England vs Iceland

[summitclaret]

Given our lack of height, why is Rice taking corners? Tripper, Palmer and Foden are just as good if not better? Massive salary for our manager and he allows this. Why?

[gandhisflipflop]

Imagine not starting the best striker in world football. Blows my mind people think like this.

Mbappe is French and haaland is Norwegian

[RVclaret]

If Shaw is out we're going to be really unbalanced. Even if Foden plays on the left he'll be constantly wandering infield.

Yup I’ve discussed this on here before. Left back is a huge issue. In fact there’s just ONE left footer in the entire team and that’s Foden.

[gandhisflipflop]

Yup I’ve discussed this on here before. Left back is a huge issue. In fact there’s just ONE left footer in the entire team and that’s Foden.

Palmer?

[RVclaret]

Mbappe is French and haaland is Norwegian

Mbappe plays from the left and Kane is a more complete striker than Haaland.

[RVclaret]

Palmer?

Okay 2

[ElectroClaret]

Can't believe someone is suggesting not starting Kane.
Unless they're either on the wind up, or in Broadmoor.

[gandhisflipflop]

Okay 2

Gordon?

[dannyonclarets]

Nobody has been abysmal. They just have all 11 men behind the ball defending for their lives. It's a good test.

[Shaggy]

Cmon the icemen… send that woke waistcoat ****** home with a sour face tonight.

Gonna win the euros

[gandhisflipflop]

Can't believe someone is suggesting not starting Kane.
Unless they're either on the wind up, or in Broadmoor.

He comes too deep time and time again. We have enough creative players to feed him he doesn’t need to come so deep all the time. Bayern Munich have spent all last season coaching this into him.

Is he one of the best about? Absolutely but as a team, he is causing more of a hinderance playing the way he is.

[RVclaret]

Gordon?

Natural right footer.

[spt_claret]

Harry Kane disrupts the balance of the team. I wouldn’t start him. No need to be coming so deep all the time when you have that ability to finish.

That's a coaching issue, just tell him to stay further forward and trust the team to supply him and pick his moments more carefully coming deep. No way do you not start Kane.

[CoolClaret]

I'd rather have Charlie Taylor at left back than Trippier.

No reason why we can't/couldn't have gone two up top either. Kane would have worked really well with a Watkins or even a Rashford type stretching the pitch (just like he should have done with Vardy in previous tournaments).

Find it laughable that people said this is the best ever England team for years or whatever, absolutely no chance.

[gandhisflipflop]

That's a coaching issue, just tell him to stay further forward and trust the team to supply him and pick his moments more carefully coming deep. No way do you not start Kane.

That’s my point. If he does that, he starts for me. That’s why he is so frustrating to watch.

[MT03ALG]

HY: Joey 1 England 0

[spt_claret]

Yup I’ve discussed this on here before. Left back is a huge issue. In fact there’s just ONE left footer in the entire team and that’s Foden.

I'd genuinely consider reverting Saka to left back. It would not go down well with the crowd but he's played there, and I prefer Trippier to Walker at RB. Would leave us very open on the left mind but we'll be defensively open anyway.
But then I'd probably play Walker at CB over Guehi so what do I know.

[Sproggy]

The best compliment I can give England in that first half was they looked a lot like this season’s Burnley.

[boatshed bill]

Nobody has been abysmal. They just have all 11 men behind the ball defending for their lives. It's a good test.

I just wonder why we don't take a few long shots rather than trying to walk the ball in.

[MT03ALG]

I just wonder why we don't take a few long shots rather than trying to walk the ball in.

Secretly coached by Vincent

[spt_claret]

I'd rather have Charlie Taylor at left back than Trippier.

No reason why we can't/couldn't have gone two up top either. Kane would have worked really well with a Watkins or even a Rashford type stretching the pitch (just like he should have done with Vardy in previous tournaments).

Find it laughable that people said this is the best ever England team for years or whatever, absolutely no chance.

Its a great set of technical players but not a team.
Much like how Kompany probably had a better set of technical players last year than Dyches last year for us but not a better team. International football is all about building the best team from what you've got rather than just taking the best on paper players. I don't agree with a lot of Southgates selections as I do think he manages to both not just pick the best on paper players, but also have some strange hangups and biases, and I think there's far more players he gets less out of for country than more. And yet he is also our most successful manager in decades. Baffling.

[wilks_bfc]

Palmer should have hit that after his first touch

[CoolClaret]

Its a great set of technical players but not a team.
Much like how Kompany probably had a better set of technical players last year than Dyches last year for us but not a better team. International football is all about building the best team from what you've got rather than just taking the best on paper players. I don't agree with a lot of Southgates selections as I do think he manages to both not just pick the best on paper players, but also have some strange hangups and biases, and I think there's far more players he gets less out of for country than more. And yet he is also our most successful manager in decades. Baffling.

I think the quality at the top of football is a poorer standard than it was 10-20 years ago in all honesty - he's been more successful yes, but who have we played?

France are an exception, they have a lot of talent dotted all over and have for quite a while but I'm just not seeing it elsewhere.

[bobinho]

Yup I’ve discussed this on here before. Left back is a huge issue. In fact there’s just ONE left footer in the entire team and that’s Foden.

Shhh… if Gareth finds out he’ll be back on the bench providing cover for Tripps…

[ISpeds00]

1 SOT an hour in isnt good enough at home to what you would call a minnow

[gandhisflipflop]

Eze needs to come on for Gordon

Watkins or Toney for Kane

[spt_claret]

I think the quality at the top of football is a poorer standard than it was 10-20 years ago in all honesty - he's been more successful yes, but who have we played?

France are an exception, they have a lot of talent dotted all over and have for quite a while but I'm just not seeing it elsewhere.

You might be right.
Argentina got very lucky to win the WC and have problems coming
Brazil you always figure are a heavyweight but they don't really have that electric team of all-stars you'd expect.
Portugal have a hell of a squad but aren't clicking.
Belgium's golden generation is gone, Spain are decent but not the force they were.
Netherlands have been in a perpetual transition phase for 10 years now.
Italy won the last Euros but haven't even made the last two WCs and been generally otherwise poor, Germany aren't what they were. I think both are the biggest victims internationally of trend football, they've got away from their national character and historic strengths and are struggling for it just doing Poor Man's Pep like half the world is. Buffon has said as much too.
Even France for all their riches still look reliant on Giroud to me, and have their weaknesses.

[Jel]

All this tinkering doesn't work. We should have the 1st eleven out there getting used to playing as a team. Worry about injuries if and when they happen. If they do, that's when you bring on the fringe/squad players. Southgate doesn't know who he wants to play yet, and that's going to be our downfall.

[ISpeds00]

absolute ****

[Rileybobs]

Need to play with more width here. It’s like we’ve got 5 no.10’s on the pitch and are trying to play through the eye of a needle. Saka should help.

[gandhisflipflop]

You might be right.
Argentina got very lucky to win the WC and have problems coming
Brazil you always figure are a heavyweight but they don't really have that electric team of all-stars you'd expect.
Portugal have a hell of a squad but aren't clicking.
Belgium's golden generation is gone, Spain are decent but not the force they were.
Netherlands have been in a perpetual transition phase for 10 years now.
Italy won the last Euros but haven't even made the last two WCs and been generally otherwise poor, Germany aren't what they were. I think both are the biggest victims internationally of trend football, they've got away from their national character and historic strengths and are struggling for it just doing Poor Man's Pep like half the world is. Buffon has said as much too.
Even France for all their riches still look reliant on Giroud to me, and have their weaknesses.

Agree with the ‘poor man’s pep’ comment. Even Iceland tonight have tried playing out from the back. It’s tedious when every team are trying the same thing and failing badly.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Walker is an absolute shite defender.

He's lucky that he has pace to mask it.

[Mark the Claret]

All this tinkering doesn't work. We should have the 1st eleven out there getting used to playing as a team. Worry about injuries if and when they happen. If they do, that's when you bring on the fringe/squad players. Southgate doesn't know who he wants to play yet, and that's going to be our downfall.

Agree.

[Taffy on the wing]

Can't find it on my tv

[ClaretFelix]

Its a great set of technical players but not a team.
Much like how Kompany probably had a better set of technical players last year than Dyches last year for us but not a better team. International football is all about building the best team from what you've got rather than just taking the best on paper players. I don't agree with a lot of Southgates selections as I do think he manages to both not just pick the best on paper players, but also have some strange hangups and biases, and I think there's far more players he gets less out of for country than more. And yet he is also our most successful manager in decades. Baffling.

You're never going to be able to stretch the pitch against the so called smaller teams. They are more than happy defending deep, not allowing England in behind, knowing full well that they're never going to start flinging the ball in from wide areas, preferring to come back inside every time.

Even on the odd occasion they do whip one in, opponents are generally quite happy to chuck their head on it.

Really baffling the lack of a recognised left back. Shaw must have some dirt on Southgate to have been the only one selected when nowhere near fit and with no season to speak of behind him.

[CoolClaret]

You might be right.
Argentina got very lucky to win the WC and have problems coming
Brazil you always figure are a heavyweight but they don't really have that electric team of all-stars you'd expect.
Portugal have a hell of a squad but aren't clicking.
Belgium's golden generation is gone, Spain are decent but not the force they were.
Netherlands have been in a perpetual transition phase for 10 years now.
Italy won the last Euros but haven't even made the last two WCs and been generally otherwise poor, Germany aren't what they were. I think both are the biggest victims internationally of trend football, they've got away from their national character and historic strengths and are struggling for it just doing Poor Man's Pep like half the world is. Buffon has said as much too.

I personally (and strongly) believe a lot of it is the misuse/overuse of data and over coaching of youngsters. The Pep obsession has to stop - that's for damn sure.

[Rileybobs]

Can't find it on my tv

I wouldn’t bother looking

[Jel]

Can't find it on my tv

It's probably in the spam section!

[Tw@]

Can't find it on my tv

Lucky you!

[gsyclaret]

Can't find it on my tv

channel 4 but i wouldn't bother

[spt_claret]

You're never going to be able to stretch the pitch against the so called smaller teams. They are more than happy defending deep, not allowing England in behind, knowing full well that they're never going to start flinging the ball in from wide areas, preferring to come back inside every time.

Even on the odd occasion they do whip one in, opponents are generally quite happy to chuck their head on it.

Really baffling the lack of a recognised left back. Shaw must have some dirt on Southgate to have been the only one selected when nowhere near fit and with no season to speak of behind him.

Exactly, in tournament football you need a squad that has a B and C plan. Not much point in like for like subs you can't take that many players so doubling up is a bit luxurious, for teams that turtle you need a battering ram and some more direct players.

Problem is there aren't many good ones of those at the moment, because again, the cult of Pep has created this purist mentality that there's only one mould to play,but even he is actually seeing that it isn't true. The game needs more Haalands.

[bumba]

I'd rather have Charlie Taylor at left back than Trippier.

No reason why we can't/couldn't have gone two up top either. Kane would have worked really well with a Watkins or even a Rashford type stretching the pitch (just like he should have done with Vardy in previous tournaments).

Find it laughable that people said this is the best ever England team for years or whatever, absolutely no chance.

How many of this squad get in the '98 world cup squad or the '04 euros?
Not many if any.
The defending has been absolutely laughable

[Tw@]

It’s on channel 4 if you are desperate to watch this shower

[IanMcL]

Can't find it on my tv

Channel 4 for a here, there, everywhere Capn Johann Berg Gudmundsson

BBC Scotland for Scotland 2 0 Finland

[Longsider]

I hope Iceland win. Their team has a Burnley player involved. Come on you Fridges.

[TheFamilyCat]

I feel a little bit sad watching JBG knowing he isn't a Burnley player anymore.

[Murger]

This performance sums Southgate up to a tee.

[Rowls]

Gripping stuff.

I find myself wondering if Southgate couldn't be employed to work in a university Physics department? They could study how he manages to slow down time so that 90 minutes stretches out for all of eternity.

[Rileybobs]

I hope Iceland win. Their team has a Burnley player involved. Come on you Fridges.

I hate to break this to you…

[Flixtonclaret1]

Watching in Kos.
Greece beating Germany. The locals are practically dancing in the sea.

England poor.

Watching in Rhodes …. Yes similar occurrings here