England

[Infinitely Content]

Great to hear Southgate say he didn't particularly like the performance. He knows they have to play much, much better in open play & also at the back if they're to advance to the final stages. Lots of respect for him for being honest and not getting carried away being too self-congratulatory.

[Tooj]

 

 

Shelvey backs against the wall with his known stamina, concentration and defensive positioning?

 

shelvey with better passing range than anyone in the england squad to utilise pace on the breakaway? 

 

lascelles bothers me more than shelvey tbh, much more

 

kid yourselves all you want, as we do most world cups/tournaments, but that defence is really there to be got at the way we play now...if i was manager i'd rather have a different option in my squad that's all

I never said that Shelvey didn't have that ability yet I'm not sure how that helps us become more solid defensively. In a midfield two we'd get massively overran with him in there at this level as well.

 

[Yorkie]

 

 

Shelvey backs against the wall with his known stamina, concentration and defensive positioning?

 

shelvey with better passing range than anyone in the england squad to utilise pace on the breakaway? 

 

lascelles bothers me more than shelvey tbh, much more

 

kid yourselves all you want, as we do most world cups/tournaments, but that defence is really there to be got at the way we play now...if i was manager i'd rather have a different option in my squad that's all

I never said that Shelvey didn't have that ability yet I'm not sure how that helps us become more solid defensively. In a midfield two we'd get massively overran with him in there at this level as well.

 

 

Can't recall NUFC being 'massively overran' at any point in the last 6 months. It wasn't all Diame.

[mrmojorisin75]

 

 

Shelvey backs against the wall with his known stamina, concentration and defensive positioning?

 

shelvey with better passing range than anyone in the england squad to utilise pace on the breakaway? 

 

lascelles bothers me more than shelvey tbh, much more

 

kid yourselves all you want, as we do most world cups/tournaments, but that defence is really there to be got at the way we play now...if i was manager i'd rather have a different option in my squad that's all

I never said that Shelvey didn't have that ability yet I'm not sure how that helps us become more solid defensively. In a midfield two we'd get massively overran with him in there at this level as well.

I didn't say Shelvey would help defensively, a player like Lascelles would. Change your system to become more solid with a different type of CB to play alongside what he's got. That's all. Shelvey you could utilise to play on the break when needed, if needed.

 

I was saying this before the tournament, still think it's the case.

[Guest firetotheworks]

 

 

Shelvey backs against the wall with his known stamina, concentration and defensive positioning?

 

shelvey with better passing range than anyone in the england squad to utilise pace on the breakaway? 

 

lascelles bothers me more than shelvey tbh, much more

 

kid yourselves all you want, as we do most world cups/tournaments, but that defence is really there to be got at the way we play now...if i was manager i'd rather have a different option in my squad that's all

I never said that Shelvey didn't have that ability yet I'm not sure how that helps us become more solid defensively. In a midfield two we'd get massively overran with him in there at this level as well.

 

 

Can't recall NUFC being 'massively overran' at any point in the last 6 months. It wasn't all Diame.

Bournemouth overran us and that's the obvious one where he was rightly singled out for blame.

[mrmojorisin75]

fwiw, in case it's not clear, i'm certainly not suggesting that southgate should or i would swap shelvey for henderson and lascelles for maguire and we'd suddenly turn into peak AC milan

 

we're poncing about now dominating possession against poor teams, the test is what happens when you come up against a team that does it to you and has players like neymar/lukaku or whoever that can get in about that back 3?

 

that's when i'd consider switching to a more solid system with a lascelles type alongside whoever...shelvey i'd have about as an option to bring on to try and hurt on the counter

[Mole_Toonfan]

I don't think we'll be as open against top opposition tbf, I expect the team be more careful as the tournament progresses.

 

It doesn't take a lot either, just dropping a few yards or not dribbling from the back as much. Like I said my biggest concern is creating from open play and has been since the tournament started.

 

We just don't have that level of midfielder, but I do feel like Southgate has done a really good job of hiding those weaknesses by pressing early on and having players who can break pressure through dribbling.

 

I expect eventually a team which has that higher quality of midfielder will be our undoing, but when it happens I don't expect to get embarrassed like in most tournaments.

[M4]

 

[Anderson]

Be interested to see what he changes for Belgium. Suspect Dier might come in alongside Henderson, and Rashford coming in for Sterling. I'd bring Rose in too.

 

Good opportunity to test ourselves against better quality opposition knowing a loss isn't the end of the world.

[Klaus]

Belgium conceded a daft late goal against Tunisia - often happens when a game is well won, doesn't worry me at all tbh.

 

Aye I said at half time, I bet they score one or create a couple of chances because we already had our slippers on.

[Rich]

Be interested to see what he changes for Belgium. Suspect Dier might come in alongside Henderson, and Rashford coming in for Sterling. I'd bring Rose in too.

 

Good opportunity to test ourselves against better quality opposition knowing a loss isn't the end of the world.

 

Was thinking similar, more of a 3-4-1-2 with Lingard tucking in behind the front two? Would just keep Loftus-Cheek in and drop him deeper, though, or put Delph in.

[Guest neesy111]

Be interested to see what he changes for Belgium. Suspect Dier might come in alongside Henderson, and Rashford coming in for Sterling. I'd bring Rose in too.

 

Good opportunity to test ourselves against better quality opposition knowing a loss isn't the end of the world.

 

Was thinking similar, more of a 3-4-1-2 with Lingard tucking in behind the front two? Would just keep Loftus-Cheek in and drop him deeper, though, or put Delph in.

 

Aye, Lofty needs to be played deeper to suit his game.

[Klaus]

 

 

[Mole_Toonfan]

He's already said he's only starting Dier or Henderson, I really don't see him changing his mind this quickly.

 

Maybe he'll bring Dier on to close out a game but I can't see him starting both, also I don't want him too either as I feel it gives the impetus to Belgium.

 

They play De Bruyne and Witsel as a 2 in midfield, playing Dier and Henderson together basically concedes the midfield to them and I would personally prefer to try and exploit the fact they will be very open in midfield.

 

Try and get Alli (if he's fit)  and Lingard running off the back of De Bruyne as I doubt he'll track them that well, that's the key to winning this game imo.

[mrmojorisin75]

southgate is really growing on me i'll be honest, thought he was gonna be another yes man abject failure but he seems to have grown a lot in his time since middlesbrough...liked all the stuff about studying NBA and that

[Rich]

How the fuck did Panama qualify, btw?

[Guest neesy111]

How the fuck did Panama qualify, btw?

 

Ask Mike.

[Mole_Toonfan]

[Mole_Toonfan]

southgate is really growing on me i'll be honest, thought he was gonna be another yes man abject failure but he seems to have grown a lot in his time since middlesbrough...liked all the stuff about studying NBA and that

 

Interesting he said that, I remember Guardiola saying something similar a few years ago. I wonder what these managers think they can learn from other sports which can translate to football.

[mrmojorisin75]

southgate is really growing on me i'll be honest, thought he was gonna be another yes man abject failure but he seems to have grown a lot in his time since middlesbrough...liked all the stuff about studying NBA and that

 

Interesting he said that, I remember Guardiola saying something similar a few years ago. I wonder what these managers think they can learn from other sports which can translate to football.

 

a hell of a lot i'd have thought, the level of analysis in US sports is laughably better than football for a start...the specific bit i read about was how he wanted to know how when basketball is 5 on 5 they manage to make space around the basket in such tight spaces

 

who knows might be bullshit and useless but at least he's thinking

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of England thus far and been somewhat surprised, I think we have the makings of a good team and there is a lot more to come from this England team even in this tournament.

 

I think it’s too early for them at this point though to go on and win it or even get to the semis. Reaching the quarters would be a success in my eyes so long as we don’t abandon the now clear way in which we want to play, try to play and have played even when the opposition haven’t allowed us to or we haven’t quite got our game going.

 

Because if we keep doing that, with the players we have who are developing into top players and the crop coming through, we can finally start delivering on the international stage.

 

We’ve always had good players, some very good players and always qualified with ease mostly, but we haven’t always performed at tournaments even when we’ve went far, indeed we have often flopped.

 

I just want to see the team keep performing well as a team because it’s that which enables a good team to form to go on and win things and not last ditch defending, penalty lottery, individual heroics and luck. Those things help of course and can decide a game, but invariably it’s the cream that rises to the top and the best performing teams tend to win things, even knock-out cup competitions where anything can happen.

 

Howay England!

 

[Infinitely Content]

southgate is really growing on me i'll be honest, thought he was gonna be another yes man abject failure but he seems to have grown a lot in his time since middlesbrough...liked all the stuff about studying NBA and that

 

Interesting he said that, I remember Guardiola saying something similar a few years ago. I wonder what these managers think they can learn from other sports which can translate to football.

 

a hell of a lot i'd have thought, the level of analysis in US sports is laughably better than football for a start...the specific bit i read about was how he wanted to know how when basketball is 5 on 5 they manage to make space around the basket in such tight spaces

 

who knows might be bullshit and useless but at least he's thinking

 

Sure Pardew said he used to study Basketball/NBA when he was here in 11-12 just to take the sense of genius down a notch 

[mrmojorisin75]

southgate is really growing on me i'll be honest, thought he was gonna be another yes man abject failure but he seems to have grown a lot in his time since middlesbrough...liked all the stuff about studying NBA and that

 

Interesting he said that, I remember Guardiola saying something similar a few years ago. I wonder what these managers think they can learn from other sports which can translate to football.

 

a hell of a lot i'd have thought, the level of analysis in US sports is laughably better than football for a start...the specific bit i read about was how he wanted to know how when basketball is 5 on 5 they manage to make space around the basket in such tight spaces

 

who knows might be bullshit and useless but at least he's thinking

 

Sure Pardew said he used to study Basketball/NBA when he was here in 11-12 just to take the sense of genius down a notch 

Southgate probably heard from Woodman. The King is an innovator after all.

[Mole_Toonfan]

It could be BS tbf but until he proves he's a Pardew type fraud I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Rich]

Pards used to study Sea World as well tbf. Man’s a visionary.