Having had some time to reflect on last night, I couldn't help but see the comparisons between last night's game and the Croatia game.
In both games we scored very early 2' & 5' and then ultimately conceded possession (only 35% last night), the midfield, and ultimately went on to get knocked out.
Against both Croatia & Italy we only had 2 shots on target vs their 6 & 7. And we mustered 17 shots combined Vs 41...
I can appreciate that our back 4+ GK isn't the strongest on paper, and we've improved as a team playing a back 4 or 5 with two defensive midfielders infront of them, but can we go that step further without dominating the ball and being able to take the game to the opposition?
Should we now look to get two of Foden/Grealish/Mount into the same X11 more and try hold our own against the very best?
Can we win tournament football playing this way or do we need to tweak it?
England & Possession
posted on 13/7/21
comment by RB&W - Always a Legacy (U21434)
posted 10 hours, 19 minutes ago
If rashford's very clever penalty was 1cm more to the right we probably wouldnt be having this post mortem. The same poeple moaning will be nominating Soutgate and Co for knighthoods.
Against most peoples predictions Southgates England almost won the fecking thing and we were certainly in the top 2 best teams in the tournament.
So all bodes well for the first time for decades with much more to come from this group of players under Southgate who has somehow managed to blend them all into a happy camp, which no other manager has managed since Alf.
With the World Cup only next year and being English,
international football seems a lot more interseting and I cant wait for us to have another go in Qatar.
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How do you work out certainly being among the best two teams? You barely left your half for an hour against Italy, a side that Spain absolutely dominated in the semi final. On top of that you had fewer shots in the tournament than Switzerland ffs, they played two games less than you.
On paper it looks like you did good but in reality you were a very dull side to watch and just edged your way to the finals and all that with the huge advantage of six home games.
Also I see talk of how good some of the players are? Just don't see it with some of them, Rice and Phillips are not getting a game for Italy or Spain and almost certainly not getting a game for several others either and if you want to see what a great young player looks like then look at Pedri, dictating the play for Spain, can anyone say that Mount for example does that?
All in all as a neutral it feels like if you are asked did you leave it all on the pitch you guys would have to say 'no, no we didn't, we were scared and played with fear'.
posted on 13/7/21
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 8 hours, 53 minutes ago
If I am not mistaken Shaw was more productive than all the midfielders combined.
That is where the problem lies.
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He impressed me a lot, surprised me as well, only seeing Utd twice a season I fell into the trap of listening to the gags on here about him being a fat feck etc etc but he was quite possibly Englands player of the tournament.
posted on 13/7/21
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 8 hours, 44 minutes ago
comment by The Mur Man (U22601)
posted 1 hour, 54 minutes ago
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 3 hours, 9 minutes ago
RDD. Everyone knows your position on Southgate and Ole, that they are not top managers, which is fair enough. But you take every opportunity to take digs at them, even if they've done well, which Gareth has
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Iv commented on Southgate no more than others, and mostly to question the ill informed.
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We aren't ill informed. We have a different opinion. Questioning seems to be your raison d'être
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Hardly. Southgate messed up the final. Lots can see it.
posted on 13/7/21
Really when you look back it comes down to the tale of two posts.
Pickford couldn't get the ball past one for a corner and Rashford couldn't get one past for a goal.
It's a game of inches and on this occasion the inches weren't there.
posted on 13/7/21
comment by GunaDave (U7710)
posted 7 hours, 19 minutes ago
Really when you look back it comes down to the tale of two posts.
Pickford couldn't get the ball past one for a corner and Rashford couldn't get one past for a goal.
It's a game of inches and on this occasion the inches weren't there.
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Story of my life
posted on 13/7/21
In the end rashford was.trying to fool the keeper rather than take a good pen.
If he trusts his ability and slots it straight in then it's all in.
posted on 14/7/21
England won't win anything playing like that no, we've just never been that good at it even when we've had top class defensive players. Even a world class defensive coach (Capello) still couldn't pull it off.
It's a mental block, but the good thing about Southgate's England is it only appears to be happening when we venture into new territory, now it's happened in a final there's only one step left. I truly mean this when I say I expect us to either (a) win the Qatar WC, or (b) simply get beaten in a competitive match by a better team. It's sound a bit dumb when I say it like that but essentially, since probably the 2002 WC in Japan/Korea, I don't expect England to choke
posted on 14/7/21
I'd say we need to get more creative, influential players involved further up the pitch yes.
Phillips is a good player, he's had a good tournament but he is the one I would drop. Both Stones and Maguire are comfortable on the ball at CB and are good passers. We know Phillips (or Henderson) have more ability on the ball than Rice, but Rice is a strong tackler which we would need to accommodate Foden, Grealish, Mount etc.
Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire Shaw
Mount Rice Foden
Saka Kane Sterling
Going off what I saw at the Euro's anyway, that would be a decent team for me. I'd probably want to slot Henderson in there though if possible.
posted on 14/7/21
Every tournament is different.
I would expect england to be seeded in the group stage so its really about luck of the draw then.
The 2018 would cup should have put england v germany right? But germany didnt even get out of the group. The whole side of the draw opened up for us.
England also got a.really easy group then.
We got a nice easy group this tournament too.
In qatar we might draw a horror group or have to play in the hottest part of days (not sure how air con stadiums work) or we could just plain get caught out.
Southgate called it tournament football but scored 2 in 3 games and conceded none to top the group this time round. If you've a make weight 4th place team then qualification comes down to one game usually. Imo southgate was right to make sure you dont lose that first game and went what you have you hold after scoring v Croatia.
However you can get caught out easily.
2022, who knows who will be fit or when or how the draw will go. That's the way it goes.
France assumed they would win the euros and were nowhere. They won the world cup butwanting it most to get to that final.
posted on 17/7/21
He played exactly the same formation he used Vs Croatia when England couldn't hold on to the ball and lost at the last world cup.
Should've changed it in the second half.