England

[Jaqen]

Whatever you think of Southgates managerial ability he's nowt like Pardew or Bruce howay. Like most other international managers he's a bit pragmatic and nowhere near as good tactically as top club managers. 

[gbandit]

Personally think it was a case of Kane leaving his leg out slightly unnaturally to allow the keeper to take him out. It wasn’t natural his movement. However, the keeper would have caught him anyway and it would have been a penalty if he’d just kept trying to play the ball 

[TheBrownBottle]

10 hours ago, Jaqen said:

Whatever you think of Southgates managerial ability he's nowt like Pardew or Bruce howay. Like most other international managers he's a bit pragmatic and nowhere near as good tactically as top club managers. 

If he’d remained a domestic manager, then I’m willing to bet that his track record would absolutely the same as those two.

 

Even Steve Bruce wouldn’t look at England’s forward and attacking midfield options and think ‘fuck that, I’m playing a full back at no 10 and two defensive midfielders’

[Choppy Chop Chop]

My obligatory I couldn't care less post 

[WideopenMag]

On 19/11/2023 at 04:02, TheBrownBottle said:

If he’d remained a domestic manager, then I’m willing to bet that his track record would absolutely the same as those two.

 

Even Steve Bruce wouldn’t look at England’s forward and attacking midfield options and think ‘fuck that, I’m playing a full back at no 10 and two defensive midfielders’

100% and if he managed us around the same time as them I think we'd have a similar level of dislike for him. He's very similar, complete incompetent bluffer.

[The College Dropout]

Southgate wouldn’t have had Bruce or Pardews career. 
 

 

[St. Maximin]

I don’t rate Southgate as a manager but not buying the hatred though. He definitely seems like a good guy. 
 

I do see people defend him by saying international football is often defensive though and I don’t really agree. You could say France were a great save off winning their second successive WC despite being dull to watch, but nobody would say it wasn’t working. In contrast Southgate’s style clearly led to our failure to win on home soil in 2021 imo. And more recently Argentina won in 2022 through playing entertaining football. I don’t think many would have seen them as best ‘on paper’ before, but they didn’t resort to cautious play as it probably wasn’t playing to their strengths, like with England it wouldn’t either. 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by St. Maximin

[AJ9]

Good post, as ever in international football you need to play to your strengths. France are strong all over so don’t need to play expansively. They can pick you off with world class players while shutting you out at the other end. Belgium played expansively and almost did it. Croatia toyed with you because they were so technically good at keeping the ball. Argentina played a way that allowed the best player in the world to influence games from positions that he is deadly in. Our approach is to cover our weaknesses as much as possible and hope Hazza Kane knocks one in.

[andycap]

Let's put England's best nowadays team and see how close Southgate is to it. 

Pope

Trippier/james when fit 

Chilwell/shaw

Stones

Tomori/walker

Rice

Bellingham

Maddison

Saka

Foden

Kane

 

Rest of the squad

Pickford

Dunk

Trent

Willock

Flash

Watkins

Grealish

Toney

Ward prowse

Longstaff

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by andycap

[andycap]

Canny strong team that like ? 

[AJ9]

Not convinced anyone apart from NUFC fans would pick pope as the best goalkeeper. Saying that, as an NUFC fan I also don’t see a better one.

 

The rest is about right. Not sure who the other CB is but it’s clearly not Maguire. 

[andycap]

1 minute ago, AJ9 said:

Not convinced anyone apart from NUFC fans would pick pope as the best goalkeeper. Saying that, as an NUFC fan I also don’t see a better one.

 

The rest is about right. Not sure who the other CB is but it’s clearly not Maguire. 

Dunk I'd go with

[andycap]

As far as the keeper situation pope plays champions league and a guaranteed starter. He makes the odd rick and his distribution isn't great but pickford plays in a relegation fodder team makes just as many Rick's is tiny for a keeper and his distribution isn't that impressive when I've seen him. Ramsdale cannot get a game so should be used as backup only. 

[andycap]

[leffe186]

1 hour ago, andycap said:

As far as the keeper situation pope plays champions league and a guaranteed starter. He makes the odd rick and his distribution isn't great but pickford plays in a relegation fodder team makes just as many Rick's is tiny for a keeper and his distribution isn't that impressive when I've seen him. Ramsdale cannot get a game so should be used as backup only. 

I thought Pickford was incredibly impressive on the ground last Friday.

 

I don’t think I’d have Maddison in my first XI. Him, Saka and Foden on the pitch together seems like one too many, but it would be interesting. My concern would be that you could end up with Bellingham, Foden, Kane and Maddison all trying to be in the same place. If you could make it work it would be amazing though.

[leffe186]

Also, I really want to be excited about tonight but ehhh. Will watch it anyway,

[WideopenMag]

2 hours ago, andycap said:

Let's put England's best nowadays team and see how close Southgate is to it. 

Pope

Trippier/james when fit 

Chilwell/shaw

Stones

Tomori/walker

Rice

Bellingham

Maddison

Saka

Foden

Kane

 

Rest of the squad

Pickford

Dunk

Trent

Willock

Flash

Watkins

Grealish

Toney

Ward prowse

Longstaff

 

 

 

 

Longstaff and Willock? 

[Doctor Zaius]

Pope in the England XI

 

Theres a reason why he's continually overlooked by Southgate. He cannot kick a ball. Going from players used to playing with Pickford, who is really good with his feet to Pope would set any team right back.

 

Im not saying he's not a good goalkeeper, he's one of the best shot stoppers in the country and the command of his area is very good, but he shouldnt be coming into that England side. 

[WideopenMag]

7 minutes ago, Doctor Zaius said:

Pope in the England XI

 

Theres a reason why he's continually overlooked by Southgate. He cannot kick a ball. Going from players used to playing with Pickford, who is really good with his feet to Pope would set any team right back.

 

Im not saying he's not a good goalkeeper, he's one of the best shot stoppers in the country and the command of his area is very good, but he shouldnt be coming into that England side. 

Aye some black and white bias coming through, he's shown a few times this season why he isn't good enough for England.

[La Parka]

                      Trex arms 

 

Walker.       Dunk.     Stones.  Trippier

 

        Rice Bellingham Longstaff 

 

Saka.                                          Foden

 

                        Kane

 

 

If Vs a low block Trent in for Longstaff.

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by La Parka

[andycap]

2 hours ago, WideopenMag said:

Longstaff and Willock? 

Yeah on form I'd have them both in my squad 

[La Parka]

Honestly think a middle three of Longstaff Rice and Bellingham would run anyone off the park. 

[Geordie_once_removed]

Not been keeping up but Trippier isn't on the bench. He's not injured is he?

[andycap]

Just now, Geordie_once_removed said:

Not been keeping up but Trippier isn't on the bench. He's not injured is he?

He's been sent home

[WideopenMag]

13 minutes ago, andycap said:

Yeah on form I'd have them both in my squad 

Wilocks form? Don't think he's anywhere near deserving of an England place currently tbh. Needs a consistent season in form and injury free to be considered. Think Longstaff needs to improve quite a bit of his game also. Not sure anyone outside of Newcastle would think they should make the squad currently.