Come on, England

[Mr Popodopolous]

9 hours ago, exAtyeoMax said:

WTF has Brexit got to do with it! I don’t think entitlement or feelings of superiority has anything to do with it, people are just fed up of being shit and perpetual losers.

Yeah that was an odd take.

There has been a perception in the past, Southgate does carry the can somewhat but the football points about ball circulation I think have some merit.

[REDOXO]

I have an answer for all of it! Play better. 
 

The players themselves know they have been pony. Way too much sideways and backward possession football that inevitably ends in a loss of possession or a hump downfield (remind anyone of anyone). 
 

However We must not forget England won the group and have given themselves a hell of a chance of winning the thing if they click. Thus don’t focus too much on the way they got here. Yes we need to attack more while in possession, win more second ball and win the ball back when out of possession. 
 

We were crap against Iceland but got to the tournament in style so I’m hopeful we will win tomorrow with the right tweek and be a real threat. 
 

No one wants England as most know a performance is right around the corner and I think we will get one and a win. 

[Cowshed]

13 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

There is an excellent line in there albeit I think it has been changing for the better.

"In midfield England traditionally have no culture of ball circulation".

We need to circulate the ball well and align it with strong pressing and move it relatively quickly but traditionally at club level it hasn't always been our strongest point.

Even technically and relatively risk averse not so much in the past.

Whats ball circulation? 

England have  been a team of relatively high possession, and a team that did press. England have consistently circulated the ball, and that is building play from the first third switching, resetting possession efficiently until recently. 

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

43 minutes ago, Cowshed said:

Whats ball circulation? 

England have  been a team of relatively high possession, and a team that did press. England have consistently circulated the ball, and that is building play from the first third switching, resetting possession efficiently until recently. 

 

As I say it is changing now. By circulation there is possession and possession, we have a reputation albeit now outdated for being quicker, taking less care of the ball.

Vs Croatia in 2018, to an extent Holland in 2019, to an extent albeit we had more possession so was an odd one v Czech Republic in Prague and v Italy at Wembley of course.

We had issues in midfield and retaining the ball, controlling the game. In different ways but issues across all 4.

Edited Saturday at 13:45 by Mr Popodopolous

[Markthehorn]

Mail suggest the only change will be Mainoo for Gallagher .

We’ll see I guess .

[Cowshed]

19 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

As I say it is changing now. By circulation there is possession and possession, we have a reputation albeit now outdated for being quicker, taking less care of the ball.

Vs Croatia in 2018, to an extent Holland in 2019, to an extent albeit we had more possession so was an odd one v Czech Republic in Prague and v Italy.

We had issues in midfield and retaining the ball, controlling the game.

Liverpool circulate the ball from possession, so do Barcelona -  Possession and circulation are ambiguous terms without definition.

England were playing consistently from a base of possession, without players who consistently broke lines, without the pivots, the registas, and from a consistent shape with functionally adept players (Henderson/Philipps) releasing, repeating, keeping the ball. England in the first third were a team that were highly controlled in retaining possession playing positionally. 

England have issues with what they were once good at now. England have been struggling with what were basic functions and principles of the team. 

[REDOXO]

I’m not sure about some of what I’m reading except to say if we score in important games we overwhelmingly concede possession and drop deeper and deeper. This was a problem against Croatia, Italy and again in this tournament. 
 

England are seriously not a possession based team when winning big games in fact it’s the opposite. But hey what would I know!

[Cowshed]

24 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

I’m not sure about some of what I’m reading except to say if we score in important games we overwhelmingly concede possession and drop deeper and deeper. This was a problem against Croatia, Italy and again in this tournament. 
 

England are seriously not a possession based team when winning big games in fact it’s the opposite. But hey what would I know!

Possession based - England under Southgate play from a base, the first third, where possession and playing through the third with possession is prioritized. 

[robin_unreliant]

I think the thing that has really annoyed and surprised me is just how static the whole team has looked in the games so far. You see a CB with the ball and virtually the whole team in front of him is just stood still, with no real movement.

Pundits have laid into Kane for lumbering slowly round the pitch - I think that was the word Lineker used - but it's the whole side seemingly. Few bursts forward from midfield. No wonder the opposition are finding it easy to defend against.

[ZiderEyed]

6 minutes ago, Cowshed said:

Possession based - England under Southgate play from a base, the first third, where possession and playing through the third with possession is prioritized. 

Cowshed - you post like a heavily medicated ai system that's only been trained on coaching courses. Solve below:

[mozo]

1 hour ago, Markthehorn said:

Mail suggest the only change will be Mainoo for Gallagher .

We’ll see I guess .

[Cowshed]

40 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

Cowshed - you post like a heavily medicated ai system that's only been trained on coaching courses. Solve below:

I can't solve that, and off at a tangent while supporting a coach writing a playing and training philosophy we for fun used a chat bot.

We don't just boot it = Plays as a team in possession to combine skilfully, creatively and intelligently to create and score goals. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, Cowshed said:

Possession based - England under Southgate play from a base, the first third, where possession and playing through the third with possession is prioritized. 

We may well do but vs Italy and Croatia in those two games and other examples to a lesser extent we didn't outplay or control their midfield and we steadily got overrun.

Henderson, Alli and Lingard maybe you could.say, didn't outmanouvere and outplay Brozovic, Modric and Rakitic e.g. 

I feel we are better equipped now albeit we have an issue and tempo and or balance.

Edited Saturday at 16:01 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

Jorginho, Barella and the other guy again did we master that in 2021? Not sure we did as the game wore on. Controlling midfield certainly isn't a guarantee but it sure helps.

I'd say those sides had a better balance and starting shape or structure than us too in those games. It may work more often but not always.

Edited Saturday at 16:11 by Mr Popodopolous

[Midlands Robin]

In preparation for tomorrows last 16 match, Gareth briefs Harry Kane in the plan:

 

[cityexile]

8 hours ago, Markthehorn said:

Mail suggest the only change will be Mainoo for Gallagher .

We’ll see I guess .

Taking Shaw as the only LB looks increasingly a nonsense call.

[Son of Fred]

On 28/06/2024 at 15:27, Mr Popodopolous said:

Mostly with it, although not sure about dropping Bellingham.

I'm certainly no student of the game, although how I see it we need to play Bellingham higher - he's not the threat how we've been playing him.

Play him in his natural position!

Were lacking width- be very tempted to start with Gordon.

I'd also give Cole the start.

Don't be predictable & set up exactly the way Slovakia will be expecting...ditch the passive & kick start ourselves & our tournament.

Take off the handbrake!! - we have to do it sometime,,may as well be now.

P.s - unlikely any of the above will happen as I fear Gareth is losing his way.

Edited yesterday at 07:03 by Son of Fred

[Markthehorn]

England to scrape through 1-0.

Heard a clip last night on the TV.

You’d think we were playing Spain not Slovakia the way Southgate talked about them.

 

[Slippin cider]

England 1 - Slovakia 2 

[mozo]

55 minutes ago, Son of Fred said:

I'm certainly no student of the game, although how I see it we need to play Bellingham higher - he's not the threat how we've been playing him.

Play him in his natural position!

Were lacking width- be very tempted to start with Gordon.

I'd also give Cole the start.

Don't be predictable & set up exactly the way Slovakia will be expecting...ditch the passive & kick start ourselves & our tournament.

Take off the handbrake!! - we have to do it sometime,,may as well be now.

P.s - unlikely any of the above will happen as I fear Gareth is losing his way.

You're right that we need to make changes, and Cole Palmer is a no-brainer.

You're also right that none of that will happen. 

It's not so much that Gareth is losing his way, more he's totally bogged down in his way and has convinced himself that if he changes, everything will be thrown into chaos.

[Gimme Shelton]

It's his stubbornness that will prevent him starting Palmer and Gordon,or even one of them!

[mozo]

30 minutes ago, Gimme Shelton said:

It's his stubbornness that will prevent him starting Palmer and Gordon,or even one of them!

Yep. It's so clear that he has a mandate from the fans, the nation, to deliver a more enterprising style of football. That's why he's been booed. 

But he clearly thinks that if England play more aggressive, attacking football everything will fall apart. To me, that's just a negative mindset, and a mentality that seldom wins tournaments.

Southgate has done a great job in restoring respectability to the England squad. He's also brought a lit of talented young players into his squads (if not actually playing them).

But now is the time to deliver performances. That should be the remit for his replacement.

[Sir Geoff]

2 hours ago, Son of Fred said:

I'm certainly no student of the game, although how I see it we need to play Bellingham higher - he's not the threat how we've been playing him.

Play him in his natural position!

Were lacking width- be very tempted to start with Gordon.

I'd also give Cole the start.

Don't be predictable & set up exactly the way Slovakia will be expecting...ditch the passive & kick start ourselves & our tournament.

Take off the handbrake!! - we have to do it sometime,,may as well be now.

P.s - unlikely any of the above will happen as I fear Gareth is losing his way.

He has been started higher in the no.10 role The problem is Kane keeps dropping deep and crowding Bellinghams space so he naturally drops deeper. In the last game him and Foden were interchanging and it was a mess, neither knew exactly what they were meant to be doing.

Bellingham is a natural box to box midfielder ala Bryan Robson. He should (imo) start alongside Rice with Foden ahead of him in the no.10 role.

Yes Gordon and Palmer should start but the only changed Southgate will make is Mainoo for Gallagher, cue more dreary football with no coherent left side of the team.

[luke_bristol]

Anyone else shitting themselves about today? I really think we have a good chance of getting dumped out of the tournament.

[phantom]

I fully expect the game to be just like the prev three and we'll stumble through into the next round 

[RedEyez]

44 minutes ago, luke_bristol said:

Anyone else shitting themselves about today? I really think we have a good chance of getting dumped out of the tournament.

Yep , feel the same. 

[BCFCGav]

Time to wake up now. We could not have been given a kinder route through this tournament if we’d tried and we have world-class talent in the squad. Other big teams are looking kinda wobbly too. Better than us so far, for sure, but no team has looked infallible.

A win and a performance today, let’s put down a marker. Come on England  

[Son of Fred]

50 minutes ago, luke_bristol said:

Anyone else shitting themselves about today? I

Gareth......

[maxjak]

On 29/06/2024 at 12:23, Mr Popodopolous said:

Could a certain Alex Scott be the solution in years to come? Strong technically yet a carrier- if his injuries are fine and he truly flourishes.

Wharton looks very interesting, due to his meteoric rise vs age and experience. Mainoo was PL already.

Scotty for England...............the campaign starts NOW..............Ha!

Edited yesterday at 12:39 by maxjak

[TV Tom]

4 hours ago, Gimme Shelton said:

It's his stubbornness that will prevent him starting Palmer and Gordon,or even one of them!

Also the fact he is just a totally inept manager who will struggle to get a top job when eventually sacked, will probably end up somewhere like Palace or WBA