England v Austria is a very messy game. There's no fluency, no creativity, poor link up play and passing in the final third. Southgate may change things up after half time perhaps? If not, why not?
Good start for Italy in Euro 2020. Turkey held on until just after half time then Merih Demiral scored an own goal with 53 minutes on the clock. Turkey 0 Italy 1
Italian players Insigne and Immobile both scored one goal each to settle the match at Turkey 0 Italy 3.
I haven't been invested in the national team for a long time, and I have no intention of changing that.
However, I enjoyed most if the game Vs Croatia. Decent set up and application. Technically it might be the best squad we have had with only a couple of weak positions. I don't think it's likely to see us win anything but a semi final is doable
The criticism of England after the Scotland game was way over the top. OK, we weren't great in that one game but we have almost certainly secured qualification after two games and are yet to concede a goal. In tournament football it is about getting the job done. I havent seen a team in the tournament yet that has convinced and we are one of about half a dozen in with a realistic chance of winning it. A bit of luck will be needed here and there along the way, but we are staying in the mix. It is a case of so far so good for England as far as I am concerned.
You make a good point about getting the job done in tournament football Smiler. However, i think it is right to question how we have got to the position where we have four points from two games. Yes, we are still to concede a goal,but we also have only scored one goal from the two games. In those two games we have had only three shots on target plus the Stones header which hit the post. This is against Croatia who have only beat Malta and Cyprus in their last ten games and a Scotland team who are ranked 44th in the world.
I think you have to question why we are playing two deep sitting midfield players in Rice (who i believe is not this class) and Phillips who has done well. Surely against Croatia and Scotland we should be setting up with a more attack minded team. It is difficult to criticise the back four so leave well alone ( fear it against better sides). Play Phillips in front of them and play a midfield in front of him with Mount in the centre enabling him to get the ball a little deeper and set up the play. Play Foden out left and bring Sancho in on the right. Play Grealish in a central No 10 role behind a striker. We have to find out if Grealish is world class and not waste him wide out on the left... Now is the real problem. Is Kane playing in divers boots at this tournament? Little or no movement, wins nothing in the air, not held onto the ball at all and imo hasn't shown for the ball. He hasn't run the channels and in all honesty has looked awful. It is easy to say he hasn't had the service, but many times we have been in a position to get it into dangerous areas and he hasn't been an option!!. I think he will start against the Czechs so let us hope he can get up to speed. . The problem is, i am not sure we have a striker who is this class if he continues to falter.
The results show so good so far but the performances show we are a long way off getting anywhere near the last four. One ray of hope. The world cup winning team of 66 were not great in the early stages but improved to win it. Not sure this team will replicate that but i hope they prove me wrong.
Whiston01 great assessment of England, I thought the difference the other night was the approach of the managers, Clarke a seasoned traditional style manager who installed fight and passion into his players, he knew Southgates weakness, "more of the same" and used it against us. Sterling and Kane were terrible in that game, both should have come off after 55 mins. I thought the back 5 did well and have done in both games, playing foden wide right and Grealish wide left is insane, taking Foden off madness. We didn't win a header up front so we take off Kane and replace him with another striker that doesn't win headers, when we have one of the best headers of a ball on the bench, coached by the great Duncan Ferguson. Let us hope it was an off day by the players and the manager grows a pair and we play better against a good Czech team, winning the group is important. As for no teams that have impressed, what about the Italians, belgiums and the Germans last night, do you think England would get 4 against portugal???? If we play like we have done in the last two games it will be over next round for us, if we are lucky the last 8, if we want to get to the last 4 or 2 we will have to improve massively
The Germans were bang average in their first game and they are very vulnerable defensively. Even in victory against Portugal they conceded twice and were fortunate at that. Hummels looks like he is running with the handbrake on and after being discarded he was recalled recently only because they couldnt find anyone better. Not so long ago they let four or five in against North Macedonia. Even we havent managed that level of humiliation. Belgium also looked very shaky against an ordinary Denmark side for 45 minutes. Italy have looked as good as anyone. France probably have more talent than anyone. Any one of those teams could win it, as could England or Spain who have both struggled for goals thus far, and maybe Portugal who have some quality. In my opinion, there isnt much to choose between any of those six or seven sides. It is about getting safely through to the knockout stage, and once there a few fine margins, the odd penalty shootout and a bit of luck here or there might decide who takes the big prize. We arent the best team in it but we have a chance. For me, our best starting eleven if all fit is a 433 with Pickford: Walker, Stones, Maguire, Chilwell: Mount, Henderson, Foden: Grealish (reluctantly because I dont like how he goes about his business), Kane and Sancho.
not a bad team Smiler, I prefer a 5-3-1-1 Pickford, Walker, stones, maguire, james, Chilwell/Shaw, Phillips, hendreson, foden, Grealish, Kane
I think Grealish and Foden are wonderful talented footballers, the time of players that england managers in the past haven't played regularly and don't play in their best position.
Kane starts, but if he doesnt improve the logical choice is calvin-Lewin for me, sterling and rashford are great players to bring on if we need something different, Mount can come in for Grealish or Foden if we need fresh legs or they are injured
I don't know enough about some of the others I do thing Mings has played well in his two games and is good cover for any of the three at the back.
What did the Czech game tell us? Nothing new really. Technically they were our equal. Tactically they won some battles, creating some overload in wide areas
They matched us physically. It was a fairly even contest The only thing we had that they didnt was a couple of players with genuine pace. Saka did really well. Grealish did alright in flashes but faded. Sterling was largely anonymous and to me looks low on confidence despite getting another goal. We miss Mason Mount who is a really important player for us. He makes us tick. Overall it is job done - top of the group and no goals conceded. We are a good side, but not an excellent side For me we are a couple of players short. Put Kante and Pogba in our midfield and we would probably win the tournament but we are choosing from Henderson, Phillips and Rice for two central slots. All very good players but none of them world class. I think Southgate has it about right with his tactics Ultimately we just havent got the personnel to outplay top sides. We will more often than not beat the Czechs of this world but to win against the French or Italians or other top nations we have to be a team that defends well, poses a threat at set pieces and can counter attack quickly with whichever selection from Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Saka etc is supporting Kane. We have a chance to win this comp because its knockout football now, but we are about the fifth best team in it so we probably won't.
We are pretty average. We don't look as good as the French , italians .
Against the Czechs England seemed comfy enough. Did enough to win.
Whomever England play next it will be tight. It will be interesting to see England perform against a better team. It could showcase more ability or It might suggest we haven't moved on since Erickson.
-- Edited by ian on Wednesday 23rd of June 2021 12:03:34 PM
We played ok and got the result, we don't look exciting, we are like the Greece team that won it a few years ago, with a bit more flair. There is not two goals in this team, if we concede we will lose more often than not, if we face portugal Rolando will do us, the French have a better midfield (as Smiler points out), we could turn the Germans over with a bit of luck. kane looks like he is 40 years old, struggles to win headers, has no pace at all he really needs to up his game. The bext players are the young players, and the fringe players. The young players look fearless that bellingham for 17 year old lad to play 46 games for Dortmund is amazing. I think Mings has done well when asked and Phillips does his job well. Sterling has scored but he gives the ball away too much for me, but the experts say he is excellent so what do I know. Nice to see a good yorkshire presence in the back four. I do like mason Mount, good player but I want to see players with a touch of flair and Grealish does that for me, he has matured a lot and his first touch is wonderful. The real question was how good was Modric goal last night, wow
Kane needs to step up to the plate in the Euros 2020 and especially in the next match against Germany. One goal would be nice. Two goals would be even nicer. Three goals? Now that ain't gonna happen. Surely not!
Holland out. Portugal out. Italy and Belgium both through to the last 8 but both unimpressive and a little fortunate to progress. Place your bets folks - it is wide open.
-- Edited by smiler on Monday 28th of June 2021 06:13:59 AM
In my opinion , if the manager has the balls to play Saka and Grealish in the starting line-up, we have more chance of upsetting Germany.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of Grealish, he needs a Zimmer Frame to help him stay on his feet, but he is the most likely to win us important free kicks or even a penalty and will wind-up the Germans with his antics.
I suspect though, that Southgate will rely on the 'old school' and pass sideways and backwards in the main - which I think is a mistake. I don't think 'boring the opposition to death' will work against a good team...
Be nice to beat them for a change though wouldn't it!
David great summary, we can beat them but we have to go for it and play our fast young lads that lack fear and Grealish, I think he hasn't got the guts to do that it will be two defensive midfielders, 4 at the back so we will lack width, Sterling will start and no matter how he plays will stay on, yes he has scored both our goals but against the germans you have to work hard, track back and you cannot lose the ball from simple passes, things Sterling doesn't do well, hence why pep dropped him. The Germans have real belief, they think they can beat anyone and have some good players to bring on. I think the Germans will fear the lads that play in Germany, they will be up to prove a point as well. We will have to wait and see, the draw has opened up, we can beat any of the 4 teams we would have to beat to get to the final, this is the game we have to be bold and blow the germans away, if we play slow tapping it backwards and sideward they will beat us easily
