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Group C: 1. England, 2. Denmark, 3. Slovenia (Q), 4. Serbia


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1 minute ago, Dr Jinx said:

 

France are elite, but that doesn't mean Serbia aren't an excellent side.

 

England have never been as good as what the fans or media pump them up to be. They always have it too easy in qualification groups so rarely get tested until after the group stages in competitions and then suddenly it's "what's happened to them.. look shit"

 

That's why a tough slog like tonight will do them no harm.


Yeah, the trouble is you need a manager who’s willing to adapt. See Bobby Robson in 1990. If Foden starts the next match Southgate wants shooting.

 

 

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Win is all that was needed,  BUT;

 

Foden still poor for England, offers very very little

 

Trent isn't a central midfielder (not in two anyway). The sooner Walker retires and he can just play RB the better and everyone banging on about him playing can shut up

 

Trippier is fine but Shaw can't come back soon enough, there's no width down the left at all (partly also due to Foden never being there)

 

 

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11 minutes ago, Robbo2 said:

Foden on the left just isn't the one. Shoehorning to the max

 

He was given freedom to roam and didn't do anything.

 

Don't think the issue is this playing on the left thing.

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Foden is infuriating for England. Particularly irritating when he absolutely mauls Newcastle twice a season, regularly.

 

Didn't understand why we persevered with him second half. If you're going to sit in you need your pace on the flanks, Gordon/Eze/Bowen should have been introduced much sooner.

 

Got an awful feeling he'll be like 2021 Mason Mount this tournament, play almost every minute and contribute nowt.

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60 minutes of excruciating Southgate-ball after an excellent start. The Southgate template. Rice MOTM, he was outstanding. Kane runs like the Newcastle version of Geremi but not as quick. 

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Just now, KaKa said:

 

He was given freedom to roam and didn't do anything.

 

Don't think the issue is this playing on the left thing.

Yet palmer against Iceland showed foden how it's meant to be done. 

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Just now, KaKa said:

 

He was given freedom to roam and didn't do anything.

 

Don't think the issue is this playing on the left thing.

I just think he's much less threatening than right/central where he can pick it up and drive at the defence. Didn't look like he knew how to play off the line in that direction.

 

He's a phenomenal footballer but that isn't his position, or the solution for England for me

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The main problem for me in that second half was how sloppy we were in possession. That's under zero threat, too, just wayward passes under no pressure. Even down to lobbing it straight to the opposition from throw-ins. I don't know how much of that you can level at Southgate.

 

I think there's a lot to improve on but I think you can afford the tactical performance a bit of grace; we're shoe-horning Trent in because there isn't an obvious partner for Rice (plus he's so talented), and it's similar with Foden - he has to play but the left is the only available place. Meanwhile, the balance is out of whack cos we've no fit LB.

 

Essentially we're going into the tournament with an experimental side and, clearly, it needs time to settle. Despite this, we've beaten a capable and spirited side with pretty minimal fuss. 

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10 minutes ago, Holloway said:

When else 

He was pretty average.  However, he is an excellent footballer.  So you should be asking yourself why is this excellent footballer so average in this England team.  I know why but I'm not going to tell ya!  🤔

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Just now, Ronaldo said:

Foden isn’t a LW but Southgate doesn’t have the balls to play him centrally or on the bench. Quite pathetic, actually. 

 

Other than the Iceland game where he played number 10 and was pretty poor, has Southgate never tried him there before? Can't recall.

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1 minute ago, Turnbull2000 said:

It's not working well with Trippier. It's killing that left hand side not having a natural left footer.

 

He was good in the 2nd half to be fair.

 

Especially when Foden was a non-entity infront of him.

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1 minute ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

He didn't but I think a lot of that was due to Foden being poor at LW. I'm obviously biased but I think Gordon would have been better for Trippier 


Yeah you can’t criticize Trippier for not adding anything going forward because we would have been left exposed and he was clearly trying to allow Foden some freedom. Gordon would have meant a very different game.

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A lot of the time we looked like we needed to move the ball around quicker. We didn't do well when the opportunity to counter attack came. 

 

Did the Serbs make a single clean tackle all game? I think in the Premiership there would have been more yellow cards given. They were constantly leaving something on their opponents. 

 

Bellingham, brilliant all-round player though he is, seems to be getting a bit flash. 

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1 minute ago, Turnbull2000 said:

It's not working well with Trippier. It's killing that left hand side not having a natural left footer.

 

I'd agree but nobody is ahead of him. Foden sat central all game.

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2 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

He was given freedom to roam and didn't do anything.

 

Don't think the issue is this playing on the left thing.


But it is though. It’s the Lampard Gerrard argument all over again of putting square pegs into round holes. Play either Bellingham or Foden as a ten and have the other on the bench with an actual left forward on the pitch instead. The balance of the team was all wrong tonight.

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