England v Slovenia

[Sutekh]

Yay, Gordon's going to get 5 minutes

[Orion1871]

Bellingham should be deeper and running with the ball from midfield.

Southgate seems to think that because he played in a number 10 role at club level this season that he should be doing that with England. Ignoring the fact at club level he has a better manager who's tactically far superior to Southgate.

[Sutekh]

Bellingham should be deeper and running with the ball from midfield.

Southgate seems to think that because he played in a number 10 role at club level this season that he should be doing that with England. Ignoring the fact at club level he has a better manager who's tactically far superior to Southgate.

Most people produce farts that are tactically superior to Southgate though.

[Snowflake Royal]

Bellingham should be deeper and running with the ball from midfield.

Southgate seems to think that because he played in a number 10 role at club level this season that he should be doing that with England. Ignoring the fact at club level he has a better manager who's tactically far superior to Southgate.

Based on the tournament he shouldn't be in the squad.

I don't see how Southgate can be blames for such a good player putting in such a poor performance.

This isn't a tactically driven poor performance, its a complete lack of effort poor performance.

[Sutekh]

So, England will get done by the Dutch in the Rof16 and then we call all go home and hope Southgate quits.

[Royal_jimmy]

Southgate needs to go even if we win this tournament by some miracle

[Ascotexgunner]

So, England will get done by the Dutch in the Rof16 and then we call all go home and hope Southgate quits.

Is that likely?

[BRO_BOT]

Fcuking hell, is this what Ian is like on the TB?

I never, ever, go on there

[genome]

Slovenia's right back plays for Gornik Zabrze. There are no excuses

[WestYorksRoyal]

If Foden and Bellingham can't play in the same team, like the new Gerrard and Lampard, Bellingham is the one for that chop in my view. Offered little since 30 awesome minutes against Serbia, and Foden looked our most likely goal source today. I'd start Mainoo and Gordon for Gallagher and Bellingham.

And maybe we need more of an Eddie Jones rugby mindset to having top class players on the bench. Bellingham can come on after 65 minutes in a knockout game and be the match winner - it's not an insult if he doesn't start.

[Snowflake Royal]

So, England will get done by the Dutch in the Rof16 and then we call all go home and hope Southgate quits.

Is that likely?

Losing to Nederlands or Southgate quitting when we go out?

Yes. To both.

But I think people expecting us to dramatically improve by changing manager are in for a surprise.

[St Pauli]

Fcuking hell, is this what Ian is like on the TB?

I never, ever, go on there

Plus 1.

Dunno why everyone is shitting themselves.

You won the group despite drawing to a team desperate to get a draw.

Yeah if you do badly against decent opposition then the criticism is valid. Until then the actual criticism and negativity is much worse than any perceive poor management.

[St Pauli]

Slovenia's right back plays for Gornik Zabrze. There are no excuses

Patronising b/llocks.

It’s just one bloke vs another bloke.

And modern fitness routines available cheaply anywhere have reduced the gap between the ‘big’ and ‘little’ football teams.

[genome]

Slovenia's right back plays for Gornik Zabrze. There are no excuses

Patronising b/llocks.

It’s just one bloke vs another bloke.

And modern fitness routines available cheaply anywhere have reduced the gap between the ‘big’ and ‘little’ football teams.

Christ. I get a lot of you on here just like to argue because you're bored, but at least put a bit of effort in.

[St Pauli]

Slovenia's right back plays for Gornik Zabrze. There are no excuses

Patronising b/llocks.

It’s just one bloke vs another bloke.

And modern fitness routines available cheaply anywhere have reduced the gap between the ‘big’ and ‘little’ football teams.

Christ. I get a lot of you on here just like to argue because you're bored, but at least put a bit of effort in.

Why do you think England should be automatically better than Slovenia?

The main reason is historical precedent. Well at the rate of change in the modern world, and the relative ease (and cheapness) with which you bring a squad of footballers up to an international fitness standard these days, the historical precedent is meaningless. The resulting ‘narrow margins’ which is what all professional sport is about these days, are completely nullified by a team logically aiming to draw 3 games to ‘succeed’.

Where else in football does intentionally drawing all your games get you anywhere? In league football it ends with you in the relegation zone or thereabouts.

In cup football it gets you at best, through two rounds.

The modern 3rd place lifeline euros completely upends standard football logic.

[genome]

No, no you’re right.

Saka, a player playing at the highest level, shouldn’t be doing better against a 31 year old bloke from an obscure Polish side, because he might have access to a decent gym.

That’s a weak excuse.

[genome]

Also I’m well aware that’s patronising, but it doesn’t make it untrue.

[Royal Rother]

Cole Palmer did more adventurous (and largely successful) things in his 15 minutes than the rest of the team did collectively in the entire 90.

Totally transformed the team which gives at least some small reason for optimism.

Clearly Mainoo (tidy but not great), Palmer and probably Gordon should all start on Sunday. But this is Southgate, so they won’t.

Oh and once Southgate goes, forget Eddie, Potter and the other half realistic but unadventurous options, the FA should do everything they can to get Ange as the next England manager. He wouldn’t shy away from the exciting attacking options and it would be an absolute blast.

[NathStPaul]

It's not a "divine right" thing at all. It's about having some of the most exciting players on the pitch together at one time and not producing the goods against substandard players.

Bar Oblak Slovenia have no world class players, Genome is correct to pount out the levels the Slovenian players play at, that tells the story. We arguably have 6 World class players in our starting line up and that alone should be enough to get the job done.

[St Pauli]

No, no you’re right.

Saka, a player playing at the highest level, shouldn’t be doing better against a 31 year old bloke from an obscure Polish side, because he might have access to a decent gym.

That’s a weak excuse.

Saka in whatever league he plays in will have a year+ of games to work out with his team mates how to get around a parked bus. England and Southgate have 0.