I will be honest from the start. I expect us to lose against France. Not because they are better than us, one for one, I don't believe that, but because Mbappe has the x-factor and we have no defence.
I am not going to criticise Southgate, something which I have done many times before. For example, against Italy a couple of years back, he picked the wrong team and tactics. But this year, I believe his hands are tied. The back four picks itself - we have no other players. Walker is the only defender we have with pace, Stones is good on the ball but suspect defensively, Maguire is ... Maguire and as much as I dislike Luke Shaw, without Chilwell, there is no real alternative. We have a slow, cumbersome defence. Pickford is a slightly above average keeper. For all our attacking talent, and we have a lot, and varied, we have a very poor defence.
Henderson has become a key player because he can organise that midfiled - he's our real captain. Rice gives that exta cover in front, which without, would have seen us lose to USA and struggle in the last round. Bellingham is our key man. I spent the last week in Spain and they praise our "juego vertical" (vertical play), basically, quick, direct counter attack. Key to that is Bellingham, who is fast, strong and direct. There was a marked difference when we swithced from possession to direct football against Senegal.
People clamour for Foden or Saka when the reality is that for that style of play, Rashford is better. I personally think Foden is a great player - but if you play fast counter-attacking football, Rashford makes more sense, if you press, Mount is better and if you have the ball, Foden is the best choice. Horses for courses.
Southgate must choose a style of play and pick his team accordinly, but he has his hands tied when it comes to our defence and the protection it needs. It's not impossible for us to beat France but it will be very difficult. We need all of our players to be on top form and hope that we can nullify French creativity and flair. But what I want to see, whatever the result is a clear style of play, and the right players picked to carry that out, and above all, passion. I want us to have a go.
England's Chances
posted on 8/12/22
comment by Baz tard (U19119)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 18 minutes ago
£1.2 billion debt divided by zero is?
Where is StrikeMug?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry I was just in my study concluding a multi million pound business deal
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Working with culer?!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No, I actually have a study and it’s not my mums basement - the multi million pound deal was of course a fib.
It was multi billion
posted on 8/12/22
comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 3 seconds ago
comment by Baz tard (U19119)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 18 minutes ago
£1.2 billion debt divided by zero is?
Where is StrikeMug?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry I was just in my study concluding a multi million pound business deal
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Working with culer?!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No, I actually have a study and it’s not my mums basement - the multi million pound deal was of course a fib.
It was multi billion
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok so not with culer…you are culer.
posted on 8/12/22
Spurs are a major farce in football having won 3 FA Cups, 3 League Cups and a UEFA Cup...in the last 50 years. I have to commend their stalwart fans for keeping faith with them. It is also 61 years since they won the top division of English football so it will probably only be OAPs who could remember that.
So why do some Spurs fans consider them to be one of the top teams in English football?
posted on 8/12/22
comment by goadocwatson (U1016)
posted 40 seconds ago
Spurs are a major farce in football having won 3 FA Cups, 3 League Cups and a UEFA Cup...in the last 50 years. I have to commend their stalwart fans for keeping faith with them. It is also 61 years since they won the top division of English football so it will probably only be OAPs who could remember that.
So why do some Spurs fans consider them to be one of the top teams in English football?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mind whern the candidates came out for the super league and the whole world were pi$$ing themselves laughing at the audacity to try and include Spurs
thats the real reason the proposal didnt go through.
posted on 8/12/22
comment by Baz tard (U19119)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 3 seconds ago
comment by Baz tard (U19119)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 18 minutes ago
£1.2 billion debt divided by zero is?
Where is StrikeMug?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry I was just in my study concluding a multi million pound business deal
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Working with culer?!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No, I actually have a study and it’s not my mums basement - the multi million pound deal was of course a fib.
It was multi billion
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok so not with culer…you are culer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sju4hyxscxI
posted on 8/12/22
comment by goadocwatson (U1016)
posted 10 minutes ago
Spurs are a major farce in football having won 3 FA Cups, 3 League Cups and a UEFA Cup...in the last 50 years. I have to commend their stalwart fans for keeping faith with them. It is also 61 years since they won the top division of English football so it will probably only be OAPs who could remember that.
So why do some Spurs fans consider them to be one of the top teams in English football?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to your future Man United
posted on 8/12/22
Utd will win the league before Spurs do I'd have thought.
posted on 8/12/22
comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
Utd will win the league before Spurs do I'd have thought.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
tbf if we go on the past .... Rangers will win the EPL afore Spurs do !
posted on 8/12/22
comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 18 minutes ago
Utd will win the league before Spurs do I'd have thought.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We know how well you do with thinking though don’t we Knobbing, you worked out how mortgages work yet
posted on 8/12/22
comment by whodunnit (U22710)
posted 18 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
Utd will win the league before Spurs do I'd have thought.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
tbf if we go on the past .... Rangers will win the EPL afore Spurs do !
----------------------------------------------------------------------
truly brilliant