On a side note, and at a risk of pelters, worth looking at any players from Andorra? If they can manage to keep it that close against top level prem players, the champ should be a breeze.
Their goalie would be out of the question as he would be out of our price range I imagine and plays for Villareal B, but their defenders. Could be a lot cheaper and up to English standards.
I understand England's Women's football isn't popular on CL by the majority and I admit it was a freebie but being back at Wembley just 5 days after another Cafc success story and seeing 6 goals against Portugal and 5 goals down the end I was in was entertaining because the movement and passing was crisp and accurate. Family crowd is good to see but I'm not a fan of the Mexican wave 🙌🏻 but I'm not the demographic they want to attract.
Last night back to men's football and England. Really felt most of the English lads would rather have been on holiday after a long season and it was a struggle to watch but 3 points were accumulated and Harry got another goal to his total. Felt like an anti climax after switching from watching a tennis final in Paris.
Tough watch and echo what others have said about not understanding the selection of players like Henderson who surely won't be at the World Cup anyway.
It felt like a friendly and it was clearly being played by players who were knackered after a long season and didn't really want to be there. Masterstroke by the FA to force them to play a completely pointless game on Tuesday as well, rather than get their feet up.
Tough watch and echo what others have said about not understanding the selection of players like Henderson who surely won't be at the World Cup anyway.
It felt like a friendly and it was clearly being played by players who were knackered after a long season and didn't really want to be there. Masterstroke by the FA to force them to play a completely pointless game on Tuesday as well, rather than get their feet up.
If only that game on Tuesday was the end of their season but they said in commentary (I see you were out there, mate, so wouldn't have heard them say) we have loads of our players off to that Club World Cup monstrosity. Can't be long before the players go on strike. Throw in the bloated nature of the expanded World Cup and a once wondrous four year spectacle is reduced to rubble. Knackered players playing in round robin dead rubber group games.
It was an absolutely awful game but i think people are going overboard about it. Qualifiers are never great, it's almost always just about getting the 3 points and moving on. I don't think any of our 3 wins so far have been great but you can't compare these games to a tournament.
Most of the players have been on holiday in between their last league game and meeting up for training. I saw pictures of Bellingham at Ocean Beach in Ibiza last week, so i guess a lot of them probably didn't want to be there and it showed. It's also worth pointing out that we didn't have the likes of Stones, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Wharton. Then Trent and Rice only came on as subs. Obviously had enough quality to do a lot better, but i'm not going to read too much into it.
One thing i do think Tuchel needs to figure out though is whether to play Bellingham further forward or have someone like Palmer/Eze/Foden as the 10. It doesn't seem to be working currently but when a lot of our best players all play in a similar position you can't shoehorn them in for the sake of it.
It was an absolutely awful game but i think people are going overboard about it. Qualifiers are never great, it's almost always just about getting the 3 points and moving on. I don't think any of our 3 wins so far have been great but you can't compare these games to a tournament.
Most of the players have been on holiday in between their last league game and meeting up for training. I saw pictures of Bellingham at Ocean Beach in Ibiza last week, so i guess a lot of them probably didn't want to be there and it showed. It's also worth pointing out that we didn't have the likes of Stones, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Wharton. Then Trent and Rice only came on as subs. Obviously had enough quality to do a lot better, but i'm not going to read too much into it.
One thing i do think Tuchel needs to figure out though is whether to play Bellingham further forward or have someone like Palmer/Eze/Foden as the 10. It doesn't seem to be working currently but when a lot of our best players all play in a similar position you can't shoehorn them in for the sake of it.
Don’t play a 10, is my view . Play 433 with Saka , Kane and Gordon up front, with Rice, Wharton and one other in midfield - either Bellingham or Palmer . James, Guehi, Stones and Lewis Skelly back 4.
It was an absolutely awful game but i think people are going overboard about it. Qualifiers are never great, it's almost always just about getting the 3 points and moving on. I don't think any of our 3 wins so far have been great but you can't compare these games to a tournament.
Most of the players have been on holiday in between their last league game and meeting up for training. I saw pictures of Bellingham at Ocean Beach in Ibiza last week, so i guess a lot of them probably didn't want to be there and it showed. It's also worth pointing out that we didn't have the likes of Stones, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Wharton. Then Trent and Rice only came on as subs. Obviously had enough quality to do a lot better, but i'm not going to read too much into it.
One thing i do think Tuchel needs to figure out though is whether to play Bellingham further forward or have someone like Palmer/Eze/Foden as the 10. It doesn't seem to be working currently but when a lot of our best players all play in a similar position you can't shoehorn them in for the sake of it.
Don’t play a 10, is my view . Play 433 with Saka , Kane and Gordon up front, with Rice, Wharton and one other in midfield - either Bellingham or Palmer . James, Guehi, Stones and Lewis Skelly back 4.
Even in a 433 we'd be looking at the most advanced of the midfield 3 (Bellingham) to effectively be the 10. Which is the point i'm making as a lot of our better players (Bellingham, Palmer, Foden, Eze) all occupy the same sort of position.
I agree with your lineup though, it's probably the best we've got. But it means Tuchel needing to pick one player for that role, (which i assume will be Bellingham) and not try to shoehorn others in just because they are big names. If for example he plays Bellingham as an 8 and Palmer as a 10, they will just get in each others way and it doesn't work. It's like the Scholes/Gerrard/Lampard issue all over again.
It was an absolutely awful game but i think people are going overboard about it. Qualifiers are never great, it's almost always just about getting the 3 points and moving on.
Normally that's all true and fair enough. BUT IT WAS ANDORRA FFS!!!
It was an absolutely awful game but i think people are going overboard about it. Qualifiers are never great, it's almost always just about getting the 3 points and moving on.
Normally that's all true and fair enough. BUT IT WAS ANDORRA FFS!!!
I get that, but i think psychologically it's probably tough to get yourself 'up' for a game like that. Andorra away in a stadium that's two thirds empty.
Some of the players are going off to the club world cup so probably don't want to get injured, and for the rest they've been on a mini holiday after the league season ended, then they have to come back to play in this game, then they go off on holiday again.
I also read something from an ex-player that getting injured in these games is a disaster, as it then means you have to go for rehab at your club instead of going off on holiday. So it's not hard to see why the players are half-arsed. Senegal in midweek will probably be even worse, these are games no one needs.
We are forever hearing about the number of games players have to play and yet here we are the season has ended yet there are still more games it’s ridiculous
for what it’s worth I think Tuchel will achieve nothing with England he seems to base his selections on trying to prove how clever he is.
Tough watch and echo what others have said about not understanding the selection of players like Henderson who surely won't be at the World Cup anyway.
It felt like a friendly and it was clearly being played by players who were knackered after a long season and didn't really want to be there. Masterstroke by the FA to force them to play a completely pointless game on Tuesday as well, rather than get their feet up.
If only that game on Tuesday was the end of their season but they said in commentary (I see you were out there, mate, so wouldn't have heard them say) we have loads of our players off to that Club World Cup monstrosity. Can't be long before the players go on strike. Throw in the bloated nature of the expanded World Cup and a once wondrous four year spectacle is reduced to rubble. Knackered players playing in round robin dead rubber group games.
Yeah spot on mate. Scrap FA cup replays because they're playing too much, but immediately fly round the world after the season finishes to play pointless matches. Far too much football on
How many other major nations have a foreign manager ? Do Germany ? France ? Spain ? What about Brazil or Argentina ? I know a couple have in the past but we are onto what, or 3rd foreign coach?
How many other major nations have a foreign manager ? Do Germany ? France ? Spain ? What about Brazil or Argentina ? I know a couple have in the past but we are onto what, or 3rd foreign coach?
We’re not in the same tier as those nations. They’ve all won something in living memory.
How many other major nations have a foreign manager ? Do Germany ? France ? Spain ? What about Brazil or Argentina ? I know a couple have in the past but we are onto what, or 3rd foreign coach?
They have a pool to pick from of proven coaches . We don’t , for a variety of reasons
And one of them (Brazil) does have a foreign manager, along with Portugal whose current manager was also a foreign manager for Belgium who now have a French manager
On a side note, and at a risk of pelters, worth looking at any players from Andorra? If they can manage to keep it that close against top level prem players, the champ should be a breeze.
Their goalie would be out of the question as he would be out of our price range I imagine and plays for Villareal B, but their defenders. Could be a lot cheaper and up to English standards.
I’ve never been a fan of Tuchel or his ‘brand’ of football, didn’t even want him to be hired for the job, but a qualifier in his third game away at Andorra in June is not really the time to judge.
I’ve never been a fan of Tuchel or his ‘brand’ of football, didn’t even want him to be hired for the job, but a qualifier in his third game away at Andorra in June is not really the time to judge.
I do find it baffling that people accept that it’s ok for players not to really be up for it at this stage of the season, or that he picked such a ridiculous unbalanced lineup. You’d hope they’d be keen to impress him in arguably our best era for squad competition , certainly in the attacking midfield and wide areas.
I’ve just read that England fans were chanting something about Keir Stamer…WTF is that all about?
It happened at Greece away as well. TBH the ones I saw chanting were about 18 years of age and if asked would probably have absolutely no logical response as to why they thought it was relevant.
I’ve just read that England fans were chanting something about Keir Stamer…WTF is that all about?
It happened at Greece away as well. TBH the ones I saw chanting were about 18 years of age and if asked would probably have absolutely no logical response as to why they thought it was relevant.
You must have been down the other end to me. I was behind the goal England attacked in the first half and it was like being at the cricket in the second half. Looked like the other end was having fun and enjoying themselves.
I’ve just read that England fans were chanting something about Keir Stamer…WTF is that all about?
It happened at Greece away as well. TBH the ones I saw chanting were about 18 years of age and if asked would probably have absolutely no logical response as to why they thought it was relevant.
You must have been down the other end to me. I was behind the goal England attacked in the first half and it was like being at the cricket in the second half. Looked like the other end was having fun and enjoying themselves.
Yeah I was. It wasn’t exactly rocking but fans were basically chanting anything to try and amuse themselves whilst that dross was playing out on the pitch.
Was quite surreal watching the likes of Kane, Bellingham etc playing in a stadium only about 20% full.
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Family crowd is good to see but I'm not a fan of the Mexican wave 🙌🏻 but I'm not the demographic they want to attract.
Last night back to men's football and England. Really felt most of the English lads would rather have been on holiday after a long season and it was a struggle to watch but 3 points were accumulated and Harry got another goal to his total. Felt like an anti climax after switching from watching a tennis final in Paris.
It felt like a friendly and it was clearly being played by players who were knackered after a long season and didn't really want to be there. Masterstroke by the FA to force them to play a completely pointless game on Tuesday as well, rather than get their feet up.
Most of the players have been on holiday in between their last league game and meeting up for training. I saw pictures of Bellingham at Ocean Beach in Ibiza last week, so i guess a lot of them probably didn't want to be there and it showed. It's also worth pointing out that we didn't have the likes of Stones, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Wharton. Then Trent and Rice only came on as subs. Obviously had enough quality to do a lot better, but i'm not going to read too much into it.
One thing i do think Tuchel needs to figure out though is whether to play Bellingham further forward or have someone like Palmer/Eze/Foden as the 10. It doesn't seem to be working currently but when a lot of our best players all play in a similar position you can't shoehorn them in for the sake of it.
I agree with your lineup though, it's probably the best we've got. But it means Tuchel needing to pick one player for that role, (which i assume will be Bellingham) and not try to shoehorn others in just because they are big names. If for example he plays Bellingham as an 8 and Palmer as a 10, they will just get in each others way and it doesn't work. It's like the Scholes/Gerrard/Lampard issue all over again.
Some of the players are going off to the club world cup so probably don't want to get injured, and for the rest they've been on a mini holiday after the league season ended, then they have to come back to play in this game, then they go off on holiday again.
I also read something from an ex-player that getting injured in these games is a disaster, as it then means you have to go for rehab at your club instead of going off on holiday. So it's not hard to see why the players are half-arsed. Senegal in midweek will probably be even worse, these are games no one needs.
for what it’s worth I think Tuchel will achieve nothing with England he seems to base his selections on trying to prove how clever he is.
Might be a fair bit of claret though!
To be fair though i'm quite surprised that given the shit teams we usually play in qualifiers, that we haven't kept 5 in a row for over 40 years.