eenie

Yeah, definitely. Spain showed that you don't need eleven world-beaters on the pitch at once, you need a good system with good players who are well-coached, and if you have a couple of worldies in there then so much the better.

Maybe Trent boots the pizza box 70 yards over Gareth's garden fence and through his door so that it lands right in the middle of his dinner table? But of course the pizza is ruined in the attempt.

An advert where Gareth has to decide what to have for dinner and leaves it so late that he has to order Pizza Hut?

34 caps over about 15 years. Not sure England used him well tbh. Mainly because they were busy trying to fit Lampard & Gerrard & A.N.Other into a 2 man midfield...

Aye, his stock is high even though he's come in for a lot of criticism, he'll get a very good wage whatever he does next.

England definitely seem to have a lot of 10s and not as much depth at 6 or 8. Crying out for a Michael Carrick.

It's not TAA's fault that Southgate waited until the finals of a major tournament to experiment with him in central midfield for England. Whether or not he's an international-level central midfielder, you can't just chuck him in there like that. The whole thing smacked more than a little of Southgate trying, yet again, to shoehorn his best players onto the pitch rather than picking guys in the correct positions to give the best team rather than the best individuals. Once Walker retires (surely any second now), TAA will get that RB spot and if he plays his cards right, should nail it down for the next three tournament cycles at least.

They were? Spain were the better side by a margin imho.

In hindsight 2021 was the one you should have won, whereas this was a longer shot.

I think even under Southgate absolutely no-one wants to have to play England, you're rightly one of the favourites based on depth of talent.

First tweet is definitely a bit OTT, yeah But they've been the best team in the competition by a margin, imho, and I think they've generally been pretty good to watch too.

Whether Kane was injured or not (and I think he must be injured as I've never seen him so immobile), Southgate's failing was still playing him in every single game despite him offering almost nothing.

I have some questions. What in the name of all that's holy is XGChain? What is "Centrality"

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

What? Bizarre.

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

I've not seen that much of him tbf but he looks like an 8 to me rather than a 10.

A progressive passer?

Aye. Mainoo is great but he's not a progressive passer as far as I can see (based on this tournament, he's extremely tidy and composed and passes well, just not very incisively). Who would be the guy to play alongside Rice?

Aye, can't argue with either of those awards.

Yamal young player of the tournament. Quite bloody right too.

Can praise him for his record, and criticise him for the style, some of the performances, and that nagging feeling that being a little more positive might have made that record even better.

Spain comfortably the best side in competition and on the night. Southgate actually made subs before the 80th minute tonight, so fair play to him for that, but yet again England didn't do their talent level justice.

Shoot them anyway?

Can't sit in too deep and defend a lead if you never take the lead, though