England - Euro 2021 Discussion | FA chairman: Southgate to be offered new contract until Euro 2024

Classical Mechanic

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I take your point I would go with Sterling though. He just keeps the ball better. We need to build up pressure for defences to crack. Rashford for all his great attributes does seem to be an expert at releasing the pressure on opponents. He will make up for it with a key pass or something but you can get the same or similar quality from another player who is less likely to be the link that comes unstuck.
I would go with Sterling for the same reason. Awful in front of goal this season but a good player in possession.
 

bsCallout

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Mate this is basically virtue signaling at this point. All this political shit has no place in sports
It's not political, it's social. And racism is in sport, in football, so this is exactly the place to speak out against it.
 

Neo_Mufc

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After watching Englands last 2 and Croatia today I wouldn't be surprised to see England struggle.
 

Cascarino

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Mate this is basically virtue signaling at this point. All this political shit has no place in sports

It's not political, it's social. And racism is in sport, in football, so this is exactly the place to speak out against it.
I think bsCallout sums up my feelings on it. I don’t see how the act is political. It’s the same when people complain about a pride flag and the like, these gestures aren’t innately political, they’re just showing support for the lgbt community or taking a stand against racism. I don’t see how people can interpret that as a political act.

I also disagree that political “shit” has no place in sports, even if we only look at football there is a long history of politics within the sport that predates us all.

I can understand criticisms about not doing enough besides symbolic acts, or the hypocrisy of the footballing world in the way in which it’s dealt with racism, but to be annoyed at simply taking a knee to highlight racism because you’re fed up of woke shit? I don’t get it.
 

sullydnl

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I look forward to all these racist politically aware fans rounding on anyone who starts a "no surrender" chant or wears a poppy. Keep those politics outta the game.
 

Wibble

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Mate this is basically virtue signaling at this point. All this political shit has no place in sports

Rubbish on both points. As if people are against racism and willing to say so publicly just to make themselves look good.

Racism also isn't just something that should be fought in the political arena and doubly so in a sport where racism is still a significant problem.
 

SCP

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The reason I'm calling them dark horses is because not many are talking about them. Nearly everyone is expecting one of France, England or Portugal to win. Maybe even Belgium. However, not many are giving teams like Italy, Spain and Germany a chance to go all the way, despite some of them having easier draws, being in form sides and having decent squads. If I'm being honest, I actually expect 2 of these 3 sides (maybe all 3) to reach the Semis
I agree with your point, I didn't explained well myself, I noticed that you are well aware of Spain quality, but if you read a lot of posts here on the forum, and other football forums, there is a popular perception that Spain is almost on a generational crisis, almost like the opinions about Germany, unfortunately that is far from the truth ( at least for me being from Portugal and having lost the under 21's vs Germany and probably the same movie coming to town on a couple of days at the Euros).

A lot of people would be surprised if I mentioned the amount of titles the last 11 from Spain players who played against us had between them, since the under 17's until the under 21's, let's not even mention at club level, and if you look into the Germany squad, how many of those players have been part of sucessfull under 21 generations? Or currently play for Bayern?

Not saying they will win, but it's certainly laughable to put Portugal or Belgium with more chances than those teams, or even Italy, it's not only France or England who have high quality players, and there's suddenly a trend who dismisses Spain because they don't have Xavi or Iniesta. Nonsense (I know it's not your view).
 

Halftrack

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what a cesspool this forum has become
Imagine complaining about players showing opposition to racism, then calling the forum a cesspool because said complaint got a well-deserved reaction.

Labeling anti-racism as political, virtue signaling or "woke shit" is just a way for people to try and shut down debate on the topic, by making it out that the people opposing racism openly are the ones doing something wrong.
 

Halftrack

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So what is what you’re doing called?
Ignorance signalling? Being proudly ignorant? Acting like a regressive tool?

Whatever it is, sure seems special snowflakes like him need a safe space where they won't have their delicate sensibilities offended by statements or gestures opposing racism.
 

tjb

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Southgate shouldn't start either Rashford or Sterling. He should stick with a midfield 3 of Rice Bellingham and Mount; with a front 3 of Grealish, Foden and Kane, with Shaw and Walker providing the width.
 

GifLord

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Ignorance signalling? Being proudly ignorant? Acting like a regressive tool?

Whatever it is, sure seems special snowflakes like him need a safe space where they won't have their delicate sensibilities offended by statements or gestures opposing racism.
And yet you seem like you were offended?
 

Lelouch geass

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England will always struggle as usual. Again Gareth Southgate is an average manager. They need top managers to win these competitions. Often England struggle to break other teams or concedes soft goals while relying on easier draws and Penalties.
 

Halftrack

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And yet you seem like you were offended?
Exasperated more like. The level of ignorance on display from the fans booing and those defending them... it makes me want to put my head through a wall. The majority of those clods are booing because they think taking the knee is a BLM thing, and BLM is bad because it's communism or something (but really it's because they don't that like minorities are asking to be treated better.)

Besides, were I offended, someone referring to an anti-racist gesture as "woke shit" in defense of ignorant idiots booing said gesture is a pretty reasonable thing to find offensive.
 
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SilentWitness

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Think it was a bit unfair that Godfrey got shoved out to RB while White was able to play in his favoured position so won’t get the big tournament experience but glad that one of them got called up.
 

Classical Mechanic

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Thought that White was the only decent defender yesterday along with Shaw. Godfrey was a liability at right back although he wasn't helped by his attackers. Mings was awful too. White can play in midfield as well.
 

Buster15

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Southgate shouldn't start either Rashford or Sterling. He should stick with a midfield 3 of Rice Bellingham and Mount; with a front 3 of Grealish, Foden and Kane, with Shaw and Walker providing the width.
Difficult to make a case against that in my view.
Grealish, Foden and Kane pretty much pick themselves. My only concern with that midfield is that while quite sold, there isn't a great deal of creativity.
Nevertheless, I would agree with you on this, especially Shaw on the left. He is a big time player.
 

Buster15

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Thought that White was the only decent defender yesterday along with Shaw. Godfrey was a liability at right back although he wasn't helped by his attackers. Mings was awful too. White can play in midfield as well.
That is right. While I would have liked to see Ward-Prowse, I do worry about Ming's concentration. White looks more solid as well as more versatile.
 

Buster15

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Can England win this ?
Seems like Southgate doesn't know his best team
He does, but they were not all available yesterday due to cup competitions.
He is in a good position of having loads of options in all positions.
We will be fine.
 

CM

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Mad decision. You'd be fuming at that if you're Ward-Prowse
 

RazorOz

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The thing I fear is we're going into the tournament now and I really don't think Southgate knows his best XI, he probably knows what team he plans to start next week, but does he really know the team to get the best out of this squad, I think it's unlikely, as we've probably never even seen that XI play together.

I found ITV's segment on what the team will be next week after the game yesterday very weird. Why are they so convinced we will go to 5 at the back next week, and had their 3 blanks to fill in with 5 at the back? Makes no sense to me, 5 at the back didn't work in the Nations League, and we haven't played it for a minute in 2021, I would find it very strange if we would go to 5 at the back next week when we haven't tried it at all in these friendlies, it makes no sense, and tbh I don' t believe Southgate will do it either. Also funny that after all agreeing that Grealish should be in the team next week, none of them actually thought Southgate would pick him. Grealish should start for me, he's the only player who actually stood out for me in these friendlies, and indeed has done so every time he's played for England.
 

groovyalbert

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Right move to bring White in.

For all the discussions around which is England's best attacking line up, they are potentially going into a tournament with their weakest ever CB options. It's clear that Maguire isn't fir for this, and without him, they have no-one to marshal the defence.
 
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He does, but they were not all available yesterday due to cup competitions.
He is in a good position of having loads of options in all positions.
We will be fine.
exactly.

he’s made a sacrifice to give players a bit of a rest. How many tournaments have we had when the end analysis is that the players were knackered after a long season…

that week he’s given the finalists off might pay off.

mot doesn’t really matter what Southgate did in these two games, or who he played, he would get slagged off regardless.
 
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Right move to bring White in.

For all the discussions around which is England's best attacking line up, they are potentially going into a tournament with their weakest ever CB options. It's clear that Maguire isn't fir for this, and without him, they have no-one to marshal the defence.
central defence is the biggest concern. We are reserve of our usual strength. Usually we have an excellent ‘spine’ of the team - CB, CM and GK. - now these are our weaknesses, and without Maguire we look really suspect.

my hope is that White pushes out Mings, and perhaps yesterday showed Southgate that this was the way to go.
 

Delano

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Find it baffling that a half fit Maguire, Stones, Coady, Mings, White; and to a lesser extent Godfrey, have been seen as better than Tomori.

Southgate has fecked up here... I think he realises Coady and Mings aren't up for this level and Maguire isnt ready. So is remedying his decision with White in the team.
 

CM

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Find it baffling that a half fit Maguire, Stones, Coady, Mings, White; and to a lesser extent Godfrey, have been seen as better than Tomori.

Southgate has fecked up here... I think he realises Coady and Mings aren't up for this level and Maguire isnt ready. So is remedying his decision with White in the team.
Agreed. I don't think either of Coady or Mings belong anywhere near this squad. Even White is a strange inclusion given Dunk has been Brighton's best defender all season, albeit probably better than the previous two.
 

SuperiorXI

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Are you joking? Ben White?

Southgate clearly has no clue. Why is he even England manager? He's rubbish. Managed (and failed!) Middlesbrough, well feck me sideways, what a career he's had.
 
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