England game

[normal rules]

Pundits talking about 6 or 7 goals pre match. Lol.
Yes they have already qualified.
But I thought it was as dull as dishwater.
Low block tactics maybe, but England should have battered these.
The only highlight was seeing the rovers flag behind the goal.

[donnyguy]

Turned it over at half time. Watched Denmark rare I watch dull England these days.

[Chris the Rover]

Absolutely awful to watch. Reminded me of Rovers under Mr Schofield.

[glosterred]

More passes backwards than forwards tonight. 90 minutes or more of my life I’ll never get back

[Harrogate Rover]

That England game had all the excitement and entertainment of an England game.

[Dagenham Rover]

Turned it over at 9 to Great TV and watched Randal and Hopkirk ( Deceased) 

[bpoolrover]

Already qualified and were always going to win, not a good performance but no point going all out in a long season, anyome who does not fancy watching england will miss out as tbis is the best england team for years

[dickos1]

Can never understand this criticism, this England team is the best we’ve ever had. Dull England etc, you must not have watched the two Italy games

[drfchound]

If we had won by five or six the detractors would have said something about it being expected against the likes of Malta and that we should have won by ten.
Yes, it was a below par performance but teams can’t be at their best every time they play.

[ravenrover]

Can never understand this criticism, this England team is the best we’ve ever had. Dull England etc, you must not have watched the two Italy games

You're right but sadly people were watching last night v Malta and that was very boring and dull you must agree on that?

[Rovers91]

I can't wait for Southgates contract to expire.

[Reg of the Rovers]

I can't wait for Southgates contract to expire.

Absolutely agree, time for a change. I can't understand in friendlies and dead-rubbers why we still drag out the has-been corpse of Jordan Henderson, rather than build for the future. Southgate has never picked a side on merit and in my view has failed - he hasn't won anything at all with an abundant wealth of talent. He's too weak to make big decisions and too inexperienced in winning to actually get us over the line. Time to go.

[roversdude]

Never watched it but can imagine Bellingham was a big miss

[sedwardsdrfc]

We’ve the best side for ages if not ever so those wanting Southgate out all I’d say is careful what you wish for.

That said someone needs to have a word with him about picking favourites come what may. That Henderson, Rashford, Maguire and Philips get in so many squads is strange. I get that he wants to have more of a club environment rather than switching things for the next hot thing who’s played 20 good games. But it’s gone too far.


On the boring game v Malta I’m sorry but the mismatch in quality is going to make it boring regardless. Bonking them 8-0 isn’t entertaining imo. This is more a problem with international football than Southgate imo. If you tuned in expecting a great game then that’s on you. I just skip all England games unless we play a meaningful game or a top side.

[adamtherover]

I thought the direness of the game would have helped my mission to buy tickets to a future game, but the Brazil game in march was sold out on day 1 whilst I was still in the virtual waiting room ffs.  Already gone and booked a hotel..  :-(

[NickDRFC]

We’ve the best side for ages if not ever so those wanting Southgate out all I’d say is careful what you wish for.

That said someone needs to have a word with him about picking favourites come what may. That Henderson, Rashford, Maguire and Philips get in so many squads is strange. I get that he wants to have more of a club environment rather than switching things for the next hot thing who’s played 20 good games. But it’s gone too far.


On the boring game v Malta I’m sorry but the mismatch in quality is going to make it boring regardless. Bonking them 8-0 isn’t entertaining imo. This is more a problem with international football than Southgate imo. If you tuned in expecting a great game then that’s on you. I just skip all England games unless we play a meaningful game or a top side.

Agree with a lot of this, particularly having his favourites. Seems like Henderson is a hill he’s going to die on which I just can’t understand. He’s gone to a retirement league and isn’t pulling up any trees there.

With the others you’ve mentioned, though, I think there are fair reasons for picking them. Maguire has always been good for England and is actually playing at the moment for Man U, whilst Rashford was one of the best players in the country last season and it was less than a year ago that Southgate was getting pelters for not picking him enough at the World Cup. Phillips is a weird one - he was class at Leeds and looked great when he first came into the England team, but he needs to be playing. Best case scenario would be a move elsewhere, having a storming second half to the season and nailing down his place next to Rice and behind Bellingham. My fear is that if he doesn’t, we’ll see Henderson playing starting at the Euros.

People criticising Southgate have such short memories with how bad we’ve been before. The players clearly love playing for him. If he doesn’t win the World Cup I think his race is run, but I wouldn’t be certain that we could get anyone in who would give us a better chance of winning a tournament.

[Goole Rover]

I can't wait for Southgates contract to expire.

Absolutely agree, time for a change. I can't understand in friendlies and dead-rubbers why we still drag out the has-been corpse of Jordan Henderson, rather than build for the future. Southgate has never picked a side on merit and in my view has failed - he hasn't won anything at all with an abundant wealth of talent. He's too weak to make big decisions and too inexperienced in winning to actually get us over the line. Time to go.

As a previous post has said be careful for what you wish for. Southgate is the best England manager for years he has a vast experience at international level he’s intelligent and a good man manager what more do you want.

[belton rover]

That England game had all the excitement and entertainment of an England game.

I’m not sure if this is tongue in cheek or not. But if it isn’t, you can’t have watched England for a good few years.

[dickos1]

Can never understand this criticism, this England team is the best we’ve ever had. Dull England etc, you must not have watched the two Italy games

You're right but sadly people were watching last night v Malta and that was very boring and dull you must agree on that?

It was mate yes,
But some of the comments were talking about England in general.
We’ve had more excitement from our national team over the last 5/6 years than we’ve ever had

[Reg of the Rovers]

We've done better in tournaments, but we haven't been 'exciting'. We play five defenders and two holding midfielders - we've been really really dull to watch for years, and just managed slightly less failure than with other managers. I still believe that a proper manager with this squad and that many cracks at it would have won something. I won't be convinced that I should be grateful to Southgate, I have never been less excited or less enthusiastic about England at any other point.

[ForsolongaRover]

I think we’ve always had talent, but Southgate is the first since Ramsey to be able to get them to perform. One factor was that previously players seemed unwilling to really commit and it had got progressively worse. When Southgate began, this attitude seemed continue, but (last night excepted) they now look like a team playing for each other. A good league manager doesn’t necessarily make the transition to international management. So Southgate may not talk like a club manager, but he is a real student of the game, sensitive, and obviously understands players.

[dickos1]

We've done better in tournaments, but we haven't been 'exciting'. We play five defenders and two holding midfielders - we've been really really dull to watch for years, and just managed slightly less failure than with other managers. I still believe that a proper manager with this squad and that many cracks at it would have won something. I won't be convinced that I should be grateful to Southgate, I have never been less excited or less enthusiastic about England at any other point.

That’s just nonsense.
We’ve just beaten Italy 3-1 and that starting 11 had Kane, Bellingham, foden, rashford in it and two attacking full backs in Walker and trippier.
How anyone could describe that lineup as defensive is crazy

[Reg of the Rovers]

I'm happy to agree to disagree. I think it's a symptom of modern football by-the-book - it was Schofield's downfall. Set up not to lose, rather than go out and win. It's cost us a final and a semi-final when if we'd have gone on to the front foot we'd have strolled both. I don't enjoy England any more, and my (biased) view is that there's a growing sense of apathy across the Country - less flags, energy and excitements at the tournaments etc. I'm really ready for a change.

[dickos1]

Just doesn’t make any sense, we’ve had 50 years of absolute tripe, squads that should’ve been doing much better, not even qualifying for competitions.
Yet now we’re reaching the latter stages of every tournament and people are suggesting we’re in the midst of apathy towards the national team.
We got to the euro final and a World Cup semi, you don’t stroll those type of games. The squad we had in Russia was very poor, southgate performed miracles getting that side to a World Cup semi.
And then we’re penalty kicks away from winning only our second ever major tournament ever. And people are saying it’s a period of dullness and negativity.
It’s honestly baffling

[Alan Southstand]

The U21’s game, in Serbia, today was a far better spectacle. With players who know how to pass a ball forwards and with purpose. Very good 3-0 win for them.

I feel sorry for any England supporter who paid good money to witness that yesterday evening!

[Rovers91]

Just doesn’t make any sense, we’ve had 50 years of absolute tripe, squads that should’ve been doing much better, not even qualifying for competitions.
Yet now we’re reaching the latter stages of every tournament and people are suggesting we’re in the midst of apathy towards the national team.
We got to the euro final and a World Cup semi, you don’t stroll those type of games. The squad we had in Russia was very poor, southgate performed miracles getting that side to a World Cup semi.
And then we’re penalty kicks away from winning only our second ever major tournament ever. And people are saying it’s a period of dullness and negativity.
It’s honestly baffling

Beating Tunisia, Panama, Sweden and Colombia on penalties isn't a miracle.

[Pancho Regan]

I’m with Dickos on this.

I got disillusioned with England for years, but Gareth Southgate gradually won me back and now I don’t like to miss a game. I find this current squad exciting to watch.
The Malta game was poor, but that’s the only poor performance by England in this group so far. And we won 2-0 by the way.

Southgate is lucky in a way, in that he is Manager at a time when we have some truly world-class players. Even so, he deserves huge credit for creating a team spirit and a winning mentality among this group.
He’s maintained continuity and been loyal to his core squad, and yet has always been bold enough to blood new young players regularly.

I went to watch England against North Macedonia at Old Trafford earlier this year. A scintillating performance and a 7-0 win. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Harry Kane was brilliant but to see Saka and Rashford live … Wow. Amazing attacking flair.

And before anyone says ‘It was only North Macedonia’, just have a look at their results over the last couple of years.

So cut England some slack and let’s appreciate that we have one of the best England squads for many years, a squad which is actually performing well on a regular basis.

[donnyguy]

France beating Gibraltar 14-0 wonder how many England would of managed.

[Pancho Regan]

France beating Gibraltar 14-0 wonder how many England would of managed.

Dunno. Maybe we would of scored 15.

[Sammy Chung was King]

The quality of players Southgate manages, means he won’t get sacked, unless they don’t qualify for a tournament or are beaten in all group games at a tournament. If Terry Venables or Bobby Robson had this squad, in my opinion they would have won a tournament. It’s all hypothetical though, nobody can know for certain.