England

can not see Southgate reading too much into it. He will be more interested in who is playing well and is fit come October/November rather than how people played in these matches

 

Sport is entertainment business in England we have this win at all cost mentality which only gets you so far, other countries would have demanded a manager like Southgate be sacked long ago. Not because of his results but style of play and lack of any sort of entertainment, I said the same on this forum in the Euros last year. This style isn’t just down to it being a meaningless cup, although they tried pretty hard last time getting to the semis. It was the most entertaining England game I’ve watched in some time, only due to the opposition sadly so fair play to them.

Watched the cricket yesterday and Stokes and Brendan McCullum have come in and said we’re changing our mentality and going out to entertain and try win every game, it happened in 2015 with the One Day team it’s amazing what mentality can do when the players are already there. Yesterday was a special run chase, it won’t work every time but fans will be far more supportive and patient when they see the team going all out.

 

you are correct regarding the baring on seedlings etc but so did friendlies. The Hungary game lost us about 11 ranking points whereas if it was a friendly it would have lost us about 8. So the difference between it being a friendly and it being a Nations League match was 3 ranking points

 

Both our full backs were on the plane to their holidays. Dire performance from James , not much better from Walker.

 

That last night was an embarrassment with regards the England team performance, Southgate quotes giving fresh legs a game actually saying "I picked a team with energy" whatever that mean's, yet we seen the likes of Germany getting results with very few changes, poor excuse, we had lads on the bench who have not been regular starters for their clubs (Sterling and Grealish) so being fatigued is a poor excuse.
It wasn't the fact we got beat but the way we got beat with little effort with regards trying to get back into the game, Hungary couldn't believe how easy it was to break us down.

 

He picked a team with energy?

How much bloody energy do you need to constantly pass the ball from left to right across the back?

Boring boring tactics.

 

When you're representing millions of people it's never a meaningless game.

Club friendlies are meaningless, international friendlies / nations league games mean significantly more.

Once upon a time it meant something to represent your country.

 

I don’t rate Southgate at all but I doubt for a minute he went in with that attitude, that’s one thing he takes every game no matter how big or small the opponents seriously. It’s an excuse peddled out by people who want to defend him or the team, everyone was happy to get on board with this nation’s league the first time when we qualified for the semi’s. I think the players would have been going all out as it’s the second last time before the World Cup they’ll get to impress in an England shirt, the selection and tactics however were totally wrong. Not that many other f that squad play in a back 5, one of the few that do is the striker!

 

Only my thinking but once upon a time, it meant something to watch your country.

I just don't have that synergy with the international game in the current climate, with its greed both domestically and at international level, pointless games and games against hapless participants.

I'm abroad at the moment and despite being freely available to watch the England v Hungary t'other night, avoided bars showing game.

 

If Southgate believes most of the players he picked against Hungary are of International quality we are in real trouble, His tactics are woeful and now his team selection is the same, Time to go and get a proper manager in his place

 

Hopefully one that's reached a semi final and a final in his last two major tournaments then or perhaps it'll be seen as a significant downgrade.

 

Quite often, the best teams have a really bad, unexpected battering before going on to bigger and better things within a year or so.

A few examples are:

- Chelsea losing 2-5 at home to West Brom literally months before winning the Champions League.
- Liverpool losing 7-1 to Villa before winning numerous trophies and reaching numerous finals within 18-24 months.
- Norwich losing 1-7 at home to Colchester before winning the league the same season.
- France drawing 0-0 at home to Luxembourg in a qualifier before winning the same World Cup.

A one off 0-4 lost in a lesser competition isn't the end of the world. There were plenty of mitigating factors, including Southgate's pre-match attitude and team selections.

It's typical of a football fan to get carried away with it, but unless it impacts where it matters (the World Cup) there is no reason to change anything.

 

Or even better one that should have won both as we had a better team in both competitions the difference they both had better managers, It was a disgrace to be beaten by an Italian side who were not as good as England but had a better manager

 

A disgrace to be beaten in a European final. On penalties?

Despite us never having even reached the final before?

Yeah. OK Trev.

 

Under 19's showing how its done,

Beat Italy in the semi final (England never beat Italy in recent tournaments)
and beat Israel 3-1 in the final, after extra time so are UEFA champions.

Only saw the first half and Israel looked far better so thankfully turned it around in the second half.

 

Perplexes me how Maguire, Shaw and Trent are in this squad. All 3 have been utterly horrific. Does Southgate watch club football?

Mount and Phillips are 2 more that shouldnt be starting at the very least.

Time for Tomori and Jude to get valuable starts before the WC.

 

So what does relegation in Nations League mean? Apart from we play easier teams?

 

southgate and his players have run out of ideas, wasting everyone's time- why not let Italy take our place in Qatar and let our tired lads rest up.

The Wimmen and Under 19's know how to compete and win tournaments this year

 

Well, that's 90 plus minutes of my life I'll not get back.

 

Crawley away