As night follows day, as soon as 3 black lads missed the penalities it is just a tsunami of abuse. ( By the utter pond life)
Jack Grealish offered to take a pen and as coach he would have been my number 5 because Jack Said "Pressure is a privilege" He never looks nervous just keen.
My main concern with the Rashford and Sancho subs were young fast Lads could have been given the whole of the second period of ET as Sterling had run his race. I would have kept Harry Kane as he was my nap to score his pen as I felt sure he would go back to his normal technique. ( He did)
I don't think Rashford had a poor season but he had a long season and his levels dropped in the last two months of the season. Rashford is turning into a Morata type hot and cold player.
I like Dortmund and Sancho has a very good penalty taking record.
Kane
McGuire Shaw Sancho Grealish were the guys I picked with Rashford 6th. I had no idea if Jack and Luke wanted the job or not but my skills would have gone into overdrive and there is no way they wouldn't have been confident.
Beyond gutted for Mrs Southgate who won't now be known as Lady Southgate as the 3 lads got stage fright.
On the train to work and just absolutely gutted still.
The eldest broke down in tears after the game, saying " I waited all day and night for this, for these, these Fuckers to lose" hes 9.
I couldn't help but laugh and then try to explain to him what he witnessed was the start of something special and that nobody thought we would make it to the final 6 months ago.
You'll have to show him "One Night In Turin" next...
I feel totally gutted this morning. Went on fb and the usual casual England fans have already turned after their day in the sun. Fuck off. We can disect the final to pieces but we didn’t win and that’s life. Had an amazing 4 weeks watching and this team will improve for the experience. Well done lads.
The best team won - I do wonder if our tactics had been better whether we could have lifted the trophy? Mancini is more tactically astute than Southgate and it wasn't simply about the players available.
I disagree. The best team was us for the first 35 minutes then we went into our shell. I’m not asking for 90 minutes of a perfect game but there was no tactical masterclass from Mancini, we just turned shit. Whatever, they won over 12 yards we didn’t. Till next time.
“we just turned shit”? Come on, England started well, exploited Italy down the right. Italy figured that out, plugged the gap and were the better team second half + extra time because if it.
I'm going to put 1-1 on my Euro's wall chart with no mention of pens at all. Italy v England draw, trophy shared.
How can I shut my eyes when I see Rashford, Sancho and Saka making such feeble efforts.
Feel sorry for the 55 and overs who may have lost their last chance of success.
1. Think we shaded extra time.
2. I’m 64 and don’t feel that this is our last chance off success. Our players have improved technically in leaps and bounds, and we’ll learn from the last two tournaments. Of course it’ll be tough to win a major one - look at all the countries who ‘fail’ at each World Cup and Euros. But I think we’ll be in with a decent chance.
For those saying we should've picked more experienced penalty takers, Jorginho's penalty record before last night was scored 39, missed 5. He scored with ease in the semi final win. Then he missed last night.
Has anyone ever seen Harry Maguire take a penalty? He smashed home one of the best i've seen.
You can be as experienced as they come and practise every day, but there's no guarantees in a shoot out.
Would really like to see another manager in charge for the World Cup next year - someone who will make us an exciting attacking side. Dean Smith would be a good candidate.
Would really like to see another manager in charge for the World Cup next year - someone who will make us an exciting attacking side. Dean Smith would be a good candidate.
That's one way for Jack Grealish to start the match.
I think Qatar will be survival of the fittest, weird time of the year, conditions will be horrible for some games, and you'll see some weird results, so oddly I don't expect much, Germany 2024 has to be a target to win, Belgium will be gone as a force, Italy in a rebuild, Germany will have lot of home advantage but I don't think they've got a squad and France will be France.
Funnily enough @Rothko I think the cup being played at that time of year will have the players fresher rather than at the end of a long European season which will hopefully negate some of the heat issue.
I think Qatar will be survival of the fittest, weird time of the year, conditions will be horrible for some games, and you'll see some weird results, so oddly I don't expect much, Germany 2024 has to be a target to win, Belgium will be gone as a force, Italy in a rebuild, Germany will have lot of home advantage but I don't think they've got a squad and France will be France.
Funnily enough @Rothko I think the cup being played at that time of year will have the players fresher rather than at the end of a long European season which will hopefully negate some of the heat issue.
I can see why that may be. Not sure there will be a heat issue. It should be on a par with holding the tournament in Europe in June/July.
Cant wait for Pep and Klopp to moan about how exhausted their returning players will be.
Could really throw the top Divisions wide open if someone hasnt opened up a gap before what I presume will be the break.
Liverpool are barely affected though. TAA injured, Henderson a bit part player. City will be most affected, especially as they also have players who reached the QF and SF for other countries
Indeed one of the healthy things about this England team (and indeed the Italian team) is that the players aren't just from a handful of giant clubs. Of England's regulars in the tournament
Everton - Pickford City - Walker, Stones, Sterling United - Shaw, Maguire West Ham - Rice Leeds - Phillips Chelsea - Mount Spurs - Kane
The other players who played some meaningful part - Trippier, Henderson, Mings, Rashford, Sancho, Grealish, Saka, Foden, James - add another 5 clubs (including 2 foreign ones)
I feel totally gutted this morning. Went on fb and the usual casual England fans have already turned after their day in the sun. Fuck off. We can disect the final to pieces but we didn’t win and that’s life. Had an amazing 4 weeks watching and this team will improve for the experience. Well done lads.
The best team won - I do wonder if our tactics had been better whether we could have lifted the trophy? Mancini is more tactically astute than Southgate and it wasn't simply about the players available.
I disagree. The best team was us for the first 35 minutes then we went into our shell. I’m not asking for 90 minutes of a perfect game but there was no tactical masterclass from Mancini, we just turned shit. Whatever, they won over 12 yards we didn’t. Till next time.
“we just turned shit”? Come on, England started well, exploited Italy down the right. Italy figured that out, plugged the gap and were the better team second half + extra time because if it.
I'm going to put 1-1 on my Euro's wall chart with no mention of pens at all. Italy v England draw, trophy shared.
How can I shut my eyes when I see Rashford, Sancho and Saka making such feeble efforts.
Feel sorry for the 55 and overs who may have lost their last chance of success.
1. Think we shaded extra time.
2. I’m 64 and don’t feel that this is our last chance off success. Our players have improved technically in leaps and bounds, and we’ll learn from the last two tournaments. Of course it’ll be tough to win a major one - look at all the countries who ‘fail’ at each World Cup and Euros. But I think we’ll be in with a decent chance.
James, when I met you on the train or have seen you at London bridge station I thought you were about 50, but I'm getting bombarded by email, text and letter from Specsavers for an eye test !
Italy are a very good side. They were always going to dominate the ball and there is no shame in losing to them, especially on penalties. Southgate’s tactics were IMO spot on and but for an unlucky ricochet off the post at a set piece, we would’ve held on for a 1-0 win
Until we have box to box midfielders with the technical quality of Jorginho, Verratti et al, the game was always going to play out the way it did. Putting on a Grealish or a Foden (if he was fit) doesn’t magically flip the script like some seem to think.
Can only really think of Scholes in my lifetime who has been that kind of player for England, we seem to either have decent defensive midfielders like Rice, or "final 3rd" types midfielders like Foden/Grealish (and Gerrard, Lampard etc).
We just don't seem to produce the Pirlo, Madrid, Kroos type midfielders, and I think it's the one big thing missing at the moment.
Imagine a player like that playing clever little balls into the likes of Sancho, Sterling, Foden etc.
It all comes down to style of play and coaching. Pretty sure Foden and Grealish have the ability to play central midfield but it would require the team set up to support keeping the ball rather than just defending and Southgate just isn't capable enough to make it happen.
Who would you like as manager? Genuine question, I don't watch enough football outside of Charlton games to keep up to date with the Prem.
Italy are a very good side. They were always going to dominate the ball and there is no shame in losing to them, especially on penalties. Southgate’s tactics were IMO spot on and but for an unlucky ricochet off the post at a set piece, we would’ve held on for a 1-0 win
Until we have box to box midfielders with the technical quality of Jorginho, Verratti et al, the game was always going to play out the way it did. Putting on a Grealish or a Foden (if he was fit) doesn’t magically flip the script like some seem to think.
Can only really think of Scholes in my lifetime who has been that kind of player for England, we seem to either have decent defensive midfielders like Rice, or "final 3rd" types midfielders like Foden/Grealish (and Gerrard, Lampard etc).
We just don't seem to produce the Pirlo, Madrid, Kroos type midfielders, and I think it's the one big thing missing at the moment.
Imagine a player like that playing clever little balls into the likes of Sancho, Sterling, Foden etc.
It all comes down to style of play and coaching. Pretty sure Foden and Grealish have the ability to play central midfield but it would require the team set up to support keeping the ball rather than just defending and Southgate just isn't capable enough to make it happen.
It's not about that coaching at international level, no England manager is going to change what type of player someone is with the short time they have with them - as a country we just don't seem to produce those sorts of players.
Apart from Scholes who I've mentioned, the only one who maybe had that style was Wilshere, shame he could never stay fit and build on his early promise.
Italy are a very good side. They were always going to dominate the ball and there is no shame in losing to them, especially on penalties. Southgate’s tactics were IMO spot on and but for an unlucky ricochet off the post at a set piece, we would’ve held on for a 1-0 win
Until we have box to box midfielders with the technical quality of Jorginho, Verratti et al, the game was always going to play out the way it did. Putting on a Grealish or a Foden (if he was fit) doesn’t magically flip the script like some seem to think.
Can only really think of Scholes in my lifetime who has been that kind of player for England, we seem to either have decent defensive midfielders like Rice, or "final 3rd" types midfielders like Foden/Grealish (and Gerrard, Lampard etc).
We just don't seem to produce the Pirlo, Madrid, Kroos type midfielders, and I think it's the one big thing missing at the moment.
Imagine a player like that playing clever little balls into the likes of Sancho, Sterling, Foden etc.
It all comes down to style of play and coaching. Pretty sure Foden and Grealish have the ability to play central midfield but it would require the team set up to support keeping the ball rather than just defending and Southgate just isn't capable enough to make it happen.
Who would you like as manager? Genuine question, I don't watch enough football outside of Charlton games to keep up to date with the Prem.
Sticking with English managers can only really be Potter from Brighton or Dean Smith from Villa. Brighton play very good football so a potter side with genuine talent all over the pitch would be tasty. Smith at Brentford played great football and he's done very well with Villa in the premier league although they have spent a shit load.
Dream appointment would be Pep and realistic "foreign" appointment Brenden Rodgers would be a good shout. Southgate has us playing like a relegation battling premier league team when they play a top 4 team when we have top 4 players and should be playing like a top 4 team.
Absolutely mental. I think Southgate got it wrong last night but how on earth could anyone be considering getting rid??
I’m as big a critic as anyone but he’s 100% worth his job. He has us beating the sides we should be beating, playing as a team and has introduced such positivity into the squad. We’ve got a Semi Final and a Final. You can’t ask for a lot more.
He needs to spend the next 18 months focusing on how we can become more effective with the ball and slightly more attacking. Having that edge will put us in a far better spot against the very top sides.
Foden (providing he continued his trajectory) has to play a bigger role next tournament. As much as he wasn’t amazing this time around we can’t just shorthorn him in at RW for the sake of it. I truly believe he’s the future of English football and probably the player to replace Sterling.
If anyone can develop this young squad, it’s Southgate.
I've been a fan of Southgate and defended him before. I think he's done a fantastic job at rebuilding and refocusing the England team, as well as changing the whole atmosphere around and within the team. I think he's been the right man up to now and shudder at the thought that it could've been Allardyce instead.
I do, however, have sympathy with those questioning whether he is the right man going forward. England partly lost because Italy are a bit better than them, but also partly, I think, because the surrendered the advantage last night. I think the formation was too negative and the subs too late. Southgate is a cautious, defensive manager by nature. Nothing wrong with that, it's a valid way to play football, but is it going to take England, with their rich attacking options, that final step to winning something? I'm not convinced.
I feel like we are kind of like we were at half time. One-nil up, seemingly in a strong position, but already the tide was starting to turn and the early warning signs were there. I wanted a proactive sub at halftime last night to try and swing the momentum our way before it got too far away from us and the chance was lost. I have this sense that might be where we sit with Southgate now, like a proactive change might be the way to go.
I suggest that change not because I'm unhappy with what he has done to date, far from it he's been brilliant, overall, but because I question if he ids the right man to take us where we need to go. It's just what my gut says. There's lots of strong arguments, backed up by more than the gut feel of a armchair pundit, as to why he shouldn't be moved on yet.
This current crop though truly does feel like a crop that could win something and I don't wan to see that chance go begging due to sentimentality. Who replaces Southgate though, that's a tougher call. I don't think it has to be someone with a track record at club level - that's not been a good barometer for international success in the past.
Comments
Jack Grealish offered to take a pen and as coach he would have been my number 5 because Jack Said "Pressure is a privilege"
He never looks nervous just keen.
My main concern with the Rashford and Sancho subs were young fast Lads could have been given the whole of the second period of ET as Sterling had run his race. I would have kept Harry Kane as he was my nap to score his pen as I felt sure he would go back to his normal technique. ( He did)
I don't think Rashford had a poor season but he had a long season and his levels dropped in the last two months of the season. Rashford is turning into a Morata type hot and cold player.
I like Dortmund and Sancho has a very good penalty taking record.
Kane
Shaw
Sancho
Grealish were the guys I picked with Rashford 6th. I had no idea if Jack and Luke wanted the job or not but my skills would have gone into overdrive and there is no way they wouldn't have been confident.
Beyond gutted for Mrs Southgate who won't now be known as Lady Southgate as the 3 lads got stage fright.
Has anyone ever seen Harry Maguire take a penalty? He smashed home one of the best i've seen.
You can be as experienced as they come and practise every day, but there's no guarantees in a shoot out.
That's one way for Jack Grealish to start the match.
Could really throw the top Divisions wide open if someone hasnt opened up a gap before what I presume will be the break.
Indeed one of the healthy things about this England team (and indeed the Italian team) is that the players aren't just from a handful of giant clubs. Of England's regulars in the tournament
Everton - Pickford
City - Walker, Stones, Sterling
United - Shaw, Maguire
West Ham - Rice
Leeds - Phillips
Chelsea - Mount
Spurs - Kane
The other players who played some meaningful part - Trippier, Henderson, Mings, Rashford, Sancho, Grealish, Saka, Foden, James - add another 5 clubs (including 2 foreign ones)
James, when I met you on the train or have seen you at London bridge station I thought you were about 50, but I'm getting bombarded by email, text and letter from Specsavers for an eye test !
Apart from Scholes who I've mentioned, the only one who maybe had that style was Wilshere, shame he could never stay fit and build on his early promise.
Sticking with English managers can only really be Potter from Brighton or Dean Smith from Villa. Brighton play very good football so a potter side with genuine talent all over the pitch would be tasty. Smith at Brentford played great football and he's done very well with Villa in the premier league although they have spent a shit load.
Dream appointment would be Pep and realistic "foreign" appointment Brenden Rodgers would be a good shout. Southgate has us playing like a relegation battling premier league team when they play a top 4 team when we have top 4 players and should be playing like a top 4 team.
He needs to spend the next 18 months focusing on how we can become more effective with the ball and slightly more attacking. Having that edge will put us in a far better spot against the very top sides.
Foden (providing he continued his trajectory) has to play a bigger role next tournament. As much as he wasn’t amazing this time around we can’t just shorthorn him in at RW for the sake of it. I truly believe he’s the future of English football and probably the player to replace Sterling.