UEFA Euros 2024

[palacefan]

The idea that you pick the best club players has been done for years and overdone and since 1966 has not worked, Ramsey created a team with Hunt for Greaves as an example.
So we play without the only Left winger in the squad, Gordon who has ability and pace and drives forward. Not a balanced team.

So many players who think I will look good if I take two or three touches, you slow the game and make it more likely you will be challenged for the ball.

Rice needs to drive the team forward and lead the team. Not the best player but without doubt the best playmaker is Wharton, he does not give the ball away every couple of minutes and his passing accuracy is exceptional, only a kid but if you are good enough!

Kane badly out of form although may pop up with a goal, Watkins looked a big improvement when he came on. Personally prefer Palmer to Saka who starts well and then fades away.
Can you imagine Southgate at Dunkirk, be careful lads don't get your feet wet. Feck me.

 

[adamk]

Not a fan of Gordon, but I think he has to start as he is left footed. There is no way we can progress in this tournament if everything goes down the right all the time. It’s all so predictable. It would also be criminal if Palmer sits on the bench for the duration of our participation.
Presume Beaky will bench TAA in order to silence the ever louder critics.

 

[Lee T]

Hmm, what were the final four in the Champions League this year? Just saying...

Won nothing.

 

[kensalriser]

It is baffling that Palmer hasn't had any game time yet. The standout player in the PL in the last third of the season playing in a largely misfiring, dysfunctional side.

 

[Bas V]

Won nothing.

Have done better than the PL-clubs...

 

[Tigerjones]

If Harry Kane was a race horse they'd have taken him out back and shot him last night.

 

[Weekender]

Not a fan of Gordon, but I think he has to start as he is left footed. There is no way we can progress in this tournament if everything goes down the right all the time. It’s all so predictable. It would also be criminal if Palmer sits on the bench for the duration of our participation.

Gordon is right footed but can use his left. He will cut in to shoot but can cross with his left. He had more goals and assists than anyone apart from Haaland against the top six last season.

Which English Player Has The Most Goals And Assists Against The Big 6 This Season | StatMuse

Anthony Gordon had the most combined goals and assists by an Englishman in the Premier League against Big Six opponents in 2023-24, with 11.

www.statmuse.com

I'd also like to see Palmer.

 

[Woodface]

This reads like something you say after a few warmup friendlies the Summer before the tournament not after 2 of 3 group games. Preparing for a tournament during the tournament itself and having no idea how the team is going to play is just basic coaching and preparation failure.

Also this idea that England start slowly drives me mad. If you play badly for three group games, play a bit better in the round of 16 and then play well in a losing effort in the quarter final you are not "improving" you are just not very good. Playing badly in 75% of your games is playing badly.

Well, I don’t totally disagree but ultimately we have 4 points and top the group. TAA did reasonably well in first game but collectively the team faltered in the last one.

This is pretty much the best period I’ve witnessed for the national team.

No need to overreact, all still to play for.

 

[Bob McC]

They were at the same point in every previous European championships with group stages.
P2 W1 D1 L0

 

[Alex S]

Did they win any of them?

 

[matthewr]

Well, I don’t totally disagree but ultimately we have 4 points and top the group. TAA did reasonably well in first game but collectively the team faltered in the last one.

This is pretty much the best period I’ve witnessed for the national team.

No need to overreact, all still to play for.

It's not a question of overreacting it's more acknowledging that the experimental system we decided to try at this tournament is not working.

And that fundamentally these problems are in midfield and the idea of playing Alexander-Arnold as a central midfielder has not only failed but is reducing Rice (one of our beat players) to a bumbling, nervous wreck instead of being the core of the team's spine. Also ignoring the fact that the most basic of press causes the system to completely collapse and cedes all possession and territory.

 

[Woodface]

It's not a question of overreacting it's more acknowledging that the experimental system we decided to try at this tournament is not working.

And that fundamentally these problems are in midfield and the idea of playing Alexander-Arnold as a central midfielder has not only failed but is reducing Rice (one of our beat players) to a bumbling, nervous wreck instead of being the core of the team's spine. Also ignoring the fact that the most basic of press causes the system to completely collapse and cedes all possession and territory.

Fair enough but TAA has been playing in midfield for Liverpool, we have the players in the squad to make changes, I'm confident these changes will be made. I think Southgate is making a genuine attempt to be more attacking, it's not worked but not a disaster either. The defence looks far more solid than I expected.

 

[Alex N]

Fair enough but TAA has been playing in midfield for Liverpool…

Only when he’s nominally still RB though, creating an overload in midfield when he strolls anywhere upfield to add to Liverpool’s three midfielders, with a pacy right CB (best with Konaté) covering for him if Liverpool lose possession.

Trent wandering around like that for England, as Matthew suggests, has not been fun for Rice.

 

[Woodface]

Only when he’s nominally still RB though, creating an overload in midfield when he strolls anywhere upfield to add to Liverpool’s three midfielders, with a pacy right CB (best with Konaté) covering for him if Liverpool lose possession.

Trent wandering around like that for England, as Matthew suggests, has not been fun for Rice.

Fair enough, that could probably work for England if Walker gets injured, he could probably play further up the field out wide also.

 

[mikeyb]

Must be s**t having 4 points from 2 games

 

[Suffolk Tony]

Southgate hasn't got a clue...

He doesn't know how to use the quality players at his disposal unfortunately.

It it the manager? Watching England over many years, we always seem to lose the plot in these matches no matter who the manager is. It seems to be some kind of English mentality.

 

[Jezzer]

It it the manager? Watching England over many years, we always seem to lose the plot in these matches no matter who the manager is. It seems to be some kind of English mentality.

Contrary to the opinion of some posters here, I genuinely believe we have some top, dare I even say, world class players such as Kane, Bellingham and Potter. Yesterday’s performance was diabolical. The blame starts with the manager!

 

[kensalriser]

I've been very much on the defending Southgate side and he's unquestionably the most successful England manager since Ramsey. But I have no problem changing my mind when the facts change, and the facts are that was a torpid, boring spectacle last night from a team that looks very much less than the sum of its parts.

 

[Alex N]

I've been very much on the defending Southgate side and he's unquestionably the most successful England manager since Ramsey.

It’s often said, but England have had easy draws under Southgate…

Knockout wins against Colombia, Sweden, Germany (terrible in the last Euros), Ukraine, Denmark, and Senegal. Losing to Croatia, Italy, and France.

To win this tournament, England will probably have to beat Italy in the quarter-finals, France in the semi-finals, and Germany or Spain in the final...

Spoiler

It’s coming home.

 

[notaclue]

I think Southgate and the team have done well to keep the tradition going.

Before a tournament, people think England will be good and might win. After they play, people see England aren't very good and won't win and people moan about England not being any good.

That is what happens. Gareth and the team will have been brought up with it. Subconsciously, they know their job is to keep the tradition going. England loves tradition in all sorts of things.