Football

[Bantamzen]

you do - you move the ball sharply and quickly and try and pull the defenders out of shape, make a hole and dart through or make the space for the cross. We didn't.

This is true, I think what we don't agree on is if this is the manager's design or a failing of the players. Personally I can't believe the players have forgotten how to do this (we do struggle against these formations, but never that much), or they are playing to the manager's tactics. Or maybe both. I don't know any more. Either way we probably can all agree that change is needed, and if this involves dropping the likes of Bellingham, and / or Kane to freshen things up in there, then we need to be bold and use them as impact subs (super subs in my day ), and at least make a fist of the 2nd round. I don't want us flopping out of this tournament on a whimper like Scotland did.

 

[DarloRich]

Or maybe both. I don't know any more

it is both! the manager is cautious and good players seem to fear playing for England or perhaps making a mistake for England.

Either way we probably can all agree that change is needed, and if this involves dropping the likes of Bellingham, and / or Kane to freshen things up in there, then we need to be bold and use them as impact subs (super subs in my day ), and at least make a fist of the 2nd round

agreed - the problem is yesterday was the chance to do that with little jeopardy.

 

[scarby]

Indeed. It’s important to look at how the Slovenians celebrated when the full-time whistle blew. They had clearly set out to avoid defeat and nothing more.

Absolutely.

Unfortunately there seems to be a mentality towards the England football team that they should win every game by a convincing margin and that the opposition are just there to be rolled over.

It's totally unrealistic.

Yet when it happens to other national footballing heavyweights - e.g. Italy's failure to even qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Germany's elimination in the group at the 2018 - these events seem to be just glossed over or ignored in England, creating the false impression that England are somehow exceptional at not always meeting expectations in international football.

 

[Bantamzen]

Absolutely.

Unfortunately there seems to be a mentality towards the England football team that they should win every game by a convincing margin and that the opposition are just there to be rolled over.

It's totally unrealistic.

Yet when it happens to other national footballing heavyweights - e.g. Italy's failure to even qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Germany's elimination in the group at the 2018 - these events seem to be just glossed over or ignored in England, creating the false impression that England are somehow exceptional at not always meeting expectations in international football.

Few people expect England to win every game, but fans do expect at least some effort and for us to at least to set up to win. In those three group games England barely got out of first gear, and in the last game the passing was shocking at times. We got through not because of how we played, but because the opposition couldn't take full advantage of how poor we were.

 

[DarloRich]

Great result from the Euros:

Georgia 2 v Portugal 0 - the Georgian keeper Somethingashvili had a great game. Every one of their players was on it. They qualify for the last 16 as a best third place team and will face Spain

"They'll be dancing in the street of Tbilisi tonight"

This means England play Slovakia on Sunday at 17:00

( best third placed teams in order: Netherlands, Georgia, Slovakia, Slovenia)

 

[Bald Rick]

Great result from the Euros:

Georgia 2 v Portugal 0 - the Georgian keeper Somethingashvili had a great game. Every one of their players was on it. They qualify for the last 16 as a best third place team and will face Spain

"They'll be dancing in the street of Tbilisi tonight"

This means England play Slovakia on Sunday at 17:00

( best third placed teams in order: Netherlands, Georgia, Slovakia, Slovenia)

Great result and a great game. Typical of Wolves Portugal to foul up against lesser opposition.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How many cards got issued in the Turkey vs Czech Republic Group 'F' game just now? Lost count!

 

[Cowley]

Great result from the Euros:

Georgia 2 v Portugal 0 - the Georgian keeper Somethingashvili had a great game. Every one of their players was on it. They qualify for the last 16 as a best third place team and will face Spain

"They'll be dancing in the street of Tbilisi tonight"

That’s an incredibly good performance from Georgia tonight.

This means England play Slovakia on Sunday at 17:00

And this has turned into a ridiculous dose of good luck on Englands part.

Blimey. I don’t think this could have fallen better really?

 

[JamesT]

How many cards got issued in the Turkey vs Czech Republic Group 'F' game just now? Lost count!

https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2036195--czechia-vs-turkiye/statistics/ reckons 16 yellow and 2 red, including the flurry after the final whistle. Though I don’t know if that definitely includes cards for coaches as well. (There was some confusion earlier regarding the tie breaker between Denmark and Slovenia as the list of cards wasn’t complete)

 

[brad465]

Georgia better make sure they don't remove the 4 small crosses from their flag, or their performance on the pitch will collapse.

 

[DarloRich]

Blimey. I don’t think this could have fallen better really?

incredible. We will mess it up though!

 

[Cowley]

incredible. We will mess it up though!

I don’t know? I think we might have swapped optimism levels…

 

[Haywain]

That’s an incredibly good performance from Georgia tonight.

Yes, it was good to watch. They played with energy, determination and no small level of skill. Portugal where just a little bit overwhelmed and perhaps off the pace because of having qualified already.

 

[dangie]

Excellent tactics and performances by Gareth & his boys so far.

Play for a scrappy win in the first game to get points on the board. Then play for a draw in the second to virtually guarantee progression into the next round. Probably scrape another draw in the third game. All the while playing as if they are a poor team with no ideas. Lull the opposition into a false sense of security.

Come the knock out stages we hit ‘em….

Going back to my previous post.
Now we’ll loosen the reins and really show what we can do….

Note: Just come home from the pub so my judgement may be slightly clouded

 

[Cowley]

Going back to my previous post.
Now we’ll loosen the reins and really show what we can do….

Note: Just come home from the pub so my judgement may be slightly clouded

Why change a winning formula (including going to the pub)?

 

[Bald Rick]

Going back to my previous post.
Now we’ll loosen the reins and really show what we can do….

Note: Just come home from the pub so my judgement may be slightly clouded

I actually subscribe to that view.

We’ve played three teams who set out to defend. We may well see the same again with Slovakia; they may well think that their only hope is to defend for 120 mins and win on pens.

If and when we play a team that wants to score, I suspect we will play expansively.

 

[dangie]

Why change a winning formula (including going to the pub)?

On Sunday (England’s next game) I shall be in Pickering Yorkshire. If anyone has knowledge of good pubs in Pickering to watch the game please tell me

 

[1D54]

On Sunday (England’s next game) I shall be in Pickering Yorkshire. If anyone has knowledge of good pubs in Pickering to watch the game please tell me

Shouldn't that be 'good pubs in Pickering without a television'. Why risk spoiling a lovely trip to a lovely town by watching more of that nonsense.

 

[dangie]

Shouldn't that be 'good pubs in Pickering without a television'. Why risk spoiling a lovely trip to a lovely town by watching more of that nonsense.

Good point

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I remember a song from my folk singing days in the 1960s that had a chorus line of..."Cos its boring, bloody well boring". It has taken recent England Euro 2024 performances to awaken this from its dormancy in my memory banks.

 

[REVUpminster]

England made a mistake in winning the first group game. Professional footballers don't do more than they have to.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Apocalyptic scenes earlier in Dortmund with lightning forcing the Germany vs Denmark game to be postponed by 25 minutes. A very wise decision.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Professional footballers don't do more than they have to.

So if the German team had taken that attitude against Scotland, it makes you wonder what the score might have been if they had decided to play all-out attacking football instead.

 

[DarloRich]

Remember: this is an England game coming up. It won't be plain sailing it won't be like a FIFA game or football manager. It won't be Pep or Klopp ball. It will be tough. It always is but let's keep calm and focused on getting the job done.

Only change for England is Mainoo in for Gallagher.

 

[Cowley]

We’re going to be lucky to end with 11 men on the pitch at this rate.

 

[Ivor]

We’re going to be lucky to end with 11 men on the pitch at this rate.

Definitely.

From ko we’ve been caution first & foremost

 

[Falcon1200]

Losing!

I can't believe, after what we saw at the end of the Slovenia game, that Gareth Southgate has not put Palmer and Gordon on from the start.

 

[1D54]

This fraud of a manager will be looking for a job tomorrow, problem is (for him) what club would be fool hardy enough to employ him.

 

[DarloRich]

This fraud of a manager will be looking for a job tomorrow, problem is (for him) what club would be fool hardy enough to employ him.

plenty of stuff like this on social media. It is over if we lose.

HOWEVER i simply cant believe that Southgate has told the players: when you get into an attacking position i want you to cut back or inside EVERY time. I don't want any of you to run about and MOST OF ALL i want really sloppy passes. I don't want any of you to show any bravery either.

Lets make some changes a chuck a few on a few wild cards (Gordon, Cole Palmer, Ollie Palmer etc) and just try and change something. Also the full backs need a rocket. There is a sending off here. We can still get back in it as this lot are at best decent is well organised but only if Southgate gambles and bets all on black!

 

[Bantamzen]

Remember: this is an England game coming up. It won't be plain sailing it won't be like a FIFA game or football manager. It won't be Pep or Klopp ball. It will be tough. It always is but let's keep calm and focused on getting the job done.

Only change for England is Mainoo in for Gallagher.

plenty of stuff like this on social media. It is over if we lose.

HOWEVER i simply cant believe that Southgate has told the players: when you get into an attacking position i want you to cut back or inside EVERY time. I don't want any of you to run about and MOST OF ALL i want really sloppy passes. I don't want any of you to show any bravery either.

Lets make some changes a chuck a few on a few wild cards (Gordon, Cole Palmer, Ollie Palmer etc) and just try and change something. Also the full backs need a rocket. There is a sending off here. We can still get back in it as this lot are at best decent is well organised but only if Southgate gambles and bets all on black!

45 mins to go before our tournament ends....

I know you don't think this is on the manager, but if Sideways Southgate doesn't ring the changes in the set-up and / or players, this will go down as his responsibility. A good manager can win games, a great one can lift his players when backs are to the wall. Let's see what happens, but honestly I can see us going out with a whimper.

Edit: No changes at half time.....