[Football] Euros 2024 - Matchday 12 (Netherlands vs Austria, France vs Poland, England vs Slovenia & Denmark vs Serbia)

[Deportivo Seagull]

Do you mean in the tournament or in each of the games?

Both really. The Euro’s was our best chance of winning. We were the best team on paper end the
other teams were in disarray. Looking back that was the weakest Euro ever in terms of quality, it was very poor. At the time I worked with Germans, Italians and Spaniards and they all said England would win hands down.

 

[Cordwainer]

He is obsessed with Kane up front on his own who gets so little service that he has to drop back into midfield, leaving no one in the box.
Rice plays centre back and just gets in the way. We need our midfielders further forward to give us half a chance of getting into the box. He’s got to go.
The goalie and back four are adequate, much as I’d love to see Dunky in there passing long and short balls forwards. Left back is a problem getting forwards as Shaw is never going to be fit enough to do an overlapping job.
I think he’s going to need to play the Newcastle lad and, as much as I hate to say it, the Palace midfielder who might just play without all the baggage the others are carrying.
As others have said, I just don’t understand how such good players can’t be moulded into a half decent team. I think Southgate will chuck it in at the end of this, win or lose, in time for the next poor sucker to take the poison chalice.

So frustrating with some of the talent we have. Foden Bellingham in middle with Rice n Kane constantly dropping back means it’s an absolute mess. Cannot fathom why CG who is simply not international standard got the nod over others. Left hand side is a mess with Trip always wanting to cut in on his right foot and Foden seemingly drifting in. Puts a lot of pressure on Saka who with all others seems to have lost his international mojo. What a difference to have two confident positive ball runners when Gordon and Palmer came on.

 

[fly high]

So frustrating with some of the talent we have. Foden Bellingham in middle with Rice n Kane constantly dropping back means it’s an absolute mess. Cannot fathom why CG who is simply not international standard got the nod over others. Left hand side is a mess with Trip always wanting to cut in on his right foot and Foden seemingly drifting in. Puts a lot of pressure on Saka who with all others seems to have lost his international mojo. What a difference to have two confident positive ball runners when Gordon and Palmer came on.

But Gordon only had 1 minute plus added time, why wasn't he brought on sooner. What a waste.

 

[essbee1]

But Gordon only had 1 minute plus added time, why wasn't he brought on sooner. What a waste.

or Palmer? He changed the game when he came on.

 

[fly high]

or Palmer? He changed the game when he came on.

Yes Saka was obviously not himself last night.

 

[Braggfan]

I think the biggest problem England face is the expectations everyone has. Its not just that people expect us to win the tournament but that we have to win every game comfortably and in style. People forget that even when we reached the final last time round, we didn't do it in that manner. Obviously it would be nice to see us playing lovely football, but people are acting like its been a disaster so far, when in fact we've topped the group, avoided the harder side of the draw, and the tournament is still going. We have lots to play.

 

[Weststander]

He has absolutely no idea how to utilise the profiles of each player. At one point we had Foden, Bellingham and Palmer on. Three outstanding #10s who all want to occupy similar spaces, playing with a striker who also likes to drop in as a #10. If you’re going to play those three, you need someone who is going to run in behind. Likewise, if you’re going to play Kane then you need runners beyond him. You can’t just shove all four of them on together and hope something works.

We have no balance, no obvious patterns of play and as a result, players with no confidence.

Unlike England …

 

[essbee1]

I think the biggest problem England face is the expectations everyone has. Its not just that people expect us to win the tournament but that we have to win every game comfortably and in style. People forget that even when we reached the final last time round, we didn't do it in that manner. Obviously it would be nice to see us playing lovely football, but people are acting like its been a disaster so far, when in fact we've topped the group, avoided the harder side of the draw, and the tournament is still going. We have lots to play.

But for the fact that Denmark played sh*t last night, we'd be in the sh*t big time ourselves today.

 

[Braggfan]

But for the fact that Denmark played sh*t last night, we'd be in the sh*t big time ourselves today.

If Foden hadn't been offside last night, or his shot that hit the post against Denmark had gone in, we'd be top. If's and but's are irrelevant, the fact remains we are top of the group.

 

[beefypigeon]

Yesterday was much better than Denmark but still nowhere near the levels required to win the thing.

Why Southgate felt he'd need Gallagher in such a match is beyond me. If he really needs another DM alongside Rice then Mainoo has proved he is a much better option than Gallagher or Trent. I don't mind Trent but he scares the crap out of me in centre-mid, there is a time and a place for him.

Palmer should be starting, and on the evidence of the last couple of games I'd be very tempted to bench Bellingham, he's been a passenger. I think he'd be more effective for us alongside Rice, play deeper and get on the ball more, we want our best players to get more of the ball and it would allow him to do that. He has all the attributes to be an incredible CM.

 

[Han Solo]

I think the biggest problem England face is the expectations everyone has. Its not just that people expect us to win the tournament but that we have to win every game comfortably and in style. People forget that even when we reached the final last time round, we didn't do it in that manner. Obviously it would be nice to see us playing lovely football, but people are acting like its been a disaster so far, when in fact we've topped the group, avoided the harder side of the draw, and the tournament is still going. We have lots to play.

This is what it sounds like every GS tournament.

And the team is playing like it. "We'll get good... later... for now, just get the points". But what this England team is showing is TOO far away from being able to compete.

If it was tactics it could perhaps be fixed but they're all frozen with fear. You hear in the interviews, all talk about problems and nothing really about solutions. You can see it on the body language. Won a very easy £100 on Phil Fodens yellow card yesterday, because he utterly hates playing in this team and the dumb role he's supposed to have in it.

Its not going to get less tense and neither Southgate nor many of the leading players know how to deal with the negative thoughts and feelings.

 

[amexer]

Maybe Southgate has been picking a side to get through group games and will now pick a side to win knock out games

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

The situation with Southgate seems similar to the Tories. Both have been in charge way too long but nobody seems able to do anything about it

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Maybe Southgate has been picking a side to get through group games and will now pick a side to win knock out games

A masterplan? Hmmm, looking forward to seeing how that works out. I’m sure if he changes the team and it wins through that will be what he comes out with.
There is some logic to it inasmuch as we haven’t let any goals in and we now go to knockout football. Perhaps they’ve been practicing penalties.

 

[sakooshi]

We should be proud. Our boys kept a clean sheet against Slovenia and finished top of the group.

 

[One Love]

Maybe Southgate has been picking a side to get through group games and will now pick a side to win knock out games

I do wonder whether we'll see a CDM in for the knockouts, probably Mainoo there. then Rice can push forward to his Arsenal position.

His biggest dilemma is Kane obviously not fit, Saka similar and Bellingham looking knackered.

 

[Cordwainer]

The disconnect between supposedly world class England players and their club/country form has been going on for decades..eg trying to shoehorn Gerrard and Lampard into a functioning midfield. Maybe there is always too much hype. The FA clearly have a large part to play in all of this and the direction they choose to go in with the next managerial appointment. I think it’s the Spanish manager that has worked his way up through the youth teams with the same core of players playing the same system that is bringing about their current success. When GS was appointed from the U21’s off the back of the investment in grass roots and St George’s Park etc, whilst he was reluctant it made sense to me..continuity, knowing the players. Surely long term success needs to be driven by this kind of model rather than comedy appointments such as Sam Allardyce.

 

[herecomesaregular]

Praying for a few things:

- Trippier went off with an injury last tonight? Praying that puts him out for the tournament. He was shit for Newcastle this season and this form continues. Would rather have Saka or Walker there. As for Shaw, he should have been honest at the start and said I won't be fit rather than this nonsense of waiting for him.

- One of Bellingham or Foden to go Ben White postal. Southgate will need to be forced into a change.

- Pray Southgate continues to be Lucky. Being this side of the draw is so jammy again.

 

[Brovion]

Maybe being surrounded by better players at Madrid helps?

They might be marginally better (the top club sides, stuffed with the best players from across the world, are usually better than international sides these days), but I don't think the difference is so great as to account for his total apparent 'shit-ness'.

I'm not one to say "We're Ingerland, we've got the best players so we should win!" but it is baffling how a team that contains the EPL player of the season, the La Liga player of the season and the top scorer in the Bunderliga can look SO pedestrian, disjointed and toothless. (There's a stat somewhere that shows England have the slowest build-up of all the teams in the Euros).

It's the old 'Lampard/Gerrard' debate multiplied by ten.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

You'll all be embarrassed when we win it.......................................................

I certainly hope so. Every game I get the humble pie out and every game it goes back in the cupboard.
Note to self: check use by date of humble pie.