TheBrownBottle

Yep, that’s my issue too. Football with the handbrake on. It has never been well-liked at SJP - and god knows we’ve won fuck all since the ‘60s either, just like England. Not sure why when watching England - who I give far less of a damn about - that type of football is meant to be ok. He’s got Maddison, Foden and Grealish not starting. Whatever anyone thinks of them - personally I think they’re good footballers but not world class ones - they’d at least be entertaining to watch. Instead it’s Mason fucking Mount, an out of form Sterling and Kane who’s Hidegkuti impression as a deep lying no 9 doesn’t work without the class of Son alongside him edit: when people make manager comparisons, the manager who Southgate reminds me of is Taylor. Nice bloke, proper FA man, teams play shite football, will happily drop Chris Waddle for Geoff Thomas. Southgate wouldn’t have got out of the ‘94 qfy group either, against the Dutch, and solid Norway and Poland teams.

No amnesia on my part. I had Iceland to beat England in 2016 in the predictor in the office and was looked at like I was mad. I don’t give a shite about the results, I just want to see some attacking football. Hodgson’s England were awful of course - but fuck me that’s a low bar. Germany had some real quality in 1996 - Sammer, Moller and an ageing Klinsmann were comfortably better than owt in their 2021 side. Not sure how Europe’s most successful footballing nation can be described as having quality that ‘counts for nothing’ in international tournaments

Yep. He’s a PFM of a middle-class bent. No-one on here would be pleased in any way shape or form if he replaced Howe in the unlikely scenario that Howe buggers off to Barcelona or something. No-one. His nose was put out by those daft goals conceded vs Iran and he was after a solid clean sheet whilst not expending too much energy, knowing that only a hammering off the Welsh sees England miss the last 16

I think the QF is probably the limit (and England’s natural par) for any manager - I just want to enjoy watching it. Play on the front foot and lose - just don’t be boring. England always lose to the first good side they play - that’s unlikely to change any time soon. I’d like to be entertained while that happens

Sorry Vinny, no plot lost here. Just like several other games at this WC that was an eyesore. I’m not sure the US team realised just how up for grabs that game was - they should have won easily.

I trust you’re not suggesting that 2021 Germany is the same as 1990/96 Germany And England didn’t beat Croatia, from memory

They played a boring, staid style of football, aided and abetted by an England side who seemed perfectly happy to not press and play for the easy draw. It had all of the excitement of a pre-season friendly played under a hot sun. The US had all the time in the world to regroup. I just want the proper football to restart, watching Newcastle win a corner will always means more than England winning a game - and it’s a shitload more exciting

Likewise. This is the England side built from the youth teams who won the U-17 and U-20 WCs and U-19 Euros in quick succession, having the handbrake applied by the man who broke the Smoggies

Trippier was as bad as everyone out there - or am I deluded for thinking he’s better than that performance? That’s what so many on here seem to be implying. That it’s ‘arrogance’ to think these players can play better than the way they were set up. Shaw was timewasting with less than 10 mins to go.

The US should have won comfortably. Poor finishing cost them

I’m not hurt at all. Honestly couldn’t give a shite if England go through or not. But I don’t like being bored watching a game. That was a poor team playing a hobbled team. Unless I was watching a different game, that was a fucking boring 0-0

Robson and Venables got ‘90s Germany for their semis. Southgate got Croatia and Denmark for his. Who you draw against really does count for something.

No, it’s completely accurate. The US were shite. England were fucking shite.

He’s a £20m player worth £100m because of his passport On that basis, would anyone like to buy my English passport for £80m? I’m a dual national. It’s going spare.

I agree. There’s no way any other manager could’ve overcame the collective might of Colombia and Sweden in the last WC knockouts. Only Southgate’s brilliance could do that b

Yep, agreed. The dozy fucker in charge has spent the last couple of years sapping the energy out of everyone with his bizarre selections and tactics

I just hope Trippier is able to shake off Southgate’s nonsense on the flight back. Don’t need this lethargic pish

Nah, the US were fucking dross. England were fucking dross too. There was nothing good about anything I just witnessed.

Happily, I live in the technological third world (Australia) and the feed cut out in the 89th min. This also happened frequently in the last WC. That was embarrassingly shite from Southgate - and wilfully deliberate, too. Shaw taking a full minute to amble up to the ball for an 85th FK told its own story. I hope the Southgate defenders enjoyed that.

It’s important to have one in the side. We haven’t had an open racist playing for England since Terry and I think it has been a noticeable weakness in the team.

Bellingham has been utterly anonymous mind - but to not bring on Foden is fucking lunacy

Something along the lines of when the defender forces the attacker to lose possession. NFL term I think - a stat popped up on the screen before. Makes me really want to win now

I for one admire a man who waits to concede before acting

Had to look up ‘forced turnover’ there. I hate modern football