QF4: England vs France, 7PM GMT, Al Bayt Stadium

[aggressive minor]

1 minute ago, Weezer said:

He was a bit of a joke sometimes in a weak Arsenal side but Giroud would make us a much better side.

Instead of Kane?

can’t play them together 

[skybluedave]

Just now, silentwars said:

To be honest Dave, I'm surprised you haven't recommended Robins as a possible replacement as of yet 

Would be amazing. Get Kyle McFadzean in that defence. Only if he keeps Cov job too

[Smallen]

Just now, JD nawrat said:

Say it quietly or a mass of Scousers will descend upon you

Why would scousers be unhappy that I’ve pushed Trippier back into second place?

[silentwars]

2 minutes ago, teamemutest said:

To be honest, we (I'm French BTW) never felt very threatened in the Second Half, after Kane's goal, it reminded us a lot of the Belgium game, we let the opponent do his job but we're trusty enough about our defense (and thanks Lloris and Upamecano) to bear the brunt of England's offense.

 

I'll end up by saying that England seems a lot more competent than it was years ago, it would be extremely unlikely if you never win anything with this generation and this kind of play.

I think you were lucky. Your first goal could of easily been ruled out, we could of had another penalty on top of the two we had, which if converted would of given us a comfortable win. Plus we hit the post. But fair play, every chance you go on to win it now. 

[Weezer]

2 minutes ago, aggressive minor said:

Instead of Kane?

can’t play them together 

Yeah, in certain situations. We lack a focal point up front too often because Kane is dropping deep and the players outside aren’t making the runs. With Giroud France have always got someone up top to aim at.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Weezer

[aiston]

I'm just baffled at Southgates idiotic decision to sub Saka for Sterling

 

Sterling has his mind elsewhere and had just got back from England so hadn't been training.

[Smallen]

Btw, anyone who thinks their FA should sack Southgate - you know they’d be hiring Gerrard to replace him right?  

[Bigwig]

I blame The Sun 

[oche balboa]

Mbappe was quiet. But obviously not enough to beat France 

[JD nawrat]

Just now, Smallen said:

Why would scousers be unhappy that I’ve pushed Trippier back into second place?

 

[SouthCoastRed]

1 minute ago, Smallen said:

Why would scousers be unhappy that I’ve pushed Trippier back into second place?

EUH is foaming at the mouth compiling a response as we speak

[Darren Moores Mum]

3 minutes ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

Did he take a knock, was he injured? Because he was playing so well it really is an out there decision to replace him.

 

1 minute ago, PaulHartman71 said:

He had been kicked a lot and looked a bit leggy but he still looked the most dangerous player for me. Sterling has always delivered for England and Southgate so it’s not a terrible sub IMO, but Sterling struggled to get in the game and didn’t seem to be as physically capable as Saka had been down that right side. 

But again of course we can moan at Southgate but if Kane scores the pen or Rashford’s free kick goes in we’re into extra time with them and it’s long forgotten. Small margins at the end of the day. 

I hope (and I say that in the sense of it not being a tactical decision) a slight knock was the reason, otherwise it's really poor. I get why we might want to get Sterling in the game but given the situation he's been in was it the right place to throw him out there? We had other options on the bench to turn to.

[oche balboa]

Just now, aiston said:

I'm just baffled at Southgates idiotic decision to sub Saka for Sterling

 

Sterling has his mind elsewhere and had just got back from England so hadn't been training.

This is why he hasn't got it. The sheer talent of England has got him into these big matches 

[SouthCoastRed]

1 minute ago, Smallen said:

Btw, anyone who thinks their FA should sack Southgate - you know they’d be hiring Gerrard to replace him right?  

Slippy G and Fat Frank, dream team

[Confused Clarity]

6 minutes ago, Ackter said:

Right, am signing out of this thread now to do other stuff. Thoroughly enjoyable match, England should feel a little hard done by but the game was also there for the taking and they didn't take it.

Someone tag me if if there's an hilarious breakdown or something in here.

At one point I thought @dking was going to go "Falling Down" on everybody.  

[Smallen]

Just now, SouthCoastRed said:

EUH is foaming at the mouth compiling a response as we speak

why, is he a big Reece James fan?

[Bootador]

Southgate needed to make a call of who to bring on from Sterling/Rashford and couldn't so messed up the whole dynamic by bring both.

[Darren Moores Mum]

2 minutes ago, Smallen said:

Btw, anyone who thinks their FA should sack Southgate - you know they’d be hiring Gerrard to replace him right?  

Thing is, and let's not make out I would advocate for Gerrard here...Southgate hardly had this stellar managerial career before getting the big job.

[Smallen]

1 minute ago, SouthCoastRed said:

Slippy G and Fat Frank, dream team

Need to try and fit Scholes in there too 😡😡😡

[Constantine]

2 minutes ago, Weezer said:

Yeah, in certain situations. We lack a focal point up front too often because Kane is dropping deep and the players outside aren’t making the runs. With Giroud France have always got someone up top to aim at.

And why is Kane dropping that deep? I'm baffled how underutilized he's for England... 

[Lermon]

"There's no good England managers"

 

It might be a good time to remember what Southgate was like before he was taken on as England manager. He was a mediocre manager at Middlesbrough, but he did okay with the Under 21s.

[Constantine]

2 minutes ago, Confused Clarity said:

At one point I thought @dking was going to go "Falling Down" on everybody.  

My money was on @Rebs 

[silentwars]

There's no way I can see the FA getting rid of Southgate. If he does leave it will be his decision & he doesn't strike me as someone that's likely to walk out of a contract. 

[GunmaN1905]

2 minutes ago, Constantine said:

And why is Kane dropping that deep? I'm baffled how underutilized he's for England... 

Because there's a hole in the middle.

Rice is barely in the picture whenever England attack with the ball, Bellingham attacks space and isn't a playmaker, Henderson probably being the best performer tonight.

 

Griezmann was probably the best player on the pitch today, alongside Saka. Was everywhere and always at the right time. Foden could easily play like that if Southgate wasn't so dense.

[Baptista_8]

11 minutes ago, teamemutest said:

To be honest, we (I'm French BTW) never felt very threatened in the Second Half, after Kane's goal, it reminded us a lot of the Belgium game, we let the opponent do his job but we're trusty enough about our defense (and thanks Lloris and Upamecano) to bear the brunt of England's offense.

 

I'll end up by saying that England seems a lot more competent than it was years ago, it would be extremely unlikely if you never win anything with this generation and this kind of play.

Upamecano is a bomb scare. He should have been yellow carded very early on.

[PaulHartman71]

For me it boils down to whether you can get someone better than Southgate in. If it’s Dyche, Gerrard, Lampard or Rooney then I wouldn’t bother. 

If you can get Tuchel then by all means go for it. 

[Smallen]

1 minute ago, ginnybob said:

Thing is, and let's not make out I would advocate for Gerrard here...Southgate hardly had this stellar managerial career before getting the big job.

yes, but which of the qualities Southgate has shown do you think Gerrard might have?  

I know you’re joking a bit but he’s the polar opposite in terms of man management and personality. Would instantly destroy all the goodwill the England team has built-up over the past 4/5 years.

[EnterUsernameHere]

7 minutes ago, SouthCoastRed said:

EUH is foaming at the mouth compiling a response as we speak

I'm not a scouser 

[Weezer]

1 minute ago, Constantine said:

And why is Kane dropping that deep? I'm baffled how underutilized he's for England... 

Because we’re so slow bringing out from the back passing it around sideways he comes back looking for it. If we had an attacking midfielder occupying that space he probably wouldn’t need too but there’s too much of a gap between Kane and the CMs.

[SouthCoastRed]

Just now, EnterUsernameHere said:

I'm not a scouser 

Tbf you were the only Liverpool fan I could think of who wouldn’t throw a hissy fit. It was a sort of backhanded compliment 

[Darren Moores Mum]

Just now, Smallen said:

yes, but which of the qualities Southgate has shown do you think Gerrard might have?  

I know you’re joking a bit but he’s the polar opposite in terms of man management and personality. Would instantly destroy all the goodwill the England team has built-up over the past 4/5 years.

Of course...As I say, I'm not advocating Gerrard for the role at all. It's more of a wider response to the whole "well who could replace him?" talk. Southgate was hardly this must-have guy beforehand.

I joked about Aidy Boothroyd before, but he's probably entirely the sort of guy the FA would go for though...

[silentwars]

Michael Carrick is probably one worth keeping an eye for the future. Had a very good start at Boro and with his international experience and media handling would seem like a potential coach for after the Euro's. 

[Confused Clarity]

1 minute ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

I'm not a scouser 

Plastic scousers still count. 

[Coulthard's Jaw]

2 minutes ago, PaulHartman71 said:

If you can get Tuchel then by all means go for it. 

How do we know Tuchel would be any good at international management?

[Smallen]

Just now, silentwars said:

Michael Carrick is probably one worth keeping an eye for the future. Had a very good start at Boro and with his international experience and media handling would seem like a potential coach for after the Euro's. 

If he’s English, young and any good then he’ll be a club manager though.

Howe, Potter, Carrick… none of these guys are going into international management while their club careers are going well.

[SouthCoastRed]

If only we’d taken JWP, he’d have scored the penalty and the free kick tbh

[Baptista_8]

Gerrard?! *shudder*

[JD nawrat]

Just now, SouthCoastRed said:

If only we’d taken JWP, he’d have scored the penalty and the free kick tbh

But then we'd have to listen to MLG bang on about how good JWP is and how he's England's best player. 

This outcome was preferable, I'm sure you and every Englishman will agree. 

[JD nawrat]

Just now, Baptista_8 said:

Gerrard?! *shudder*

Trying to convince FIFA that Philippe Coutinho is actually English

[SouthCoastRed]

Just now, JD nawrat said:

But then we'd have to listen to MLG bang on about how good JWP is and how he's England's best player. 

This outcome was preferable, I'm sure you and every Englishman will agree. 

You raise a fair point 

[TM]

thought England edged the match, just unlucky that Kane picked this point to miss a penalty. Thought England got the wrong side of the ref in situations which tipped the game in France's balance

France looked ordinary attack wise but their goals were created well, Tchouameni's finish was superb, cross from Griezmann for the 2nd was pin point and Giroud's header was what you'd expect from him.  No shame in losing to a team who potentially could do back-to-back World Cup wins, first time since 1962 that would be

[Rebs]

9 minutes ago, Constantine said:

My money was on @Rebs 

I was close tbf 😁😁😁

[Weezer]

3 minutes ago, SouthCoastRed said:

If only we’d taken JWP, he’d have scored the penalty and the free kick tbh

If FM is to be believed he’d have won the whole thing single handed.

[Constantine]

5 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Because there's a hole in the middle.

Rice is barely in the picture whenever England attack with the ball, Bellingham attacks space and isn't a playmaker, Henderson probably being the best performer tonight.

 

Griezmann was probably the best player on the pitch today, alongside Saka. Was everywhere and always at the right time. Foden could easily play like that if Southgate wasn't so dense.

Oh, I know, I was making not so subtle jab at Southgate. I mean, with all that talent in midfield you have available, you're allowing this to happen. 

And Griezmann is unironically having a great tournament, he's been immense both tonight and against Poland 

[Lermon]

Brendan Rodgers is not a terrible replacement. (even if he's Northern-Irish)

[PaulHartman71]

3 minutes ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

How do we know Tuchel would be any good at international management?

We don’t, but I think he’s a very good manager tactically. I think for the next Euros and World Cup he’s the only available and realistically candidate out there who would be worth a gamble on. No guarantee he takes it of course, he may not want to manage another country, but if he is interested I think he’s the only option worth exploring. 

Dyche would be my choice out of the English candidates (assuming Howe and Potter wouldn’t leave their clubs ATM) but I really feel like Tuchel could get more out of players like Bellingham, Rice, Saka, Foden etc than Dyche could. 

[Baptista_8]

1 minute ago, Lermon said:

Brendan Rodgers is not a terrible replacement. (even if he's Northern-Irish)

He is decent but he wouldn't win us anything.

[TM]

2 minutes ago, Constantine said:

And Griezmann is unironically having a great tournament, he's been immense both tonight and against Poland 

does he play that role for Atletico Madrid? almost feels as if it's his calling, despite the fact he was top scorer at Euro 2016

[Coulthard's Jaw]

Just now, PaulHartman71 said:

We don’t, but I think he’s a very good manager tactically.

Is he a good man manager? Could he create the Team England spirit which has transformed how players view playing for the national team? Tactically I thought Southgate was good tonight, he's been good in most of the big matches he's been involved in.

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, TM said:

does he play that role for Atletico Madrid? almost feels as if it's his calling, despite the fact he was top scorer at Euro 2016

He's been playing the 29 minutes sub role until they sorted out his transfer.

It's kind of similar, he plays the secondary striker role in 4-4-2.

But secondary striker in Cholo's system means you have to press around like a maniac. His workrate is really underrated, probably the highest of all attacking midfielders.