Excellent point. Look at our bench vs Villarreal and England’s bench vs Italy. If only we had those choices...Also I think Ole would never have a 19 year old take the 5th penalty. Not even Greenwood who I would like to think takes penalties better than Saka.
I think next season if we really do buy sancho varane and another name and finally have 3-4 quality subs we can count on week in week out when those signings slot into the starting lineup, Ole will continue to prove the haters wrong and we will take another step forward and finally win something.
Ole spent his playing career at the highest level, playing with proven winners in high-stress situations. What has Southgate done? A couple of league cups? He’s way out of his depth. I feel for him because he seems like a decent bloke, but he royally fecked this game up.
Ole will have a better bench next season, so expect to see this reputation crumble. Ole’s bench in the EL final: Fred (not fully fit), Mata, Tuanzebe, James, Telles. A flat downgrade on absolutely everyone else out there, and you’d only bring them on because they would be fresh legs.
Southgate had Rashford, Saka, Sancho, Grealish, DCL. All game-changing players! I’m still fuming at how badly he bottled this.