Rumours have it Dortmund aren’t a fan of tapping up so we had to send him undercover to put a word fews in Jude’s ear.
1 Like
I’ve had this on in the background has it actually been as uneventful as I feel it has.
Any decent streams? Im fucked off with work so looking to call it a day early today
Wouldn’t bother, this is typically painfully dull to watch.
We have the Germany - Hungary game instead. I’m fascinated by home much Sane is looking like Virgil.
Typical Italy and England, 2 dull boring sides with negative defensive minded managers…very predictable game.
Most exciting thing thats happened was Kane getting his face busted up.
Ok that backheel nutneg by Di Lorenzo on Kane was pretty sweet.
2 Likes
Beautiful goal by Raspa.
Awful defending by Walker.
1 Like
Clattenburg brought in for the exeprt ref opinion on how the ref might deal with Hungary players going down and time wasting. Clattenburg helpfully explained that they might be time wasting and the ref will need to look out for it.
Only thing I’m concerned about is Jude is getting the shit kicked out of him and the ref isn’t protecting him
Jude, great talent big future ahead of him but gimme Nico Barrela.
450+ minutes without an open play goal for England. Pretty damning for Southgate when you consider the amount of attacking talent he has at his disposal.
On the surface, sure. But we’re incredibly weak in defense, critically so. He has decided he needs to counter that by protecting the players he has available with a conservative approach, and then leaning on the supposedly better players he has by asking them to do more with less. It makes the team man for man worse than if we just picked a top heavy team including our best players, but it’s the pragmatic, sensible approach. Is it worth getting Grealish AND foden on the pitch at the same team at the expense of playing a flat back 4 with the likes of Maguire and Coady there?
Im sure if he had the likes of Seaman, Adams and Sol Campbell available, like was the case when he played, he’d be less conservative. But we dont, and that is going to tie the hands of any manager trying to get a tune out of this incredibly unbalanced group of players.
2 Likes
Hype jobs. 
Incredibly weak in defence imo is an overstatement. A potential back four of James - Stones - Tomori - Chilwell is more than adequate enough. Put Rice in front of that with Bellingham and Mount/Foden in a midfield three and that’s a pretty good balance.
I just can’t help but think a better manager would be getting far more out of this group of players and have the bollocks to drop the fridge, who’s continual selection will inevitably always imbalance the side when he needs three players around him at all times holding his hand.
7 Likes
Stones only performs in a side that isnt expected to defend, and has been freuqntly unavailable to Southgate anyway. With that set up you’d be relying on 2 FBs playing in a flat back 4 when they rarely do at the club level. Is Tomori the guy to bring that group together?
You can argue there are better options than what he’s been doing, but man for man any options he has for the defensive triangle between the CBs and GK is shit to a historic level I’ve never seen from an England team.
3 Likes
Ffs we got relegated. 
Don’t think it would be an issue for either full back to be honest. James is a great player, one of the most rounded full backs in the world right now. Tomori has been exceptional for Milan, he’s definitely more than worthy of an extended run in the side. Considering Maguire’s woeful form and far inferior skill set, it’s genuinely baffling he still gets selected ahead of him.
England have definitely been in a slump in terms of CB production for a while now. Mind you I reckon if Southgate had the riches Sven had he’d still find a way to play all of Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell, King, Carragher, Neville and Cole in the same team.
Didn’t even realize this was happening today. England are really poor. I just hope no Liverpool players play, or if they do, that it is fleeting, and there’s no injuries.
I remember as a kid being well hyped up and into watching England, but for years now it barely registers.
I reserve the right to be a hypocrite if they manage to spawn themselves to the sharp end of the World Cup, but even then, I will be hoping to swerve it due to the issues around Qatar, the workers, the human rights, and so on.