Yes it is. Why? At least there's no Jenass
Day 12: Croatia vs Scotland | Czech Republic vs England
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
I watched this live and was cracking up.
Every manager in the history of the game has their favourites.
He's getting much funnier.
He's definitely going to do some idiot abroad kinda thing with Richards at some point.
The commentary on ITV is even worse. Makes me miss the insightful and thoughtful Jenas commentary.
The favourites for most managers are the best players.
Hoping Bellingham and Sancho get some game time off the bench at least.
So how Southgate judging Sancho in training. Is he that bad?
Southgate have his favourites and he loves to play them even if they’re out of form. Will be interesting to see how this goes. I think out in the next round.
Can see this, a back five to compensate for losing Mount's defensive strength in midfield
Sterling scoring against Croatia was one of the worst things that could’ve happened for England.
He plays in the Bundesliga which is equivalent to the championship for Southgate
Amazingly, given the tournament is well under way, Southgate still seems to be trying people out.
Sancho being a known quantity, Saka less so, is the only way I can make sense of it.
I knew this place would go mad when I seen the team news. Saka starting is a joke to be honest, and why couldn't he rotate Sterling? He's had two games. Two defensive midfielders again. Southgate is a coward. He should of started with Bellingham.
Do we know who it is today?
At least I have the option of RTE for Irish commentators which I'll always pick for an England game.
I think he's always had that acerbic wit. What's changed is that Richards is now humanising him.
Being a cold bastard on your own just makes you look like a cold bastard. But doing it next to giddy schoolboy makes you look like you're in on the joke.
Southgate's known to be a great judge of talent so he must be. Bellingham too...
He’d still get picked regardless
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.go...ghtmares-on-england/sdbcsoip95qc1h30tdxi02z7z
Coady seems to say Rashford and Sancho are the hardest players for him to handle in training... so can't be that!
I was asking about Southgate.
Been plenty of articles the last few days from journalists close to the England camp saying that the reason Southgate's going with the Sterling/Mount/Foden combo is because he doesn't trust the pressing and out-of-possession work of the players behind them like Grealish/Rashford/Sancho.
Thing is, stats show Grealish is actually a pretty decent presser/defensive contributor...basically around league average, but with very high success rate in pressing (which is arguably team dependent). Sancho is way below average with high pressing success rate and Rashford is unfortunately one of the worst in Europe.
More importantly, even with his first choices England are fecking awful out of possession and have no coherent press anyway. Might as well play one of the entertainers in Sterling's position.
Even weirder than the attack is that Bellingham hasn't come in for Phillips or Rice.
Thing is, stats show Grealish is actually a pretty decent presser/defensive contributor...basically around league average, but with very high success rate in pressing (which is arguably team dependent). Sancho is way below average with high pressing success rate and Rashford is unfortunately one of the worst in Europe.
More importantly, even with his first choices England are fecking awful out of possession and have no coherent press anyway. Might as well play one of the entertainers in Sterling's position.
Even weirder than the attack is that Bellingham hasn't come in for Phillips or Rice.
I agree. Also you notice the teams who entertain everyone early on tend not to win the tournament either. I'm not a fan of Southgate or convinced by any of what he's doing but let's see.
If England are flat, boring and defensive tonight, don't read too much into it - I reckon we're going to grind out a draw on purpose.
Calling it now, Southgate will play for 0-0 hoping to finish 2nd. This approach could go one of two ways, either the Czechs are up for a draw and we see an exceedingly boring game resulting in a 0-0, or, Czechia actually go for it and end up beating us, or England narrowly scraping a 1-1. I can't see us trying too hard to win the group, it's much more savvy to try and avoid the Group F runners up.
We won't see the same Scotland approach as we did against England because they have to go for the win this time. Since regimented, box-flooding defence isn't an option for them, expect to see an exciting and open game. Unfortunately Croatia will try to punish them with superior midfield and forwards, can see Scotland scoring, but ultimately ending up 2-1 or even 3-1 to Croatia.
I'm disappointed to say this as an England supporter, but the Scotland-Croatia game is where the action is tonight.
Calling it now, Southgate will play for 0-0 hoping to finish 2nd. This approach could go one of two ways, either the Czechs are up for a draw and we see an exceedingly boring game resulting in a 0-0, or, Czechia actually go for it and end up beating us, or England narrowly scraping a 1-1. I can't see us trying too hard to win the group, it's much more savvy to try and avoid the Group F runners up.
We won't see the same Scotland approach as we did against England because they have to go for the win this time. Since regimented, box-flooding defence isn't an option for them, expect to see an exciting and open game. Unfortunately Croatia will try to punish them with superior midfield and forwards, can see Scotland scoring, but ultimately ending up 2-1 or even 3-1 to Croatia.
I'm disappointed to say this as an England supporter, but the Scotland-Croatia game is where the action is tonight.
I swear when Southgate took over he made a big thing about “nobody’s place being safe, no more playing on reputation and youth will get a chance”. Now he’s been in the role for a while he’s got the players he likes and all that is out the window.
It’s insane. I know it’s one of those fan things to constantly disagree with the managers squad selection, but man, I don’t think Southgate has got it right in 3 games.
Plain Jane Southgate probably hates that sort of skill and showboating! Seems to prefer functional players that’ll do exactly as he asks of them
If Keane likes Soucek, sign him up
Just turned on the TV.
Who are they fawning over this evening, then?
Answer: Grealish
Who are they fawning over this evening, then?
Answer: Grealish
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Should’ve done it in the first place. Wish Ole put a bit of pressure on him to do so.
This is so underrated on here. Like playing with 10 players if someone is just walking/jogging around.
Yes. He is not a great coach but he earned the opportunity to lead this euro. No point in finding fault in every decision he make.
Match not even started yet. Hope he has plan to make things work especially bring kane into form. It's all he need to do.
Bet the Germans are baffling by the Sancho overlooking.
It's about team balance. If you play your fullbacks conservatively and play 2 defensive mids, it's better to just have difference makers in attack even if they do less defensively. Anyway, Grealish is pretty useless defensively too so that is likely why. It's still strange. You don't ignore one of the best attackers in Europe because he's not amazing as a presser (when the others like Sterling are merely average anyway...).
I do love how delightfully dim Grealish comes across.
I think Croatia will have a relatively comfortable win & England to squeak by the Czech Rep.
Well he wasn't the brightest when he drunk drove and smashed up his, and another's, motor
That fecking team 
They deserve to get battered and finish third behind Scotland if that waistcoated bugs bunny lookalike is going to be so willfully stupid.
They deserve to get battered and finish third behind Scotland if that waistcoated bugs bunny lookalike is going to be so willfully stupid.
Like I said, delightfully dim and we all love him for it.