The Euro 2024 Thread

[Trips]

DW touched on this in his brilliant article this week, but I feel a bit for TAA. He's been a bit of a scapegoat this tournament.

I do think he can play centre midfield, but his strongest attribute is being neutered by our set up. Pinging 50-60 balls accurately is his game. He gets the ball currently, and his wide players are coming back towards him.

 

[sycophantia]

DW touched on this in his brilliant article this week, but I feel a bit for TAA. He's been a bit of a scapegoat this tournament.

I do think he can play centre midfield, but his strongest attribute is being neutered by our set up. Pinging 50-60 balls accurately is his game. He gets the ball currently, and his wide players are coming back towards him.

Think this is fair but do we want to accommodate him just for the occasional worldly long pass despite his other failings, just think there are better options.

 

[jd1981]

I disagree he's shoe horning players in, certainly his best players (obviously Trippier and TAA are)
He can fit all of Bellingham, Kane, Foden, Saka, Gordon in without any I'll fitting shoes.

Disagree once you’re playing 2 players out of position it becomes shoe horning. Bellingham could do a job with Rice holding nevertheless I think we’ve got other players who can hold that position equally well.

 

[Carrotdude]

Bellingham was always a deeper midfielder before Madrid wasn’t he? It’s not like it’s an alien position for him to play where Trent did.

 

[sycophantia]

Disagree once you’re playing 2 players out of position it becomes shoe horning. Bellingham could do a job with Rice holding nevertheless I think we’ve got other players who can hold that position equally well.

We're stuck with LB but while I agree there are better options next to Rice than TAA, I don't think Bellingham playing there is really shoe horning, you get a good option in there plus the other good parts of his play as a bonus. You also can have a better balance in front of the CM imo.
Having said all that, whatever personnel/formation we use, we might still be stuck with the wrong tactics.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

We're stuck with LB but while I agree there are better options next to Rice than TAA, I don't think Bellingham playing there is really shoe horning, you get a good option in there plus the other good parts of his play as a bonus. You also can have a better balance in front of the CM imo.
Having said all that, whatever personnel/formation we use, we might still be stuck with the wrong tactics.

We are stuck with the wrong tactics with TAA next to Rice.

 

[Tony Towner]

In the first half against Serbia I thought TAA did pretty well. It's only when we adopted the Southgate drop that he became ineffective. He Rice and Bellingham can work as a midfield 3, but you need to play with a mindset that gets the best out of them. Lamenting you haven't got Phillips and then asking TAA to try and do a similar role is stupid. Play a style which suits him or pick Wharton instead

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Do people genuinely think Southgate instructs the players:

"if we go 1-0 up, drop deep and defend"

 

[Johnny75]

Do people genuinely think Southgate instructs the players:

"if we go 1-0 up, drop deep and defend"

Yes, Kane alluded to this in his interview.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Yes, Kane alluded to this in his interview.

Both Walker and Southgate when asked categorically said no.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Yes, Kane alluded to this in his interview.

You got the quote?

 

[Dire Wolf]

If he is instructing the players to drop deep, why? It makes no sense. I can't believe it is an actual plan, he can't be telling them to do it surely?

 

[White Wolf]

Swiderski do anything notable for the Poles?

Came on at the same time as Lewandowski and similarly had zero presence in the game.

 

[Johnny75]

You got the quote?

No, it was the interview after the game.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

If he is instructing the players to drop deep, why? It makes no sense. I can't believe it is an actual plan, he can't be telling them to do it surely?

Exactly.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

No, it was the interview after the game.

And it hasn't been reported?

 

[Johnny75]

If he is instructing the players to drop deep, why? It makes no sense. I can't believe it is an actual plan, he can't be telling them to do it surely?

Limited managers do it all the time to 'protect the lead' and 'take the sting out of the game'.

 

[Johnny75]

And it hasn't been reported?

It has and before you ask, find it yourself.

 

[Johnny75]

Both Walker and Southgate when asked categorically said no.

No to what?

 

[Dire Wolf]

Limited managers do it all the time to 'protect the lead' and 'take the sting out of the game'.

Not 20 minutes into a game. The final 15-20 minutes for sure. But surely not with 3 quarters of the game to go. I don't believe that.