Quarter Final 3: England vs Switzerland live from the Düsseldorf Arena. Saturday BBC1 5pm

[Craigus89]

International football is so risk averse, that is what we are seeing here. But we look much more comfortable today. I’m much happier. 

[Nordan]

Not great but the Swiss are even worse.

[av3ry]

5 years later we are at halftime. If I weren't in the pub I would have dozed off. Worse than Portugal Slovenia the other day.

[Wavelberry]

Kane needs offed doesn't he. This has looked better but Switzerland have looked quite dangerous as well. 

[Astafjevs]

England look more likely to score. Keep playing like that and I think they'll win.

Switzerland have absolutely nothing. A low quality group of players

[dafuge]

It wasn't amazing, but that looked better than the previous games.

Wonder if someone like Gordon could do a job on the left like Saka on the right.

[Barnzy]

I thought that was a decent half, much improved. Mainno, Foden and Saka doing well. 
 

[Constantine]

That was fun...

England seems better. Still not good but better than they were in games so far.

Switzerland looks stand off-ish, feels like they can take control of the game but are afraid of Saka so they don't want to risk it.

Portugal drove me to sleep last night and, luckily, this game is scheduled bit earlier so I hope I get to the end of this one awake...

[The Amazing Dale Watkins]

Just now, Nordan said:

Not great but the Swiss are even worse.

Yes, they have been dire. Where's the Swiss team that dominated Italy?

[EnterUsernameHere]

I'm still just baffled by any sort of logic to explain why England (and other big teams) can't play more attacking football. 

Yes there's fine margins, so what? There's fine margins playing like this too. England could blow any team anyway on form if they played risk taking football ffs. 

Someone explain why you can't play more adventurously?

[JJ72]

 A big improvement. Firstly, Switzerland did sod all. We are pressing better. Foden is in the game in more dangerous positions , Bellingham isn't playing like a twit, saka is looking a threat, pleased with Mainoo, he's had two good forward runs already. Trippier offering nothing on the left and kane is labouring badly.

Toney for Kane and Gordon for Trippier makes a big difference I think.

[Ackter]

"No shots on target but its significantly better"

Did I hear that right?

[aiston]

We are barely any better.

Kane looks awful, can barely move.

 

[InigoPatinkin]

We are so dependent on Saka. You have to wonder what we'd look like if we'd brought a similar left sided player. 

[TalkSport]

Better shape out of ball, but still mundane with it because we have ZERO runners behind.

[SouthCoastRed]

2 minutes ago, Haguey said:

International football so good and nothing is better or more important than an International tournament. Bin off half of the club games instead

Understandable sentiment from a Blades fan 

[JJ72]

1 minute ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

I'm still just baffled by any sort of logic to explain why England (and other big teams) can't play more attacking football. 

Yes there's fine margins, so what? There's fine margins playing like this too. England could blow any team anyway on form if they played risk taking football ffs. 

Someone explain why you can't play more adventurously?

Fear of losing. France have it too. 

[Smallen]

1 minute ago, Wavelberry said:

Kane needs offed doesn't he.

probably a bit far that, mate 

[Haguey]

Just now, SouthCoastRed said:

Understandable sentiment from a Blades fan 

Bin off all our games tbh

[SouthCoastRed]

4 minutes ago, arenaross said:

Show some balls Gareth resign!. 

 

[eenie]

1 minute ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

I'm still just baffled by any sort of logic to explain why England (and other big teams) can't play more attacking football. 

Yes there's fine margins, so what? There's fine margins playing like this too. England could blow any team anyway on form if they played risk taking football ffs. 

Someone explain why you can't play more adventurously?

You might lose.

I think that's Gareth's mindset, fear of losing. Baffling with this group of players but there you go.

[EnterUsernameHere]

Just now, JJ72 said:

Fear of losing. France have it too. 

I get that but there's more chance of England losing 1-0 (or on pens) with this approach than if they played more offensively.

[Bliss Seeker]

We need to keep this shape, and continue playing in their half in the second half.

Need to pass it quicker, and be a little less risk adverse. But this is better.

I blooming well hope we don't retreat ik the 2nd and play for ET. 

[av3ry]

I just spotted Declan Rice in the pub if you are wondering where he is. 

[Pukey]

2 minutes ago, Ackter said:

"No shots on target but its significantly better"

Did I hear that right?

Both things can be true, and both things are true. I don't think anybody is going to argue that was a wonderful performance, but it was absolutely much, much better than what we've shown since the first 10 minutes against Serbia.

[martynlcfc]

It's been better, We'd have likely looked even more coherent if Kane unhooked the caravan he's towing.

So many times we've been in promising ish positions and his lack of movement has contributed to it getting closed down.

[Haguey]

2 minutes ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

I'm still just baffled by any sort of logic to explain why England (and other big teams) can't play more attacking football. 

Yes there's fine margins, so what? There's fine margins playing like this too. England could blow any team anyway on form if they played risk taking football ffs. 

Someone explain why you can't play more adventurously?

It was the same with everyones darling Spain team, they went ahead playing nice football then spent the rest of the game and extra time grinding it out playing turgid stuff and were lucky to win it. Can't think of any team who can saunter through a tournament playing glorious football, even the tika taka stuff was defensive in nature because it was possession over everything

[JJ72]

Just now, EnterUsernameHere said:

I get that but there's more chance of England losing 1-0 (or on pens) with this approach than if they played more offensively.

Maybe but imagine the press meltdown when we lose because we throw it away attacking 

[The_jagster]

8 minutes ago, arenaross said:

It's very Stevie G, "we're just relying on moments of individual magic". 

It's this, but I don't think Southgate understands why we aren't better

2 minutes ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

I'm still just baffled by any sort of logic to explain why England (and other big teams) can't play more attacking football. 

Yes there's fine margins, so what? There's fine margins playing like this too. England could blow any team anyway on form if they played risk taking football ffs. 

Someone explain why you can't play more adventurously?

You can, but when teams go out, it's a lot easier for managers to think that if they were a bit tighter the goal wouldn't happen, whereas in league football you drop 2 points for a draw. The silly thing for teams like England and France is that by playing like this they are more likely to go out on pens than if they tried to score and accepted the risk that the opposition would be slightly more likely to score.

[Smallen]

We pass the ball across the pitch a lot. I’d like to see us do that switch in one pass rather than 3 or 4… I think that would suit our current shape very well and give Saka some more 1v1 opportunities.

[aiston]

Switzerland know they only need to defend against our right. 

 

Get gordon on, make the Swiss have to worry about both sides.

Edited July 6 by aiston

[Wavelberry]

2 minutes ago, Smallen said:

probably a bit far that, mate 

I've not compared him to anyone in the Third Reich yet...

[Constantine]

1 minute ago, JJ72 said:

Maybe but imagine the press meltdown when we lose because we throw it away attacking 

Press meltdown is coming either way 

[TalkSport]

In this shape, I genuinely would have Gordon over Kane, and Bellingham to play the striker role and coming short. 

[EnterUsernameHere]

1 minute ago, JJ72 said:

Maybe but imagine the press meltdown when we lose because we throw it away attacking 

England are going to get slaughtered regardless of how they go out, unless it's something like a referee decision that eliminates them. 

I'd argue it would be even worse if the football on show was **** poor...

[Darren Moores Mum]

It's so hard to watch.

[RTHerringbone]

I think we're marginally less crap, but it's barely perceptible. The big problem remains the left - Trippier can be skinned at will on that flank and offers zilch going forwards. Positionally he'll move players about, but he can only ever cut inside. It's not his fault - he's right footed.

[The_jagster]

We don't look as likely to concede in this match admittedly, but it's not good. Spain could play one touch triangles to open up some space, we are just pass, trap, look up, pass ad nauseum.

It's why we have had about 2 crosses with any danger, we aren't moving it anywhere near quickly enough to create the dangerous situations out wide

Edited July 6 by The_jagster

[mrmeee17]

In fairness we look better today than in any of the previous games.

Need to offer more than just hoping Saka beats the 1v2 though because at some point they are going to realise and either triple team or kick the **** out of him.

[The_jagster]

2 minutes ago, Smallen said:

We pass the ball across the pitch a lot. I’d like to see us do that switch in one pass rather than 3 or 4… I think that would suit our current shape very well and give Saka some more 1v1 opportunities.

Ha! We're watching the same game

[JJ72]

Just now, RTHerringbone said:

I think we're marginally less crap, but it's barely perceptible. The big problem remains the left - Trippier can be skinned at will on that flank and offers zilch going forwards. Positionally he'll move players about, but he can only ever cut inside. It's not his fault - he's right footed.

I'd argue why isn't a professional footballer able to play off both feet?

[Haguey]

England got slaughtered for a 1-0 win over Serbia, might aswell do whatever we like if being scared of the home reaction has anything to do with how we play

[Andrew_]

2 minutes ago, aiston said:

Get gordon on, make the Swiss have to worry about both sides.

87th minute sub 

[RTHerringbone]

1 minute ago, TalkSport said:

In this shape, I genuinely would have Gordon over Kane, and Bellingham to play the striker role and coming short. 

I would honestly put Gordon in for Trippier. He's got great energy, tracks back, is quick, and can use his left foot. We'd be so much more balanced - imagine Saka's threat replicated on the left. We do not need to prioritise defensive stability at wing back. Gareth is just crapping it because Konsa only has a few caps.

[TalkSport]

Executed press perfectly? What the **** is Walcott watching  Foden is doing a lone job.

[The Amazing Dale Watkins]

2 minutes ago, Haguey said:

It was the same with everyones darling Spain team, they went ahead playing nice football then spent the rest of the game and extra time grinding it out playing turgid stuff and were lucky to win it. Can't think of any team who can saunter through a tournament playing glorious football, even the tika taka stuff was defensive in nature because it was possession over everything

It makes sense when you're protecting a lead. It doesn't make sense when you're in a knockout game against an objectively weaker opponent.

[Tummyowl]

They’ve all been told to be nicer about England.

Enjoyed the comment just now about Saka, who is apparently not playing where they expected him to play… (note he is playing where he has played all tournament and plays week in week out for Arsenal)

[Rob1981]

Looking good so far. Feels a lot like the Germany game. Better to be 0-0 at half time with another couple of gears to go up, than it is to be 1-0 up and already digging in defending a lead.

[Haguey]

Just now, The Amazing Dale Watkins said:

It makes sense when you're protecting a lead. It doesn't make sense when you're in a knockout game against an objectively weaker opponent.

But they carried on the same way when Germany scored again. They won with a counter attack via a header, extremely un-Spain

[Andrew_]

There's so much more potential in this team. But not with this manager