Day 12: Croatia vs Scotland | Czech Republic vs England

[Sylar]

Playing some of your best players in their best positions and the team improves eh? Who knew

 

[FrankDrebin]

So, Saka over Foden ?

 

[Sassy Colin]

And Rice/Philips are?

Rice is the saviour of the DM position.

Phillips is... ummmm

 

[Withnail]

Scotland ? Who cares

We're not all English

 

[Semper Fudge]

Scotland ? Who cares

This is a thread about both games.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Except defensive solidity. Rice and Phillips need to learn each other's games in preparation for when that becomes important against the big boys.

The early games are when they learn how to be a partnership. We don't need to win our group games 3-0 when 1-0 will do.

Bellingham can defend. Infact, he's more dynamic defensively than either of those two.

 

[MU655]

Except defensive solidity. Rice and Phillips need to learn each other's games in preparation for when that becomes important.

They have to get used to each other in the early games.

But Rice and Phillips invite pressure with their inability to break the lines with their passes. Look how slow and ponderous they have been with Scotland, Croatia, and today. They can't make passes even with time.

This midfield is inviting pressure, and it will be far worse with France etc. This team needs a player like Bellingham to give a route out from midfield. He is shown he is capable of playing at a higher level. His City performances were fantastic.

 

[charlenefan]

So, Saka over Foden ?

definitely Grealish over Mount

 

[Judas]

Rice and Phillips simply isn't progressive enough, both is totally overkill.

 

[hellhunter]

What if, after all the outrage about the attacking players, it's actually Maguires balls from deep that make England look like playing football?

 

[bosnian_red]

You lose absolutely nothing by playing Bellingham instead of one of those two.

Bellingham doesn't have experience in the premier league though, he's basically only played youth football...

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

So, Saka over Foden ?

He’s impressed me more in 45 than Foden in 160 or so.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

That ball to Kane was delicious.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

What if, after all the outrage about the attacking players, it's actually Maguires balls from deep that make England look like playing football?

It’s a big part of it for sure.

 

[Samid]

This England team is too attacking, time to get Henderson on.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

The Rice/Phillips debate is one that will run and run. For me they're ok in theory but they work much better in practice when Phillips has more license to get further forward like he did versus Croatia. In this game both mids are sat next to each other whether we have the ball or not; in the former case that means they struggle to launch attacks while in the latter case they're being bypassed anyway.

It looks like Henderson's coming on so let's see what changes.

 

[Ananke]

Hendo coming on?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Henderson coming on. Presume for Rice.

 

[Dante]

Surely that’s the point of friendlies??

True. But Phillips only became first choice in the last game before the tournament started.

 

[Random Task]

To get forward? If so, its clear Southgate doesn't want hem to get forward, and wants to create a foil for attacking quartet. Therefore, playing Bellingham would make little sense, as it would take a lot from his game - similar to when we Pogba playing deep. Henderson wouldn't be a bad shout but he's clearly not fit, which is why I wanted JWP to go.

The fact we haven't conceded a goal in 2.5 games somewhat vindicates Southgate's decision to go with 2 central DM's, to be fair, but it does feel like he's wasting our golden generation with this defence before attack philosophy.

 

[Withnail]

To get forward? If so, its clear Southgate doesn't want hem to get forward, and wants to create a foil for attacking quartet. Therefore, playing Bellingham would make little sense, as it would take a lot from his game - similar to when we Pogba playing deep. Henderson wouldn't be a bad shout but he's clearly not fit, which is why I wanted JWP to go.

You need someone in there who'll get the ball to that attacking quarter quicker.

 

[Klopper76]

Hendo on, we're about to win this 8-0.

 

[Rozay]

And Rice/Philips are?

Average too. Which means I see no real desperation to replace an average player with another one. What does that solve?

 

[Alex99]

Has Harry?

Maguire last played for United in May, Henderson last played for Liverpool in February, so slight difference.

 

[Shane88]

I fecking swear half-time breaks are getting longer so TV stations can squeeze another ad break in. Get on with it!

 

[bosnian_red]

Playing some of your best players in their best positions and the team improves eh? Who knew

Biggest difference is just asking Shaw to go forward a bit more and using Grealish as a 10. The rest pretty much don't make as big of a difference as you'd expect any of them to give a Czech fullback a hard time if Grealish is taking away attention. Though could pick better players anyway.

 

[WeePat]

Really?

Yeah.

 

[SamVimes]

No surprise there, Rice was off the boil first half.

 

[Random Task]

I’m not saying Southgate in Alf Ramsey - but some people need to give the guy a bloody break.

How bloody?

Sorry, it's just that I'm a little squeamish.

 

[Sylar]

Biggest difference is just asking Shaw to go forward a bit more and using Grealish as a 10. The rest pretty much don't make as big of a difference as you'd expect any of them to give a Czech fullback a hard time if Grealish is taking away attention. Though could pick better players anyway.

Well Maguire for mings too.
Grealish is the big one for me though.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

You need someone in there who'll get the ball to that attacking quarter quicker.

Agree with this but positionally, I dont expect one of them to bomb forward.

 

[Rajiztar]

How walker gets game ahead of CL winner James?

Last game James didn't do anything better tbh.

The fact we haven't conceded a goal in 2.5 games somewhat vindicates Southgate's decision to go with 2 central DM's, to be fair, but it does feel like he's wasting our golden generation with this defence before attack philosophy.

No one will give a thing if England win euro by playing defensively. Win the game is ultimate aim.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

How bloody?

Sorry, it's just that I'm a little squeamish.

not feinting level. Just a few drops.

 

[LDUred]

The attack has been better. Despite the goal I still think Sterling is the weak link. Would like to see Sancho tried in his place.

Sterling has been excellent.

He's literally carried Harry Kane today. Sancho is a very good player though and I wouldn't like to see him come on.

 

[Robertd0803]

Who do England get if they win/finish second?

 

[rimaldo]

some of these square balls and balls back to the center halves really show what we’ve been missing with hendo out.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Average too. Which means I see no real desperation to replace an average player with another one. What does that solve?

Well we’ll see now

 

[032Devil]

England waste so much time

 

[RooneyLegend]

England need a holding midfielder who can play at this level. This is ridiculous.

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

Pirlo quiet again