TalkSport

Messi hamstring gone?

Romero never seems to want to make a standing tackle, always wants to slide Like then, there was no need to slide tackle to give away a throw.

Come on Argentina. Kill it off early.

Baffled more by Kane in that clip looking at it more. Started to make the run to pull Upmanecano away to make space for Saka, then just stopped, so Upmanecano realised he could leave Kane and get back to put pressure on Saka to take the shot more quickly.

Just naturally makes a central run as that’s the space to run into when Saka initially turns, and Foden is more central to start off with too. If he suddenly runs wide left instead, the passing angle isn’t on at all because he’d need to go otherside of Kounde. Like I said before with Kane long term, you need him to be there and make those runs, so someone can stay wide when another player picks the ball up in areas where Saka got it. All tiny details, but probably the difference at top club level with those players and international level. Probably for Man City, KDB does what Saka does, Haaland does what Foden does, and Foden is wider, and there’s also another winger wide which means not as many go towards the one on the ball without offering up space. Having someone for us who can get the ball in those areas and then not lose one from outwide is next evolution we need.

Top job should be someone who’s English by eligibility. Same for all nations. It’s the best of the country against best of other counties.

That was how he was against Senegal too. Can only think it’s a combination of tactics/lack of intelligence. Being told to stay central so he literally stays central, but then not having the required intelligence that he can still keep getting the ball by staying central if he just moved 2 yards left or right. Still not much wrong overall as he was great at stopping counters, it just meant we needed someone else to show further central but Bellingham/Henderson in both games were more wider, with the wingers hugging the touchline. Probably felt like the best way to play a 4 and keep the threat away from the CB was to keep the ball wide so you lose it there rather than centrally. Probably not the case, but must be some logic behind the approach.

As long as he doesn't have regular injuries, should still be leading the line come next WC. Even without pace, he's intelligence is up there. How he kept rolling Upmanecano is the sort of thing that you don't lose over time, if anything become more clever with it. Plus he's a finisher, even if he was just slightly off with that chance against Lloris (just as much good goalkeeping that than to blame Kane).

Think problem was that Foden was being man marked to the extreme by Kounde, so passing option was rarely ever on. Would've been a much more risky pass to make if you wanted to keep things tight. Interesting to see from that Grizemann and Giroud, in comparison to us. We nullified Mbappe threat, but Grizemann just went to the otherside a lot more to get the ball and be dangerous with it. We just don't have the same, well Kane does it but then it needs the runners beyond which is hard (and often seen before) against sides that are deeper. Do think the next evolution of this side in a 4-3-3, is being able to keep Kane high in same Giroud is for France and have one of the CMs pick the ball up in those spaces.

When I looked other day since start of WC18, against Croatia/Spain/Italy/France/Germany/Belgium it's something like 5 wins in 18 games I think, more defeats than wins. During that period, Germany won less than 50% of all their games too We have closed the gap as the France game showed, but still came up short. Italy x2 probably only named side we'll face before Euro24.

Surely they will need to add some extra venues?

Him not playing there for Man City, shouldn't stop us playing him there. Man City have B.Silva/KDB currently there. Midfield 3 yesterday was fine, but we need the option of other things being available. Currently we've only got 5 CMs that seem to be trusted. Mount/Hendo/Bellingham for further 2, Phillips/Rice for deeper role.

Saka has RW on lockdown, then LW there’s plenty that can rotate around with Sterling/Grealish/Rashford and whoever comes along (Sancho too if form regains). None of those names can play centrally and impact games which we lack at times.

Oh god, hope not. Foden needs to be central. He can do the job on left well, but centrally he’s key for us moving forward. He’s best involvement last night was when he was allowed to leave the left touchline and pick the ball up more centrally. Meant he didn’t have Kounde man marking him and France didn’t know who to pick him up. Getting him to work in a midfield three which contains Bellingham should be a priority moving forward to the Euros IMO.

Think it comes down to if Southgate feels this side has turned a corner under him, or if the tournament was a last dance. As people probably forget approaching this World Cup we looked like a side that was approaching the end under Southgate. There hasn’t and don’t think there will be a standout side at this WC, which makes it painful dropping short again.

I can understand now why fans get annoyed when their side play Man City, the cyclical fouls France were doing in first 30 to stop any transition and none were booked till like Grizemanns 5th one

Just one team call up before summer, so will be interesting to see what the squad looks like for the June games against Malta/Macedonia. It’ll feel a quick turnaround to the Euros.

Well he does, as he’s not playing for Man Utd this season, or as long as ETH is there

Issue would be, does he move on this squad over the next 18 months? He clearly has favourites, so would he dare leave out Sterling/Maguire etc over that period when it’s likely they should be as the cycle with them is ending.

Genuinely don’t know how England FA would turn too. Has to be someone that keeps the team harmony going. Steve Cooper would be my guess because of his previous connections with England and being involved with likes of Foden etc. Cant see us ever going aboard again. Howe the inform one, but that would be a very hard battle to get. Staying internal with like Steve Holland would be an utter disaster.

Agree. I’m not a fan of his, but this World Cup, by large his decisions been fine, stuck with 4-3-3, and today just the wrong side of a 50/50 game. Feel that a 4th cycle is one too many, and this team needs a fresh approach now with likely with a few of the senior guys on the fringes over the next 18 months.

Proper weak ending. Think that’s the end of Southgate road. We played well, but think that’s psychologically done as a cycle.

Get Maddison on just for this.

Saka/Foden, have to leave one on or bring Grealish on. Otherwise lose so much and it’s aimless clips in. Proper just gave up after that pen miss.

Foden has a hell of a leap.