UEFA Nations League & Euro 2020 Qualification

[Newbridge Wolf]

Meh. We lost a friendly.

This, although disappointed to lose yet another semi final, it's not really anything I'd get upset over.

Sounded like we were second best

 

[Jabbawolf]

Surprised Cyber hasn’t christened and branded his reaction as Cyberbole.

 

[sycophantia]

Thought the Dutch looked pretty good, a bit toothless, but build up play was excellent and defensively mostly solid. England just don't have a central defensive partnership atm and our midfield is woeful, its not that they're terrible players just a bit meh. I don't see where our creativity is gunna come from in the short term

 

[YoungWolf]

Like I said earlier, I wanted to win this but it's not even on the same planet as a World Cup or a Euros. I think the righteous anger is a bit OTT.

All four goals on the night were amateur hour. Getting towards crossroads time for Stones now. He's 25 and lost his place at City towards the end of the season. I remember when Rio first came through he used to make similar mistakes but he learned and by the time he was that age he was one of the very best defenders in the world, mainly as he knew when to play and when not to, and to recognise that defending is your 100% top priority.

We lack quality in CM (especially with Loftus-Cheek broken) and it hurts us. Switching to three at the back isn't the answer either, we'd create virtually nothing (look at the amount of goals we scored from open play in the World Cup, not many). If you look at Portugal potentially fielding Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho - as they should, William Carvalho is shite - then we're miles off that.

Ah well. Should have killed it at 2-0, we're millimetres from going in front in the 87th minute, we've gifted away goals - you have to go away and learn from it.

Agree with all of this. With kompany leaving next season is a very big one for Stones. The last two seasons he has performed very well before getting injured and then being unable to get his place back. It looks like a lack of trust from Pep too.

I do believe Foden is going to help our midfield options a lot (and there are other youngsters too) but we desperately lack a holding midfielder coming through. Not convinced Rice is the option to that if we want to challenge at tournaments, and although I like winks as a footballer not that convinced by him either.

 

[Johnny75]

If everybody was fit I'd have; Longstaff, Henderson, Maddison. With Rice, Dier, Ox, Alli, Barkley and Foden to come in. I think we have good depth but for some reason Southgate chose Delph last night when he didn't need to.

That didn't really have any bearing on the result imo as Stones and Walker had stinkers. I think Gomez and TAA (maybe Wan-Bissaka too) ake their places in the future. Lingard is nowhere near the required quality of England player either and I'm not sure Rashford is at the moment.

I think the future looks very rosy.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Surprised Cyber hasn’t christened and branded

his reaction as Cyberbole.

Quit your jibber, jabba

 

[Tony Towner]

Struggling with the anger. I can't say I have even got to the level of irritated, if anything I found it quite amusing by the end. If that was a semi of a Euro's Southgate would have started Spurs and Liverpool players, even he saw it as something he'd like to win, but not that important. The Nations League has been more interesting than our annual friendlies against Germany and Brazil, but its only one step up from a friendly.

We have too many players whose reputation is above their talent, Walker, Stones, Barkley and Maguire to name 4. If the latter goes to United he'll be a marginal upgrade on Smalling at best

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Count of Monte Bisto saying this is a wake up call and should spell the end of playing it out from the back.

Thank fuck that gormless dinosaur isn’t involved any more. Hoooooooffff

 

[Tredman]

Struggling with the anger. I can't say I have even got to the level of irritated, if anything I found it quite amusing by the end. If that was a semi of a Euro's Southgate would have started Spurs and Liverpool players, even he saw it as something he'd like to win, but not that important. The Nations League has been more interesting than our annual friendlies against Germany and Brazil, but its only one step up from a friendly.

We have too many players whose reputation is above their talent, Walker, Stones, Barkley and Maguire to name 4. If the latter goes to United he'll be a marginal upgrade on Smalling at best

Walker and Barkley have fairly obvious replacements (though I quite like Walker at times). The CBs are not easy to replace, not sure who else we can play especially if we want to play out from the back. Coady would be the obvious one, especially with his passing, but I don't really see him working in a 2.

Edit - Gomez perhaps? But I don;t really see him getting in the Liverpool team regularly.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Struggling with the anger. I can't say I have even got to the level of irritated, if anything I found it quite amusing by the end. If that was a semi of a Euro's Southgate would have started Spurs and Liverpool players, even he saw it as something he'd like to win, but not that important. The Nations League has been more interesting than our annual friendlies against Germany and Brazil, but its only one step up from a friendly.

We have too many players whose reputation is above their talent, Walker, Stones, Barkley and Maguire to name 4. If the latter goes to United he'll be a marginal upgrade on Smalling at best

Count of Monte Bisto saying this is a wake up call and should spell the end of playing it out from the back.

Thank fuck that gormless dinosaur isn’t involved any more. Hoooooooffff

Allardyce is a tool, grade a

As for the anger its the same anger I had when Wolves spunked the torquay semi final and we missed out on a wembley date. This may be third in the three trophies the national team can go for but its still a missed opportunity. Its the league cup with regard to England.Fortunately there are a number of really good young players coming through and some of those will take the place sooner rather than later of the Maguire, Stones, Pickford, Linguard, etc and hopefully add a bit of steel to the defence and creativity to the midfield. There is nought wrong with the way England are tryiong to play just some really pitifull execution and last night wasnt the first time that can be siad in the last 2 years whatever you think of the progress.

So yes I am still pissed off at the opportunity missed.

 

[Sniffer]

Gomez was first choice for Liverpool earlier this season. It was a shame that his injury kept him out and then Matip performed so well that he couldn't get back in.

 

[Tony Towner]

Allardyce is a tool, grade a

As for the anger its the same anger I had when Wolves spunked the torquay semi final and we missed out on a wembley date. This may be third in the three trophies the national team can go for but its still a missed opportunity. Its the league cup with regard to England.Fortunately there are a number of really good young players coming through and some of those will take the place sooner rather than later of the Maguire, Stones, Pickford, Linguard, etc and hopefully add a bit of steel to the defence and creativity to the midfield. There is nought wrong with the way England are tryiong to play just some really pitifull execution and last night wasnt the first time that can be siad in the last 2 years whatever you think of the progress.

So yes I am still pissed off at the opportunity missed.

I guess it comes down to how much stall you put in the England side and particularly the Nations League. I was more interested in the Portugal game because 2 Wolves players were in it than the England one.

 

[Nando]

It is all well and good to try and bring the ball out from the back, but you also need midfielders who are comfortable and confident enough to take the ball in tight spaces. I'm not convinced about Rice, he looks like a centre half to me and Delph certainly can't do it. Barkley, as talented as he is, shouldn't be required to drop in as deep to collect the ball when you're the offensive minded of the three.

Joe Gomez is class and will be an upgrade at the back. He has everything, but needs an injury free season to establish himself next to VVD.

Walker looks over the hill, he was poor all season for City hence why they're signing Cancelo. TAA is a much better footballer and offers far more threat in an attacking sense, albeit he's still prone to a lapse in concentration which is understandable for his age. AWB will be straight into the squad if he's snapped up by one of the top six.

I wouldn't be surprised if we adopt the Liverpool approach in central midfield with Henderson and the Ox as the primary choices.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I guess it comes down to how much stall you put in the England side and particularly the Nations League. I was more interested in the Portugal game because 2 Wolves players were in it than the England one.

Thats fair enough. I did have divided loyalties too, but really wanted to see England against Portuwolves in the final. Netherlands were the better side and progressed deservedly even if we presented them it on a plate. Without the gifts its a penalty shoot out lottery, which on our performance , was the best we could hope for.

 

[Tredman]

It is all well and good to try and bring the ball out from the back, but you also need midfielders who are comfortable and confident enough to take the ball in tight spaces. I'm not convinced about Rice, he looks like a centre half to me and Delph certainly can't do it. Barkley, as talented as he is, shouldn't be required to drop in as deep to collect the ball when you're the offensive minded of the three.

Joe Gomez is class and will be an upgrade at the back. He has everything, but needs an injury free season to establish himself next to VVD.

Walker looks over the hill, he was poor all season for City hence why they're signing Cancelo. TAA is a much better footballer and offers far more threat in an attacking sense, albeit he's still prone to a lapse in concentration which is understandable for his age. AWB will be straight into the squad if he's snapped up by one of the top six.

I wouldn't be surprised if we adopt the Liverpool approach in central midfield with Henderson and the Ox as the primary choices.

I'd like to see TAA in CM, he's good enough to play there. AWB should be a shoe in for RB for the next 10 years at least, he's already a fantastic player and could be a great one.

 

[arklowolf]

Ireland getting slaughtered 0-0 at the moment. Probably end up fluking a 1-0 win.
Back to MCCarthy/Charltonball era

 

[arklowolf]

1-0 Danes. Lol

 

[arklowolf]

1-1 ffs.

 

[Tony Towner]

Nothing particularly new, but a decent read

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...right-football-resisted-before-tommy-robinson

 

[Jack Regan]

Croatia in front against Wales, Lawrence own goal. Been coming really.