Let's talk about tonight's England game

[EasyforDennis]

Nah. Let's not bother. Apart from Jack Grealish nothing else worth mentioning.

[Campsall rover]

Nah. Let's not bother. Apart from Jack Grealish nothing else worth mentioning.

Thought we played quite well against a very good side. No 1 ranked team in the world with some outstanding players.

Goals win matches. That was not a free kick for their 2nd goal. Small margins. Not our night.
Plenty of positives.

[NickDRFC]

We looked ok but Belgium raced into their lead and were then content to let us have the ball, and we weren’t able to threaten with it. If Belgium had stepped on the gas at all it would have been a different game.

Southgate’s selections are way too conservative at the moment. We play 3 centre backs to compensate because none of them are good enough but it disrupts the whole balance of the team and leaves us bereft of creativity. We play 2 defensive midfielders and Southgate doesn’t seem to trust any players with any flair. At 2-0 down Henderson was subbed off for Winks, a busy and tidy player but one who can only pass sideways or backwards. Why not Foden, or a forward with Mount dropping back? We have some tremendous creative talent and I know we can’t play them all, but Southgate’s pragmatism isn’t doing us any favours at the moment.

[The Beast]

We looked ok but Belgium raced into their lead and were then content to let us have the ball, and we weren’t able to threaten with it. If Belgium had stepped on the gas at all it would have been a different game.

Southgate’s selections are way too conservative at the moment. We play 3 centre backs to compensate because none of them are good enough but it disrupts the whole balance of the team and leaves us bereft of creativity. We play 2 defensive midfielders and Southgate doesn’t seem to trust any players with any flair. At 2-0 down Henderson was subbed off for Winks, a busy and tidy player but one who can only pass sideways or backwards. Why not Foden, or a forward with Mount dropping back? We have some tremendous creative talent and I know we can’t play them all, but Southgate’s pragmatism isn’t doing us any favours at the moment.

Definitely agree, put someone like Foden in instead of Henderson and take the game to the opposition rather than worry about them.

[sedwardsdrfc]

We’ve just not got the centra half’s of a class that Southgate trusts to play in a four by the looks of it. It’s probably a fair assessment however needs to be more positive with subs

[dickos1]

I thought we played well
If they’re the best side going to the euros we’ve nothing to fear

[Filo]

I thought we were flat, Southgate sets up too defensively, we have an abundance of attacking talent and he sets us up like that

[Janso]

If Lukaku doesn't stop Kane's header on the line it's a totally different game. Small margins.

[dickos1]

I thought we were flat, Southgate sets up too defensively, we have an abundance of attacking talent and he sets us up like that

We’re away from home to the best side in the world, with some of the best players in the world. If you set up too attacking they’ll just pick you off
We also had some of our best players missing tonight,

We ended up with 65% possession and got beaten by a deflected goal and a free kick that was never a free kick

[redwine]

What's a deflected goal?

To be pedantic, it's a deflected shot that ended in a goal.

[graingrover]

I would expect that football at the top level would be a cutting edge of progression for the game of football .New ideas ,new innovative formations and moves ,top level skill on the ball and inventive and creative application of individual talents .It would be the place to be for all coaches and aspiring players and the public would be entertained  in ways impossible to imagine at club football level .Well in my case I find comfort watching Donny Rovers and the passion and entertainment I get from DRFC far outstrip the flat feeling I experienced watching Belgium play England last night .

[Donnybob]

Did England play yesterday? Never even noticed. Was it another friendly behind closed doors? I remember when international matches felt important, not a meaningless interruption to the domestic calendar affecting 3 divisions. If we won I used to be pleased. If we lost I should be hurting today. Like all the other matches that are now behind a Sky paywall I've lost interest completely. They lost me, not the other way around, went into hiding. In the good old days when they listed an Englad team it had the parent club in brackets alongside. Not these days. I neither recognise nor have have a clue who half of them play for. Well done FA. Well done Sky. I ain't paying for something thats my birthright. If a game is that important to the nation it should be free to view. Sorry, you lost folk like me who are happy with the third division reality world.

[sha66y]

I didn’t know there was a game, but I’m so pleased they lost ........
I hope they continue to lose until the ceiling falls in and all the fools that support and subscribe to the machine become utterly disenchanted and turn their collective backs

Rtid

[selby]

  It was very little different from an academy game. Slow build up across the field all in front of the other sides defence,De Bruyne and Grealish the only exciting players with any vision.

[rover-n-out]

I couldn't believe at times the distance between our defence and midfield when Dier, or Walker were bringing the ball out, at times there must have been 25 yards from defence to our nearest player. No wonder Walker and Dier gave the ball away cheaply, there was no bugger anywhere near them half the time to receive the ball. Walker was very disappointing for me, and Grealish was the best player on the pitch by a country mile IMHO.

[EasyforDennis]

It just shows how desperate we are when we have to play Dier in the England team.

[Campsall rover]

  It was very little different from an academy game. Slow build up across the field all in front of the other sides defence,De Bruyne and Grealish the only exciting players with any vision.

We need the pace of Rashford and Sterling to make us effective.
I would prefer a flat back 4 which would could give the team an extra creative midfielder.

My best England 11 and formation would be.

                                    Pickford or Pope

        Trippier.           Mings.             Maguire.           Chilwell

 
                                        Henderson

                          Mount.                 Grealish         X  Foden X                 


                                         
           Sterling.                  Kane.            Rashford


             


                             



                                                             

[NickDRFC]

  It was very little different from an academy game. Slow build up across the field all in front of the other sides defence,De Bruyne and Grealish the only exciting players with any vision.

We need the pace of Rashford and Sterling to make us effective.
I would prefer a flat back 4 which would could give the team an extra creative midfielder.

My best England 11 and formation would be.

                                    Pickford or Pope

        Trippier.           Mings.             Maguire.           Chilwell

 
                                        Henderson

                          Mount.                          Foden                     


                                          Grealish.     



                Sterling.                 Kane.             Rashford                 


                             



                                                             

I imagine that team would beat most others. Party because the back four let’s you pick another creative player, and partly because having a team of 12 lets you pick yet another!

[SoundbiteBarmyArmy]

Bored of England. Bored of Southgate. Bored of us playing Belgium.

Couldn't tell you the last time I watched a game! Probably world Cup 18.

[NickDRFC]

Bored of England. Bored of Southgate. Bored of us playing Belgium.

Couldn't tell you the last time I watched a game! Probably world Cup 18.

How can you be bored of something you’re not watching?

[selby]

  Serious questions, if Henderson had played as long as Coppinger for Doncaster Rovers 1) do you think he would have given you as many memorable memories of out and out ball skills.?
  2) do you think he would have been as creative as Wellens and Stock?
  3) do you think he would be as important to us as Whiteman is?
  4) if he played for us now do you think we  would get as much in a transfer fee as we want for Whiteman?

[Campsall rover]

  It was very little different from an academy game. Slow build up across the field all in front of the other sides defence,De Bruyne and Grealish the only exciting players with any vision.

We need the pace of Rashford and Sterling to make us effective.
I would prefer a flat back 4 which would could give the team an extra creative midfielder.

My best England 11 and formation would be.

                                    Pickford or Pope

        Trippier.           Mings.             Maguire.           Chilwell

 
                                        Henderson

                          Mount.                          Foden                     


                                          Grealish.     



                Sterling.                 Kane.             Rashford                 


                             



                                                             

I imagine that team would beat most others. Party because the back four let’s you pick another creative player, and partly because having a team of 12 lets you pick yet another!

Well done Nick. You win today’s spot the mistake prize.    Yes thought that team looked a bit too good.
Would have to take Foden out.
It is a very attacking team and against top teams like Belgium could be very vulnerable to the counter attack of course.
Think our strength is being on the offensive and we need to play to our strengths. Let us make the opposition worry about us instead of concerning ourselves too much about how to stop them.

That’s just the way i would go. Interested on other peoples thoughts.

[Rovers91]

  It was very little different from an academy game. Slow build up across the field all in front of the other sides defence,De Bruyne and Grealish the only exciting players with any vision.

We need the pace of Rashford and Sterling to make us effective.
I would prefer a flat back 4 which would could give the team an extra creative midfielder.

My best England 11 and formation would be.

                                    Pickford or Pope

        Trippier.           Mings.             Maguire.           Chilwell

 
                                        Henderson

                          Mount.                          Foden                     


                                          Grealish.     



                Sterling.                 Kane.             Rashford                 


                             



                                                             

Conor Coady is best English centre half imo he has to be in and would have Trent instead of Trippier. Would pick Pope as keeper but wouldn't be far off strongest team we can pick if had Grealish in the Rashford position and Rashford on bench.

[Campsall rover]

  Serious questions, if Henderson had played as long as Coppinger for Doncaster Rovers 1) do you think he would have given you as many memorable memories of out and out ball skills.?
  2) do you think he would have been as creative as Wellens and Stock?
  3) do you think he would be as important to us as Whiteman is?
  4) if he played for us now do you think we  would get as much in a transfer fee as we want for Whiteman?

Very difficult question to answer Brian. They are all different types of players.
Henderson plays at a higher level also so very difficult to make comparisons.

But who would i prefer to watch week after week between Henderson & Copps.
That’s easy. Copps every day.

[Campsall rover]

  It was very little different from an academy game. Slow build up across the field all in front of the other sides defence,De Bruyne and Grealish the only exciting players with any vision.

We need the pace of Rashford and Sterling to make us effective.
I would prefer a flat back 4 which would could give the team an extra creative midfielder.

My best England 11 and formation would be.

                                    Pickford or Pope

        Trippier.           Mings.             Maguire.           Chilwell

 
                                        Henderson

                          Mount.                          Foden                     


                                          Grealish.     



                Sterling.                 Kane.             Rashford                 


                             



                                                             

Conor Coady is best English centre half imo he has to be in. Would pick Pope as keeper but wouldn't be far off strongest team we can pick.

Yes definitely a case for Coady. Would not say no to Coady instead of Mings.
Also agree could make a case for Trent Alexander instead of Trippier.
We are spoilt for full backs at the moment.

[DMnumber4]

I thought we were flat, Southgate sets up too defensively, we have an abundance of attacking talent and he sets us up like that

We’re away from home to the best side in the world, with some of the best players in the world. If you set up too attacking they’ll just pick you off
We also had some of our best players missing tonight,

We ended up with 65% possession and got beaten by a deflected goal and a free kick that was never a free kick

England were given TWO free kicks in pretty much exactly the same spot as the Belgian second goal.
One effort hit the back of the stand, the other smashed Mings in the face. That's the difference.

Belgium never got out of second gear and it was still enough.

[selby]

  He has had a big advantage starting out at Sunderland when they were in the Premiership, and latterly has never played in a team without being surrounded by world class players.
 When it comes to effecting a game there has been loads who have never played any higher than the championship who have been as good as him. Like a lot of England players the teams they play for are a bigger advantage than their ability., and he  sure has benefited from being at Liverpool at the right time.
  DMnunber4 I accept everything you have pointed out and it stood out like a sore thumb that some of the England players are nowhere near good enough to compete with them just keeping them at arms length, they let us have the ball in areas it didn't matter.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I watched the last half hour. Looked like a training session for Belgium. They sat back, let us have the ball and we didn't create a single real chance. By far the closest there was to a goal in that 30 minutes was from Belgium on the break.

When measured against the best, we are as far away from being serious top level contenders as we have been for most of the past 50 years. Because we simply do not produce enough players of a high enough quality.

By the way, we've spent the past 50 years blaming managers.

[Rovers91]

Cant say there are many players just as good as Henderson who have never played higher than championship. He is obviously better than players who have never played higher than the championship. Otherwise he would not be playing for his country and captaining his club to the league and champions league.

[dickos1]

  He has had a big advantage starting out at Sunderland when they were in the Premiership, and latterly has never played in a team without being surrounded by world class players.
 When it comes to effecting a game there has been loads who have never played any higher than the championship who have been as good as him. Like a lot of England players the teams they play for are a bigger advantage than their ability., and he  sure has benefited from being at Liverpool at the right time.
  DMnunber4 I accept everything you have pointed out and it stood out like a sore thumb that some of the England players are nowhere near good enough to compete with them just keeping them at arms length, they let us have the ball in areas it didn't matter.

I’ve read some stuff on here but dear me,
Henderson is one of the best midfielders in the premier league
He’s the captain of Liverpool,
He was voted by his piers into the team of the season
He has 60 England caps
He’s been voted England player of the year
He won the football writers player of the year
He’s lifted the champions league trophy

To try and suggest players like coppinger, whiteman, etc are better players is beyond the realms of reality