Football Focus

[F-UnitMad]

Dear Mr Southgate,

 

To win football matches, only two things are needed :-

1. Score more goals than the opposition.

2. Ideally, do this by scoring more than one goal.

 

Can I have your job when you come home next week, please.

Sincerely, etc etc....

 

🤔🤔🤔😁😁👍👍

[Ramrig]

Does anyone know when the England team are due to turn up in Germany, as the tournament started last week? 😉

[Hobby]

From what I've seen Southgate's method of dealing with the fact he has many good players is to play them in positions where they don't play in their club and then wonder why things aren't going well...

[hayfield]

Firstly I think Southgate has the same issues as Arson Wenger in that he is too loyal to existing players, rather than picking those inform. I like Southgate as a person (especially as he is a fellow Watfordian), but recently seemingly has reached his peak in ability. In my opinion needs to be less loyal and more hungry, Look at Guardiola and Arteta, hungry and ruthless, whilst still seemingly showing loyalty to their players. But the players know if they fail to perform they are out

 

I think he has shown his lack of man management skills, in not solving the issues with Ben White, White and Sakho were the best right hand duo in the premiership last year, plus White still is one of the best (stand in) center backs in the country. England do not have enough cover at center back. Is Steve Clarke more important than the best players ? 

 

Our captain is absent, why is he still playing ? 

 

Our back line seems to have no idea on how to build an attack, lackluster slow  passing between each other is one thing, constantly giving the ball away is another

 

What's worse, is the depths of the likes of Bellingham and Rice fell to. The whole team put in a lackluster performance, which Southgate was unable to influence 

 

I assume we will do enough to get out of the group stage, unless things change we will be home very soon

 

Perhaps Ben White is much wiser than we think, and dodged a big bullet 

Edited June 21 by hayfield

[Deeps]

I hate watching England matches, the strain on my heart is too great. If I do watch football matches, which is rare these days, I want to witness flair and attacking football to win the game rather than playing not to lose, which seems to epitomise England’s boring approach.

 

My wife is no expert but she made an interesting observation; instead of messing around midfield, with endless passes, just lob the ball towards the opponents goal and see what happens. You have a 50% chance of gaining possession and then immediately have a crack at the goal!

[br2975]

[br2975]

If Gareth Southgate was a 'Meal Deal' . . . . . . . . . .

.

 

[hayfield]

7 minutes ago, Deeps said:

I hate watching England matches, the strain on my heart is too great. If I do watch football matches, which is rare these days, I want to witness flair and attacking football to win the game rather than playing not to lose, which seems to epitomise England’s boring approach.

 

My wife is no expert but she made an interesting observation; instead of messing around midfield, with endless passes, just lob the ball towards the opponents goal and see what happens. You have a 50% chance of gaining possession and then immediately have a crack at the goal!

 

Deeps

 

Most of England's players, at their clubs play the modern style of pressing football and do so very well.

 

This does involve passing back on forth across looking for the opening to exploit, but this should be at times done at speed and certainly keep the ball at all times. There was no energy or speed, and at times and possession was lost all to frequently

[Hobby]

1 hour ago, hayfield said:

Firstly I think Southgate has the same issues as Arson Wenger in that he is too loyal to existing players, rather than picking those inform. I like Southgate as a person (especially as he is a fellow Watfordian), but recently seemingly has reached his peak in ability. In my opinion needs to be less loyal and more hungry, Look at Guardiola and Arteta, hungry and ruthless, whilst still seemingly showing loyalty to their players. But the players know if they fail to perform they are out

 

"Mr Nice Guy", yes I'd agree with you there, if you want to win then the players must know that unless they turn up and play well they are out, no matter how people like them.

 

1 hour ago, Deeps said:

My wife is no expert but she made an interesting observation; instead of messing around midfield, with endless passes, just lob the ball towards the opponents goal and see what happens. You have a 50% chance of gaining possession and then immediately have a crack at the goal!

 

Please, no, not a return to "lob it and hope"! Surely even England are better than that. She has a point, though, the teams that play passing football, such as City and Arsenal, have a plan to open up the opposition and get it forward, when England play it just seems like they are passing it around as there's nothing better to do...

[Deeps]

I think the wife’s idea of “lob it and hope” was that England might actually score some goals! I did point out that it would mean the players constantly rushing up and down the field and that they would be exhausted by half time.

 

I did not watch last nights game; as implied I find the spectacle of failure too stressful and that comes from someone who’s grandfather played 30 times for England, once as captain, and won gold at the 1912 Olympic Games.

[Rivercider]

So many of the England team were off their game and some looked completely exhausted by the end I wonder if there

was something else wrong that has been kept under wraps?

 

I have no problem with keeping the ball for a spell, even going sideways or backwards, but this has to be punctuated by bursts of energy where the ball is moved quickly and players make runs off the ball. There were several lengthy passages of play last night with little movement no urgency, and zero threat to the Danish back line.

 

cheers  

[pH]

10 hours ago, Hobby said:

Please, no, not a return to "lob it and hope"! 

As the only attacking option - I agree. However, throwing an occasional “lob it and hope” into a ball-possession, side-to-side steady buildup is (IMHO) a good idea. It means the opposing defence always has to have that possibility in the back of their minds and allow for it. That way, they can’t commit totally to dealing with the steady buildup.

[hayfield]

13 hours ago, pH said:

As the only attacking option - I agree. However, throwing an occasional “lob it and hope” into a ball-possession, side-to-side steady buildup is (IMHO) a good idea. It means the opposing defence always has to have that possibility in the back of their minds and allow for it. That way, they can’t commit totally to dealing with the steady buildup.

 

 

The modern game uses drawing the defense out then using a well executed through ball behind the defenders for the wide or central players to get through, even goalkeepers try this with a long ball over the top

[hayfield]

I see today Southgate is complaining about his players not being fit/carrying injuries. Well firstly, he picked them !!  secondly the damage caused by his lack of resolving the Ben White saga.

 

Yet another manager who perhaps has stayed too long. It also calls into question those at the FA who have let this issue to develop. Perhaps those at the Premier League would do a better and more professional job

 

Watching the French last night even after a bad game they would rip us apart  

[Steamport Southport]

3 hours ago, hayfield said:

I see today Southgate is complaining about his players not being fit/carrying injuries. Well firstly, he picked them !!  secondly the damage caused by his lack of resolving the Ben White saga.

 

Yet another manager who perhaps has stayed too long. It also calls into question those at the FA who have let this issue to develop. Perhaps those at the Premier League would do a better and more professional job

 

Watching the French last night even after a bad game they would rip us apart  

 

So. All those other players in the tournament are tired and unfit then?  Or just the English....  

 

Including the 45% or so of players in the tournament that play in the Premier League and all those that have just travelled half way across the world for Copa America?

 

The media seems to forget there is a massive tournament happening the the US right now!

 

I'm afraid people like Southgate is the best you'll get. What manager who can manage at Premier League, or La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, etc, level would pick international football over going to a club?

 

It's usually the managers that are at the end of their career or those starting out that go into international football.

 

Unfortunately for Southgate he's seen as a bit of a "yes man", most football fans wouldn't want him at their club. But he might fit in with some owners. Especially the type of owner that likes buying players and telling the manager what to do. 

 

 

Jason

Edited June 22 by Steamport Southport

[hayfield]

2 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

So. All those other players in the tournament are tired and unfit then?  Or just the English....  

 

Including the 45% or so of players in the tournament that play in the Premier League and all those that have just travelled half way across the world for Copa America?

 

The media seems to forget there is a massive tournament happening the the US right now!

 

I'm afraid people like Southgate is the best you'll get. What manager who can manage at Premier League, or La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, etc, level would pick international football over going to a club?

 

It's usually the managers that are at the end of their career or those starting out that get those jobs.

 

Unfortunately for Southgate he's seen as a bit of a "yes man", most football fans wouldn't want him at their club. But he might fit in with some owners. Especially the type of owner that likes buying players and telling the manager what to do. 

 

 

Jason

 

Jason

 

I think at the start of his career of being England's manager he did a very good job in reinvigorating his players, I heard this morning some sports commentator saying good players like Maguire, Rashford, Stirling, Grealish and Shaw not being available due to injury and Saka being injured at the end of the season as his issues

 

Well Maguire, Rashford and Stirling are all struggling to get into poorly performing teams, Grealish is not performing at club level and Shaw is crocked 

As for injuries, most top class players constantly carry injuries through the season (to me Saka seems to have a low pain threshold buy recovers quickly)

 

In my opinion he has the loyalty bug (even the best can suffer this), The best managers keep their players hungry and Pep must be the best in that look how many great players are willing to both wait and compete for their positions. The biggest problem is the lack of depth on the bench. I don't see a queues for either Southgate or his coach from the big clubs. You are correct in that the FA are the main reason why England do seem to have ineffective management. Or am I being too unfair

[Hobby]

 

Nicked from FB

[Hroth]

I heard on the news this morning that England are through now on something called "best third", so the match tonight doesn't mean anything regarding qualifying.  I expect the team will put in a lacklustre performance again, perhaps score an early goal and then faff about for the rest of the match.

 

Once in the knockout stages, they'll be out in their first match.

 

They should have done the honest thing, lost ALL their matches and not progressed beyond the groups, like Scotland...

 

[Hobby]

56 minutes ago, Hroth said:

They should have done the honest thing, lost ALL their matches and not progressed beyond the groups, like Scotland...

 

To be fair, Scotland did draw one...

[Hroth]

They DID???

 

Sorry!

 

[Hobby]

Yep, at that point they were going through to the next round... So they told us... ;)

[bourneagain]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

I heard on the news this morning that England are through now on something called "best third", so the match tonight doesn't mean anything regarding qualifying.  I expect the team will put in a lacklustre performance again, perhaps score an early goal and then faff about for the rest of the match.

 

Once in the knockout stages, they'll be out in their first match.

 

They should have done the honest thing, lost ALL their matches and not progressed beyond the groups, like Scotland...

 

Although England may very well be through to the knockout stages, tonight’s match is crucial. Whereby if they only managed to draw, which, by the way they are playing is a good possibility and Denmark win by 2 or more goals then that would drop England down to 2nd.

According to the UEFA website for the next round of matches 

Group A 1st v Group C 2nd

Germany v England!

l will leave you to draw your own conclusions regarding the outcome of that match!

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, Hroth said:

They should have done the honest thing, lost ALL their matches and not progressed beyond the groups, like Scotland...

 

2 hours ago, Hobby said:

To be fair, Scotland did draw one...

And that should have been a penalty.

[EddieB]

Why so negative?

 

Having suffered through every major tournament since 1966, I still cling to a faint optimism.

 

Yes, tactics in the first two games hark back to those heady days of Sven Goren Eriksson (please, no!) when England scored early against top international teams, then sat back to defend and lose those matches.

 

However, I still think England have one of the strongest starting XIs in the tournament.  Given freedom to play they are capable of beating all comers.  Yes, there's little enjoyment watching our national side, but I'll still be rooting* for them.

 

Come on, England!

 

(*Not the Australian usage).

[Hobby]

I'd like to agree, Eddie, but from the first two games I watched I won't be holding my breath.  I accept that they have one of the strongest squads, we have player of the year in Germany, England and Spain! But they are being snuffed out by the manager's tactics.

Edited June 25 by Hobby