Euros 2024

[pharvey]

Pharvey right now...

Not quite (close), but hell - the Scots were hard done by I think. I still find the way "Stoppage Time" is applied in Wendyball to be ridiculous.

I'll get my jacket, or is it a coat.....

[Big Boy]

There we go. England are doing so badly, they have already qualified for the last 16 without even kicking a ball in the final game of the group stages.

[404cameljockey]

And in the last eight of the cricket, with Australia clutching their Quantas tickets in their hands. Oh dear. We're not going to win either, so small victories count (not as much as traditionally for the Scots, I know).

[caller]

Its so bad, that no-one can be bothered to come here and write any comments!

I felt like I was watching through a stupor. No need to get excited, no real need to get dismayed, I simply sat in calm acceptance of the dross on offer. A little eye brow raised here and there, once again, about tactics, or a complete lack of, and how Southgate can make great players look so bad. It's a special skill. He has a special ability to suck the life blood out of those in his charge.

I felt immediately after the start of the 2nd half a little pick me up, a little surge of excitement. Mainoo turned up on the left - wow - Foden seemed to be playing more central - double wow - but nope, Southgate soon put an end to that, and the normal turgid service resumed.

Southgate does square pegs in round holes like no other.

I thought Cole Palmer was our best player.

[Big Boy]

I'm still not too bothered by what we've seen so far. The preliminary rounds are just that - other teams with good reputations have also failed to set the world on fire. IMHO, all of that football to lose just 8 teams is ridiculous. The real tournament starts on Saturday.

I agree, Palmer was a breath of fresh air when he came on. Mainoo didn't do too badly either. A few of the England squad would have been as well staying in the dressing room.

[caller]

I'm bothered because it is so awful to watch. I will be amazed if they can just flick a switch and everything becomes instantly better. But if we are going to win, we need to play with more freedom and for that to happen, the players need to take it into their own hands. Palmer will, if he plays. You can't pigeon hole or micro manage a player like Palmer, and he doesn't need to be confined to the right, he's just as good inside. And we need Bellingham to shine, so again, don't shackle hin. These are intuitive, instinctive players that are game changers, if they are allowed to be.

[pharvey]

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[huahin4ever]

Better to play Ollie Watkins than Palmer. Even those games where Kane is not doing too much, better replace him with Watkins. At least he got speed.

YNWA

[Dannie Boy]

I don’t think Palmers the one that needs replacing, he looks worth a run out. To be honest, you could almost replace the entire team and not be any worse off - the players in the last two games have looked completely devoid of ideas - they only played fairly reasonably for the first half of the first game.

Although Southgate may be partially to blame, I doubt very much that he’s totally responsible for such collective mediocre performance!!

[Big Boy]

I think I might have mentioned Kane once or twice before. He wouldn't be in the squad, let alone starting 11 if I had my way. We only have 11 players on the pitch, and to waste a spot on Kane.................... (sorry guys, I know you love him)

....../ time to get my coat.

[Dannie Boy]

I think I might have mentioned Kane once or twice before. He wouldn't be in the squad, let alone starting 11 if I had my way. We only have 11 players on the pitch, and to waste a spot on Kane.................... (sorry guys, I know you love him)

....../ time to get my coat.

There have been many times when I think your criticism of Kane has been unfair, but not this time - however as I eluded to in my previous post, there’s hardly a single player who can be excused criticism so far.

[dtaai-maai]

Although Southgate may be partially to blame, I doubt very much that he’s totally responsible for such collective mediocre performance!!

I think it's exactly that collective aspect of their mediocre performance that Southgate is to blame for. I find it impossible to believe that so many fine individual players have slumped into a drop in form all at the same time.

[Dannie Boy]

Although Southgate may be partially to blame, I doubt very much that he’s totally responsible for such collective mediocre performance!!

I think it's exactly that collective aspect of their mediocre performance that Southgate is to blame for. I find it impossible to believe that so many fine individual players have slumped into a drop in form all at the same time.

Well I don’t know - I played football for many years, albeit at a much lower level and the thing about football is it’s a spontaneous game where decisions are made in split seconds, so much of a players decision making is instinct rather than what the manager might, or might not have said. So whilst I can understand that Southgate may have instilled the basic principles he wants the players to adopt, I don’t think he can alter their inbuilt behaviour as much, hence why it’s so much of a mystery to everyone who’s watching the games - most with far more knowledge than you or I have?

[Dannie Boy]

The latest report suggests they’ve found the reason for England under performing and it’s nothing to do with Gareth Southgate !!


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[pharvey]

The latest report suggests they’ve found the reason for England under performing and it’s nothing to do with Gareth Southgate !!

I'm assuming of course you're referring to the "WAG" in the background....
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