EURO 2024

[mozo]

41 minutes ago, !james said:

All this Southgate hate is rather bizarre.

I feel fans are going to be in for a big shock when the next manager comes in replace him and we suddenly don't start playing like 1970s Brazil and win every tournament going. Very short memories of just how awful we were previously...

Take it from me, don't use the word 'hate' on this forum 

I think there are legitimate questions about the Southgate reign...

Is he too tactically conservative?

Does he wait too long to make changes?

Does he let good attacking options go to waste?

Does his tentative/conservative personality influence the dynamic of the players?

Can he fire the players up?

Will he win a tournament game against a top side?

 

 

 

[The Nest Egg]

I saw an Albania flag placed on the large Millwall flag in the crowd, presumably by England fans thinking it would be funny. Thank god that was spotted and removed quickly. Serbia and Albania isn't a rivalry where you want to do that - they absolutely hate each other (long story but mostly to do with Kosovo) and that could have incited something real bad

Edited June 16 by The Nest Egg

[2015]

Happy with the 1-0 win. It wasn't the best performance, but we've seen this script before (Euro 2020).

Serbia no mugs - Several players who play in the top flight of the big leagues across Europe. 

Take the win and build momentum.

[2015]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

We are unlikely to win under any manager.  We ain’t as good as many think, Serbia ain’t a bad team, have threats.  So good result.  We don’t have depth of quality I’m afraid.  We can defend a game from ahead with subs, but I don’t see us chasing a game late.

Agree with this. We have been sold a lie by our Sporting media about how 'good' the quality of the Premier League is and our English players that play in it. We forget other European Nations also have good players too, and whenever our club sides lose in Europe there is this massive shock by our media that one of our sides can lose to the likes of Atalanta, or Olympiacos.

This same media the fans listen to which hypes them up and makes us think we have a right to just turn up and beat Serbia 2 or 3-0. I'm afraid, Football doesn't work like that

 

[And Its Smith]

Take the win and move on. Build into the tournament.  

[bcfcredandwhite]

1-0 win when not playing great - I’ll take that. 
Serbia are no mugs either. Underestimated by many. 

[McNasty Filth]

1 hour ago, cidercity1987 said:

First 20 mins we were amazing, unplayable

Next 70 very normal from England sadly

We still had the three chances in the game though as the defence was solid

Bowen was great, fair play to him

No disrespect, but we were not amazing in the first 20 minutes. Serbia gave us way too much respect. Went in at halftime, their coach read them the riot act a.k.a. these guys are very average.

46 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

Foden is so much better than that. I can't understand why he is so often poor for England.

Let's be honest, starting like a train, fizzling out and ending up hanging on is typical England in tournaments. It happened before GS and hasn't changed. It seems to be an England mentality trait. 

Oddly I feel City are very similar. I have no answer as to why but there is probably some deep psychological reason that underlies these kind of traits. Something to do with an inferiority complex, not really believing in yourselves.

Indeed, this is a trait that started way before Southgate, but for me also has a lot to do with the coaching.

England are so slow in possession, you can almost guess what pass they're gonna make. In my opinion we need to speed things up drastically with real quick one touch passing, which we've shown we are capable of doing it's just the players look so scared of making a misplaced pass.

I'd rather see us make mistake after mistake even if it might lead to a goal. Bellingham typifies this, 'give me the ******* ball, I'm gonna drag this game up by its kahunas. You're either coming with me or you ain't'!

[pillred]

2 hours ago, Super said:

How is Foden still on the pitch?

It amazes me someone who has such talent can look so anonymous.

[Markthehorn]

19 minutes ago, pillred said:

It amazes me someone who has such talent can look so anonymous.

Foden wasn’t always picked by Southgate and there were questions why but maybe it’s just he doesn’t know where to play him or cannot get the best out of Foden.

Good job the defence was decent .

[Bedred31]

Still trying to recover from the (uncharacteristic) utter awfulness of the BBC coverage. Constantly banging on about winning the competition, how Bellingham is the love child re-incarnated of Pele and Beckenbaur, then how it wouldn’t be England if we weren’t suffering, intermixed with embarrassing puns and stupid pre- rehearsed lines. Studio analysis ok but match commentary a complete embarrassment. Better than channel 4 admittedly, but light years away from Motty etc.

[Bris Red]

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

Take the win and move on. Build into the tournament.  

My thoughts exactly, second half was a worry if im being honest but a clean sheet and 3 points will do. Bellingham was unreal by the way, aggressive and a proper leader - unbelievable really considering his age.

[Bris Red]

2 hours ago, cidercity1987 said:

Guehi seems sound as 

Tell you what he looked solid as a rock tonight, against the world's best we shall see but for me he didn't really put a foot wrong tonight. Encouraging..

[North London Red]

The transport and organisation tonight were shambolic. Many fans who’ve done multiple tournaments are saying it’s one of the worst they’ve experienced. And if we win the group*, we’ll get to do it all again in the last 16. 
 

*not taking anything for granted here. Still need to qualify, etc. 

Edited June 17 by North London Red

[Bris Red]

13 minutes ago, North London Red said:

The transport and organisation tonight were shambolic. Many fans who’ve done multiple tournaments are saying it’s one of the worst they’ve experienced. And if we win the group*, we’ll get to do it all again in the last 16. 
 

*not taking anything for granted here. Still need to qualify, etc. 

I have head similar from mates that were at the game tonight aswell. The Germans aren't as officiant as i we have been lead to believe it seems..

Edited June 17 by Bris Red

[fgrsimon]

3 hours ago, The Nest Egg said:

I saw an Albania flag placed on the large Millwall flag in the crowd, presumably by England fans thinking it would be funny. Thank god that was spotted and removed quickly. Serbia and Albania isn't a rivalry where you want to do that - they absolutely hate each other (long story but mostly to do with Kosovo) and that could have incited something real bad

The 2018/2022 Serbia v Switzerland WC games were pretty feisty to say the least, Xhaka and Shaqiri both being of Kosovan descent. 

[sticks 1969]

3 hours ago, Bris Red said:

I have head similar from mates that were at the game tonight aswell. The Germans aren't as officiant as i we have been lead to believe it seems..

My thoughts exactly after the friendly in Munich a couple of years ago that was a shambles 

[sticks 1969]

3 hours ago, North London Red said:

The transport and organisation tonight were shambolic. Many fans who’ve done multiple tournaments are saying it’s one of the worst they’ve experienced. And if we win the group*, we’ll get to do it all again in the last 16. 
 

*not taking anything for granted here. Still need to qualify, etc. 

Coming over on Thursday mate ,a city fan I’m mates with has been sent over for a month for work and is looking for a ticket. City fan and also a member of the travel club if you hear of any spares , I know it’s a long shot many thanks 

[Markthehorn]

5 hours ago, Bris Red said:

I have head similar from mates that were at the game tonight aswell. The Germans aren't as officiant as i we have been lead to believe it seems..

Yes couple of fans on our forum felt the same.

No doubt something to do with our reputation maybe?

Let's hope it gets better for those out there.

[SecretSam]

9 hours ago, cityexile said:

It’s just Southgate all over. On the one hand, any objective analysis says we were poor second half. On the other, we have only ever won two opening matches at the Euros, both of those under Southgate.

I do sometimes wonder if Southgate is getting the best out of a squad that is not nearly as good in terms of balance as many seem to think? Or he is failing to get the best out of some truly world class players?  A result and performance that just keeps the ‘Southgate’ discussion going.

I think the issue with Foden is that in order to get the best out of him, we have to play him where Bellingham plays. Which isn't going to work. 

So the solution should be - play Bellingham, not Foden, and play someone different in Foden's position - Gordon? 

 

[Kid in the Riot]

9 hours ago, The Nest Egg said:

I saw an Albania flag placed on the large Millwall flag in the crowd, presumably by England fans thinking it would be funny. Thank god that was spotted and removed quickly. Serbia and Albania isn't a rivalry where you want to do that - they absolutely hate each other (long story but mostly to do with Kosovo) and that could have incited something real bad

Not sure it would have made a significant difference given the Serbs hate the UK too after we bombed Belgrade in 1999 (I think Allied forces bombed it in 1944 too). 

[formerly known as ivan]

10 hours ago, !james said:

All this Southgate hate is rather bizarre.

I feel fans are going to be in for a big shock when the next manager comes in replace him and we suddenly don't start playing like 1970s Brazil and win every tournament going. Very short memories of just how awful we were previously...

Some of us like our football to be entertaining, otherwise what’s the point in watching? It was for 25 mins and then it was same old England, why? We have some of the best talent we are ever likely to produce in Bellingham and Foden, record goal scorer in Kane. We just have the wrong man in charge of them.

[The Coach]

6 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Some of us like our football to be entertaining, otherwise what’s the point in watching? It was for 25 mins and then it was same old England, why? We have some of the best talent we are ever likely to produce in Bellingham and Foden, record goal scorer in Kane. We just have the wrong man in charge of them.

This. 
 

I wasn’t expecting England to go out and hammer Serbia for 90 minutes and put 4 or 5 goals past them. What I did expect is for England to control the majority of the game. Showing some good quick build up play with good chances. We were the complete opposite last night and have been for the majority of time under Southgate.

If I was a Serbia fan. I’d feel somewhat devastated not to walk away with 3 points last night.
 

England were so poor. It’s going to take a lot to step up for Thursdays game against Denmark. At the moment, I don’t have much confidence.

[NcnsBcfc]

8 hours ago, Bedred31 said:

Still trying to recover from the (uncharacteristic) utter awfulness of the BBC coverage. Constantly banging on about winning the competition, how Bellingham is the love child re-incarnated of Pele and Beckenbaur, then how it wouldn’t be England if we weren’t suffering, intermixed with embarrassing puns and stupid pre- rehearsed lines. Studio analysis ok but match commentary a complete embarrassment. Better than channel 4 admittedly, but light years away from Motty etc.

Listened to Lee Dixon and Eni Aluko speaking about Trent before the game on ITV after the Denmark game.

LD " In my view Trent is the best passer of the ball in the world currently"

EA " Trent is a generational world class talent"

WTF were those two smoking?

It's fair to say at International level TAA is not a CM. Defensively he's a liability and we were so much better when Gallagher came on and got us pushing higher.

He may deliver a ball at set pieces, but you can't shoehorn him into the team on that basis.

[NcnsBcfc]

2 minutes ago, The Coach said:

This. 
 

I wasn’t expecting England to go out and hammer Serbia for 90 minutes and put 4 or 5 goals past them. What I did expect is for England to control the majority of the game. Showing some good quick build up play with good chances. We were the complete opposite last night and have been for the majority of time under Southgate.

If I was a Serbia fan. I’d feel somewhat devastated not to walk away with 3 points last night.
 

England were so poor. It’s going to take a lot to step up for Thursdays game against Denmark. At the moment, I don’t have much confidence.

Watching England is like watching City at times.

They go 1-0 up and then just sit. They don't impress themselves on the opposition and keep pushing for the next goal (like Germany and Spain did).

Cue a half time reset from the opposition  who come out with renewed focus and vigour, who then then dominate for 30+ mins whilst we hang on.

How many times have we seen that with City in the last few years (under Pearson and Manning to be fair)?

It's that lack of killer instinct that came back to haunt England against Croatia and Italy in the Semi and Final after being ahead in both games.

Sometimes the team is a reflection  of the Conservative nature of the manager, in England's case, it is entirely that in my eyes.

[TonyTonyTony]

Christ, what a bunch of whiners some are on here.

Just take yourself back to Euro 2016 if you want to be reminded of how shit were were, not that long ago. 

[Northern Red]

There seems to be bewilderment that a team that is losing might try and attack, and therefore the winning team might have to defend a bit, and this from people who apparently watch football every week.

[TonyTonyTony]

16 minutes ago, The Coach said:

 

If I was a Serbia fan. I’d feel somewhat devastated not to walk away with 3 points last night.
 

England were so poor. It’s going to take a lot to step up for Thursdays game against Denmark. At the moment, I don’t have much confidence.

Comedy Gold 

[Davefevs]

3 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

There seems to be bewilderment that a team that is losing might try and attack, and therefore the winning team might have to defend a bit, and this from people who apparently watch football every week.

And they started booting us too.  They turned it into a more physical game, and I don’t think we deal with that very well.  The pressed us higher and made us go long.  Kane did admirably, but Saka and Foden have then got to get around him.

It never ceases to amaze me that when under the cosh a bit that Pickford is still trying to play goalkicks inside our box.  It might give us space, but ultimately we end up hitting a long ball to an isolated Kane.  Scotland did the same against Germany.  Sometimes you have to move away from the “perfect” (?) plan and change the flow of the game, to regain the ascendancy.

It was still a game we deserved to win, but we made harder work of it than we needed to having got the early lead.

[Robbored]

25 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Some of us like our football to be entertaining, otherwise what’s the point in watching? It was for 25 mins and then it was same old England, why? We have some of the best talent we are ever likely to produce in Bellingham and Foden, record goal scorer in Kane. We just have the wrong man in charge of them.

Unfortunately Southgate is now third as England  manager behind Sir Walter Winterbottom  and Sir Alf Ramsey and his record is excellent in international tournaments - he won’t be going anywhere at least not until the Euros are over when he’ll be standing down.

Most of us agree that he plays dull and uninspiring football just as GJ did but he gets results - just as GJ did. It’s the old question, entertainment or results?     

[The Coach]

13 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Comedy Gold 

So you believe England deserved the win last night and the overall standard of football under Southgate has been entertaining? While delivering 0 competition wins in his tenure. One final we should have won also. Clueless…

Edited June 17 by The Coach