I would think there is enough experience in an around Southgate, including Chrissy, where they can delve into issues and look at solutions. I think we have to acknowledge there are a lot of positives and this qualifying campaign is going to be another where we qualify relatively easily.
But you don't have to be a rocket scientist to identify a few issues that there may be better solutions to. Identifying the issues is one thing but using experience around you to find answers doesn't seem a major ask. And solutions don't always have to be complicated.
Have we reached the point with Foden and Mount that we did with Lampard and Gerrard? Both excellent individuals, either of which won't let you down, in most games, but they just can't play in the same team?
Southgate just needs to be stronger and pick one and give him a run. It did look like he preferred Mount but had to bow to pressure off the back of Foden's performance in the last game. I'd go with Foden, just because there are so many other City players involved and Bellingham instead of Mount.
Maybe if one was far better than the other.
Foden is an easy choice you would make every single day of the week.
Just on the way home from Wembley. Very poor game.
Being at Wembley for these matches is also a reminder of why I’d struggle to support a side like Chelsea, Arsenal etc.
Too many plastic supporters completely ruining the experience.
What are they doing that makes it obvious they’re plastic fans?
We had 6 people sat behind us who were about 20-21 years old. Spent the entire game talking as loud as they could about everything from their University courses, to some influencer who they all follow on Instagram, and with a tiny bit of football thrown in.
They would react to each incident as if it was something absolutely outrageous. Contrived screaming at an offside call or a regular foul. It’s as if they felt as though it’s ‘what you need to do at football’ so they would do it to unrealistic levels.
Of course, they all supported plastic clubs like Chelsea, United etc so they would just call players “c***s” if they made a mistake and played for another club side than their own.
Then the whole paper airplane thing, where literally their attention (and thousands of others) is taken away from the football completely. They shut down from watching the game to purely focus on which paper airplanes can make it onto the pitch.
I know it makes me sound old and grumpy (I’m really not), but the whole thing felt like a chore.
Ive made a conscious effort that I want to spend more time following England home and away, but these Wembley qualifiers are painful to sit through - and it’s got little to do with the actual football.
Have we reached the point with Foden and Mount that we did with Lampard and Gerrard? Both excellent individuals, either of which won't let you down, in most games, but they just can't play in the same team?
Southgate just needs to be stronger and pick one and give him a run. It did look like he preferred Mount but had to bow to pressure off the back of Foden's performance in the last game. I'd go with Foden, just because there are so many other City players involved and Bellingham instead of Mount.
I think if everyone is fit Southgate knows 9 of his side.
The other 2 spots are whether he goes with Phillips/Henderson as a holding midfielder, then the next spot depends on how attacking he wants to be, Bellingham/Mount/Foden.
It's a nice problem to have, especially considering you then have 3 of those 5 not playing along with the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Saka, Chilwell, TAA, Trippier, James, Greenwood, Lingard. We're so strong that we now basically have two XI's that would be competitive.
Have we reached the point with Foden and Mount that we did with Lampard and Gerrard? Both excellent individuals, either of which won't let you down, in most games, but they just can't play in the same team?
Southgate just needs to be stronger and pick one and give him a run. It did look like he preferred Mount but had to bow to pressure off the back of Foden's performance in the last game. I'd go with Foden, just because there are so many other City players involved and Bellingham instead of Mount.
I think if everyone is fit Southgate knows 9 of his side.
The other 2 spots are whether he goes with Phillips/Henderson as a holding midfielder, then the next spot depends on how attacking he wants to be, Bellingham/Mount/Foden.
It's a nice problem to have, especially considering you then have 3 of those 5 not playing along with the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Saka, Chilwell, TAA, Trippier, James, Greenwood, Lingard. We're so strong that we now basically have two XI's that would be competitive.
Have we reached the point with Foden and Mount that we did with Lampard and Gerrard? Both excellent individuals, either of which won't let you down, in most games, but they just can't play in the same team?
Southgate just needs to be stronger and pick one and give him a run. It did look like he preferred Mount but had to bow to pressure off the back of Foden's performance in the last game. I'd go with Foden, just because there are so many other City players involved and Bellingham instead of Mount.
I think if everyone is fit Southgate knows 9 of his side.
The other 2 spots are whether he goes with Phillips/Henderson as a holding midfielder, then the next spot depends on how attacking he wants to be, Bellingham/Mount/Foden.
It's a nice problem to have, especially considering you then have 3 of those 5 not playing along with the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Saka, Chilwell, TAA, Trippier, James, Greenwood, Lingard. We're so strong that we now basically have two XI's that would be competitive.
Without an obviously world-beating selection.
What constitutes a world beating 11? I don’t know any international team that completely stands out from the rest. France have a great squad of individuals. On their day there is probably 3/4 teams that could beat anyone, England included.
Have we reached the point with Foden and Mount that we did with Lampard and Gerrard? Both excellent individuals, either of which won't let you down, in most games, but they just can't play in the same team?
Southgate just needs to be stronger and pick one and give him a run. It did look like he preferred Mount but had to bow to pressure off the back of Foden's performance in the last game. I'd go with Foden, just because there are so many other City players involved and Bellingham instead of Mount.
I think if everyone is fit Southgate knows 9 of his side.
The other 2 spots are whether he goes with Phillips/Henderson as a holding midfielder, then the next spot depends on how attacking he wants to be, Bellingham/Mount/Foden.
It's a nice problem to have, especially considering you then have 3 of those 5 not playing along with the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Saka, Chilwell, TAA, Trippier, James, Greenwood, Lingard. We're so strong that we now basically have two XI's that would be competitive.
Without an obviously world-beating selection.
What constitutes a world beating 11? I don’t know any international team that completely stands out from the rest. France have a great squad of individuals. On their day there is probably 3/4 teams that could beat anyone, England included.
Agreed, i think you have us, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, and Germany (they're much better under Hansi Flick) who could all beat any of the others on their day.
In South America Brazil are pissing qualifying and i think all the sides above are better than them.
Have we reached the point with Foden and Mount that we did with Lampard and Gerrard? Both excellent individuals, either of which won't let you down, in most games, but they just can't play in the same team?
Southgate just needs to be stronger and pick one and give him a run. It did look like he preferred Mount but had to bow to pressure off the back of Foden's performance in the last game. I'd go with Foden, just because there are so many other City players involved and Bellingham instead of Mount.
I think if everyone is fit Southgate knows 9 of his side.
The other 2 spots are whether he goes with Phillips/Henderson as a holding midfielder, then the next spot depends on how attacking he wants to be, Bellingham/Mount/Foden.
It's a nice problem to have, especially considering you then have 3 of those 5 not playing along with the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Saka, Chilwell, TAA, Trippier, James, Greenwood, Lingard. We're so strong that we now basically have two XI's that would be competitive.
Without an obviously world-beating selection.
What constitutes a world beating 11? I don’t know any international team that completely stands out from the rest. France have a great squad of individuals. On their day there is probably 3/4 teams that could beat anyone, England included.
Agreed, i think you have us, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, and Germany (they're much better under Hansi Flick) who could all beat any of the others on their day.
In South America Brazil are pissing qualifying and i think all the sides above are better than them.
Yep agree. Then you have teams like Denmark and Portugal who could ‘upset’ any of those on their day.
This is the reason why I struggle to understand the criticism Southgate gets even when we get through to a Semi Final or a Final.
Had a couple of penalty kicks been taken differently, we would be European Champions right now.
Tournament football is ruthless. You could literally switch off for one passage of play, and it costs you everything. At least in league seasons, you get the chance to rectify mistakes over the course of 38+ games.
The fact that he has got us as far as he has, against all expectations, has to be applauded. We don’t have this world beating line up that should win tournaments without question, like some people seem to suggest. Our first team has players from the likes of West Ham, Leeds and Everton that few would have expected would achieve what they have in the national side.
Other countries have just as strong squads and experience as us. But for the most part, we’ve fared better than a lot of them since 2018.
Its simplistic but if tend to measure expectation Vs output.
WC 2018, expected us to do our usual, 2nd round or quarter finals at best. We reached the semis.
ER 2020, expected to be in amongst the favourites, we certainly did that, and as cafctom mentions, we were a penalty away from behind European champions.
I think he’s doing a cracking job, first bunch for a long time I genuinely look forward to see playing.
I know there's trying to praise Southgate and everything, but this squad is the best in world football. Or definitely top 3.
It was in response to someone saying we have really good squad depth and another poster replying without being world beating. There are no ‘standout world beating’ XI’s. There are a handful of countries who are in with a shout of being the worlds best and England are one of them.
You get to the final 4 of a tournament and then it just comes down to that little bit of luck, a wonder goal or an amazing stand out performance. France, Italy, England, Germany, Brazil, Spain + at least 1 or 2 others. All those teams can win it on their day.
You get to the final 4 of a tournament and then it just comes down to that little bit of luck, a wonder goal or an amazing stand out performance. France, Italy, England, Germany, Brazil, Spain + at least 1 or 2 others. All those teams can win it on their day.
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But you don't have to be a rocket scientist to identify a few issues that there may be better solutions to. Identifying the issues is one thing but using experience around you to find answers doesn't seem a major ask. And solutions don't always have to be complicated.
Foden is an easy choice you would make every single day of the week.
They would react to each incident as if it was something absolutely outrageous. Contrived screaming at an offside call or a regular foul. It’s as if they felt as though it’s ‘what you need to do at football’ so they would do it to unrealistic levels.
Of course, they all supported plastic clubs like Chelsea, United etc so they would just call players “c***s” if they made a mistake and played for another club side than their own.
Then the whole paper airplane thing, where literally their attention (and thousands of others) is taken away from the football completely. They shut down from watching the game to purely focus on which paper airplanes can make it onto the pitch.
I know it makes me sound old and grumpy (I’m really not), but the whole thing felt like a chore.
Ive made a conscious effort that I want to spend more time following England home and away, but these Wembley qualifiers are painful to sit through - and it’s got little to do with the actual football.
Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Rice, Grealish, Sterling, Kane.
The other 2 spots are whether he goes with Phillips/Henderson as a holding midfielder, then the next spot depends on how attacking he wants to be, Bellingham/Mount/Foden.
It's a nice problem to have, especially considering you then have 3 of those 5 not playing along with the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Saka, Chilwell, TAA, Trippier, James, Greenwood, Lingard. We're so strong that we now basically have two XI's that would be competitive.
In South America Brazil are pissing qualifying and i think all the sides above are better than them.
Had a couple of penalty kicks been taken differently, we would be European Champions right now.
The fact that he has got us as far as he has, against all expectations, has to be applauded. We don’t have this world beating line up that should win tournaments without question, like some people seem to suggest. Our first team has players from the likes of West Ham, Leeds and Everton that few would have expected would achieve what they have in the national side.
Its simplistic but if tend to measure expectation Vs output.
WC 2018, expected us to do our usual, 2nd round or quarter finals at best. We reached the semis.
ER 2020, expected to be in amongst the favourites, we certainly did that, and as cafctom mentions, we were a penalty away from behind European champions.
Pickford
Alexander Arnold
Maguire
Stones
Shaw
Henderson
Rice
Foden
Mount
Sterling
Kane
Literally has 11 players where all of them would be considered one of the best players in the world in their position. Other than maybe Pickford.
Add onto this the fact we have:
Trippier, James, Chilwell, Bellingham, Saka, Sancho, Walker, Grealish, Rashford, Greenwood, Abraham.
I know there's trying to praise Southgate and everything, but this squad is the best in world football. Or definitely top 3.
France, Italy, England, Germany, Brazil, Spain + at least 1 or 2 others.
All those teams can win it on their day.