[Football] England are shit/Southgate is shit/I hope team with an Albion connection does better than England etc etc

[Icy Gull]

all those Brighton players playing for other nations would far rather win the world cup with their respective countries than win anything with Brighton

That’s handy because they aren’t going to win things here anytime soon

 

[Zeberdi]

-- who, since you've been watching, has been a better England manager?
-- has Southgate always been past is sell-by date and, if not, when did he become so?

Unfortunately to some extent Southgate is a victim of his own success so the pressure in Qatar is that much more - England has certainly improved in recent years - semi-final in 2018 WC (possibly helped by Brazil, Germany, Italy and the Argies all knocked out prior) and the Euros last summer - but Southgate’s inability to react to play on the field and inability to tie up the lead when playing Italy at Wembley, is rearing its ugly head again at Qatar.

Perhaps if the USMNT hadn’t pinned down England and stopped them from building from the back or perhaps if Southgate had seen that McKennie playing high was creating
problems in midfield right from the go, the dialogue now about Southgate’s/England’s quality may have changed for the better. Sterling and Saka basically couldn’t get in the game and bringing on Rashford instead of Foden, who could have made a real difference with his manoeuvrability, was just left sat on the bench for reasons I still don’t understand - Henderson coming on for Bellingham seemed another of Southgate’s tendency to be passive (although in fairness to Southgate, Bellingham wasnt really getting any space where he was).

Having said all that, England are almost certainly going to get past Group so let’s see if Southgate can do a ‘potter-think’ and take some lessons from the USMNT match - in short, if he can become more proactive in the dugout with the players at his disposal and adapt faster when needed, he could take England into at least the quarter-finals again, then depending on the knockouts, lets see what happens after that.

 

[GT49er]

That’s handy because they aren’t going to win things here anytime soon

They don't look too likely to win anything at the WC either!

 

[dazzer6666]

They don't look too likely to win anything at the WC either!

Good. Hope they all get knocked out and return home early, uninjured.

 

[GT49er]

Good. Hope they all get knocked out and return home early, uninjured.

Uninjured, yes - but dejected and demoralise .................... or would it not be better if they were absolutely buzzing, on a huge high, confident of beating anyone and bursting with enthusiasm?

 

[dazzer6666]

Uninjured, yes - but dejected and demoralise .................... or would it not be better if they were absolutely buzzing, on a huge high, confident of beating anyone and bursting with enthusiasm?

Chances are, at worst (for us), it’ll be maybe one player in that state so no issue. Our risk is well spread unless Ecuador win it

 

[GT49er]

Chances are, at worst (for us), it’ll be maybe one player in that state so no issue. Our risk is well spread unless Ecuador win it

Yes, but they don't have to necessarily win it to come back buzzing - some good performances and semi or quarter finals could be pretty pleasing for several of them.


Although, TBH, none of them look certain to get out of the group stages at the moment, so you may get your wish (all of 'em demoralised and dejected!)

 

[Triggaaar]

Will these be the lead boots England wore against USA?

If only we could perform like Germany against Japan

 

[Farehamseagull]

My question is, why is Harry Kane always tired?!

It appears it doesn’t matter if it’s June, July or November but the over-rated, intensely unlikeable cheat who is supposedly at his peak as a 29 year old professional sportsman, is perpetually unfit.

 

[Easy 10]

My question is, why is Harry Kane always tired?!

It appears it doesn’t matter if it’s June, July or November but the over-rated, intensely unlikeable cheat who is supposedly at his peak as a 29 year old professional sportsman, is perpetually unfit.

Probably because he plays just about every single minute of every single game for his club, be it PL, Europe or League Cup. They run him into the ground.

And it doesn't help when he's had another ankle clonk, yet stays on till the 76th minute v Iran when the game was long since won.

 

[Justice]

Southgate is fine. Perhaps he shows too much loyalty to out of form and injured players as well as favouring Big-7/Villa/Palace players. But he is a good person if a little naive tactically. I would agree that he is the second best England manager of all time.

Unfortunately, England has a high percentage of vile fans attending matches. Maybe 30%+. It’s like supporting Milwall or Leeds when you go to England games, especially away in Europe. They are a magnet to the far right. I would never do this again having been to the Germany World Cup.

England can not win an international tournament with the current penalty shoot-out system because of historical repeated failure syndrome (HRFS). It’s a statistical impossibility because you normally always need to win a penalty shoot-out to lift a trophy. If another top team draws with England in the knock-out stages, they effectively win.

Let’s look at the stats.

Top 5 World Cup winners (by trophies won) and penalty shoot-out success rate:

1. Brazil - 75%
2. Germany - 100%
3. Italy - 25%
4. Argentina - 80%
5. France - 50%
(6th) England - 25%

Top 5 Euros winners (by trophies won) and penalty shoot-out success rate.

1. Germany - 66%
2. Spain - 66%
3. Italy - 57%
4. France - 33%
5. Russia/Soviet Union - 50%
(12th) England - 20%

Even less successful countries in terms of lifting a trophy like Croatia or Portugal will batter is every time in a shoot-out. They just need to play for draw in the knowledge that our players will crumble when the ball is placed on the spot. I’m not criticising our players either, any players in a team with a penalty shoot-out record like England’s will crack like eggs when the pressure is on also.

So enjoy the tournament and the inevitable shoot-out agony. I don’t need to make that emotional investment every two years and have it thrown back in my face by a system that favours historical success. I’ll watch England again once the rules revert to a flick of the coin where our chances will double.

Luckily, I don’t have to wrestle with these particular issues against England as I’m not engaging with this tournament due to my opposition to FIFA corruption and Qatar human rights. I will concede that not watching Albion players in this tournament is painful but I’m sticking to my guns.

Southgate is Hughton in disguise, dislikes players with some flair, sticks with what worked previously and his reluctance to drop his golden boys will always cost England.
Foden is the mystery a goal scorer and creator playing for one of the best teams in the world.

 

[Justice]

Good. Hope they all get knocked out and return home early, uninjured.

What about the concussion aspect

 

[BN41Albion]

Don't like GS as a manager, too much safety/cowardness.

Main problem for England and their/your hopes to win the World Cup is that the team just isn't as good as Spain/France/Argentina/Brazil/Portugal/mayhaps Germany. How many of your players would be week-out-week-in starters for City (if there was no HGP rules), Real Madrid, PSG etc.?

Those saying that "with a different coach, England would be dead certain to win the last two cups and probably this one" just ignores the simple reality that other teams have better footballers.

That said, the lack of bravery and the perhaps best player (Foden) isn't playing certainly isn't helping.

I'm not sure anyone's saying we would've won the last two cups and maybe this one, but at least the tactics would've given us a better chance with the attacking flair we have (yes not quite france/brazil, but still definitely up there!), like versus Italy last year. You could see the way the game was going. Everyone could. Bar Southgate who stubbornly stuck to his principals (like v the USA before then depressingly claiming to be over the moon with how the game played out).

I have no issues losing to the better team, but when the tactics/personnel are wrong and every man and his dog are agreeing on fan forums/social media/the paid pundits-ex pros, its bloody frustrating! That's all the vast majority are frustrated with - no-one thinks we should just be smashing every team we come up against en route to winning every tournament.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Probably because he plays just about every single minute of every single game for his club, be it PL, Europe or League Cup. They run him into the ground.

And it doesn't help when he's had another ankle clonk, yet stays on till the 76th minute v Iran when the game was long since won.

Then Southgate in his wisdom picked him for the ridiculous fixtures at the end of the season and played him in all.

He also has 12 goals in 15 for Spurs this season, im not sure Kane being tired is the issue, rather more the tactics.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Probably because he plays just about every single minute of every single game for his club, be it PL, Europe or League Cup. They run him into the ground.

A valid argument at the end of a season maybe, but he’s only been playing a few months before this tournament.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Whatever he does we don't stand a chance against France in the quarters so it's all much of a muchness anyway.

 

[The Wizard]

He’s tactically inept, that’s what annoys me most, we all know when he comes up against a top class tactician like against Mancini in the Euro final he will get out thought.

I always want England to win and I’m still supporting the team, but Southgate is our weak link, we don’t play with an identity and there’s no real plan.

USA was a prime example, they set up high and pressed and there was no counter game plan, we continued playing the same way and were very lucky not to lose, there’s no tactical fluidity with Southgate, all good managers change things when they obviously don’t work.

 

[jackanada]

Why are we thinking of the quarters. What we've done is give Wales their Cup Final.

 

[Easy 10]

A valid argument at the end of a season maybe, but he’s only been playing a few months before this tournament.

Well you say that, but straight after a long hard season what happened next ? We're launched into a tedious Nations League tournament over the first 2 weeks of June (4 games, of which Kane starts 3) then another couple of games squeezed in during September (starts both). Then there's the extra-packed schedule of the PL to get as much in before it all grinds to a mid-season halt.

He's not the only player in that situation, but he is the focal point of the England team. Its not just the games either - its the lack of downtime in between from constantly playing, constantly training. Yeah boo-hoo and all that, but its not difficult to see how some players are already approaching the red zone when they basically start or take part in every game for club and country.

 

[Triggaaar]

England can not win an international tournament with the current penalty shoot-out system because of historical repeated failure syndrome (HRFS). It’s a statistical impossibility because you normally always need to win a penalty shoot-out to lift a trophy. If another top team draws with England in the knock-out stages, they effectively win.

We knocked Spain out in a penalty shootout. And Italy have done well at world cups, despite having as poor a record at penalties as us. Your HRFS is nonsense, otherwise new teams (like France and Spain) would never have won world cups.

Even less successful countries in terms of lifting a trophy like Croatia or Portugal will batter is every time in a shoot-out. They just need to play for draw in the knowledge that our players will crumble when the ball is placed on the spot.

Because playing for a draw always gets teams a draw? No, that's just a bad tactic

I’ll watch England again once the rules revert to a flick of the coin where our chances will double.