In possession that’s not unusual. If the CBs need an extra out particularly if the wing backs push up.
That for me isn’t a problem keeping in mind what phase your in.
You have to also keep in mind the ball playing skills and passing range of the CBs.
Sure in some situations it’s not warranted however in others it can give an advantage.
The problem in when defending deep it means one player less to pressure the opposition midfield where they are creating the plays.
In this case getting out to Messi to prevent those crosses and other plays coming in.
You win because that’s your aim. You don’t have to have any reason to win. There are many times that the World Cup was won by teams that were not the best in the tournament. (Most Italy ones, Cryuff’s Netherlands definitely better than West Germany, the Dutch were also better than Argentina, Brazil arguably the best side in 1998).
So England doesn’t have to have the best in the world in all positions, even most positions. They need a team with a couple of key players and the attitude and belief.
This.
They had it against Mexico, after some fairly mundane performances.
It was taken away from them after an hour on Wednesday, many of their players were probably looking at the dugout and thinking WTF!!!
Argentina had it on Wednesday, complete belief they’d get chances.
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I think it is a bit of an issue when your main ball playing CM is so far back, unless he is Alonso.
Makes it so much tougher to work the ball forward through midfield. In my view they should be getting the ball pinged into them in midfield by the cbs, or collecting it and quickly working forward.
If I´m the opponents and I see Anderson or especially a Pedri or Vitinha next to his cbs, I´d be thinking great, what´s he going to do?
But yes I agree completely on the defensive issue you mentioned. We looked short of numbers in midfield constantly. Compare it to what Ghana did against us sitting in front of us.
They absolutely did fuck up in that semifinal. This Argentina side is really not that good.
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When you have this, anything in football is possible.
Anything.
Just from our recent history
Istanbul, Dortmund at Anfield, and Barca at Anfield.
Yes.
But it can’t be taught or coached.
You either have pride and an overwhelming desire to win/not lose, or you’re a gutless twat.
No grey areas
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And decided that James would be more effecive in goal than Pickford
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to be fair that’s probably something he was right on 
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Rice’s position was mostly the result of sprinting off to have a squirt
It’s James’ that kills me. 2 yards behind the goalie. On average. I dont even know how that is possible.
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England are what they are. Definitely not the best, but in a smallish group, for a while now, that has got to the latter stages of major tournaments.
The manner of defeat against Argentina was galling. We played like a cowardly, smaller team, trying to hang on for dear life. So the criticism is warranted. And it’s part and parcel of football that fans of nations who haven’t been close to what England have done in, say, the last decade, will gladly stick the boot in. Enjoy!
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Surely the one charged with stopping Argentina from stealing Pickford’s water bottle.
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I didn’t see all the matches. Some must have been bang average, but they still got out of them. Mexico was really good.
That being said, Bobby Robson’s 1990 team was fantastic. They deserved to go all the way imo. The current team doesn’t get near, here I agree with you.
England fucked up their last twenty minutes against them, agreed, but on the other hand, they had an opposition who wouldn’t simply cave in and who were able to put serious pressure on them during these twenty minutes.
Argentina are a strange team. Looking at the way they played during the group stages, I had them bowing out in the quarterfinals at the very least. But they have that knack of believing in themselves and to never give up. So many late goals in one tournament can’t be haphazard. And they have a genius of a footballer in their side. That helps.
They were still seriously helped by the refs in critical moments, for instance against Egypt, and then again against Switzerland, just when they were under the cosh and ripe for the plucking.That’s the major caveat as far as I’m concerned. Almost an asterisk against their name if they go on to win it.
But they still have something about them. England did their best, but weren’t good enough to beat them, that is all. And it’s no shame.
The fondness people have for that team is driven almost entirely by how gallant the effort was in the losing the semi final, albeit against a good side, and the romance of it all with Gazza’s tears etc. They had largely sputtered up to that point with the consensus being that Robson’s exit couldnt come too soon. In the 5 games prior they had scored just 6 goals only 2 of those from open play, and beat only a single side, Egypt, in 90 mins.
For a side that included Barnes, Waddle, Linekar, and Gazza, it was a pretty meager attacking output.
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England did not make them try and play over 3/4 of the field. Cap Verde did a better job!
Mentally, Argentina are a superb team, and in possession in the final quarter, they can be absolutely lethal. But in most other phases of the game, they are not particularly strong. Had England lumped it up to Rashford to run it toward the box or corner, they would repeatedly have earned free kicks and killed clock. Instead, they let Argentina run attacking drills.
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Well, they topped the group, ahead of Ireland the Dutch team with Van Basten and Guillit etc.
Sure they didnt score lots and lots of goals but opponents were not so easy.
We were the only team in the group to win a game. Very cagey group.
I found throughout the tournament, ENG were far too casual in the attacking 3rd. One thing that sets ARG apart is their movement, and this is the same reason Spain managed to knock off FRA is their relentless pursuit of space out wide and behind the defence. Constantly moving
I kept watching ENG players walking in the final third. The one attack where they scored, they got behind ARG before they could get the low block set up.
Tuchel’s tactics were a bit too negative for my liking. would have liked to see more of guys like Eze & Watkins who have a bit of magic in them. Quite often, they are the difference at this level.
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