England v Slovakia

[URZZZZ]

Perhaps Southgate and the players will now realise that in order to score a goal, putting it in the box may help

93 minutes of side to side passing, waiting for an “opening” which obviously wasn’t there before a long throw and a flick on proved dividends

Just because dullards like Pep play this tedious style of “control”, doesn’t mean everyone else has to

Dullards are the managers who think they can play passing football like Peps teams when they can't.

It’s ingrained everywhere. Academies all the way up

Never begrudge Pep is a master tactician but he’s been a big contributor to the entertainment value of the sport going down and he seems to have a band of disciples following his lead

Remember everyone complaining about Barnsley under Ismael and their hit and hope style but I found it quite refreshing personally to see a bit of variety

[St Pauli]

Perhaps Southgate and the players will now realise that in order to score a goal, putting it in the box may help

93 minutes of side to side passing, waiting for an “opening” which obviously wasn’t there before a long throw and a flick on proved dividends

Just because dullards like Pep play this tedious style of “control”, doesn’t mean everyone else has to

Dullards are the managers who think they can play passing football like Peps teams when they can't.

It’s ingrained everywhere. Academies all the way up

Never begrudge Pep is a master tactician but he’s been a big contributor to the entertainment value of the sport going down and he seems to have a band of disciples following his lead

Remember everyone complaining about Barnsley under Ismael and their hit and hope style but I found it quite refreshing personally to see a bit of variety

Guardiola took on Bayern, made them much worse, then f/cked off.

[Snowflake Royal]

I didn't see Bsrnsley as hit and hope. They were high tempo, with an excellent press and wuick front to back without being long ball. I liked it.

[Sanguine]

We certainly could but we need more pace. Gordon or Palmer need to start over Foden who has been pretty horrific.

Indeed.

Southgate somehow got a result. But I don't understand how he wasn't looking at his bench and realising Gordon could offer him that something different.

Trent might as well just sack it off and wait for whenever a new England boss arrives, because if Southgate isn't going to turn to him with the Slovakians camped in their half, us needing to score, and Kyle Walker a fixture 35-yards from their goal, then he never will.

And Adam Wharton, a player we've not had 'for seven or eight years' hasn't played a minute yet.

Not sure Gordon was the right call tonight

We weren’t moving the ball around anywhere near quickly enough for the wingers to be effective. Idea should be to isolate the respective fullback so the winger is one on one against them but we were so very rarely in that position as we were forever ponderously passing around the back five/six

Don’t think Kane and Bellingham help much in that regard (aware they were our goalscorers!) as they’re too static and hence we end up too predictable

I know people go on about the talent in the squad but personal accolades and achievements are moot in a team environment and it simply isn’t clicking. Southgate needs to be brave and change it up or we’ll go home. For starters, Toney or Watkins should really be in the team alongside Kane. Switzerland’s 3 centre backs bullied Scamacca and I’d bet they’d do the same to Kane, would be nice to give him support

Assuming Shaw isn’t fit, would match Switzerland up a little and go:

Pickford

Walker
Stones
Konsa

Trippier
Mainoo
Rice
Bellingham
Saka

Kane
Toney/Watkins/Bowen

Started to write a post about switching to 3-5-2, and got in a muddle with the team, which I guess is Southgate's predicament. But I'd take the above, albeit with TAA in for Trippier, not least if he's got two centre forwards to aim at with his crosses.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Not enjoying the defiant language from the team after getting out of jail against Slovakia. If we win the tournament then fine, the critics can eat their words. But there's a lot of work still to be done, and any big talk is going to look very stupid if we don't up our game against a Switzerland side good enough to finish us off if we continue at current performance levels.

[Sanguine]

Agreed.

I do remind myself however that actually international football has got harder. Of course we 'should' win these games. But there are fewer true minnows. We have only avoided France in our half because they couldn't beat Poland. If Italy were anything special we'd be meeting them in the QFs and not the 'easier' Swiss, or at least that's how they will be described if we win. Belgium would also be in our half if they hadn't lost to Slovakia in the group stages. And Portugal got away with losing to Georgia because they'd already beaten Turkey.

We're still in it. And we've got a good chance - but predicting who we might play in a potential semi-final is nearly impossible. The Dutch came third in their group whilst looking like a decent side. Romania look like they could beat, or lose to, anyone on any day. Austria under Rangnick look dangerous. And Turkey look like they'd frighten our defence.

QF first anyway - any sort of Swiss side could turn up. They took France and Spain to penalties at the last Euros, but were truly shocking against Portugal in R16 at the World Cup.

[genome]

[Sebastian the Red]

Foden is the only one who tries.

I don't blame Foden, he's out of position and can't play with any freedom like he does at City.

I take your point but if we are playing with wingers then we need to play actual wingers there imo.

Oh, we need to play with a left side. Foden should be in Bellingham's place. Then you decide whether to put Bellingham alongside Rice, in place of Kane, or on the bench.

Bellingham has been an absolute passenger for 90% of the tournament at 10.

Bellingham is an 8, and absolutely world class when played there. Playing him at 10 is one of the more insane decisions Southgate has made considering he has a top rate 10 available to him who he plays at left wing instead. It smacks of playing Scholes on the left for years. Just ludicrous.

I get he's trying to balance his midfield, but Bellingham at 8 and Foden at 10 with Kane at 9 is fine as long as you get some stability alongside them - so I fear Rice would be out for me - I don't think he's performing well enough to anchor the midfield this tournament. Still, there aren't many other options.

Southgate is falling for the old England trap of trying to fit everyone in, instead of actually building a side. I bet he's missing Grealish right now.

[Sanguine]

Southgate is falling for the old England trap of trying to fit everyone in, instead of actually building a side. I bet he's missing Grealish right now.

Completely agree, but tbf he was getting pelters, and on here too, when his focus was on building a side.

I think we're missing Rashford, fwiw.

Edit: was going to come back and say that Sancho wouldn't be a bad option either, but then if Southgate is going to leave TAA on the bench when we need a goal and the opponents are camped in their own half, then Sancho wouldn't get on the pitch anyway.

[Sebastian the Red]

Southgate is falling for the old England trap of trying to fit everyone in, instead of actually building a side. I bet he's missing Grealish right now.

Completely agree, but tbf he was getting pelters, and on here too, when his focus was on building a side.

I think we're missing Rashford, fwiw.

Yes, Rashford and Grealish both provide something different, especially down the left. Like you, I prefer Rashford to Grealish, but he didn't really have the second half of the season to justify it.

[bcubed]

I don't blame Foden, he's out of position and can't play with any freedom like he does at City.

I take your point but if we are playing with wingers then we need to play actual wingers there imo.

Oh, we need to play with a left side. Foden should be in Bellingham's place. Then you decide whether to put Bellingham alongside Rice, in place of Kane, or on the bench.

Bellingham has been an absolute passenger for 90% of the tournament at 10.

Bellingham is an 8, and absolutely world class when played there. Playing him at 10 is one of the more insane decisions Southgate has made considering he has a top rate 10 available to him who he plays at left wing instead. It smacks of playing Scholes on the left for years. Just ludicrous.

I get he's trying to balance his midfield, but Bellingham at 8 and Foden at 10 with Kane at 9 is fine as long as you get some stability alongside them - so I fear Rice would be out for me - I don't think he's performing well enough to anchor the midfield this tournament. Still, there aren't many other options.

Southgate is falling for the old England trap of trying to fit everyone in, instead of actually building a side. I bet he's missing Grealish right now.

Agree about Bellingham but Rice (and I'm no huge fan) seems to be the one consistent performer in this team. He actually seems to know where he's supposed to be playing and has provided so much cover in each game. And a decent effort at goal in the last one.

[Brogue]

bellingham under investigation by uefa

[Franchise FC]

bellingham under investigation by uefa

My Slovakian mate is saying that the Slovakian bench had been abusing him for the whole of the second half
Didn’t say whether it was racial abuse or just “you’re sh!t, aaahhhh”

He does appear to have a little bit of red mist at times (but he is only 20, I guess)

[Snowflake Royal]

bellingham under investigation by uefa

My Slovakian mate is saying that the Slovakian bench had been abusing him for the whole of the second half
Didn’t say whether it was racial abuse or just “you’re sh!t, aaahhhh”

He does appear to have a little bit of red mist at times (but he is only 20, I guess)

What's he under investigation for?

I was half expecting him to be sent off after he got booked. Although he'd have needed to put some effort into the game for that.

Good player, does seem a prick.

[Orion1871]

21 year old in being a prick sometimes shocker.

[bcubed]

Looked like the oxf*rd sign

[bcubed]

Wakner

Thought was ok to say, but caught by the Oxfords

[Snowflake Royal]

Meh. Storm in a teacup. A ban might help Southgate pick a viable team though.

[Sutekh]

If Bellingham is found to have breached Article 57 of the FIFA disciplinary code, he could face a ban and a hefty fine. It reads: "Anyone who insults someone in any way, especially by using offensive gestures or language, or who violates the principles of fair pay or whose behaviour is unsporting in any other way may be subject to sanctions in accordance with art. 10

Mr Bellingham said it was a private joke with friends and that he has nothing but respect for the way Slovakia played. Meanwhile the FA are also facing charges over England fans letting off fireworks/smoke bombs etc. before the game.

[NathStPaul]

Slovenia fighting like beavers.