I hoped to see some signs that we are a serious challenger come the Euro finals. I saw bu…er all to suggest that we have a team capable of going far in it. I did see some players making the same scary mistakes time and time again.
It doesn’t matter if it was a ‘friendly’, class should be clear to see.
I watched Howard Webb last evening on Sky’s VAR review. No wonder VAR is in trouble when he rabbits on and on when asked a simple and direct question. As for the penalty given against Wolves in the Newcastle game, it was obvious that the N’castle player buckled his leg to feign contact even before he was touched. Cripes, talking about not seeing the wood for the trees.
I agree Ravvie that Lewis and Foden were the only positives. Looks like Maguire is getting all the flack again, but virtually every other England player was really poor. Saka was unrecognisable as the guy who plays so well for Arsenal, and no idea why Rashford is anywhere near that squad given his awful form at ManU.
Southgate’s claim of England becoming world number 1 is utterly delusional.
Bob, I agree with your point about blooding young players. Playing Henderson in the Malta game for example was utterly ridiculous. But the likes of Saka, Rice, Rashford, Grealish are supposed to be able to beat players and create chances; they were all awful. They should have been filling their boots the last two games, improving confidence individually and collectively. Compare England’s last two performances with France’s demolition of Gibraltar for example.
We will have agree to disagree if Saka or Grealish or Rashford would have got an injury it could have impacted massively on theirs and England’s seasons and for what to smash 10 goals past Malta or NM what would that have proved.
Naive to expect performance or extra effort in that game. Essentially a match neither team wanted or needed. The players won’t have wanted it either and their managers almost certainly didn’t. Meanwhile in another, non forum, universe you have sensible writers on world football talking about exactly this squad being the best team in Europe with potential for even better.
Now, who should I trust? It’s almost like people haven’t seen football before. This is how it works. People play cautiously and errors will be made in games like this. It’s happened forever regardless which nation you follow. Nothing new to see here.
The underlying problem here is the manager Mike. Seems like a nice bloke, and a good ambassador but as a football manager, he’s a bluffer.
He’s had three key moments in his England career and he’s blown them all spectacularly. If he wins anything with England, I’ll become a Sunderland fan…
Gareth Southgate has at his disposal both at first and U21 levels the best squad England has had in my life time and luckily when he fails to win the Euros he’ll leave.
Then when Eddie Howe fails to win anything at Newcastle and they move him on he can take the England job and we will really have a shout at major honours.
Eddie Howe at Newcastle is a placeholder like Mark Hughes was at Man City. Get them up the table and competitive without trauma but the next in the room will do the real business.
Love the slagging of Southgate. England managers have always had their pick pf the best English players (a weird coincidence). This lot are no more special than any other lot. The main difference is that they’re now competitive at every tournament. That’s absolutely down to the manager. Beyond that a load of luck is required.
People love to blame whatever they perceive the weakness to be but it’s nonsense. If he acted as fans would have him he’d be too gung ho or too adventurous. Pick your poison. The fans are always right and know everything. The manager, the actual person inside the tent? He knows nothing.
The manager is poor. A 30% win rate at the Boro, ending in relegation. Bottled all 3 moments of truth as England manager. If he wins a trophy with England, I’ll give you my house Mike.
Southgate’s record as England manager is good, even though the tactics sometimes bore the pants off us fans. But, I’d take Eddie Howe over Southgate every day of the week.
What must someone have done wrong in a previous life to be named England manager? It’s a terrible job: you’re constantly second-guessed by witless pundits; you get hardly any time to build a team that plays the way you want; you have to manage the ridiculous expectations of England fans; when you fail to win a tournament you’re fired.
The real problem isn’t Southgate or (insert any name you like here). It’s that England aren’t as good as France, Spain, Brazil or Argentina. Nor, in normal times, are they as good as Germany or Italy.
