England/World Cup

[redarmi66]

Southgate reminds me of Gary McSheffrey. A nice bloke, but scared to death to pick a team to win, rather than avoid losing, football matches. If England don’t make the semis at the very least I suspect he will be gone after this tournament.

Omg

[Goole Rover]

Come on now this is the same manager who got us to the Euro final and WC Semi. No team plays every game perfectly.....rather slowly build up than go all out in the group....it's still a possibility let's be positive 

It's the same manager whose had ONE  stand out result in tournament football against the Germans at last year's Euros and even that was on home soil .

He blew the semi against Croatia and he blew the Euro Final with his timid and cautious tactics .

He was totally out thought last night by his US counterpart and didn't have the tactical nous to change anything .

Previous England managers would have given their right arm to have the attacking talent Southgate has at his disposal probably only matched by Brazil at this tournament .

The man is a complete fraud .

I’ve always respected your comments Tyke however I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re the fraud not Gareth.

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Bellingham is sublime. Same team & set up from the 2nd half for Sunday please.

[ncRover]

Rashford has been poor on the ball tonight so has Henderson.

Foden needs to play every game and played central.

Press has been good.

Wales dreadful

Foden does not play centrally for his club and hasn’t done for a few seasons now.

[belton rover]

This should be Southgate’s finale.
He has done an incredible job in galvanising the squad. The players want to be together - of that there is no doubt.
Now, though, we need to kick on to become absolute world beaters. I really want Gareth to be the one who takes us there. Let’s see…

[ncRover]

I think the personality, winning mentality and winning experience of Henderson could be important personally.

Bellingham looks far more threatening than Mount as the attacking midfielder. Southgate cannot just chuck Foden there when that isn’t his position.

Rashford looks in better form than Sterling as the pacey pick.

For the more technical / creative wide player, it’s take your pick from whoever is in the hottest form of Foden, Saka or Grealish. If one isn’t performing it’s great to have the sub option (especially with potentially 120+ min games).

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Agree about Henderson and I hope he improves with each game.

Bellingham has been very disciplined in the last two games and only reallu opens up once we get ahead although that could be said for others too. Sometimes we seem overcautious but, we won the group so maybe wrong to be too critical.

Henderson, Bellingham and Rashford are key players to how far we go in this tournament.

[Padge_DRFC]

Rashford has been poor on the ball tonight so has Henderson.

Foden needs to play every game and played central.

Press has been good.

Wales dreadful

Foden does not play centrally for his club and hasn’t done for a few seasons now.

You must have missed all last season when they played without a striker then.

[ncRover]

Rashford has been poor on the ball tonight so has Henderson.

Foden needs to play every game and played central.

Press has been good.

Wales dreadful

Foden does not play centrally for his club and hasn’t done for a few seasons now.

You must have missed all last season when they played without a striker then.

Oh so you’d drop Kane?

I meant in midfield where everyone is clamouring for him to play.

[Chris Black come back]

Probably not an easy or straightforward answer yet but when all the stats collated, will Wales be the worst team in the tournament? Guess they are the smallest so maybe not on stats vs size, but they’ve been very disappointing compared to their Euro tournament performances. 

[NickDRFC]

Probably not an easy or straightforward answer yet but when all the stats collated, will Wales be the worst team in the tournament? Guess they are the smallest so maybe not on stats vs size, but they’ve been very disappointing compared to their Euro tournament performances. 

Qatar must have a smaller population, and certainly far less of a population of professional players to choose from. Uruguay, Costa Rica, Croatia probably similar populations as well. Wales have been incredibly underwhelming.

[Branton Red]

Probably not an easy or straightforward answer yet but when all the stats collated, will Wales be the worst team in the tournament? Guess they are the smallest so maybe not on stats vs size, but they’ve been very disappointing compared to their Euro tournament performances.

Probably the weakest European qualifier. They've been very underwhelming and poorly set up.

On paper they should have been performing/competing better against USA and Iran.

[Branton Red]

On the subject of Gareth Southgate.

Not a comment on his football management skills but perhaps an indicator of 'brains in his boot'.

A direct quote from his managerial notes in the Middlesbrough v Rovers program 22nd August 2009 I have in front of me.

"We also have a strong bench containing players who can consider themselves unfortunate not to be in the starting line-up. They will have a big role to play as the season goes on, however. After all we are only three games into a minimum 48-match season."

[NigelJ]

On the subject of Gareth Southgate.

Not a comment on his football management skills but perhaps an indicator of 'brains in his boot'.

A direct quote from his managerial notes in the Middlesbrough v Rovers program 22nd August 2009 I have in front of me.

"We also have a strong bench containing players who can consider themselves unfortunate not to be in the starting line-up. They will have a big role to play as the season goes on, however. After all we are only three games into a minimum 48-match season."

Nothing wrong with his maths. 46 league games, plus at least one League Cup game and at least one FA Cup game. So, correctly, a minimum of 48 games in the season.

[belton rover]

Lukaku has missed three of the most unbelievable chances after coming on for the second half. Ridiculous misses.
Belgium out!

[belton rover]

Martinez gone.

[scawsby steve]

Germany bottom of their group as things stand.

[Alan Southstand]

We’ll done, Japan.

Sourness losing his sh1t on ITV.

[drfchound]

They’re going home

[ncRover]

I hope the ball was out of play for the Japan goal. Karma for 2010 for the outrageous Lampard goal decision.

[Glyn_Wigley]

On the subject of Gareth Southgate.

Not a comment on his football management skills but perhaps an indicator of 'brains in his boot'.

A direct quote from his managerial notes in the Middlesbrough v Rovers program 22nd August 2009 I have in front of me.

"We also have a strong bench containing players who can consider themselves unfortunate not to be in the starting line-up. They will have a big role to play as the season goes on, however. After all we are only three games into a minimum 48-match season."

Nothing wrong with his maths. 46 league games, plus at least one League Cup game and at least one FA Cup game. So, correctly, a minimum of 48 games in the season.

That's what I immediately thought. I wonder where that makes Branton think his brains are.

[arkseyrover]

Well said Tyke. Never thought I would be agreeing with your Barnsley type philosophy on here but what you say about Southgate is absolutely bang on the button. He has been unbelievably lucky at how the tournaments and the draws have unwound and in the class and quality of players he has inherited. He is vastly overrated but fits snugly into the FA mindset. His safety first mentality and poor grasp of tactics have won us nothing and that isn't going to change. The sooner him and his boring personality are gone the better off we will be.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Aye, much better to go back to having someone more exciting that gets us out of tournaments quicker, like the past fifty years.

[arkseyrover]

Yes Glyn - winning nothing thats what we're used to and thats what we get with Southgate. His record speaks for itself. Glad you agree.

[ncRover]

This World Cup is there for the taking. We have the players to do it and lots of strong nations are not what they once were.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Yes Glyn - winning nothing thats what we're used to and thats what we get with Southgate. His record speaks for itself. Glad you agree.

His record that speaks for itself is that he's got us closer to winning something than any other manager since Ramsey. And not just once - how many other England managers have managed us in more than one tournament yet have had their worst tournament finish being semi-finalists? Glad you agree.

[DonnyNoel]

Well said Tyke. Never thought I would be agreeing with your Barnsley type philosophy on here but what you say about Southgate is absolutely bang on the button. He has been unbelievably lucky at how the tournaments and the draws have unwound and in the class and quality of players he has inherited. He is vastly overrated but fits snugly into the FA mindset. His safety first mentality and poor grasp of tactics have won us nothing and that isn't going to change. The sooner him and his boring personality are gone the better off we will be.

Bored of this "lucky" line. If supposed better nations left before us to supposed lesser nations then thats another notch to Southgates bow and perhaps people need to re-assess how tournament football works. International football is falling behind club football and as such becoming less predictable. Germany are home. Spain didn't win their group. Belgiums golden generation are home. Italy didn't qualify. Asia have more teams in the last 16 than South America.

[tyke1962]

Well said Tyke. Never thought I would be agreeing with your Barnsley type philosophy on here but what you say about Southgate is absolutely bang on the button. He has been unbelievably lucky at how the tournaments and the draws have unwound and in the class and quality of players he has inherited. He is vastly overrated but fits snugly into the FA mindset. His safety first mentality and poor grasp of tactics have won us nothing and that isn't going to change. The sooner him and his boring personality are gone the better off we will be.

Van Gaal perfectly illustrating the difference between a canny tactical brain and hmm Gareth this afternoon .

The US were totally baffled because the Netherlands let them have the ball and played on the counter .

I'm not suggesting the Netherlands will win the world cup but simply demonstrating the difference between someone who knows his onions tactically and one who has his best strengths off the field .

[scawsby steve]

Well said Tyke. Never thought I would be agreeing with your Barnsley type philosophy on here but what you say about Southgate is absolutely bang on the button. He has been unbelievably lucky at how the tournaments and the draws have unwound and in the class and quality of players he has inherited. He is vastly overrated but fits snugly into the FA mindset. His safety first mentality and poor grasp of tactics have won us nothing and that isn't going to change. The sooner him and his boring personality are gone the better off we will be.

Van Gaal perfectly illustrating the difference between a canny tactical brain and hmm Gareth this afternoon .

The US were totally baffled because the Netherlands let them have the ball and played on the counter .

I'm not suggesting the Netherlands will win the world cup but simply demonstrating the difference between someone who knows his onions tactically and one who has his best strengths off the field .

Totally agree with that, Tyke. Many pundits have described the USA midfield as the most technically gifted midfield so far in the competition, and I've really enjoyed watching them; but Van Gaal had a plan to nullify that threat, and executed it perfectly.

[tyke1962]

Well said Tyke. Never thought I would be agreeing with your Barnsley type philosophy on here but what you say about Southgate is absolutely bang on the button. He has been unbelievably lucky at how the tournaments and the draws have unwound and in the class and quality of players he has inherited. He is vastly overrated but fits snugly into the FA mindset. His safety first mentality and poor grasp of tactics have won us nothing and that isn't going to change. The sooner him and his boring personality are gone the better off we will be.

Van Gaal perfectly illustrating the difference between a canny tactical brain and hmm Gareth this afternoon .

The US were totally baffled because the Netherlands let them have the ball and played on the counter .

I'm not suggesting the Netherlands will win the world cup but simply demonstrating the difference between someone who knows his onions tactically and one who has his best strengths off the field .

Totally agree with that, Tyke. Many pundits have described the USA midfield as the most technically gifted midfield so far in the competition, and I've really enjoyed watching them; but Van Gaal had a plan to nullify that threat, and executed it perfectly.

Steve i honestly hope Southgate shoves my criticism of him firmly down my throat and England at least make a World Cup final .

Not going to be easy today by any means , a bit of a mystery game today is this one as we don't play African teams too much .

At least with the French in a potential quarter final clash we know what we are up against .

We've seen some major shocks already at this tournament but the difference today is that there's no second chances anymore .

Fingers crossed job for me tonight .