14 Jul 2024 19:09:40
Best of luck to all you England fans tonight.
I hope its the end of 58 years of hurt.
Hope to see mainoo and Shaw play well.
14 Jul 2024 22:03:04
Gutted England lost but again Southgate showing why I don't want him at Utd. At no stage did we get control of midfield and Kane had a terrible tournament and should not have been on at all. Thought Shaw did really well considering he has not had 90 mins for so many months. I feel sorry for Bellingham. He gave his all and he is a class above all of the rest of our team reminds me of Keane with his desire.
14 Jul 2024 23:34:54
Feel sorry for Bellingham?
Bar his wonderful goal I thought he’s been shocking all tournament. No discipline positionally, very little quality when he got the ball. He threw himself to ground any time someone breathed on him.
I was really looking forward to watching him, and I thought he was one of englands biggest issues.
15 Jul 2024 00:46:39
Totally agree Caolan, was very disappointed in his overall performances.
15 Jul 2024 07:21:42
What made it worse is that Southgate played Foden out of position to accommodate him, and also dropped Palmer to the bench. It was bad enough when Southgate continued to pick his favorites for the England squad even when they were bang out of form, but to see him continue to start the same players when they aren’t delivering is infuriating and a slap in the face to the lads who deserve to be on the pitch.
Bellingham and Kane should have been dropped after the first few games, as too should Foden if the plan was to continue to play him out wide. Walker was abysmal all tournament as well.
15 Jul 2024 09:02:45
On the plus side a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to Martinez and Garnacho. Copa American CHAMPIONS. I need to focus on this as thinking of England game makes me sad.
15 Jul 2024 09:33:27
I think Southgate found the right formation but he never got the team selection right.
Bellingham when played further forward seems to get tunnel vision and forgets to pass. He tries to do everything himself and reminds me a little of Gerrard. Great player capable of doing any job/ role you ask of him to a very high level, but tries to do it all himself and not work with his teammates. I thought Bellingham looked better when he was dropped back deeper into midfield.
Palmer and Watkins should have started over Kane and Bellingham. Start positive and try and play on the front foot, rather than wait until you are forced to try and go for an equaliser.
15 Jul 2024 12:50:04
Pickford - I don’t rate him but he was far from the issue this tournament
Walker - He’s quick but that is all.
Stones - Again I’ve never rated him that highly, but again there were bigger problems.
Guehi - Impressed with him on the whole. A big plus from the tournament.
Trippier - Not good enough. Shame Shaw was injured but surely there is a better left footed option.
Rice - Don't get all the hype. Bang average player for me.
Mainoo - Another big plus from the tournament. Looked comfortable at all times. Bright future if used correctly.
Foden - Played out of position and poor on the whole.
Saka - Bright in parts, poor in others. Did ok.
Bellingham - Truly awful snd should never have played nearly every minute of every game.
Kane - Not fit and awful the whole tournament.
Palmer - always a threat and should have played a lot more.
Watkins - Should have been given more time over Kane. Looked much more threatening with him up top.
Gordon - Deserved a chance. Bellingham out, Foden into the middle, Gordon on the left.
Overall very disappointing. Beaten by the first decent team we played.
Hope of it’s goodby Gareth.
15 Jul 2024 13:05:31
It's not set up at all to play to the strengths of the best players. I mean, kane, drops deep all the time, and plays his best when he has fast wingers playing off of him. But every time he dropped, you could count 4/ 5 players in the same area.
I would have had Mainoo at 6, dropped rice and played Jude deeper. Freeing up that space for Kane to do what he does. I would have had Watkins maybe to the left of kane playing in behind the space and picking up those balls. Such a shame, a really talented bunch without a really poor manager.
15 Jul 2024 14:50:57
Spot on Brendan
The over hyping of some of these players is laughable.
15 Jul 2024 14:54:12
Very good summary Brendan, I agree with pretty much all of it.
Continuin to pick players who were playing poorly was madness, Kane, Bellingham, Tripper, and even Walker were poor throughout.
Palmer always looked threatening but couldn't get a start, Watkins or Toney would have had far more impact.
And Guehi, awesome from start to finish.
15 Jul 2024 15:15:42
I agree lads:
- Guehi had a great tournament
- Pickford, not a big fan but he was solid throughout
- Walker was awful
- Stones was ok
- Tripper was awful - seriously no other English left backs he could have picked?
- Foden completely lost on the left - looked decent against Holland but that was it
- Kane was awful and only looked half fit
- Bellingham was quite poor too, especially given the season he had - seemed to want to do it all himself and ignored the simple passes and passes to players that were in good positions
Palmer looked good when he came on and England looked more of a threat when Toney or Watkins were up front.
15 Jul 2024 15:16:27
The dissapointing thing from the tournament is that we did not evolve properly.
Southgate stumbled on 343 that whilst not brilliant at least gave us some attacking intent keeping Bellingham and Foden in the middle where they like being and dovetail each other. Then in the final move away from that to try and offset the Spanish wingers rather than make them have to think about defending us.
Southgate talks about fatigue and then does not trust the bench in the group games to allow for players like Bellingham/ Kane etc to get some rest. Would we have been any worse off in those games with the other players we took.
Gordon/ Eze/ Palmer getting so few minutes when it was crying out for something different is crazy.
On a positive note we can go forward into the World Cup qualifiers with the nucleous of a really good squad. I think Kane/ Trippier/ Walker will retire from Internationals. We have seen some breakout stars in Mainoo/ Ghei/ Palmer with some more coming through. With the right manager we could see us get over the hill at some point in this generation of players.
15 Jul 2024 16:10:58
I don't think Kane retire from international football, he was on fire last season until his back injury and didn't play again until he played for England when he didn't look right.
The manager should have pulled him because it was obvious he wasn't right.
However I don't think Kane should have a divine right to start either and the new guy, which I think will happen, has to be prepared to go with whoever suits his team best at the time.
This is a young team in general and there are plenty of options for the future to replace the older guys except left back, I don't see a natural Shaw replacement currently.
{Ed025's Note - if we dont have a natural replacement for Shaw Oakbark then we are in serious trouble mate, bloody awful player..
15 Jul 2024 19:15:18
Bellingham was awful. Gave the ball away constantly, either tackled, poor pass, run out of play, bad shot. Barely gave the ball to a team mate.
15 Jul 2024 20:36:43
You have a counter attacking coach who doesn't pick the counter attacking players he needs to get in around Kane. Asking rice, Mainoo and Bellingham to sit in. It was hilarious to watch ?
England have been incredibly lucky with the draws in these tournaments.
15 Jul 2024 21:11:25
Southgate made too many accommodations.
He dropped Rashford with no tested back up.
Failed to call up a back up LB to an unfit Shaw.
Wrong formation.
Should have played a DM2xCM and a true LF.
Dunk etc over Tomori and others adds to his mistakes.
Bad selection and preparation.