joey_big_nose

England totally in control, Dutch apart from a wonderful goal have been woeful. If it stays the same way second half then England should win it. I imagine Dutch will change something though, cant continue to be that bad.

Id say our defence is worse but we have much better options going forward. Also in Rice we have a top enforcer in midfield which we haven't had since Batty and Ince retired.

To be fair everyone has the capacity to qualify for the tournament irrespective of the how large the final tournament was. In effect while the end tournament was much smaller everyone still played a full group round to get there... so actually to say that you can't compare 2024 to 1988 I am not really sure. For example the qualifying groups in 1988 looked like the below.. and if anything it was maybe "easier" as in the qualifying you got to play home and away so less vulnerable to a freak result rather than the single games in the host country in the group in the tournament.

Not me, Mainoo has looked good and should retain his place. At least one of Kane, Foden and Bellingham need dropping. Its really hard to justify Kane being in at the moment. Hes so static, wins very little in the air, cant hold it up, cant run behind, congests the number 10 area... He must be averaging maybe two shots a game...

I mean Southgate frustrates me but his record is pretty incredible. 3rd Semi Final in 4 tournaments.. If you add all england managers before him we have made 3 semis (66, 90, 96) in 75 years.

We had spells where we looked pretty good, but really the only one out of the forward players who looked dangerous is Saka, and Palmer when he came on. Kane, Bellingham and Foden all disappointing again.

Got to love him taking the ball for every free kick within 40 yards like hes Roberto Carlos but he's only scored one in his last 120+ attempts..!

Sounds from the papers like we will go 343 but the only player change Konsa for Guehi. No Palmer, Gordon, Toney etc. Saka LWB, Trippier RWB. Foden and Bellingham play as two number 10s behind Kane. Its positionally an improvement but seems harsh Palmer doesnt get a look. And while Saka is a fantastic right forward its a long time since he's played LWB. And I would have thought Trents engine and delivery would make him a better fit for RWB than Trippier.

Yeah - fair point... here was the team against Germany in 2021 if anyones interested :

On changing the system to 343 everyone saying Southgate wont do it but isnt that exactly what we did in the last Euros? Played 4 at the back in the Groups then switched to 343 for the knockouts starting with Germany? So Southgate has form on it. And with Switzerland being so accomplished with 343 and how we struggled against Denmarks 343 in the group a couple of weeks ago it seems likely to me.

France have been super dull.... All the neutrals won't be backing England or France.

That Portugal keeper isnt half bad. He'll be getting a mega transfer to Spain or the Prem. Didnt realise he had such a sensational record in penalties.

Got to fancy pens with Oblak...

Thought Jota did really well shifting the ball round the defender who took him out without touching the ball. Great seeing Ronaldo miss though!

France so so dull... Like England but without the gaffes. Really hope someone dumps them out.

They've played a lot better than us, absolutely dominated an Italy team in a way that is rarely seen. I think we will actually go in as underdogs which is not something I would have said before the tournament.

Given the suspensions and injuries looks like we will have to go to 3 at the back? Wonder if we could go back to how we played at WC 2018 and ask Palmer to do the Stirling/Son role and run beyond Kane? Pickering Walker. Stones. Konsa TAA. Bellingham Rice. Foden Saka Palmer. Kane. Feels like it could work? We've got a whole week to prepare and it's a system we have used previously so feels doable.

Great stat on bbc five live - Southgate has now won more knockout games than all England managers 1967 to 2016 put together (!!).

I dont buy it personally, all our good players are central attacking mids really including Kane. Same as the "golden generation", just not a balanced outfit.

The pub just gave us a free shot for making extra time....! Thought we defended poorly but were okay (by our own poor standard) going forward without finishing anything in the first 60 mins but last 30 mins of the game we have been atrocious... Really very lucky to still be in it.

Thought we played the best we have going forward but very bad at the back... If its not one its the other it seems.

Love to get Southgates thoughts on why trying essentially the same approach again after three goes will work? I predict at halftime we will be saying no left side at all, congested in the middle and playing in front of Slovakian defenders, lack of runners beyond Kane... Looking forward to being proven wrong.

Hmmm coming round to this idea. Hes played false 9 at Madrid, would mean one less player congesting the number 10 role with Kane taken out. But.. as bad as Kane has been Bellingham has been worse last two games, and Kane has the scoring record as well as captain. If we had to pick one to keep their place I think it would be Kane.

Hes not good enough on the ball to be the deepest midfield player, he has improved hugely playing advanced of Jorginho in the Arsenal midfield. Hes all about energy and physicality, not spreading the play and incisive passing. Need an expansive player sitting deeper. I assumed that was the plan with Trent but he was further forward than Rice whenever hes played. Similarly Mainoo has always come on to get beyond Rice in the middle.... Its an issue. I imagine Mainoo will start today but again in the number 8 role... Still the left side is the number one issue imo. Has to be solved with urgency. Whats frustrating we did look so much better when Gordon and Palmer came on last game but the signs are we will go back to Foden coming inside again.

Hmmm.... I think if we picked a combined Croatia vs England XI in 2018 it would probably be roughly even, and in Modric they had the best individual player in the sides by quite a long way. I think claiming that England a failure not to win is not at all fair based on the teams. We're a much larger nation population wise, but in terms of who was on the pitch that day it was an even quality game. That Croatia team not only got to the final in 2018 but also came third in 2022, beating Argentina (2018) and Brazil (2022) on the way... He definitely got the best from players we know from their subsequent careers to not be top international players (Pickford, Maguire, Lingard, Alli, Young, Sterling, Henderson, Trippier), not sure how we could claim otherwise. Theres a question over if he can get the most out of Bellingham, Rice, Foden etc but we are still in this tournament so he has to solve that today and (hopefully) following games.