The England Thread

[tommo84]

ITV are missing a trick if they don’t squeeze a full repeat of England 4-1 Netherlands from Euro 96 into the schedules on ITV 4 or something between now and Wednesday night.

 

[easley91]

Portugal won the Euros in 2016 with one win in 90 minutes. At the end of the day winning on penalties or AET gets the same result as winning in 90 minutes in knockouts. I know everyone wants to cruise to wins inside 90 minutes, I would love it myself, but it isn't always the case.

Still think it's Spain's to lose mind you.

 

[ohtottenham!]

And let’s be honest, we should be thanking the Russians for that anyway…

...and for our World Cup victory...

 

[Flynn]

Football is supposed to be a release, its popularity comes from entertainment.

How many people could name 3 players that won it with Greece in 2004 yet most on here could name 7-8 of the great Dutch, French or Spanish teams.

This insipid football isn't for me, I don't really care if we win anything (Spurs or England) as long as I can take pride in the game and we're trying to play. I get that it's important to some people but I have a connection to Spurs not through family, or the need to win anything. It's because I fell in love with watching Hoddle, Gazza, Ginola, Dozzell ... Spurs never had the resources to have the greatest of team but we always had that special person that made everyone stand up when they got the ball. If all I cared about was success I'd just declare myself a city fan. I stopped watching Spurs through the Jose and Conte period because I knew I couldn't enjoy it, that I wouldn't have that connection. I want to have that connection to the England team but it's not there at the minute and hasn't been for some time which is a crying shame with the players available.

A couple of scraped wins doesn't change that and I think that people are fooling themselves to think we are playing dead just to come alive in the later games, if that was the case he'd of rotated players more so that Kane / Bellingham / Saka would of had a rest during the earlier games.

Guehi has been one of our best players this tournament, but he wouldn't be playing if Maguire was fit.

Because we never led in yesterdays game people have quickly forgotten what happens to England when we do lead, we sit back, get deeper and deeper and play ourselves into trouble. It's unwatchable, we had a throw yesterday a few yards from their corner flag. I said to my mate, "This goes back to Pickford before it goes in the area" low and behold thats exactly what happened. we go all the way back with 10 players in our half just for Pickford to belt back to them. This isn't some game management masterclass genius southgate playing into the tournament. It's crap. We're here through luck and we will get found out. There is a chance we'll pull off a Greece but this England team will be forgotten in 10 years.

“It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. At Spurs we set our sights very high, so that even failure will have in it an echo of glory." Bill Nic


In other news https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...cks-frank-lampard-gareth-southgate-successor/ Lineker thinks Lampard should take over after Southgate

 

[Cambridge Spur]

Football is supposed to be a release, its popularity comes from entertainment.

How many people could name 3 players that won it with Greece in 2004 yet most on here could name 7-8 of the great Dutch, French or Spanish teams.

This insipid football isn't for me, I don't really care if we win anything (Spurs or England) as long as I can take pride in the game and we're trying to play. I get that it's important to some people but I have a connection to Spurs not through family, or the need to win anything. It's because I fell in love with watching Hoddle, Gazza, Ginola, Dozzell ... Spurs never had the resources to have the greatest of team but we always had that special person that made everyone stand up when they got the ball. If all I cared about was success I'd just declare myself a city fan. I stopped watching Spurs through the Jose and Conte period because I knew I couldn't enjoy it, that I wouldn't have that connection. I want to have that connection to the England team but it's not there at the minute and hasn't been for some time which is a crying shame with the players available.

A couple of scraped wins doesn't change that and I think that people are fooling themselves to think we are playing dead just to come alive in the later games, if that was the case he'd of rotated players more so that Kane / Bellingham / Saka would of had a rest during the earlier games.

Guehi has been one of our best players this tournament, but he wouldn't be playing if Maguire was fit.

Because we never led in yesterdays game people have quickly forgotten what happens to England when we do lead, we sit back, get deeper and deeper and play ourselves into trouble. It's unwatchable, we had a throw yesterday a few yards from their corner flag. I said to my mate, "This goes back to Pickford before it goes in the area" low and behold thats exactly what happened. we go all the way back with 10 players in our half just for Pickford to belt back to them. This isn't some game management masterclass genius southgate playing into the tournament. It's crap. We're here through luck and we will get found out. There is a chance we'll pull off a Greece but this England team will be forgotten in 10 years.

“It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. At Spurs we set our sights very high, so that even failure will have in it an echo of glory." Bill Nic


In other news https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...cks-frank-lampard-gareth-southgate-successor/ Lineker thinks Lampard should take over after Southgate

I was with you until you mentioned Dozzell

 

[Styopa]

I was with you until you mentioned Dozzell

I know what he means though. One of my earlier memories as a Spurs fan was "Rocket Ronny's" hat -trick in the FA Cup versus Southampton, when we were 2-0 down and went on to win the match 6-2 in extra time. That was in the 5th round but sticks more in my memory than many of the quarter-finals or semi finals that we have been involved in over the years.

 

[Cambridge Spur]

I know what he means though. One of my earlier memories as a Spurs fan was "Rocket Ronny's" hat -trick in the FA Cup versus Southampton, when we were 2-0 down and went on to win the match 6-2 in extra time. That was in the 5th round but sticks more in my memory than many of the quarter-finals or semi finals that we have been involved in over the years.

I agree with him but I actually laughed out loud when I was reading that list of players and Dozzell was at the end of it

 

[Flynn]

I agree with him but I actually laughed out loud when I was reading that list of players and Dozzell was at the end of it

That was an edit. I read my post back and it was too serious.

 

[torbaytottenham]

Football is supposed to be a release, its popularity comes from entertainment.

How many people could name 3 players that won it with Greece in 2004 yet most on here could name 7-8 of the great Dutch, French or Spanish teams.

This insipid football isn't for me, I don't really care if we win anything (Spurs or England) as long as I can take pride in the game and we're trying to play. I get that it's important to some people but I have a connection to Spurs not through family, or the need to win anything. It's because I fell in love with watching Hoddle, Gazza, Ginola, Dozzell ... Spurs never had the resources to have the greatest of team but we always had that special person that made everyone stand up when they got the ball. If all I cared about was success I'd just declare myself a city fan. I stopped watching Spurs through the Jose and Conte period because I knew I couldn't enjoy it, that I wouldn't have that connection. I want to have that connection to the England team but it's not there at the minute and hasn't been for some time which is a crying shame with the players available.

A couple of scraped wins doesn't change that and I think that people are fooling themselves to think we are playing dead just to come alive in the later games, if that was the case he'd of rotated players more so that Kane / Bellingham / Saka would of had a rest during the earlier games.

Guehi has been one of our best players this tournament, but he wouldn't be playing if Maguire was fit.

Because we never led in yesterdays game people have quickly forgotten what happens to England when we do lead, we sit back, get deeper and deeper and play ourselves into trouble. It's unwatchable, we had a throw yesterday a few yards from their corner flag. I said to my mate, "This goes back to Pickford before it goes in the area" low and behold thats exactly what happened. we go all the way back with 10 players in our half just for Pickford to belt back to them. This isn't some game management masterclass genius southgate playing into the tournament. It's crap. We're here through luck and we will get found out. There is a chance we'll pull off a Greece but this England team will be forgotten in 10 years.

“It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. At Spurs we set our sights very high, so that even failure will have in it an echo of glory." Bill Nic


In other news https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...cks-frank-lampard-gareth-southgate-successor/ Lineker thinks Lampard should take over after Southgate

Agree 100% with this, been offered a ticket and transport to Wednesdays semi final but turned it down as I think watching England is not exciting enough to warrant the time or the expense. I tend to watch England now with a passing interest, used to love watching England but not anymore.

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

So many Debbie Downers in here today! It’s coming home* lads, put some wind your sails.


*it might not be coming home.

 

[Styopa]

Agree 100% with this, been offered a ticket and transport to Wednesdays semi final but turned it down as I think watching England is not exciting enough to warrant the time or the expense. I tend to watch England now with a passing interest, used to love watching England but not anymore.

I'm similar. I went out to watch it last night but talked through most of it, and not about the game. I just followed the match with a passing interest.

I understand that some fans just want to win the tournament, regardless of how it happens, and I don't fault them for that. As Spurs fans, we're all too familiar with the frustration of not securing trophies. However, for me, insipid performances make supporting a team feel like a chore.

It's also a risky approach because if the team doesn't win, which remains a strong possibility, there won't be many fond memories to look back on.

 

[teok]

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

I saw and was wondering that surely someone on the opposition staff can just take a picture of the bottle during the game so they know which way Pickford is going to dive!

 

[Albertbarich]

Portugal won the Euros in 2016 with one win in 90 minutes. At the end of the day winning on penalties or AET gets the same result as winning in 90 minutes in knockouts. I know everyone wants to cruise to wins inside 90 minutes, I would love it myself, but it isn't always the case.

Still think it's Spain's to lose mind you.

I think our best hope is for France to do a number of the Spanish. England v France if it happens would probably be the worst final of all time but we have a chance. Against the Spanish though I don't see England's luck lasting.

 

[Gbspurs]

I saw and was wondering that surely someone on the opposition staff can just take a picture of the bottle during the game so they know which way Pickford is going to dive!

He had it wrapped in his towel

 

[talkshowhost86]

I think our best hope is for France to do a number of the Spanish. England v France if it happens would probably be the worst final of all time but we have a chance. Against the Spanish though I don't see England's luck lasting.

God that match would be like watching a sloth race a lemon.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

 

[rossdapep]

I think the fair concern is not just that it's turgid.

As you say if we won every game 1-0 in a series of bore-fests then absolutely fine.

It's more that it's not very good.

We're not in the semi-final for any reason other than luck and that shouldn't be the case with these players.

But hey...we are in the semi-final so that's the huge positive.

But I think we need to play better, not necessarily more excitingly, if we're going to win the thing.

We've been incredibly lucky.

First of all look at the quality of the teams.

Slovenia - We did absolutely nothing to trouble them and were lucky they didn't take advantage of a set piece.

Slovakia - We were a bouncing ball in the area and brilliant improvisation from Bellingham from going out
We then attacked in a more risk adverse way and got in front only to revert.

Switzerland - A long strike Saka goal out of the blue despite not having a shot at goal the 79 mins prior to that and we are bailed out.

The pens were brilliant but again that is largely about luck.

We may keep getting lucky and go on to win it but that's just as likely as us getting thumped and the whole nation piling in on the team for failing again.

I shared this image yesterday

It is completely risk adverse. You are planning on losing the ball and the attack suffers greatly as you can't get players into positions quick enough.

I can't and never will subscribe to that football over a long period because if it becomes a trend or the go to type, then we get endless shite games and zero entertainment.

The other thing is it completely stifles talent as it doesn't try to focus on letting players play with freedom to express.

The funny thing is I believe it has a lot of risk attached to it.

If you are creating 1 or 2 chances maximum per game, then it only takes a goal like Slovakia or Switzerland scored to put you out.

 

[Hazelton]

This probably won't be popular, but I think if Kane isn't fit for the Netherlands game then it actually does England a favour. He's a brilliant goalscorer and footballer but he needs runners and this team is full of some wonderful players but very few of them are runners. Foden wants the ball at feet, Bellingham wants the ball at feet, it's only really Saka who makes runs.

Bellingham and Foden are always going to start, so we end up with those two and Kane all trying to play the same role. If he's injured for the semi-final and Toney or Watkins come in, I think they suit our attacking midfielders better and will be more willing to run in behind.

If they come in and we do well against the Netherlands, it gives Southgate a decision to make before the final.

 

[tommo84]

This probably won't be popular, but I think if Kane isn't fit for the Netherlands game then it actually does England a favour. He's a brilliant goalscorer and footballer but he needs runners and this team is full of some wonderful players but very few of them are runners. Foden wants the ball at feet, Bellingham wants the ball at feet, it's only really Saka who makes runs.

Bellingham and Foden are always going to start, so we end up with those two and Kane all trying to play the same role. If he's injured for the semi-final and Toney or Watkins come in, I think they suit our attacking midfielders better and will be more willing to run in behind.

If they come in and we do well against the Netherlands, it gives Southgate a decision to make before the final.

I think Toney would give you the same issue. He’s most effective at Brentford with Mbeumo and Wissa running beyond him. Watkins gives you something very different but he seems to be 3rd choice.