Game 17: Denmark vs England live from the Frankfurt Arena. BBC1 5pm

[Robson 07]

1 minute ago, aiston said:

Would be a better option than Foden on the left mind

At least would keep someone on the left.

What Shearer?  Think he's too old now mate. 

[enigmatic]

Just now, Haguey said:

But they are the hardest tournaments to win, a group of players who play together maybe 10 times a year for a once every 4 year tournament of 7 matches where you can make very few mistakes to win it

And nobody gives a **** about your winning margin, and most of the successful sides are ****ing boring including ones with benches full of elite talents

[aggressive minor]

3 minutes ago, Haguey said:

Portugal won one match in 90 minutes in 2016, it was awful to watch but I bet they don't care

But England have a much better team than that Portugal team 

[Craigus89]

Walker sounded pissed off. I think the negativity is creeping into the camp too.

[skybluedave]

Just now, JJ72 said:

Drop him back in Trent's place

And you think he's gonna close down and press properly, hols shape etc While massively reducing his time on the ball in and around the box where he's best? 

[Lucas]

2 minutes ago, skybluedave said:

You can't keep saying play Foden 10 as ifs some magic answer. Unless you think we should drop Bellingham. 

Gareth should be brave, play one of them, and swap for the other for the end of games. 
 

I really wouldn’t have an issue with that. 

[Haguey]

1 minute ago, enigmatic said:

And nobody gives a **** about your winning margin, and most of the successful sides are ****ing boring including ones with benches full of elite talents

Matuidi playing left midfield for France and Howedes at left back for Germany spring to mind  You need to pick the best team at the end of the day don't you even if you make some compromises

[The Amazing Dale Watkins]

I think OTF was similarly unimpressed with England's group stage in 2021, and they're on track to a repeat. Gonna be another drab 1-0 against Slovenia, and England wins the group. 

[Smallen]

Lineker is ON ONE 

[aiston]

Shearer and Lineker are going to kneecap Southgate if they see him.

[Haguey]

1 minute ago, aggressive minor said:

But England have a much better team than that Portugal team 

Which is why it's frustrating! They did have the ultimate Winner at their figurehead but even in the final they found a way to win with a goal from a Swansea reject

[Rob1981]

Lineker is out of his chair  

****ing hell, it wasn’t THAT bad

[bestbrother]

Turgid

Not a massive England fan, but thats just miserable

Sack Southgate and do an Ivory Coast.

[VP.]

8 minutes ago, davehanson said:

What I don’t get, and the set up was ****, the whole team were ****, how is it Rice can’t play a 5 yard pass? He must have played other players into trouble half a dozen times. Not just him by the way - everyone was at it. It was the worse performance I have seen from any team this year 

Rice was knackered before the hour and should have been taken off, was so clear to see but Gareth decided to leave him on even though he was clearly playing terrible.

I don't understand the point in taking Mainoo or Wharton if you've no intention of putting them on the pitch when clearly needed. It's obviously hard not to stick up for your own players when it comes to international football but I genuinely try to treat everyone the same.

Saka was poor second half v Serbia so rightly subbed, Rice was terrible today and should have come off simple as that.

[Lucas]

He’s furious. But many of us have said this about Kane for years. 

[Astafjevs]

5 minutes ago, EdBed said:

I can't shake the feeling that the Italian nation in this situation would shrug, point out that they are essentially through, and continue along their way.

There'd definitely be an endless TV breakdown, but ultimately yeh it would end up with this. But then it's easier when you've got many tournaments of success in the bank where this has happened and ended in a final appearance. Certainly the players' mentality would be like this. Walker's tried to project that but for whatever reason I don't think it's all that genuine.

[VP.]

1 minute ago, aiston said:

Shearer and Lineker are going to kneecap Southgate if they see him.

Their podcast should be an interesting listen.

[Lucas]

We miss Rashford/Sterling so much  

[themadsheep2001]

2 minutes ago, VP. said:

Rice was knackered before the hour and should have been taken off, was so clear to see but Gareth decided to leave him on even though he was clearly playing terrible.

I don't understand the point in taking Mainoo or Wharton if you've no intention of putting them on the pitch when clearly needed. It's obviously hard not to stick up for your own players when it comes to international football but I genuinely try to treat everyone the same.

Saka was poor second half v Serbia so rightly subbed, Rice was terrible today and should have come off simple as that.

We've got the squad, ****ing use it. So frustrating. 

[Haguey]

Kane kind of contradicting Walker here

[Smallen]

Just now, Lucas said:

We miss Rashford/Sterling so much  

Agreed, and Gordon is the only similar profile in the squad. Should be getting some minutes at least.

[VP.]

Kane saying no one is sure what they're doing when it comes to pressing, interesting.

[Sned]

Not sure how much faith you can have in a manager that decides almost on the eve of a tournament to start playing a right back in central midfield. 

Although I think that experiment is now done for the rest of England's tournament.

[Delicate Dave]

I think it's very kind of Gareth Southgate to show today's England supporters what they missed under Graham Taylor.

On a scale of "They are growing into the tournament" England is at the "future dad's having his first pint while he waits for future mom to arrive" Stage.

Edited June 20 by Delicate Dave

[aiston]

"Me and Jude playing infront of their midfielders" - Kane

 

**** sake Southgate, he should be behind them

 

[Rebs]

1 minute ago, Lucas said:

We miss Rashford/Sterling so much  

The players we have are good enough, neither of those would have been any better than what we have.  Neither of those warranted being called up at all.  Squad and players aren't the problem.

[Haguey]

Just now, VP. said:

Kane saying no one is sure what they're doing when it comes to pressing, interesting.

Extremely telling and very concerning given pressing is about the most important thing to do in the game now

[Coulthard's Jaw]

Just now, VP. said:

Kane saying no one is sure what they're doing when it comes to pressing, interesting.

Very very bad.

[Baptista_8]

4 minutes ago, Smallen said:

Lineker is ON ONE 

Was great until Ferdinand interrupted with nothing of note to say as usual.

[aggressive minor]

Left back is a huge issue as well

tbh 

[Pukey]

Just now, Smallen said:

Agreed, and Gordon is the only similar profile in the squad. Should be getting some minutes at least.

I hate Gordon and his stupid face, but I'm definitely all aboard the Gordon train now. I think it would help the team significantly having him being able to get in behind.

Kane interview pretty interesting there. 

[Darius1998]

I don't get why Kane keeps dropping so deep. Maybe when Henderson/Phillips were in there, he needed to drop in and progress the ball quicker but that's no longer an issue.

It's not like he stays that deep for Bayern and this England team definitely has better midfielders and wide players than Bayern do at the moment.

[Haguey]

Even ***** teams and players can press effectively Gareth, christ

[Astafjevs]

I don't think it's a great sign of harmony when one of your best players is coming out and almost pointing a finger at the coach.

[Lucas]

Just now, Baptista_8 said:

Was great until Ferdinand interrupted with nothing of note to say as usual.

Rio just talks rubbish.

[Rob1981]

Book Denmark’s Thomas Frank and then interrogate him about England’s problems. Textbook.

[aiston]

1 minute ago, aggressive minor said:

Left back is a huge issue as well

tbh 

Trippier has been fine, considering it's just him on that wing as Foden goes elsewhere 90% of the time.

[Smallen]

Just now, Pukey said:

I hate Gordon and his stupid face

so did I but you learn to forgive him when he’s on your team  

[themadsheep2001]

3 minutes ago, Lucas said:

We miss Rashford/Sterling so much  

Stand by saying we should have taken Rashford. Not seeing anything that makes me feel otherwise 

[VP.]

Just now, Pukey said:

I hate Gordon and his stupid face, but I'm definitely all aboard the Gordon train now. I think it would help the team significantly having him being able to get in behind.

Kane interview pretty interesting there. 

Thank you for making me laugh after this abysmal performance.

[Coulthard's Jaw]

 no smile

[Rob1981]

Just now, themadsheep2001 said:

Stand by saying we should have taken Rashford. Not seeing anything that makes me feel otherwise 

But he’s not in form! We just need to throw our in-form players out there and then it magically clicks, even though they have barely played together before.

[themadsheep2001]

2 minutes ago, aggressive minor said:

Left back is a huge issue as well

tbh 

Yep, but if you play a wide left winger, then Trippier can invert, and the midfield is more stable and can play higher. 

[Pukey]

Just now, Astafjevs said:

I don't think it's a great sign of harmony when one of your best players is coming out and almost pointing a finger at the coach.

This is why it feels different to the other years. Yeah we've played some boring stuff, but in previous years it felt well structured. Roles were clear. Yeah some rubbish performances but at least you got the plan. This is just directionless sludge with Kane basically admitting they don't know what they're doing.

[skybluedave]

Can Thomas Frank not speak Danish? 

[Astafjevs]

The team that did so well against France and in the World Cup in general was very similar to this one. Maguire, Shaw, Henderson out; Guéhi, Trippier, Alexander-Arnold in.

There was no Sterling, Rashford et al. 

I do think Bellingham's role is a bit different though. Feel like he's playing closer to Kane and less like a midfielder. But otherwise it's three players. Shaw is obviously a big loss when the alternative is a rightback.

So I find it confusing that all of a sudden the players apparently don't know what to do when pressing or progressing the ball.

Edited June 20 by Astafjevs

[VP.]

1 minute ago, themadsheep2001 said:

Stand by saying we should have taken Rashford. Not seeing anything that makes me feel otherwise 

We could have taken Anthony and still looked better to be fair.

[aggressive minor]

I mean 2018 squad wasn’t close to this, but they were organised so much better 

[Haguey]

Just now, Rob1981 said:

But he’s not in form! We just need to throw our in-form players out there and then it magically clicks, even though they have barely played together before.

Bloody England fans, they ruined England

Bring back Hendo and Phillips and Sterling and Rashford

[Haguey]

1 minute ago, aggressive minor said:

I mean 2018 squad wasn’t close to this, but they were organised so much better 

A great example of a pragmatic squad using players to compliment others, Young at LB, Loftus-Cheek as a midfield runner, Lingard doing the donkey work pressing upfront, miles apart to now