Tonight's Football

[Prufrock]

I thought that was much better. Not great. But I didn't want to gouge my eyes out. Still feels like he's trying to crowbar Bellingham and Foden into the same space, but more balance..

[Worthy4England]

I thought that was much better. Not great. But I didn't want to gouge my eyes out. Still feels like he's trying to crowbar Bellingham and Foden into the same space, but more balance..

Agree, but I found it bizarre that the "new football" didn't manage to grab a shot on target until minute 52. And that was barely noticable. Really? This is it?

[Mar]

I thought that was much better. Not great. But I didn't want to gouge my eyes out. Still feels like he's trying to crowbar Bellingham and Foden into the same space, but more balance..

Agree, but I found it bizarre that the "new football" didn't manage to grab a shot on target until minute 52. And that was barely noticable. Really? This is it?

I thought it was better, but the final third was tedious and predictable. We didn't even look threatening. I could see the improvement, especially in the first half, but the start of the second half there was no uplift as per previous games. It was almost counter productive. The players pretty much looked like they were just happy to keep the scoreline tied and not over expose themselves. Almost as if they were happy for the draw.

It wasn't until we conceded that we actually upped them tempo, and even that was shortlived. We didn't look like winning and that's down to Southgate's tactics. The infuriating thing is there wasn't an acknowledgement that something was wrong or even an attempt to change it.

Yet again, it seems like we're through in spite of Southgate. The lessons from previous matches haven't been learned and the opposition has gotten tougher and continues to do so.

We were carrying Kane throughout and it seemed like the only reason he came off was because Southgate managed to have a chat with him and get him to agree to come off.

I'm glad we're getting through, and i'll be delighted if we win it in the end, but it's not enjoyable in the slightest.

[Hoboh]

Better but not brilliant.
When Saka put the ball in the box a few times, the very noticeable absence was Kane, not at the front but the edge of the box, wasted crosses, Toney should be given a start.
Thought passes back to Pickford were bordering on suicidal a number of times and I wish Stones brain would wake up and control his speed of passing.
Thought Rice had a good game, subs were okay and for me, the jury is still out on Bellingham, he seems very sluggish.
The Dutch won't be any push over.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Better but still not good, let alone great.

Still imbalanced (not Trips' fault, but pleeeease can we have Shaw on Wednesday?).

Still weirdly shy - defensive, unpenetrative, unwilling to take on opponents who are, on balance, quite probably inferior.

Still reactive (instead of three subs in a panic, how about one when it's clearly sliding but we haven't yet conceded?).

But most of all: We need to talk about Harry.

england_switzerland_network_2024-07-06.png (455.11 KiB) Viewed 44713 times

[TANGODANCER]

Better but not brilliant.
When Saka put the ball in the box a few times, the very noticeable absence was Kane, not at the front but the edge of the box, wasted crosses, Toney should be given a start.

At the risk of being a rhetorical repeating parrot, it's not the singer here, but the song that's out of tune. You could put Nat Lofthouse ,Leonel Messi or Kevin De Bruyne up front and they'd fare no better on the lack of service we provided. (How many goals in the tournament have come from anywhere scored by centre forward type strikers ? The Swiss almost won from a Shaquiri direct corner, and errors and own goals aren't unknown ) Kane had a shadow who stuck to him like glue every time he went near the eighteen yard box, that's probably why he spent more time wandering afield. No use blaming him unless football without the ball is the new vogue. Ronaldo was hardly a threat for much the same reason; without the service they're just numbers on a shirt. We don't have the tippy-tappy skills in the box of Spain or Portugal and wolf-pack defending (plus a large amount of play-acting, weird refereeing ( should we have had a last minute penalty last night before the ref almost swallowed his whistle in his haste to blow it?) and fouling, keeps individual skills at a minimum.

Lastly, unless we close the gaps we leave at the back, Holland, Spain, or The Travellers Rest XI will have field days against us. All we can do us what we can and hope...(That word again, but I live by it)

[BWFC_Insane]

Better but still not good, let alone great.

Still imbalanced (not Trips' fault, but pleeeease can we have Shaw on Wednesday?).

Still weirdly shy - defensive, unpenetrative, unwilling to take on opponents who are, on balance, quite probably inferior.

Still reactive (instead of three subs in a panic, how about one when it's clearly sliding but we haven't yet conceded?).

But most of all: We need to talk about Harry.

england_switzerland_network_2024-07-06.png

Why not play Gordon on the left?

[Mar]

Better but still not good, let alone great.

Still imbalanced (not Trips' fault, but pleeeease can we have Shaw on Wednesday?).

Still weirdly shy - defensive, unpenetrative, unwilling to take on opponents who are, on balance, quite probably inferior.

Still reactive (instead of three subs in a panic, how about one when it's clearly sliding but we haven't yet conceded?).

But most of all: We need to talk about Harry.

england_switzerland_network_2024-07-06.png

Why not play Gordon on the left?

Southgate's too embedded to playing Bellingham, Foden, Kane and Saka.

Sure they're his best players, but when they're not playing well, there are better options. It's like he's unwilling to change.

Kane was terrible. He looked lost, looked like he didn't know when to press. He looked like he was actively trying to slow the game down. Let the opposition have the ball in their defensive area and win it back when they're further up the pitch. There doesn't seem (from Kane) to be pressing to actually win the ball. Kane is the best option we have when he's on form, last night we were carrying him. Everyone could see it, but Southgate wasn't for changing it.


That being said. It's great that we're through. Really surprised us and France have got as far as we have.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I like Gordon a lot but he ain't a wing-back and he ain't a 10. If we revert to a 4-2-3-1 then the question can be asked if he should start, but the bigger question is: should we switch back to 4-2-3-1? It's hardly worked at all. Maybe it would with the right personnel, and there's the question of whether it was better against the Swiss back-three than it would be against the Dutch back-four. But that is a much bigger question than just doing it to get Gordon in.

I dunno yet whether we should switch back but if we stay back-three I would definitely have Shaw over Trippier and I would probably have Toney (or the fast, hard-running Watkins) over Kane. Sorry Harry. Playing a back three could allow an extra forward alongside Kane but my gut feeling is that's not the answer – who do you drop? would it cede control of midfield?

What I'd do matters absolutely nothing. What will Southgate do? I fear he will remain loyal - particularly to Kane, probably to Trippier. He's facing a very pro-active manager who very often makes the subs his teams need. They're fallible and I can see us going in front (possibly Kane, ironically) but I can very very clearly see us losing from being in front.

[TANGODANCER]

They're fallible and I can see us going in front (possibly Kane, ironically) but I can very very clearly see us losing from being in front.

We're so predictable right now that the Nederland game plan will be set in stone. It won't be going Dutch on their part they'll want us to pay the whole bill.

[Prufrock]

Switch back to a 4? We only went to a 3 when chasing the game. And he's not starting Eze and Saka at wing back.

Shaw for Trips. And I'd do Gordon for Mainoo (or Bellingham, or Foden, in that order). Think we'll only either get Shaw for Trips and or Guehi back in for Konsa, though.

[Hoboh]

Better but not brilliant.
When Saka put the ball in the box a few times, the very noticeable absence was Kane, not at the front but the edge of the box, wasted crosses, Toney should be given a start.

At the risk of being a rhetorical repeating parrot, it's not the singer here, but the song that's out of tune. You could put Nat Lofthouse ,Leonel Messi or Kevin De Bruyne up front and they'd fare no better on the lack of service we provided. (How many goals in the tournament have come from anywhere scored by centre forward type strikers ? The Swiss almost won from a Shaquiri direct corner, and errors and own goals aren't unknown ) Kane had a shadow who stuck to him like glue every time he went near the eighteen yard box, that's probably why he spent more time wandering afield. No use blaming him unless football without the ball is the new vogue. Ronaldo was hardly a threat for much the same reason; without the service they're just numbers on a shirt. We don't have the tippy-tappy skills in the box of Spain or Portugal and wolf-pack defending (plus a large amount of play-acting, weird refereeing ( should we have had a last minute penalty last night before the ref almost swallowed his whistle in his haste to blow it?) and fouling, keeps individual skills at a minimum.

Lastly, unless we close the gaps we leave at the back, Holland, Spain, or The Travellers Rest XI will have field days against us. All we can do us what we can and hope...(That word again, but I live by it)

Sorry Tango, yes Kane is like Ronaldo, he strolls around the pitch and never presses anyone, that is the problem, no movement.

[TANGODANCER]

Can't look beyond Spain breezing France away. A French revolution seems very unlikely?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Can't look beyond Spain breezing France away. A French revolution seems very unlikely?

France have looked very much like a collection of individuals not quite gelling and being happy to progress on fine margins while waiting for their much-hailed frontman to be properly fit. Basically they're England.

Spain have been IMO the best team so far, but they have problems with suspensions. They'll have to cope without Morata up top, which might affect them more than we might suspect. Perhaps more worryingly, they've lost Dani Carvajal at right-back, and his replacement is Jesus Navas, who at 38 is five years older than his forenamesake when nailed to the cross (and 22 years older than the kid playing in front of him). He's in the squad for a reason but he can't exactly be looking forward to a foot-race against <checks notes> Kylian Mbappe.

So: crucial weakness at the back which coincides with the oppo's supposed strong point; plus loss of a key man up top. Yeah, I can see France squeezing through again, even if it's more likely that they don't.

[Worthy4England]

Can't look beyond Spain breezing France away. A French revolution seems very unlikely?

France have looked very much like a collection of individuals not quite gelling and being happy to progress on fine margins while waiting for their much-hailed frontman to be properly fit. Basically they're England.

Spain have been IMO the best team so far, but they have problems with suspensions. They'll have to cope without Morata up top, which might affect them more than we might suspect. Perhaps more worryingly, they've lost Dani Carvajal at right-back, and his replacement is Jesus Navas, who at 38 is five years older than his forenamesake when nailed to the cross (and 22 years older than the kid playing in front of him). He's in the squad for a reason but he can't exactly be looking forward to a foot-race against <checks notes> Kylian Mbappe.

So: crucial weakness at the back which coincides with the oppo's supposed strong point; plus loss of a key man up top. Yeah, I can see France squeezing through again, even if it's more likely that they don't.

They seem pretty well balanced between the right and left wings, at the moment...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

They seem pretty well balanced between the right and left wings, at the moment...

satire-david-mitchell.gif (428.89 KiB) Viewed 44614 times

[TANGODANCER]

No big surprise this. Spain are slide rule perfect in their passing game and were the better side. That said, their play-acting is a real let down and despicable to sportsmanship. Despite the result, France had three chances where a better directed header would have scored. Greizeman and Giroud made no real difference as substitutes and the rest ( Us) is the stuff of dreams. I'll never lose hope, but it's all I have left. The Good Lord doesn't grant sporting favours, or Israel would win everything.

[Mar]

Two wonder goals from Spain got them through. They've been the best side in the tournament so far. Should we get through, well we're likely to do a similar job against them that France did. Nothing overly convincing, hopefully we'll have the step up in quality. Providing we beat Netherlands of course.

[Worthy4England]

COYWM.

[jmjhb]

This is more like it!