Nations League & Friendlies

[6ft Kerplunk]

One issue I have with it though is the lack of opportunites it leaves to play sides from other parts of the world. For example it would be good for our players to get experience of playing in the Middle East or against South American teams who are typically quite hard to play in major competitions.

Yep, agree with what you're saying here. What's planned for the autumn international breaks, actually are they even happening with the mental season its going to be with the World Cup in December?

[NathStPaul]

One issue I have with it though is the lack of opportunites it leaves to play sides from other parts of the world. For example it would be good for our players to get experience of playing in the Middle East or against South American teams who are typically quite hard to play in major competitions.

Yep, agree with what you're saying here. What's planned for the autumn international breaks, actually are they even happening with the mental season its going to be with the World Cup in December?

Got two games in September against Italy and Germany. Would imagine we will be playing one or two friendlies in Qatar pre tournament but that will be it. Playing European opposition in September really won't be helpful imo.

[URZZZZ]

Neither Rice nor Phillips is surely worth £100 million.

There's at least a 50% English player in the Premier League levy being applied. Particularly to Rice who looks decent but nothing special at international level. Phillips is never quoted as being that amount is he?

Phillips' price has appeared to be going up and up since a figure of £50 million was mentioned a few months ago.
I agree about the English player uplift but Walker and Wan-Bissaka as full-backs (never historically a position where clubs forked out big money) cost £50 million so a current defensive England midfielder would probably fetch quite a bit more than that.

Rice is comfortably better than Phillips who I just don’t see as more than a bang average Prem midfielder. Agreed that neither are worth £100m for reasons already outlined, see Sancho as reference too

[URZZZZ]

I don't. There's clearly a lot of talent in the side. Who's to say England wouldn't have comfortably won the Euros with a better manager?

Seriously? This is a good England side but they are not streets ahead of the better European nations which your post suggesting they could have comfortably won the Euros implies.

We were in the final and at one point winning 1-0. It is a game we could have won comfortably had it not been for Southgate reverting to type in the 2nd half and employing negative tactics. Southgate got it badly wrong in that 2nd half against Italy and deserves his share of the blame for it. Firmly believe a more positive approach would have seen us score again and wrap up the game. Got his penalty takers completely wrong too, I accept that is pretty much luck of the draw though.

Whilst Southgate does deserve criticism he has taken us to a World Cup semi and a Euros final, that isn't to be sniffed at and I think suggesting he should be replaced is premature. He just doesn't have a killer instinct as a manager, too safe.

Tend to agree with this

Personally find watching England rather uninspiring but think that’s just down to how many games are of a similar nature where teams drop really deep. Don’t think we force the initiative enough but ultimately his record speaks for itself and I don’t actually think the squad of players is as talented as people make out (more based on future potential with a fair few of them)

[fartdad]

How does the Republic perform so well internationally when their domestic league is poor compared to like SPL?

[BROB0T]

How does the Republic perform so well internationally when their domestic league is poor compared to like SPL?

Because most of the team play in the Championship or lower prem

[NathStPaul]

Pleased to see Grealish, Abraham, Tomori and Ramsdale starting.

[NathStPaul]

This has been very pedestrian, movement up front nonexistent.

[Zip]

Excellent from Wales tonight
We look so much better with Ampadu at CDM and Wilson starting
Brennan Johnson is going to be some player
A richly deserved draw v Belgium
It was great to see the team pouring forward like that

[Ascotexgunner]

Excellent from Wales tonight
We look so much better with Ampadu at CDM and Wilson starting
Brennan Johnson is going to be some player
A richly deserved draw v Belgium
It was great to see the team pouring forward like that

We have been brilliant in the nation's league against top sides.....and really entertaining.
Should have beaten poland, threw a well earned point away against Holland and looked comfortable against Belgium.
Johnson looks an amazing player in a Wales shirt. How we have only 1 point is baffling.

[LUX]

How does the Republic perform so well internationally when their domestic league is poor compared to like SPL?

To be fair, they have been terrible for the past few years. Check out their results.

[Franchise FC]

At the danger of repeating myself, Raheem Sterling, for someone with his scoring record he is absolutely dogshite in front of goal

I thought I’d have calmed down after last night by now … not so, obviously

[Zip]

How does the Republic perform so well internationally when their domestic league is poor compared to like SPL?

To be fair, they have been terrible for the past few years. Check out their results.

Truly dreadful both in performance and results.

[South Coast Royal]

At the danger of repeating myself, Raheem Sterling, for someone with his scoring record he is absolutely dogshite in front of goal

I thought I’d have calmed down after last night by now … not so, obviously

creating loads of chances-it will be interesting to see how he gets on if indeed he does move

If he had been a Conference player missing that chance you might have felt the same but thought that he was just a Conference player.
It does seem as though Pep has decided that he isn't reliable enough having left him out of big games last season and wouldn't be too upset to see him leave.

IMHO Sterling has been very fortunate to have excellent players around him at England's top 2 clubs creating loads of chances-it will be interesting to see how he gets on if indeed he does move this Summer.
In his early days his pace and positional sense were great assets but I do think his best days are behind him if his form of the past season is anything to go by.

At England level both Bowen and Grealish have shown up well so , unless Southgate has the same blind spot about Sterling as he has about Maguire, he may not be the regular starter for country, nor club if he stays at City.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Really enjoying this.

[Franchise FC]

My God, this is turgid

I like Reece James, bit a left back he is not
Every time he cuts back onto his right and it takes away any momentum
I’ve wanted Bellingham as a starter for a while, but he’s doing his best to make that idea look stupid

I have no idea where we’re getting our next goal from
Doesn’t look like it’ll be from open play at the moment

Is Jonny Bairstow available ?

[Pepe the Horseman]

Phillips has been absolutely woeful tonight.

[tulip]

Really don't understand this Nations League thing.
It's weird to see a group containing England, Germany and Italy being topped by Hungary.

[Pepe the Horseman]

EngerLOLand

[NathStPaul]

Southgate has a lot of questions to answer after this. Really embarrassing stuff.