Tonight's Football

[Hoboh]

We are getting exactly what you would expect with that knob Southgate in charge, the FA are starting to reap what they sowed.

[Prufrock]

I only saw the last half an hour. If you'd said France had XI v X I'd have believed you. Pathetic. Trendy formations with no chance whatsoever to what is happening. 5 at the back v 1 striker and have away far more chances than we created. Outnumbered in midfield against 10. Utterly devoid of brains. Imagine thinking a guy who got Middlesbrough relegated could be England manager.

[boltonboris]

Not sure in what world Southgate thought 2 right footers coming in from the left was a good idea... Fine for a winger to do it, but only if the fullback can go round the outside, which Walker can't..

A real disappointing, static and slow performance. Friendly or not, it's been evident in all of his games thus far

[Bruce Rioja]

So what's going on at Southampton then? Claude Puel sacked after a single season in which they finished 8th and got through to a cup final? Really? This is up there with Birmingham and Rowett. I wish them every imaginable failure for the coming season.

[boltonboris]

So what's going on at Southampton then? Claude Puel sacked after a single season in which they finished 8th and got through to a cup final? Really? This is up there with Birmingham and Rowett. I wish them every imaginable failure for the coming season.

Think there's probably a to do relating to player sales... He's said he wants to keep the squad intact and they're clearly touting players about.. Probably kicked off and been shown the door.

They're a 'well run' club on the face of it. Their recruitment has been class the last few years, but they're still ultimately a selling club and low in the food chain

[BWFC_Insane]

So what's going on at Southampton then? Claude Puel sacked after a single season in which they finished 8th and got through to a cup final? Really? This is up there with Birmingham and Rowett. I wish them every imaginable failure for the coming season.

Slightly different from what I know in that the Southampton fans weren't too keen on him. Didn't play "attractive football".

The game is now completely and utterly mental. Like Bolton, Southampton will eventually come back down and their fans may regret their desire for "free flowing" stuff over the practicalities of grinding out results.

[Bruce Rioja]

So what's going on at Southampton then? Claude Puel sacked after a single season in which they finished 8th and got through to a cup final? Really? This is up there with Birmingham and Rowett. I wish them every imaginable failure for the coming season.

Slightly different from what I know in that the Southampton fans weren't too keen on him. Didn't play "attractive football".

The game is now completely and utterly mental. Like Bolton, Southampton will eventually come back down and their fans may regret their desire for "free flowing" stuff over the practicalities of grinding out results.

Looking at this little lot you appear to be right. https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread. ... UOp14WcFD8

A couple of things though. If you were the Chairman of Southampton, a club who lost their seemingly very good manager at the end of last seasonand you've seen the new guy come in and all but hold that position and deliver a cup final. Would you really be sacking him because the fans don't like the football?

I'm more inclined to go with Boris's take on it.

Also - Southampton supporters really should be careful as to what they wish for.

[boltonboris]

I didn't know they were so unhappy with him. To be honest, Cup Final aside (where I thought they looked very good and were the better side) I hadn't seen them play last season.

[Prufrock]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889

feck. And. Off.

[Dujon]

I read that a little while ago, Prufrock, before I came here. To me some of those propositions up for discussion are quite reasonable. If it's true, and that's a big 'if', then the headlined matter of 2 x 30-minute halves with the 'clock stopping' is not a bad thing. There are other sports that do the same thing as it ensures that the game is played for the full allotted period. Of course it could equally be applied to the current 90-minute game and, indeed, that might be a preferable approach. It might mean some patrons having to leave early though (so as not to miss their 'bus or tea).

Some of the other points seem a little odd but, in general, I consider them worthy of debate.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889

feck. And. Off.

Nothing to do with stopped clock with the ad breaks to go with them a la American Rugby Football or whatever it is. You know, the one where big girls dress up in padding to make themselves look bigger.

It's not going to stop teams from time wasting as time wasting is as much about disruptive stop starting as it is about running the clock down.

[BWFC_Insane]

Football is the most successful sport on the planet in terms of viewing figures and TV sponsorship. So lets change it....

Absolute nonsense.

[TANGODANCER]

What an absolutely cracking game between Germany and Chile. Pace and tempo is top notch, non-stop massive energy and skill. Germany got a great equaliser after being one down, but it could have been more than one from the Chileans. Germay only got into it after half an hour and Chile are superb. Sanchez is being Sanchez and he scored their goal. Hope this carries on, it's brilliant stuff.

[TANGODANCER]

So England under 21's lost on the penalty shoot out to Germany. I watched the game and to be fair, they were lucky to be even in it. The Germans outplayed them in every department after the first fifteen minutes. We attack (rarely), the run at us and take the ball back; they attack, our lot retreated, just like their dads (figuratively speaking) and rely on wallop ball. It could easily have been 6 or 7 to the Germans. Abraham as a lone striker just wandered aimlessly around patrolled by two defenders any time the ball came near him; he scored but was all tricks and flicks and no threat at all for such a big lad. Mawson (Swansea) and Hughes (Watford) stood out. It was like a defence v attack training session.

[TANGODANCER]

Just settlin g down to watch Chile beat Germany in the Confederation Cup Final ( well, one can hope)

[Prufrock]

Refuse to believe Chile have ever been involved in a dull game.

Piss-take of a tournament but this is a cracking game tbf.

[truewhite15]

That's surely a red card, isn't it? Great that we have the VAR, but then there's no excuse for getting the big decisions wrong - and that was a blatant sending off offence.

[TANGODANCER]

I think I might be anti-German biased so best not to say too much. Chile were great, the football was high entertainment and it must have been a hell of a job to ref this. Best team didn't win.

[Hoboh]

Was the result ever in doubt? The machine rolls on.

[TANGODANCER]

Been watching the Women's Euro Cup (or whatever it is?) . I watched them so many times last year I feel I know them. Tonight, without three of our best players (the coach made ten changes from last game) they beat Portugal 2-1. The beat Spain 2-0 (should have been 3 as a perfectly good goal was disallowed), although only having about 30% of the play, and put six past Scotland. They'll have to play a lot better though when they meet France in the quarters. Get a bit sparky at times these ladies and it sure isn't Anne of Green Gables. The Port's central defender was like Billy Two Rivers in a wig..