Nations League & Friendlies

[Zip]

Judge him on how England do in the World Cup and Euros.

I have done. 2 defeats that should have been victories, but for his abject in-game management.

Great guy, excellent squad / man manager, but not astute enough tactically to win anything of significance.

We could do better.

And whilst he's done better than others, with the quality of players at his disposal he should have managed them to at least one win

Are the current squad better than the so called golden generation? Are they better than the best England team I can recall dating back to the 1970 WC squad?

Be careful what you wish for.

[Royal Rother]

Judge him on how England do in the World Cup and Euros.

I have done. 2 defeats that should have been victories, but for his abject in-game management.

Great guy, excellent squad / man manager, but not astute enough tactically to win anything of significance.

We could do better.

Why should England have beaten an in form Italian side in the final?

You did watch the Euros final, right?

[Zip]

I have done. 2 defeats that should have been victories, but for his abject in-game management.

Great guy, excellent squad / man manager, but not astute enough tactically to win anything of significance.

We could do better.

Why should England have beaten an in form Italian side in the final?

You did watch the Euros final, right?

Er yes. The question remains to be answered.

[URZZZZ]

Here you lot go again. Southgate crap eh? Just run past me his record in MAJOR tournaments?
Please also remind me how many England managers have a better record than him in major tournaments

Judge him on how England do in the World Cup and Euros.

Personally thought the World Cup was a fluky run but when you add the success of the last Euros, it’s difficult to dismiss it as coincidental

Talks of sacking him before the World Cup are off the mark, and I don’t quite share the viewpoint of how “talented” the squad, it’s a squad filled with talented “attacking midfielders” but that doesn’t make a good team (particular dearth of quality in defensive areas). On the other hand, you always make a rod for your own back when you’re not adventurous enough and you end up losing games

[Zip]

Here you lot go again. Southgate crap eh? Just run past me his record in MAJOR tournaments?
Please also remind me how many England managers have a better record than him in major tournaments

Judge him on how England do in the World Cup and Euros.

Personally thought the World Cup was a fluky run but when you add the success of the last Euros, it’s difficult to dismiss it as coincidental

Talks of sacking him before the World Cup are off the mark, and I don’t quite share the viewpoint of how “talented” the squad, it’s a squad filled with talented “attacking midfielders” but that doesn’t make a good team (particular dearth of quality in defensive areas). On the other hand, you always make a rod for your own back when you’re not adventurous enough and you end up losing games

Fair comment and pretty much agree. We are always being told how talented England squads are over the years. It's always a little exaggerated. This is a,decent squad but they are not world beaters yet Southgate gets slagged off when they go seriously deep in major tournaments.

[windermereROYAL]

The WC was a fluke, it just fell into place with all the fancied teams on our half of the draw going out giving us a free run to the final which we fukked up,
We did well to reach the euro final agreed but the fault for losing that falls squarely on his shoulders, ultra defensive line up, take the lead inside 5 minutes and try to defend it for 90.
He will get this WC of course, but if we fail miserably, I would expect him to walk.

[Royal Rother]

The WC was a fluke, it just fell into place with all the fancied teams on our half of the draw going out giving us a free run to the final which we fukked up,
We did well to reach the euro final agreed but the fault for losing that falls squarely on his shoulders, ultra defensive line up, take the lead inside 5 minutes and try to defend it for 90.
He will get this WC of course, but if we fail miserably, I would expect him to walk.

Pretty much the exact same thing in the WC Semi v Croatia.

[Zip]

This really is rewriting history .
The team didn't look to defend after going ahead against both Croatia and Italy. That's nonsense
Against Croatia they dominated the first half and Kane missed a sitter just before the break to make it two nil
In the second half the Croats didn't threaten but got an equaliser out of nowhere. Thereafter they edged the game and England ran out of steam.

Against Italy they were the better side for the first thirty minutes but gradually Italy worked their way back into it and equalised.
The game was then very even until the end of extra time.

[bcubed]

I have done. 2 defeats that should have been victories, but for his abject in-game management.

Great guy, excellent squad / man manager, but not astute enough tactically to win anything of significance.

We could do better.

And whilst he's done better than others, with the quality of players at his disposal he should have managed them to at least one win

Are the current squad better than the so called golden generation? Are they better than the best England team I can recall dating back to the 1970 WC squad?

Be careful what you wish for.

I think so. Much greater strength in depth.

But not better than 1970

Should have won in 1970 too!

[Zip]

And whilst he's done better than others, with the quality of players at his disposal he should have managed them to at least one win

Are the current squad better than the so called golden generation? Are they better than the best England team I can recall dating back to the 1970 WC squad?

Be careful what you wish for.

I think so. Much greater strength in depth.

But not better than 1970

Should have won in 1970 too!

Brazil were the best side in 1970 imo but it was a terrific England team.

[LUX]

Srsly, it’s prolly a good thing we are going into the World Cup being written off. I have seen us bigged up so many times, only to disappoint.

I have not looked at the Nations League tables recently but iirc France and Germany are also poorly placed. They’ll be better come the important tournament, hopefully us too.

[bcubed]

Are the current squad better than the so called golden generation? Are they better than the best England team I can recall dating back to the 1970 WC squad?

Be careful what you wish for.

I think so. Much greater strength in depth.

But not better than 1970

Should have won in 1970 too!

Brazil were the best side in 1970 imo but it was a terrific England team.

Ever since that game v West Germany, I was always nervous about being 2 0 up in any game I played!

Think we had every chance of beating Brazil who are clearly a quality side. Taking Bobby Charlton off when 2 up is possibly the worst ever managerial decision

[LUX]

Luxembourg got a very good 3-3 draw in Turkey, confirming they are no longer pushovers. Second in the table.

Home to Lithuania on Sunday, might go and watch.

[bcubed]

Think you're right Lux about it being good that we won't be bigged up, well not as much anyway!

And France and Germany haven't done brilliantly in the Nations League but neither will be relegated as far as I know

[Zip]

I think so. Much greater strength in depth.

But not better than 1970

Should have won in 1970 too!

Brazil were the best side in 1970 imo but it was a terrific England team.

Ever since that game v West Germany, I was always nervous about being 2 0 up in any game I played!

Think we had every chance of beating Brazil who are clearly a quality side. Taking Bobby Charlton off when 2 up is possibly the worst ever managerial decision

Yes it was a shocking decision and changed the game. Ramsey had one eye on the semi final.
Brazil had just that little bit extra as they showed in the group game between the two sides but what a game. Banks save. Moore's tackle and that iconic photo of Moore and Pele at the end of the game.

[Franchise FC]

I think so. Much greater strength in depth.

But not better than 1970

Should have won in 1970 too!

Brazil were the best side in 1970 imo but it was a terrific England team.

Ever since that game v West Germany, I was always nervous about being 2 0 up in any game I played!

Think we had every chance of beating Brazil who are clearly a quality side. Taking Bobby Charlton off when 2 up is possibly the worst ever managerial decision

We did have every chance of beating Brazil … in the game with them that we lost

[bcubed]

Brazil were the best side in 1970 imo but it was a terrific England team.

Ever since that game v West Germany, I was always nervous about being 2 0 up in any game I played!

Think we had every chance of beating Brazil who are clearly a quality side. Taking Bobby Charlton off when 2 up is possibly the worst ever managerial decision

We did have every chance of beating Brazil … in the game with them that we lost

I think you know but I meant
every chance of beating them in the final, albeit we would have had to beat Italy first! Both quite achievable with that team imo.

[Ascotexgunner]

This really is rewriting history .
The team didn't look to defend after going ahead against both Croatia and Italy. That's nonsense
Against Croatia they dominated the first half and Kane missed a sitter just before the break to make it two nil
In the second half the Croats didn't threaten but got an equaliser out of nowhere. Thereafter they edged the game and England ran out of steam.

Against Italy they were the better side for the first thirty minutes but gradually Italy worked their way back into it and equalised.
The game was then very even until the end of extra time.

No excuse for running out of steam this time. Most of that team can't even get a start at their clubs. McGuire will be fresh as a daisy.....

That game was crying out for someone to unlock the Italian defence last night, James Madison being ignored by Southgate is borderline criminal, the kind of player who can win you games and has that vision to create.

[Sutekh]

But its not meaningless if the result is we are now unseeded and face more difficult qualifying in future.

Good! Actually a little sick and tired of the ridiculous qualifying groups full of meaningless games where England only have to turn up. Be great to actually have games where there’s something to watch and a question over whether England might qualify or might not. There’ll be the usual raft of back doors for those that are fail to win their group as well so all shouldn’t be lost if England get stuck with the likes of Sweden and Turkey and the myriad of other nations they always struggle against. Anyway be a good kick up the arse and good practice for England as well to be playing games that matter.

Just for the record how on Earth did England, Italy and Germany all find themselves in the same Nations League group anyway that was always likely to end badly.

[bcubed]

But its not meaningless if the result is we are now unseeded and face more difficult qualifying in future.

Good! Actually a little sick and tired of the ridiculous qualifying groups full of meaningless games where England only have to turn up. Be great to actually have games where there’s something to watch and a question over whether England might qualify or might not. There’ll be the usual raft of back doors for those that are fail to win their group as well so all shouldn’t be lost if England get stuck with the likes of Sweden and Turkey and the myriad of other nations they always struggle against. Anyway be a good kick up the arse and good practice for England as well to be playing games that matter.

Just for the record how on Earth did England, Italy and Germany all find themselves in the same Nations League group anyway that was always likely to end badly.

Maybe so but if you were responsible for the team you wouldn't choose this route would you? As well as the questions about his selection and tactical nous this adds more questions about his ability to understand the rules of competitions!