(Group D) England 1-0 Croatia - Sunday 13th June, 2021

[Spike]

3 minutes ago, Danny said:

People wear coats in Aus when it drops below 20 pipe down 

It's cold though

[Honey Honey]

20 minutes ago, Spike said:

You’re telling this to a guy from a desert with little ozone protection  Skin cancer capital of the world

Exactly. You should have known better. 

One of the greatest of the game in the last decade, Luka Modric, regularly had his hands on his knees blown out of his arse. This is not the ideal conditions. This is anti football.

[DNA]

Still think the LB decision was bonkers, Chilwell and Mount would have combined nicely and he’s on top top form, Southgate is just picking his mates  old boys club of Russia 18.

[Spike]

6 minutes ago, The Premier Steve's said:

Exactly. You should have known better. 

One of the greatest of the game in the last decade, Luka Modric, regularly had his hands on his knees blown out of his arse. This is not the ideal conditions. This is anti football.

Euros are just soft

[Honey Honey]

25 minutes ago, Spike said:

Euros are just soft

The talented always are. It's those lacking in talent that are "plucky".

[Spike]

12 minutes ago, The Premier Steve's said:

The talented always are. It's those lacking in talent that are "plucky".

Don't tell that to Gascoigne

[Lucas]

Kalvin just doing what he's done for us the last few years. Nothing new there really. That said, pleased for him to show it at international level anyway.

We deserved it. Croatia were poor. Don't get me wrong, we weren't fantastic but we were extremely comfortable. We looked by far the more aggressive.

On the evidence of that, Scotland shouldn't be afraid at all either. You'd fancy them to get a result at Hampden.

[6666]

Anything above 25 is usually shit weather to do anything let alone play football. Especially if you're not in the shade, there's little wind, and there's high humidity. 20 is ideal.

[Ploughendplonker]

I'll take that all day long. Don't recall Croatia having a serious chance all game. I'm assuming Scotland will cause us far more issues than Croatia did, but was happy at how solid we looked. 

[Carnivore Chris]

5 hours ago, Spike said:

Must be why the English hate it then

England to win the tournament this year.

[MUFC]

Job done, done what was required. England should improve as the competition goes on. For me Trippier and Kane were poor. This is Kane's third major competition for England. So far he has managed one goal from open play, rest have all been penalties. If he's like this for the next 2 group games, surely somebody else should be tried?

[Storts]

1 hour ago, MUFC said:

Job done, done what was required. England should improve as the competition goes on. For me Trippier and Kane were poor. This is Kane's third major competition for England. So far he has managed one goal from open play, rest have all been penalties. If he's like this for the next 2 group games, surely somebody else should be tried?

This is just factually incorrect 

[carefreeluke]

Thought we were good but against a Croatia side that were poor on the day. 

If we get to the knockouts, I can't see us getting past the first decent side we face, I think most England fans think the same but football is football, we'll see.

[Inverted]

Having recorded it and watched it later, going purely by the eye, England's play doesn't look like it is on a similar level to the kind of football shown by Italy. However, I'd say that is largely due to Southgate setting them up quite cautiously against their strongest direct opponent. 

I expect we'll see something closer to England's expected level in the next two games. The issue comes when they come up against another top team and need to decide whether to trust themselves or whether to go back to Tripper at LB and the Rice-Philips double pivot, which I think stunts them slightly. 

[Danny]

44 minutes ago, Inverted said:

Having recorded it and watched it later, going purely by the eye, England's play doesn't look like it is on a similar level to the kind of football shown by Italy. However, I'd say that is largely due to Southgate setting them up quite cautiously against their strongest direct opponent. 

I expect we'll see something closer to England's expected level in the next two games. The issue comes when they come up against another top team and need to decide whether to trust themselves or whether to go back to Tripper at LB and the Rice-Philips double pivot, which I think stunts them slightly. 

I think Trippier at left back stunts us more than Phillips/Rice playing

[Inverted]

27 minutes ago, Danny said:

I think Trippier at left back stunts us more than Phillips/Rice playing

I agree but I still think if England are to play at full capacity the ideal line-up would be playing with a natural LB, and to have Philips playing his Leeds role alone with Mount and someone else as a more attacking CM pair. 

And I think that's what they're likely to do against us and the Czechs.

[Cicero]

1 hour ago, Inverted said:

I agree but I still think if England are to play at full capacity the ideal line-up would be playing with a natural LB, and to have Philips playing his Leeds role alone with Mount and someone else as a more attacking CM pair. 

And I think that's what they're likely to do against us and the Czechs.

I don't. 

England are terrible in defensive transition. Hence why Southgate opts for either two holding midfielders or a back 5. 

[Inverted]

24 minutes ago, Cicero said:

I don't. 

England are terrible in defensive transition. Hence why Southgate opts for either two holding midfielders or a back 5. 

If John Stones and Harry Maguire can’t play 2 vs 2 against Lyndon Dykes and Ryan Christie, then City and United have a serious problem. 

[Cicero]

6 minutes ago, Inverted said:

If John Stones and Harry Maguire can’t play 2 vs 2 against Lyndon Dykes and Ryan Christie, then City and United have a serious problem. 

It's more about the gaps that are left in midfield and from the full backs when the opposition counters. I think Walker, Stones, and Maguire have shown countless of times that they are prone to errors when you get at them. 

Obviously I am in agreement with you that England should play a 433, but Southgate's limitations as a manager prevents that from happening. 

 

[Coma+]

6 hours ago, Inverted said:

I agree but I still think if England are to play at full capacity the ideal line-up would be playing with a natural LB, and to have Philips playing his Leeds role alone with Mount and someone else as a more attacking CM pair. 

And I think that's what they're likely to do against us and the Czechs.

I wouldn't have said this before the game, but I think the Rice/Phillips combo worked well.  They didn't get much in the midfield at all.  Phillips played more of the box-to-box role, which he obviously did very well.  Rice stayed at home and defended.  I agree that the attack suffered but maybe swap Sancho in for Foden and Chilwell for Trippier.  

[Cicero]

9 minutes ago, Coma said:

I wouldn't have said this before the game, but I think the Rice/Phillips combo worked well.  They didn't get much in the midfield at all.  Phillips played more of the box-to-box role, which he obviously did very well.  Rice stayed at home and defended.  I agree that the attack suffered but maybe swap Sancho in for Foden and Chilwell for Trippier.  

Thought the attack worked against a relatively low block. 

Shaw > Chilwell. 

[Dave]

 

[montybhopa]

Guys is it true that FA and Wembley are stealing tickets from common people to give it to YouTubers?

[Stan]

29 minutes ago, montybhopa said:

Guys is it true that FA and Wembley are stealing tickets from common people to give it to YouTubers?

Yes. 

They sold them to the common folk, sent police and army round a few days later and said you have to give the tickets back. Then they've been handed out to influencers and YouTubers. 

The army were pulled off the door-to-door surge testing efforts and went to the addresses where tickets had been handed out instead.