England National Team

I cannot fucking believe the draw Southgate has spawned. Again.

Has there every been an international manager who has been simultaneously blessed with so many world class players and piss easy draws, and still fail to bring home a trophy?

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He has a handy knack of bringing together a collection of talented and borderline world class players, and making them look bang average.

Good man.

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Read somewhere that he has played teams ranked in world top ten 24 times, and only won 2

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Assuming England wins the round of 16 game, it is probably Italy and Netherlands. Not nobodies, but England are definitely in the lucky half of the draw.

A route to the final is definitely there.

Perhaps thatā€™s what will happen, only to then lose to Spain/Portugal/Germany/France and Southgate will come home a hero?

Then take the Man Utd job. You know it makes sense. :grinning:

Hoping they get all the way to the finalā€¦

ā€¦then experiencing utter humiliation and devastation

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:joy:

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Based on the group stage Southgate has to be sacked after the tournament but the lucky fucker has the chance to leave on his terms with a good win vs Slovakia and another good performance in the quarter final.

Agree with most of this except using Kane as an example, why have teams won bugger all when he plays for them?

He may be a quality finisher but other than that he limits how teams play as he doesnā€™t stretch the opposition, gets in the way of the midfield and offers no pressure on the opposition defenders.

Playing currently as a defender he is the type of player, even at my low and old level I enjoy playing against as he is slow and plays in front of me, never threatens in behind.

I just think he wants to be billy big bollox and for England he gets in theway of our best players by taking up the space they want to play in rather than trying to stretch a defence which would then allow the likes of Foden and Judy to play in the space that he has vacated.

Sorry for the rant, I just donā€™t like what Kane offers to the England team.

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Sorry mate but I think youā€™re using the recent England performances as a welcome opportunity to have a go at rival players.

Itā€™s not just English media. Bookies had England as favorites and even now they still see England as favorites. Pundits and international media had England as favorites and thatā€™s mainly based on the players they have.

Are we (Liverpool) not a top team? Stones (better than Konate), Rice, Bellingham, Foden and Kane would get in my Liverpool starting 11. The only reason Saka wouldnā€™t is because of Salah.

This is all on Southgate. Thing is results and performances have been good until the end of 2023 but what happened this year even for his standards is embarrassing.

Yeah, Jude only looks good because Real Madrid made him their lynchpin.

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You missed out four thousand words.

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Some arguments are worth exploring. Some are not.

Thatā€™s not ā€œanother perspective.ā€ That is MY argument.

Your best players are still your best players. Your best team is not necessarily the one with all the best players on the pitch. Unfortunately England are in that place again. Much like Sven-Gƶran Eriksson failing to utilise Michael Carrick at the 2006 World Cup, or Roy Hodgson putting Wayne Rooney in his midfield at Euro 2016, Gareth Southgate has fallen into a familiar trap. His tactics are leaden, his starting XI is unbalanced and one of his biggest mistakes ā€“ being seduced into fitting too many similar types into a one-paced attack

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Iā€™m Spartacus!

I put up two teams along the way, making the same point. I would drop Bellingham and Kane, to try to help a better team emerge.

Trent right back as well, and Gomez left back, as Trent will step up from his starting spot, so three central defenders will keep it reasonably solid.

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@Cologne-Liverpool I saw it before you deleted and I liked it :cold_sweat:

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In your heart it will live on forever

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Who do you think he is, cardiffpete?

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To be honest, the only one I would really consider is Bellingham.

Again, at a push Rice as a 6ā€¦
But Stones, Kaneā€¦no way.
And Foden?
File with Saka.

Thats one player though, and Kane scoring loads but winning fuck all in Germany.

Maybe the players are overhyped?