The Final: Spain vs England live from the Olympiastadion, Berlin. BBC1 AND ITV1. Sunday 8pm

[Lucas]

Gareth sounds absolutely crushed.  

[Lucas]

1 minute ago, TalkSport said:

Was that the reason to why he called up Gordon? Easier to give him 0 minutes, whereas Grealish or Rashford will be more controversial as it would get more attention. 

Gordon did come on in one game. But very telling he never came on after that. 

[skybluedave]

Gareth's gone. I'll always love the bloke, thought sadly not been good enough to get us over that final line. Staying on would be a disaster. 

Potter ball time

[eenie]

1 minute ago, Lucas said:

Gareth sounds absolutely crushed.  

Yeah, he sounded like he was struggling to keep it together tbh.

[kopsy101]

Just now, Vynal Seven said:

Yeah **** the stats, did you see the performances?

Yep, play worsened when he went off both times, particularly in the second game when he was the best of a bad bunch of midfielders 

[Darren Moores Mum]

1 minute ago, Lucas said:

Gareth sounds absolutely crushed.  

He's rode the luck all tournament. Time to move on 

[Smallen]

2 minutes ago, InigoPatinkin said:

Mainoo will end up being an 8, you can tell that's his natural position by the way he links up with other players in midfield, but for that you need someone behind him to give the ball further up. 

I guess it’s about the profiles that play in midfield with him too, but he loses concentration and gets passed around too easily to play as an 8 or in a double pivot from what I’ve seen. He can get better of course as he’s only very young.

[SouthCoastRed]

Just now, Darren Moores Mum said:

He's rode the luck all tournament. Time to move on 

Fat Sam on his way back

[Darren Moores Mum]

Just now, SouthCoastRed said:

Fat Sam on his way back

I like his win ratio 

 

[Vynal Seven]

2 minutes ago, kopsy101 said:

Yep, play worsened when he went off both times, particularly in the second game when he was the best of a bad bunch of midfielders 

Well hopefully Arne Slot gives him plenty of practice in CM this season. 

[Lucas]

Really grates me when Rio thinks he can criticise this team though. Especially considering the England sides he played in. 

[Ackter]

7 minutes ago, m_fenton said:

That person is?

Hard to tell when Southgate refused to drop Rice and try anyone else.

What was James WP doing? Curtis Jones I think was injured, but that didnt stop Kane or Shaw coming along. Wharton? Maddison? Hell, ****ing bring in Ross Barkley to try him out, anything other than this trash

[Ackter]

5 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Gordon did come on in one game. But very telling he never came on after that. 

He had like 47 seconds didn't he?

[eenie]

1 minute ago, Lucas said:

Really grates me when Rio thinks he can criticise this team though. Especially considering the England sides he played in. 

What?  Bizarre.

[Ackter]

6 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Gareth sounds absolutely crushed.  

Good. He deserves it.

[Astafjevs]

Yeh Mainoo looks like an 8 to me. Needs to be given licence to play, get forward, play again etc. England need a Xavi/Verratti character, or a Xabi Alonso, but seem to struggle to produce these kind of players. Carrick the last one I can remember. 

[Baptista_8]

Have we got the players like everyone says? Rice is very limited.

Gareth admitting that Kane hasn't quite been up to the level we wanted btw..then why the hell was he starting every game?

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, Lucas said:

Really grates me when Rio thinks he can criticise this team though. Especially considering the England sides he played in. 

Rio has 0 EURO appearances, right? 

[Baptista_8]

Mainoo is definitely an 8 btw.

[eenie]

Kane with three touches in the box today. One in the Spanish box and two in his own box  

[TalkSport]

1 minute ago, Astafjevs said:

Yeh Mainoo looks like an 8 to me. Needs to be given licence to play, get forward, play again etc. England need a Xavi/Verratti character, or a Xabi Alonso, but seem to struggle to produce these kind of players. Carrick the last one I can remember. 

I’m all in on Miley for us becoming that player over the next two years as he matures. 

[Lucas]

1 minute ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Rio has 0 EURO appearances, right? 

I think he was injured for one and drugs ban for the other or something? I might be misremembering. 

He has been in a EUROs squad though... '96.

[Ackter]

Just now, TalkSport said:

I’m all in on Miley for us becoming that player over the next two years as he matures. 

Ah you're forgetting that he plays for Newcastle and we ****ing ruin youth players.

[CFuller]

End-of-tournament montage time. 

The BBC signing off with The Kinks.

(And a nice glimpse of Sven there. So sad we couldn't win it for him.)

Edited July 14 by CFuller

[m_fenton]

1 minute ago, Baptista_8 said:

Have we got the players like everyone says? Rice is very limited.

Gareth admitting that Kane hasn't quite been up to the level we wanted btw..then why the hell was he starting every game?

Gareth's a fraud for not trying Ross Barkley in the midfield 2 according to Ackter, which I'm sure would have gone down well.

That'll do for me tonight I think.

[Lucas]

2 minutes ago, Ackter said:

He had like 47 seconds didn't he?

Sounds about right  

[Baptista_8]

Just now, m_fenton said:

Gareth's a fraud for not trying Ross Barkley in the midfield 2 according to Ackter, which I'm sure would have gone down well.

That'll do for me tonight I think.

Barkley can play tbf 👀

[Ackter]

Just now, m_fenton said:

Gareth's a fraud for not trying Ross Barkley in the midfield 2 according to Ackter, which I'm sure would have gone down well.

That'll do for me tonight I think.

No, my point is Southgate didn't try anything. He never does.

[Ackter]

Just now, Baptista_8 said:

Barkley can play tbf 👀

If only he hadn't gone to Chelsea.

[Robson 07]

Kane.

Waste.

Of.

Time. 

[Baptista_8]

[TM]

played years of FM and even I can't figure this one out

why are Mainoo, Foden and Kane in the same place

[skybluedave]

Ross Barkley 

[enigmatic]

Just now, Astafjevs said:

Yeh Mainoo looks like an 8 to me. Needs to be given licence to play, get forward, play again etc. England need a Xavi/Verratti character, or a Xabi Alonso, but seem to struggle to produce these kind of players. Carrick the last one I can remember. 

6 has been our weakest point for decades.

Carrick was good but woefully under used, Barry got more caps but was probably even more under-used until the rest of the team was ****, Batty was good but not exactly expansive, and basically everyone else we've played would have preferred a more box to box role (Rice is waaaayyy better than the average here)

[Wavelberry]

1 minute ago, TM said:

played years of FM and even I can't figure this one out

why are Mainoo, Foden and Kane in the same place

Passes the eye test of Saka being our only attacking outlet.

[Ackter]

Just now, Wavelberry said:

Passes the eye test of Saka being our only attacking outlet.

Harry Kane more forward than expected though.

[afced7]

7 minutes ago, Lucas said:

I think he was injured for one and drugs ban for the other or something? I might be misremembering. 

He has been in a EUROs squad though... '96.

That was Sir Les, not Rio 

Edited July 14 by afced7

[The Golden boy]

5 minutes ago, Lucas said:

I think he was injured for one and drugs ban for the other or something? I might be misremembering. 

He has been in a EUROs squad though... '96.

He hadn't made his England debut until 1997.

2000 he was overlooked by Keegan

2004 drugs ban

2008 didn't qualify

2012 left out because of Terry's racism against his brother

[Baptista_8]

Just now, enigmatic said:

(Rice is waaaayyy better than the average here)

On OTF? I'd hope so.

[eenie]

Just now, TM said:

played years of FM and even I can't figure this one out

why are Mainoo, Foden and Kane in the same place

I have some questions.

What in the name of all that's holy is XGChain?
What is "Centrality"

[kopsy101]

Just now, Vynal Seven said:

Well hopefully Arne Slot gives him plenty of practice in CM this season. 

I think it's telling how much lazy punditry creates such bizarre narratives that people really buy into.

The midfield was poor all tournament apart from Netherlands first half. Mainoo was shocking tonight, but I've not seen anything about it and that's absolutely as it should be. 

You can't judge this lot on these performances really, it's such a poor system they're playing in. They'll all go back to their clubs, play in better teams and play superbly. The blame for the dysfunctional football lies with management, rather than at the feet of any individuals and that was proven throughout. 

I'd have Trent in our midfield, he at least continue's to create opportunities and he'd learn when not to ask for the ball/take a touch. Which is essentially what he got punished for, isn't it. 

[Lucas]

2 minutes ago, The Golden boy said:

He hadn't made his England debut until 1997.

2000 he was overlooked by Keegan

2004 drugs ban

2008 didn't qualify

2012 left out because of Terry's racism against his brother

I was listening to TRIF and he mentioned '96  but double checked the records and you're right. 

The lying weasel. 

[Barnzy]

That central midfield resembles my dad daughters under 9 teams positioning 

[TM]

2 minutes ago, eenie said:

I have some questions.

What in the name of all that's holy is XGChain?
What is "Centrality"

no idea about the first one, 2nd might mean Walker was more central than right? I just work on goals rather than caring about xG

[Bootador]

xgchain is basically involvement in play which creates xg. Will typically be a deep lying midfielder, i.e. someone heavily involved in most moves.

Centrality  = % of final third completions that are towards the middle of pitch (I had to google that).

Edited July 14 by Bootador

[Lucas]

3 minutes ago, eenie said:

I have some questions.

What in the name of all that's holy is XGChain?
What is "Centrality"

Rubbish people are making up to sound clever and get people to share. 

It's not a stat unless it's got an X in it now. Like teenager pseudonyms.

[TalkSport]

 

[Net Spend Tony]

I can't belive how little trent was used. I think he may have still had the most assists for England or just behind Bellingham despite how little he played 

[ajw10]

Bellingham being moved out wide so Foden could contribute nothing? What a manager Gareth Southgate is.

We will never win anything under Southgate. I fear this is it for England competing 

[Icy]

Why is Bellingham playing left sided? he is not fast enough to play there. Imho he has amazing quality but can't find his role at the national team. His natural position is number 10 but Fodden is also great there and more mobile so maybe he should go back and play alongside Rice but going forward as b2b or mezzala (in FM terms)? I also wonder if he is also going to play back in the midfield in Real next season with Kross gone or he will keep playing more as 10 or even second striker.