Tonight's Football

[Worthy4England]

It was better, but Finland are a very, very poor side. We still look imbalanced to me and some of our best players are just competition for one another and we can't find a way to get them in together and ticking

Almost like having a golden generation....

[boltonboris]

It was better, but Finland are a very, very poor side. We still look imbalanced to me and some of our best players are just competition for one another and we can't find a way to get them in together and ticking

Almost like having a golden generation....

Which is why I've never bought into all that Golden generation bollocks. We don't have a left back capable of playing international football, the goalkeeping situation is pretty bleak and we've got a shitload of #10 style technical players who all absolutely smash it playing for their club sides, but we can't possibly shoehorn them all into the same side.

People like Gary Neville will say "it's a crime that England can't get X & Y playing together" but the weight of non-striker attacking options, is actually harming the overall team. Rice despite scoring a few recently, looks like he's on his own sometimes and when the other team commit numbers forward, they can hurt us far too easily.

We need to find a clear identity that we want to go with, recruit a manager who's on board with it and then get some good young players playing in specialist positions into the first team.

[Worthy4England]

I think that last bit is pretty difficult. I mean they can set the "identity" (hopefully something that also involves winning a pot), but then they're picking from teams that often don't have a set identity per player - we've seen that dialogue spin out in the Bolton forum - Well dude x could be a CB, or he might be more of a wide CB, we could maybe use him as a WB and at a pinch can prolly cover RW - oh and he started out as a 15 year old CF and played in goal in the cubs. But he has skillz.

[TANGODANCER]

Always allowing the squad is in transition and that other national sides may be the in same situation, The Spain, France, Germany's etc of yesterday may well be as unsettled as we are right now. I also reckon that Greece, Finland and co are not quite as bad as painted an world football is turning a new page. Of more concern, what is the plan for Harry Kane? His mission in life is a goalscorer and right now he seems unable to buy one. Is this due to position, or form?

[Worthy4England]

Tuchel, new manager. Might be interesting.

[TANGODANCER]

Delighted for N.I. 5-0 against Bulgaria ( I knew their uncle) and well deserved. Dion Charles did well up front.

THanks to whover put the stream up;, it was brilliant.

[TANGODANCER]

So, the Wooden Horse of Troy ploy, or A Spartan 300 v the Grecians? Can't blame Harry Kane for being disgusted with the lack of enthusiasm to pull the Three Lions shirt on but it shows pride and tradition are no longer English heritage factors. We were doing so nicely under Southgate but the "enough is never enough" moguls thought otherwise. Sign of the times more than aught else I suppose, but disappointing nevertheless. Make em have it Harry...

[TANGODANCER]

Olympus has fallen...England beat a very, very good Greek side 3-0. Really entertaining game showing the depths of talent in the current English game. Three good goals (one classed as an O.G) and a header that hit a post, and some fine keeping by Jordan Pickford rounded off a hard fought International that puts us on top of the group. Well done the lads.

[boltonboris]

The Liverpool lad in midfield looks a much better option than Mainoo. I liked Lewis Hall al LB too, is he the younger brother of ex Bolton prospect, Conor?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

The Liverpool lad in midfield looks a much better option than Mainoo. I liked Lewis Hall al LB too, is he the younger brother of ex Bolton prospect, Conor?

Lewis is indeed brother of Connor, but is neither the son of Stuart nor the grandson of Albert

It's to Carsley's credit that so many of his U21 lads have come in and played so fearlessly. We have a promising crop and the incumbents aren't exactly bad either. Over to Tommy Tuchel.

[Mar]

So an English manager comes and goes with nary a comment made about his departure, or a 5-0 win over our near neighbours Ireland. It's as comprehensive a victory as we've had for many a year. Just goes to show how little interest these international breaks bring. Maybe if we had a month off over with a more congested international break would work well. 10 games into a season, 3 international breaks, certainly seems a bit much.

Carsley has done a decent enough job. Nothing to get carried away with, but enough to keep England going. It very much seemed like jobs for the boys with Carsley doing favours for those he's had success with previously. It's worked well for some, less so for others. Some looking disinterested (those dropping out) and those called up but looking out of their depth (Rico Lewis). I don't mind the U21's getting their time to shine, it shows a clear pathway.

He did a great job as U21 manager, was never really going to get a shout as England boss and the nail in the coffin against Greece certainly secured any future possibility as a non-entity.

It's very much a case of thanks for filling in, but I suspect that a lot of fans would've been expected themselves to do just as well.

[boltonboris]

Fair play to Carsley. Could have gone with the Southgate continuation, but he had them playing some pretty enterprising football, tried a few new things and blooded new players.

All of it for the benefit of somebody else. Here's what you've got, here's what you don't want to do and here's some lads champing at the bit.

A very unselfish and professional job done in that period. Good man.