Foden he pushes Bellingham back and Foden goes 10, I don’t think that’ll work. My prediction after Serbia was he’s at least drop TAA and he bottled even that. Personally I’d like to see a formation change to 433 but I don’t think Southgate has it in him. I also think those that want Wharton will be disappointed for the same reason, Southgate isn’t going to make that call, Mainoo has more chance.

Olise is a reminder how hard it is to buy off PL clubs. Players want huge salaries as stars are already on big money, transfer fees, even with release clauses are big. All the domestic buys since the first window have been where the selling club has financial pressures they need to manager. Gordon and Hall were FPO restrictions, Livramento, Pope and Barnes relegated clubs Makes me sceptical about a MGW, Neto or Mbeumo move (who would be a great signing IMO), unless they have release clauses. I reckon the RW may come from abroad

Given the claims about a CL release clause they probably have got a price that wasn’t available to NUFC

The Glazers must be pissing themselves about the deal they did, sold part of the club but are still the real owners, meanwhile Ratcliffe is putting the cash in and will take any flack for performances, they keep making £££. They are very astute businessmen, even if they have no interest in performances on the pitch.

England could put out a team that could out pass all but one or two sides in the competition. A team with a spine of Rice, Stones, Bellingham and Foden, with two fullbacks and a striker who are all good on the ball should be establishing a rhythm and controlling games. All the pieces of the puzzle are there. Just needs a sensible selection and tactics. Back in 2012,2014,2016,2018 yes you could say England just don’t have the quality, but thats just not true anymore.

Southgate has always been like this, he’s a coward as manager who will not make big calls. People can debate the players but until the manager is ready to say I’m going to look past the names and play players that suit the system then England will be shite. Arguably the best attacking options in the competition and they are utterly toothless.

Pretty obvious why Chelsea are a draw to players - they win stuff and tend to play in the CL. I imagine they say to players “ Yes we’ve had a bad season, but we will spend again to get back up- and you’re part of that” Chelsea are going to be a force next season. Their squad and team will become more settled and they are unlikely to have such bad injury problems again. I still think it’s worth hanging in there for Olise, but it’s low odds. After June time to move onto other targets

Murphy just spews total gibberish

Gutter for Austria, didn’t take their chance and then that Mbappe is a great player but the commentators totally over the top on him

Serbias manager correctly saw England’s only outlet was down the right through Saka, they got aggressive and shut that down. Their LB had a great second half. What is then up to englands manager is to adapt England to provide either a different threat on the right or to fix the left side. I think starting Foden at LW was fair enough, it was worth trying, but it didn’t work. That needs to be looked at for the next game. TAA is a good player but he isn’t a midfielder, he isn’t good at receiving the ball facing toward his own goal and turning, or finding space between the lines to receive it, or pressing in midfield, which aren’t requirements for a full back. Gallagher is a better solution when there’s little space in midfield. TAA would be fine in a game against a team sitting deep, or in an open game but not when England are getting pressed high up. Fixing the two issues and England look like contenders. As it’s Southgate I think he probably fixes none or one, my prediction is Gallagher in vs Denmark and that will move England up a gear. If Gordon gets on the pitch the case for him at LW will be blatant

Sure but no international team is perfect, and this squad is strong enough to win the tournament if a canny manager uses them well. What drives everyone crazy is the manager has never used the squads well or adapted mid game. In every single tournament game we’re all screaming at the TV from 60mins. This thread, Inc my posts are maybe a bit of an overreaction but its happened so many times we are all 0-ragy bastards in 10seconds.

I can’t bear Southgate’s game management but that’s been the same for 3 tournaments now. Other coaches know if you make aggressive changes, either tactics or personnel England will not react until at least the 70th minute. Hands opposing managers the initiative early in the second half every game. I will reserve judgement on the Foden wide left debate until it’s clear how close to fitness Shaw is. If Shaw is a contender to start in a week then maybe the formation will come into its own and Southgate has made the call to play Foden now so the team settles. If he’s miles away then Foden on the left isn’t going to work and he should have changed it at half time. Kane always gets pelters when England play badly but today (and on every other occasion) it’s cos he’s given nothing to work with. Give Kane chances and he bangs them in.