Nations League & Friendlies

[6ft Kerplunk]

I think a quick centre back and a decent left back are needed more than a new manager.

[St Pauli]

We have one of the most talented group of players I've seen for England. I can't help but feel we are wasting them a bit with a limited manager. I don't dislike Southgate but I do feel a better manager is needed to make that final step.

People say this about every England team that’s ever been fielded in a competition since I’ve been watching football. We’ve always got a ‘great crop of young talented players’, talented mainly meaning they play for premier league clubs.

Southgate got us to a final with this group of English players. It astounds me how some England fans still criticise him.

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?

Me. That’s who.

[Zip]

We have one of the most talented group of players I've seen for England. I can't help but feel we are wasting them a bit with a limited manager. I don't dislike Southgate but I do feel a better manager is needed to make that final step.

People say this about every England team that’s ever been fielded in a competition since I’ve been watching football. We’ve always got a ‘great crop of young talented players’, talented mainly meaning they play for premier league clubs.

Southgate got us to a final with this group of English players. It astounds me how some England fans still criticise him.

100% agreed. Semi finals in the World Cup followed by the final of the Euros. What exactly are some people expecting here? His track record is excellent.
Yes he was probably too cautious v Croatia and Italy in two big games but overall he really has done well.

[Tails]

Never a peno. But essentially we’re still played two, one point when removing both poor penalty decisions.

[Zip]

We have one of the most talented group of players I've seen for England. I can't help but feel we are wasting them a bit with a limited manager. I don't dislike Southgate but I do feel a better manager is needed to make that final step.

People say this about every England team that’s ever been fielded in a competition since I’ve been watching football. We’ve always got a ‘great crop of young talented players’, talented mainly meaning they play for premier league clubs.

Southgate got us to a final with this group of English players. It astounds me how some England fans still criticise him.

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.

[On Strings]

Pickford and Maguire are nowhere near good enough for a decent England side. A bang average England side, yes, and that's what England are. Get Southgate out and Mourinho in and let's have some fun!

[NathStPaul]

People say this about every England team that’s ever been fielded in a competition since I’ve been watching football. We’ve always got a ‘great crop of young talented players’, talented mainly meaning they play for premier league clubs.

Southgate got us to a final with this group of English players. It astounds me how some England fans still criticise him.

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.

[BROB0T]

Never a peno. But essentially we’re still played two, one point when removing both poor penalty decisions.

Did the German player intentionally play that ball in that direction?

Liverpool recently got a goal ruled off in their favour because of this rule

[Tails]

Never a peno. But essentially we’re still played two, one point when removing both poor penalty decisions.

Did the German player intentionally play that ball in that direction?

Liverpool recently got a goal ruled off in their favour because of this rule

Good point, didn’t even realise the interception…

[Franchise FC]

And we thought the Hungary penalty was soft

[Mr Angry]

Am I the only person who simply cannot get excited about the Nations League?

It strikes me that it is the International equivilent of the Johnstons Paint Trophy.

[NathStPaul]

I'm not sure anyone is excited by it as such but it is a far better alternative to meaningless friendlies. At least there is something to win at the end of it.

[South Coast Royal]

We have one of the most talented group of players I've seen for England. I can't help but feel we are wasting them a bit with a limited manager. I don't dislike Southgate but I do feel a better manager is needed to make that final step.

People say this about every England team that’s ever been fielded in a competition since I’ve been watching football. We’ve always got a ‘great crop of young talented players’, talented mainly meaning they play for premier league clubs.

Southgate got us to a final with this group of English players. It astounds me how some England fans still criticise him.

Spot on with both comments.
The only time when it was thought that we didn't have a particularly talented squad was when we won the World Cup.

[South Coast Royal]

I'm with most posters on here regarding the penalty.
It may or may not have been offside but I thought Kane clicked his own heels, much in the way that Scholes and Ince used to do for Man Utd and Sterling does now.

Not a bad game to watch and:-
Our defence is very suspect
Sterling was dreadful
Mount didn't do much.

Bellingham is a good tackler and looks nailed on to take Fabinho's place next season or the one after.
Grealish was good
Bowen has done well in both games

Maguire?
There's loyalty from a manager and there is being blinkered.

Neither Rice nor Phillips is surely worth £100 million.

[6ft Kerplunk]

I'm not sure anyone is excited by it as such but it is a far better alternative to meaningless friendlies. At least there is something to win at the end of it.

I keep forgetting they're not meaningless friendlies. They seem to fall between a friendly and a competitive match for me.

[6ft Kerplunk]

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?

[NathStPaul]

I'm not sure anyone is excited by it as such but it is a far better alternative to meaningless friendlies. At least there is something to win at the end of it.

I keep forgetting they're not meaningless friendlies. They seem to fall between a friendly and a competitive match for me.

Yeah I think that is a fair assessment. It's nice to play against sides of a similar standard on a regular basis. 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.

[Hendo]

Get Southgate out and Mourinho in and let's have some fun!

[South Coast Royal]

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.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Yeah, Rice will probably go around £100M but its hardly value for money. Do other countries have such a premium applied for transfers of domestic players between clubs?