07 Jun 2024 21:39:01
Let's pray that INEOS were watching that dirge tonight.
08 Jun 2024 00:13:06
Surely we can't be waiting for southgate. il be manager out before I even see his head appear near old Trafford. He wouldn't manage his supper.
08 Jun 2024 08:22:42
southgate- never a great player, not a good coach but excellent at greasing up the powers that be and saying the ego stroking things they want to hear. Definately no from me but like all the fans its not our decision.
08 Jun 2024 08:42:50
First England friendly I’ve watched in years. And the last.
08 Jun 2024 10:46:35
I get more than a horrible sinking feeling this is all pointing to Southgate.
08 Jun 2024 11:04:06
There’s no way that the new powers that be will rate Southgate over ten Hag, Tuchel or Poch. Simply not happening.
08 Jun 2024 12:13:08
What’s your thoughts on the delay then eric?
08 Jun 2024 12:35:56
I'm not sure about Southgate's squad selection.
Keepers he's probably got right, Pope not fit, Pickford clear first choice and has been in good form. Henderson has been very good for Palace. Ramsdale is the questionable one, yet last season he was in the best form of all the English keepers. It's just a lack of playing time this season.
In defence he has got a lot of stick for his choices, however for me he has made just two mistakes. I don't understand the point in taking Dunk. He's actually dipped a little in form this season, and while older, he hasn't got any real international experience of note. While taking Trippier seems like a poor choice. He's made 4 appearances in the past FOUR months. In those games he played 52 minutes, 1 minute, 63 minutes and 9 minutes. That means in that time he's played 125 minutes of a possible 2160 minutes available.
Given the risk he's taking by selecting Shaw and with Shaw being the only left footed defender in the squad I think it would have made much more sense to take both Branthwaite and Colwill to give that defence more balance, along with taking two players in much better form than Dunk and Trippier. Long term as well both Branthwaite and Colwill are likely to become regulars for England, so it makes much more sense to bed them in during this tournament.
The rest I think make sense, Guehi is capable of playing either RCB or LCB, Konsa has been in excellent form for Villa and Gomez has been great for Liverpool playing at LB, while also being flexible enough to play across the back four. While Stones and Walker are obvious picks.
I like the midfield selection, particularly the inclusions of Mainoo and Wharton. Rice and Bellingham are obvious starters, while Gallagher has probably been Chelsea's second best player this season only behind the phenomenal Palmer. I also rate taking TAA as that ball playing midfielder over Ward-Prowse. Not as good defensively but a couple of levels higher on the ball. A more front foot approach.
Where I actually think it becomes a little bit of a weird squad selections is with the forwards. Palmer, Saka had to go, and I think taking Eze over Grealish makes a lot of sense on current form. Yet including Bowen (who I think is a great player) seems odd. He plays best on the right where he won't get ahead of either of Palmer or Saka. The other position he can play is as a striker, but Southgate has selected Kane, Watkins and Toney. So we aren't short of strikers. While players like Eze and Foden prefer to also play on the right if they don't play centrally.
It's a selection of forwards who all prefer to play from the right, with only Gordon being a regular starter on the left. I suspect Foden will be first choice on the LW, with Gordon coming on from the bench.
While Kane is fully fit and clear first choice as well as captain so will play most games, so why take BOTH Watkins and Toney.
Given the injuries in defence and the obvious first choices in the forward line it would have made much more sense to not take Bowen and Toney replace one of them with an actual LB, options could be Rico Henry, Tyrick Mitchell or Alfie Doughty. If Shaw doesn't recover then England will play the entire tournament without a LB.
Taking Bowen or Toney to sit on the bench instead of a special-ist LB back up option to the only LB you have who will definitely miss the first and maybe the second game seems utterly ridiculous. Especially given Shaw's injury history, you know its highly likely that he'll have another set back in his recovery.
The other change I'd make is to instead bring another forward who is best playing from the left, just to add some balance to the attack. We already know that we don't have a guaranteed LB starter who can play on the overlap. I think we might really lack width on that lefthand side and taking another naturally left sided attacker just makes sense. While Rashford has been in bad form, he does have blistering pace, something that isn't abundant in the English forward line. As a bench option who naturally plays LW and who could come on against tired legs and stretch the game he makes much more sense than either of Bowen or Toney. If not Rashford then maybe Sterling.
I think changing those four players (Dunk, Trippier, Bowen and Toney) for Branthwaite, Colwill, Doughty and Rashford provides far more balance both in attack and defence.
08 Jun 2024 14:25:09
I don't want Southgate but the hate for him is over the top. He has created the best atmosphere in an England camp I can remember, and also got better results than previous much more experienced Managers and the players clearly like and respect him.
Not for me, but not the appalling Manager some of you talk about.
08 Jun 2024 14:43:41
Maybe I'm overlooking his achievements with Middlesbrough.
Great motivator and man manager I imagine. But I don't especially want to hear how a manager has 'learnt a lot' after a home defeat against Iceland a week before going into a European tournament as hot favourites.
08 Jun 2024 15:21:12
England are not favourites in any country other than England.
08 Jun 2024 16:15:20
Yeah, France are considered to favourites given their form and that they got to the World Cup final less than two years ago.
08 Jun 2024 16:31:24
I am very happy with my punt on France to win outright, as they certainly weren't first or even second favourites last week when I placed it.
08 Jun 2024 18:53:49
Atmospheres don’t win you competitions.
Southgate has stole a living playing against the worst bunch of international teams in the last 50 years.
The last 3 tournaments have been poor and teams were there for the taking
It’s all well and good in qualifying Playing against teams that would do well to look good in pub leagues
when it comes to playing a half decent team he fails again and again.
If he is appointed United manager it will be worse than when the glazers and Woodward thought appointing moyes was a good idea.
09 Jun 2024 14:10:02
The favourites change on a weekly basis with the bookies.
Personally I think there are four teams who all stand a great chance of winning it.
France easily have the best possible selection of players, and as such the strongest squad. While Deschamps has a good record of getting them to semi-finals and finals. You'd probably have to say they are favourites. That said will he get the balance of the team right? Personally I'm surprised he hasn't got Saliba as nailed on first choice, as for me he's one of if not the best CB in the world right now. Having great players to step in definitely makes things easier, but will those players bring the right balance or do they have the same kind of chemistry with the rest of the team.
Portugal are my pick for winners. Ronaldo's last tournament, a fantastic squad with real depth and quality, especially in midfield (where most games are won and lost) . They were top scorers in qualifying and conceded the least. They are the most in form team in the tournament.
You can never rule out Germany in a home tournament, they've had a rocky couple of years and maybe have struggled due to the lack of competitive games due to not having to qualify. But in Nagelsmann they have possibly the most outstanding manager at the tournament. Tactically astute, and will be able to come up with the right tactics for any situation 9 times out of 10. I do worry if they will score enough goals, but you would be a fool to discount them.
Finally England have a phenomenal chance. Injuries and a manager who often plays a little too conservatively might be their undoing. For England to win I think they will have to outscore everyone they come up against. By that I mean the defence looks a little disorganised and undercooked. Probably due to the injuries. Only one LB and he's not guaranteed to be fit, while a new partnership in central defence also means there are concerns over how well they will gel. Midfield looks very promising with Bellingham, Mainoo and Wharton all looking like future stars (Bellingham already is) . I would say they're is a lack of experience though in the middle with only Rice as a player who has been to a tournament before. It maybe is a tournament too early for that midfield. At the world cup or the next Euro's that could be the best midfield in the tournament. England's strength is in attack. In players like Kane, Watkins, Palmer, Saka and Foden they have 5 players who are in the top 20 in Europe for goals and assists. We have the best and most in form forward line in Europe. They will have to lean heavily on that if they are to win the competition.
Don't sit deep and invite pressure on to a patched up defence, but take the initiative, play on the front foot and try to bury teams as quickly as possible. Score 4 in the first half, even if you concede one and you've won the game, barring silly play in the second half. Just stay disciplined, keep the ball (in the opposition half) and try and score another.
My prediction is England lose in the semis to France, more due to a weak mentality of expecting to lose and changing their game to try and be defensive and hit them on the counter. The final will see Portugal beating France to win it after overcoming Germany in their semi.