Euro 2021

[east_mid]

His squad selection was flawed right from the beginning. A combination of an unbalanced mix of skill sets,short of a few older heads and only picking 4 strikers when 3 of them were known to be out of form was left us with 1 goal in 2 games and under achievement. Don't get me started on the unnecessary distractions that have nothing to do with winning a tournament.

 

[IndoMike]

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Our star player didn't even start. Grealish us the way forward if we want to progress and the sooner Southgate realises this the better, drop Rice to get him in as we don't need two holding midfielders. He also needs to be starting Rashford. Previously I would have said instead of Stirling, who still needs to be dropped as he is weak and is getting knocked off the ball too easily, but now I'm thinking instead of Kane who is playing like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. The only problem in doing that is who do you replace Stirling with when the best option in this situation is sat on his arse watching the tournament from home......... our Ollie of course. The only other option is to play Calvert-Lewin down the middle and Rashford left but I don't think Calvert-Lewin will be good enough.

More or less I agree with your synopsis.
I certainly don't think Calvert-Lewin is good enough. The only thing is that with Rashford as a central striker then our danger would be from fast counter-attacks.
So a front three of Foden-Rashford- Sterling would be pretty dangerous on the counter, bit not so great in breaking down a deep lying defense. A front three of
Foden- Watkins- Rashford with Grealish the supplier would be better, but of course that can't happen. That's the problem you get when the manager picks 4 right backs and three left backs (and even.then he plays the right back -Trippier - at left back ) : only 2 strikers - Kane and CL. Everybody knows Kane's form has slumped, too. Southgate treated Vardy badly : how we could do with a player like him.
Next you can be sure that Southgate will bring back Maguire : unfit and always liable to blunder.
Anyway, Scotland has shown the way to strangle England. I can't see Southgate having the nous to surprise opponents with a different system.

 

[IndoMike]

Tyrone Mings has been impressive so far, what will Southgate do if Maguire is fit again soon?

We have too much attacking talent in the squad to have Declan Rice passing it sideways along our back line fo 90 minutes when we already have Phillips who plays in a much more rounded holding role.

I also think Ben Chilwell offers so much more down the left hand side than Luke Shaw...Chilwell has a lot more energy to his play and can whip really dangerous balls into the box....rather than Shaw’s plodding style.

Agree with that except I thought Shaw played ok and didn't think he was plodding. I thought he was one of the few to show some urgency and to push forward. Opinions.

 

[Red Devon]

Agree with that except I thought Shaw played ok and didn't think he was plodding. I thought he was one of the few to show some urgency and to push forward. Opinions.

Shaw is good on the ball but doesn’t have that zip I like down the wing

 

[IndoMike]

Shaw is good on the ball but doesn’t have that zipp I like down the wing

Chilwell is good, too

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Chilwell is good, too

I had have Chilwell over Shaw.

 

[Banksy]

You know Mike , your post #212 read like Tisdale the Latter Years.

 

[IndoMike]

You know Mike , your post #212 read like Tisdale the Latter Years.

I've only just started. Wait till I get onto the topic of body language and wearing a cravat to frighten the opposition.
Just call me Guru ..

 

[elginCity]

A footballing hierarchy that refused to select arguably the best English manager ever Brian Clough (just because he was a bit gobby) - but has hired managers like
McClaren, Hodgson, Taylor and Southgate (who combined have not won anything) clearly hasn't got a clue. It's all about picking the nice guy who won't rock the boat....

Yet they threw big bucks at proven foreign managers, Cappello and Eriksson. Now Eddie Howe has rejected Celtic, that'd be a brave long term appointment, tactically astute but he's decent and a nice guy too.

 

[elginCity]

Begs the question why we had to take our ‘star’ player with us then and couldn’t think outside the box and take someone different , It’s making decisions like that that are game changers.

Spot on, Banksy. Another negative legacy of our media, intense pressure to play the 'star' player and building the team around them. Remember when Beckham was rushed back from his metatarsel injury only to jump out of that tackle against Brazil which resulted in them scoring. Rooney's another who was regularly indulged with a shirt when clearly unfit and off the pace, and now Harry Kane. The manager should remember the old adage, pick the team on current form.