Gareth Southgate

[happyclaret17]

got to say I am warming to him....wasn't sure at first....at least we are having a go at teams and although many didnt like the changes yesterday I think getting the easier last 16 game and quarter final is good management....yesterdays changes gave him the chance to look at some squad playsers and rested key players in hot conditions.
HOWEVER I think he has made a rick not replacing pickford and he seems to have blind faith in him....I simply dont rate him as being in the top 3 english keepers and certainly rate pope higher than him....surely yesterday was an ideal time to put pope in.
I like what he is doing but no one is perfect and I think its only a question of time before pickford costs us with his ludicrous hollywood saves and extremely poor punching.

[Quicknick]

I'm not sure Colombia is an easier game than Japan would have been.

[Dyched]

I'm not sure Colombia is an easier game than Japan would have been.

It’s not. S americans are always good physically strong athletes. Massive for them to get a scalp over England and knock us out. We should have enough. But who knows. Brazil will go out and the Belgiums will be laughing

[Spiral]

He's quietly displaying just about everything needed to be a top manager, I reckon. I was a bit deflated when he was appointed but like most, it seems, I'm also warming to him. He fits the job. He's thinking about the next two/three tournaments with his persistence in playing Pickford.

[TheFamilyCat]

My last manager was completely incompetent and way out of his depth in the job he was doing (he got and kept the job because of who he knew not what he knew if you're wondering).

He wore a waistcoat on days he had important meetings in an attempt to fool people into thinking he was cut out for the job.

Just saying.

[happyclaret17]

I'm not sure Colombia is an easier game than Japan would have been.

I wasnt compairing colombia to japan......mainly focussed on the next round when we would meet sweden or switzerland instead of a much tougher match on other side of draw.
who knows what might happen if we get some momentum...after all we are talking about a cup competition....we arent the best team there and getting an easier route to the semis has to make sense.

[Vino blanco]

He is like any other manager. He will be judged on the players he brings in/uses and the results those players achieve.

[FactualFrank]

It's interesting hearing people's thoughts on whether he was right or wrong to make 8 changes. For me, he was definitely right.

Had we played our strongest team, it risked injuries, bookings and suspensions.
Also, the first team players wouldn't have been training today, they'd have trained tomorrow at the earliest, possibly even Sunday, giving them just a day to prepare for the match.

Southgate switching 8 players gave them the experience of being out on the pitch during this World Cup, so wouldn't be 'cold' should they be needed later on in the tournament.

Plus, Southgate also had the insurance of an 'easier' run-in, on paper at least, should the switches result in a defeat.

Add all that up, for me, he was spot on making so many changes.

[Vino blanco]

I was happy with his team selection last night and the ensuing result. When they scored I had a feeling of "does it really matter".

[happyclaret17]

I was happy with his team selection last night and the ensuing result. When they scored I had a feeling of "does it really matter".

I cheered when they scored....so far he has led the team to the best 3 outcomes in each match in my opinion......if we are knocked out by colombia he will get slaughtered....if we had won and got knocked out on harder side of draw he would get slaughtered....he is making his own decisions and not trying to gain favour by going for soft options.....but that idiot in goal will cost us goals.

[FactualFrank]

but that idiot in goal will cost us goals.

We'll be fine, so long as they don't take any shots at our goal. If they do, every man and his dog will be going for the rebound which Pickford will put back into their path. The goalkeeping coach has a tough few days ahead of him.

[Colburn_Claret]

I didn't mind the changes, just disappointed with the performance of the second XI. The players were good enough, but didn't seem to have any sort of game plan.

That apart, hes done a lot better than expected, has freshened the squad, and let them at with a smile on their faces, so a tick from me.

[happyclaret17]

I have seen enough of Rashford and Vardey relies heavily on service which he didnt get....thats 2 players going missing for starters so it was never going to be easy.....but it still took a very good strike to beat us ( even though pope would have saved it ).

[MDWat]

Rashford was woeful last night.

[Blyclaret]

When England get knocked out of the World cup
Who on here will be the first to call him a turnip ???

[claretinkorea]

I'm not sure Colombia is an easier game than Japan would have been.

You means the Colombians that got beaten by Japan in their first game?

Reality is there isn't much between them apart from the Pacific ocean...

[what_no_pies]

You means the Colombians that got beaten by Japan in their first game?

Reality is there isn't much between them apart from the Pacific ocean...

They played about 80 minutes of that game with 10 men.

[elwaclaret]

Rashford was woeful last night.

I don't think he was alone in that. For the most part it was a funny game for them to play - the result doesn't matter, but I need to impress... think it lead to the feeling over all of no game plan. That being said Rashford and Vardy together is something we should only ever see in the last few minutes as fresh legs; far too similar and need a number 10 to play off. That to me was the strangest thing of the night... obviously other than seeing a blond in goal.

[Tribesmen]

Sacked in the morning , as the song goes .
Well Wednesday ........

[DefourFiveSix]

It p*ssed me off a bit how GS spent all week saying he wanted to win and then put Welbeck on over Kane when we were losing - nothing says "balls to it" more than that. But in hindsight he may have played a blinder.
Really weird situation with 2nd place being the "easier" route. It basically means we can't meet Brazil/France/Argentina/Portugal/Uruguay/Belgium/Mexico until the final. If - and it's a big if - we beat Colombia, the semi final is a realistic aim. That is some going with the weakest pool of players England have had for a number of years.
Hopefully James is injured for them, and our first team comes back in chomping at the bit.

[Grimsdale]

I still disagree with his "not fussed if we lose" thinking. I think it just shows a lack of belief in the team, basically saying "we're scared of playing Brazil".
We should have played our strongest team, beaten the Belgium B team 2 or 3 nil and sent out a message to the rest of the competition that they should be scared of playing us. Now we've lost a bit of that momentum from the first two games and face a much trickier tie in the next round.
And yes I know we could have lost a first choice player through injury had we played them in a so-called meaningless game but that could happen any time and as Frank Drebin says: "you take a big chance getting up in the morning, crossing the street, or sticking your face in a fan".

[happyclaret17]

I still disagree with his "not fussed if we lose" thinking. I think it just shows a lack of belief in the team, basically saying "we're scared of playing Brazil".
We should have played our strongest team, beaten the Belgium B team 2 or 3 nil and sent out a message to the rest of the competition that they should be scared of playing us. Now we've lost a bit of that momentum from the first two games and face a much trickier tie in the next round.
And yes I know we could have lost a first choice player through injury had we played them in a so-called meaningless game but that could happen any time and as Frank Drebin says: "you take a big chance getting up in the morning, crossing the street, or sticking your face in a fan".

.....
personally I think our downfall in the past has been based around our mentality of win at all cost.....the top teams take a long term view which is what we have done....the rested players are now ready to go and Colombia are there for the taking despite what anyone says.
if we dont get to the semis then we are just not good enough.....I know this is football and nothing is a given but we should get to the semis in my opinion then its 90 minutes from final.....cannot fault what gs has done so far.....with the exception of the keeper.

[PaintYorkClaretnBlue]

I still disagree with his "not fussed if we lose" thinking. I think it just shows a lack of belief in the team, basically saying "we're scared of playing Brazil".
We should have played our strongest team, beaten the Belgium B team 2 or 3 nil and sent out a message to the rest of the competition that they should be scared of playing us. Now we've lost a bit of that momentum from the first two games and face a much trickier tie in the next round.
And yes I know we could have lost a first choice player through injury had we played them in a so-called meaningless game but that could happen any time and as Frank Drebin says: "you take a big chance getting up in the morning, crossing the street, or sticking your face in a fan".

My thoughts exactly.

[Woodleyclaret]

The jury is still out.Some of the squad players are weak and his choice of non catching Pickford is an error.I hope this doesn't prove his Acillies.Nick Pope is the best keeper in his team and who is a far better bet.

[Thirteen]

Another thing which hasn't been mentioned is the fact that our 'first eleven' (well most of it) has been rested since we played Panama. That's not the case for the Colombians who had to go for it in their last game. I do appreciate the momentum of winning, but fatigue catches up with you at some point.

So far Southgate hasn't been forced to make any changes, which is the ideal scenario. He's even had the luxury of giving everyone a run out. Surely the briefing for the Belgium game was no cards or injuries?

We've never been in such a position before in tournament football. Our main striker is leading the golden boot. We aren't carrying any injuries and the whole squad has played, apart from the keepers. We'd have been very happy to be offered the current position before the tournament.

Japan or Colombia? As Iceland taught us 4 years ago, there's no easy knockout games at this level, we've got to perform whoever we play.

Come on England.

[Quicknick]

He appears to have got the squad well-prepared for a penalty shootout, drawing on his own experience in 1996. The players have even had psychometric tests. Southgate said that he was asked to take the penalty in 1996 at the last moment by Venables. He was reminded that he'd taken a penalty before. He had. One. For Palace which he'd missed.

[FactualFrank]

Another thing which hasn't been mentioned is the fact that our 'first eleven' (well most of it) has been rested since we played Panama. That's not the case for the Colombians who had to go for it in their last game. I do appreciate the momentum of winning, but fatigue catches up with you at some point.

So far Southgate hasn't been forced to make any changes, which is the ideal scenario. He's even had the luxury of giving everyone a run out. Surely the briefing for the Belgium game was no cards or injuries?

We've never been in such a position before in tournament football. Our main striker is leading the golden boot. We aren't carrying any injuries and the whole squad has played, apart from the keepers. We'd have been very happy to be offered the current position before the tournament.

Japan or Colombia? As Iceland taught us 4 years ago, there's no easy knockout games at this level, we've got to perform whoever we play.

Come on England.

I agree. But some people just like to complain and go against the grain, whichever that is. Had we played our strongest side and Kane had been injured, those same people would be saying he was stupid for selecting a strong side and going all out for the win. That's just how some football fans are. It's comical.

He was always going to be damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Also, the number of clairvoyants on here is rising by the week. If we lose to Colombia, they will be saying we'd have beat Japan. So I'll counter that and say, had we played our strongest side, Harry Kane would have got injured and been ruled out for 2 games. Not such a bad move now, is it?

[Tall Paul]

I still disagree with his "not fussed if we lose" thinking. I think it just shows a lack of belief in the team, basically saying "we're scared of playing Brazil".
We should have played our strongest team, beaten the Belgium B team 2 or 3 nil and sent out a message to the rest of the competition that they should be scared of playing us. Now we've lost a bit of that momentum from the first two games and face a much trickier tie in the next round.
And yes I know we could have lost a first choice player through injury had we played them in a so-called meaningless game but that could happen any time and as Frank Drebin says: "you take a big chance getting up in the morning, crossing the street, or sticking your face in a fan".

The only message sent out by beating Belgium's second string would be that our first choice is better than Belgium's second, which I expect the other teams in the competition would already be aware of.

[tiger76]

I agree. But some people just like to complain and go against the grain, whichever that is. Had we played our strongest side and Kane had been injured, those same people would be saying he was stupid for selecting a strong side and going all out for the win. That's just how some football fans are. It's comical.

He was always going to be damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Also, the number of clairvoyants on here is rising by the week. If we lose to Colombia, they will be saying we'd have beat Japan. So I'll counter that and say, had we played our strongest side, Harry Kane would have got injured and been ruled out for 2 games. Not such a bad move now, is it?

If we beat Colombia and we should,the Belgian game will be yesterday's chip paper.I would rather England had gone for a win against Belgium,but that's water under the bridge now.You just wonder if this might be England's year,Germany going home early,Argentina and Portugal exiting today,Colombia and Uruguay missing their main strikers.This will be a once in a blue moon opportunity to be history boys.