[Football] Uefa Nations League

[METALMICKY]

Am the only person really not that bothered about this tournament? It's not the Euros or the World Cup.

 

[Reddleman]

For my sins I watched all the Sky analysis and they made a few good points. The key one being we are not at that elite world level when we look at the players we have. Compare us to France, Belgium etc and we just aren’t there yet. However we have made two semi finals in a year and but for a hairs breath of an offside would be in Sunday’s final.

We are on the right track and making progress despite tonight’s disappointment.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

It was a bit like watching Brighton as our midfield was totally over run. This was far more of a concern than Stones or Walker’s mistakes. Declan Rice’s reputation seems to have been elevated to a level far higher than it should be, he looks a bit out of his depth.

Henderson was a big miss as was Winks but the sooner we promote Maddison and Foden the better too.

On another note, Frenkie De Jong is just a wonderful player. A joy to watch and streets ahead of any player we have.

 

[Icy Gull]

[SUP][/SUP]I watched a stream with the sound turned down so have no idea what the commentators were saying. I quite enjoyed the game and thought we moved the ball quite well on occasions. No surprise that the Dutch were technically better, especially in keeping and passing the ball in tight situations. The Dutch also started off really aggressively but once they got on top, which was quite early in the game, played some good football. The defending for their second goal killed us. I gave up watching once it went in as it was clear we weren’t coming back. Special mention for the ref, I thought he had a really good game and seemed to be enjoying himself and have a sense of humour too whilst taking absolutely no shit from either team.

Have yet to see what the fuss about Kane is though, flat track bully for me who never produces against the good teams whether fit or not. England also look fine until they meet a top team where they flatter to deceive before losing...every time.

Anyway I thought it was quite watchable, but then I don’t have high expectations so am never that disappointed when we lose. I am definitely a Brighton fan who hopes England do well but just don’t have the same passion for the national team.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

For my sins I watched all the Sky analysis and they made a few good points. The key one being we are not at that elite world level when we look at the players we have. Compare us to France, Belgium etc and we just aren’t there yet. However we have made two semi finals in a year and but for a hairs breath of an offside would be in Sunday’s final.

We are on the right track and making progress despite tonight’s disappointment.

Watching with a French commentary was amusing (they only knew Harry Kane's name) I agree we're making progress. Individual stupid errors cost.
Portugal will rip Holland apart on Sunday.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Blimey, a load of overreactive responses coloured by past England team's failures and not judging this on merit. We had a midfield bereft of all the World Cup stars due to the Champions League and still almost, almost won this game. Our second half plan of sitting back and hitting on the counter would have worked if we hadn't conceded from a corner. Two extra-time defensive errors cost us. Maybe we'll be savvier in extra-times in future. No post-mortem needed. Dutch are far better than some are suggesting on here. Weak up front but strong everywhere else. They have multiple players who were in teams in the last four of the Champions League. They did top the French in their group, remember.

Enjoyable game, frustrating end.

Have to agree. This was nothing more than an end of season kickabout by an England team knackered after a long season and looking forward to a nice rest on the beach. How anyone can use this as a benchmark of our progress under Southgate is beyond me.

 

[Weststander]

It was a bit like watching Brighton as our midfield was totally over run. This was far more of a concern than Stones or Walker’s mistakes. Declan Rice’s reputation seems to have been elevated to a level far higher than it should be, he looks a bit out of his depth.

Henderson was a big miss as was Winks but the sooner we promote Maddison and Foden the better too.

On another note, Frenkie De Jong is just a wonderful player. A joy to watch and streets ahead of any player we have.

Good first point (and the rest).

Another glaring similarity was an isolated centre forward, trying to win long balls, whilst surrounded by 2 or 3 giant CB’s.

 

[Palacefinder General]

Am the only person really not that bothered about this tournament? It's not the Euros or the World Cup.

Not bothered at all, and as I said earlier, third place playoff in this tournament wtf? It's pointless enough in the World Cup, but for this crap, really? Who in their right mind would pay to be a spectator for a third place Nations League match? Empty stadium?

 

[darkwolf666]

For my sins I watched all the Sky analysis and they made a few good points. The key one being we are not at that elite world level when we look at the players we have. Compare us to France, Belgium etc and we just aren’t there yet. However we have made two semi finals in a year and but for a hairs breath of an offside would be in Sunday’s final.

We are on the right track and making progress despite tonight’s disappointment.

How is it we use Belgium as a shining light to aspire to, then deride players coming from that country and treat their league as second rate? Granted many of their top players now play elsewhere in Europe, but must surely have played for Belgium clubs at some point in their careers!

 

[Weststander]

[SUP][/SUP]I watched a stream with the sound turned down so have no idea what the commentators were saying. I quite enjoyed the game and thought we moved the ball quite well on occasions. No surprise that the Dutch were technically better, especially in keeping and passing the ball in tight situations. The Dutch also started off really aggressively but once they got on top, which was quite early in the game, played some good football. The defending for their second goal killed us. I gave up watching once it went in as it was clear we weren’t coming back. Special mention for the ref, I thought he had a really good game and seemed to be enjoying himself and have a sense of humour too whilst taking absolutely no shit from either team.

Have yet to see what the fuss about Kane is though, flat track bully for me who never produces against the good teams whether fit or not. England also look fine until they meet a top team where they flatter to deceive before losing...every time.

Anyway I thought it was quite watchable, but then I don’t have high expectations so am never that disappointed when we lose. I am definitely a Brighton fan who hopes England do well but just don’t have the same passion for the national team.

Accurate observations.

But did you also pick up, throughout the match:
1. Walker making several huge blunders in open play, enabling Babel/Depay free shots on goal?
2. Stones missing several crosses when it was clearly his ball, which the Dutch headed wide or into the hands of Pickford?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

So the best England can hope for is second last in a four team tournament.

I think you meant to write 'third, in a 55 team tournament'.

Easy mistake.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Later Kane tried to whip his leg around to nick the ball, but slightly caught the man, whereupon Neville said “Kane has lashed out”. Laughable.

Not sure if you mean the same incident, but Kane's angry kick at Daley Blind could easily have been a red, on another day. And he'd only have had himself to blame.

My main take on the referee, was that he looked like Sam Baldock.

 

[Icy Gull]

Accurate observations.

But did you also pick up, throughout the match:
1. Walker making several huge blunders in open play, enabling Babel/Depay free shots on goal?
2. Stones missing several crosses when it was clearly his ball, which the Dutch headed wide or into the hands of Pickford?

I did indeed, and smiled to myself imagining Hughton on the sidelines watching such absolutely appalling defending. I did think on quite a few occasions “**** me, we defend better than that”

I fear we are going to have plenty of opportunities to praise the way we defended under Hughton next season as we get caught in possession going forward and are caught short at the back. Price to pay and I hope we have got this right (I am fully behind it too as I was dying of boredom in most games last season) or we are going down.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

[SUP][/SUP]

Have yet to see what the fuss about Kane is though, flat track bully for me who never produces against the good teams whether fit or not. .

Wow.
This season he has been injured
He scored against Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Dortmund, Barcelona, PSV, Croatia whilst playing BRILLIANTLY away in spain (when we won 3-2 to break their unbeaten home record)
Goals against lower teams also do count as goals.

This is in his injury hit season.

Just after he won the golden boot (if it was that easy then someone else would have done it)

I'm staggered anyone would watch Harry Kane and not 'get' what the fuss is about. We have a PROPER centre forward.

 

[Icy Gull]

Wow.
This season he has been injured
He scored against Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Dortmund, Barcelona, PSV, Croatia whilst playing BRILLIANTLY away in spain (when we won 3-2 to break their unbeaten home record)
Goals against lower teams also do count as goals.

This is in his injury hit season.

Just after he won the golden boot (if it was that easy then someone else would have done it)

I'm staggered anyone would watch Harry Kane and not 'get' what the fuss is about. We have a PROPER centre forward.

Yeah well I’m talking about when he plays for England, should have made that clear. Maybe I should have qualified too that I don’t see him as world class. Of course he is a great Premier League player in that Spurs team.

Thought much the same about Rooney too

Edit, which Croatia game are you talking about btw, the one that mattered in the World Cup he was anonymous as I remember. Am I wrong?

 

[Wozza]

I think you meant to write 'third, in a 55 team tournament'.

Easy mistake.

Top research, mate.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Yeah well I’m talking about when he plays for England, should have made that clear.

Ok. For England he has won the golden boot at a world cup

He has scored against the following 'better' nations:
Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, France, Columbia, Croatia

He hasn't played against Brazil and Argentina as far as I can see.

He didn't score against Spain but was brilliant in that win.

He has 22 goals in 38 caps.

I really don't know what he would have to do to impress you in his 4 year England career thus far.

 

[Icy Gull]

Ok. For England he has won the golden boot at a world cup

He has scored against the following 'better' nations:
Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, France, Columbia, Croatia

He hasn't played against Brazil and Argentina as far as I can see.

He didn't score against Spain but was brilliant in that win.

He has 22 goals in 38 caps.

I really don't know what he would have to do to impress you in his 4 year England career thus far.

Do it in the BIG games

Old fashioned centre forward but I reiterate I don’t see him as World class and he is the one most touted as being so. It’s an opinion not a fact

Yes he won the Golden boot in the team that had by far the easiest run to the semi finals so impressive as it looks he was nowhere near the stand out player in the World Cup...again imo.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Personally I think England look far better with a Back-3. We don't have the defenders to play the way we want to, and that third defender gives us the cover they need. The team looked a shambles for long periods, but with a midfield of Barkley, Delph & Rice we shouldn't expect much more - we looked noticeably better when Henderson came on.

So we were poor, but Southgate got some big decisions very wrong IMO. Not playing the Champions League finalists was ridiculous... the Netherlands didn't do that. The midfield three are no way near good enough for this level, so he got that wrong. We also had Stones, Delph and Barkley who don't get into their club teams - why are they walking into the England team? I also want us to go back to 3-5-2, but given we've been playing a back 4 since the World Cup I understand why he didn't do that.

Southgate has a lot of leeway with the goodwill from the past 12 months, and the obvious progress we've made. However, he got yesterday horribly wrong and there's no shame in admitting that

 

[Simster]

Wouldn’t say we capitchulated as such. That’s a sensationalist word. We didn’t do that at the WC either. We play some fantastic fast paced football with intricut passing. Some of the okay in the WC was lovely. Here’s the point I’d make to back his up. We beat Panoma 6-1 - and ripped them apart in the first half. England teams of old would have laboured to a 1 or 2 goal unconvincing win. We have exciting young talent coming through, who have won things already at international level. Many players who have won major club trophies now too. Nobody is saying we’re the best team in the world, but a WC semi and Nations League 3rd or 4th (beating Spain away and Croatia at home) makes me think we’ve made progress. Comfortably top 10 on the world now yet weren’t 3, 4, 5 years ago...

I have to agree with you sheebo, the issue was always that we'd turn over teams in qualifying and friendlies, but labour to unconvincing wins and generally stop playing when the tournaments came round. For whatever reason, it is different nowadays. And I'm quite happy they are making mistakes at the back in tournaments like this - better here than at a World Cup, and England DO need to learn how to look after the ball, and that starts with looking after it at the back.