G STAR RAM

31 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

It was a good tournament, for all that... Come on England! #thanksSouthgate

Hope the write back and point out that it was the Euros and not the World Cup and he must concentrate harder!

34 minutes ago, therealhantsram said:

Tyrone Mings has made me feel proud to be English today.

Haven't felt I could say that in quite some time.

Really? Why?

Seems to be playing silly games to me.

Suggesting that an Asian person in their 40s would not be offended by racism?

She has called out the racists and their vile posts and Mings has somehow tried to use that against her.

Seems quite bizarre to me.

I'm much prouder that the nation pretty much as a whole appears to have stood up to what happened on Sunday night.

See the BBC couldn't wait to get away from reporting about the football and back to stoking the racism debate.

So today's headline is Tyrone Mings criticising Priti Patel for 'pretending' to be disgusted by racism. 

16 minutes ago, DCFClks said:

When did I dismiss Germany? Belgium are much better than Germany at the moment anyway. 

Why is beating someone on penalties classed as a win when it suits your argument, but only counts as a draw when it doesn't?

Spain outplayed Italy and England would have needed luck, like Italy had, to take it to penalties against them. But Spain's strongest area is there midfield, even better than Italy's, and England's weakest area is the midfield. That's why I think we'd struggle against them.

I don't dislike Southgate at all. I think he's done well overall. But the final showed he's just not at the same level tactically as the likes of Mancini and Enrique, which is understandable, and it cost us in the end. 

I struggle to believe that an international manager, who isnt very tactically astute, could take his team to 2 semi finals and a final in his first 3 major tournaments. 

2 hours ago, DCFClks said:

I agree that Italy were lucky as well but not as much as England. You can't just dismiss Belgium like that and I'm honestly not sure England would have been able to take Spain to penalties. Most teams who win tournaments have luck, but it doesn't come around very often and you have to make the most of it. I just think the last two tournaments are big missed opportunities.

Are you really saying you were happy with Southgate's tactics last night? 

Why are we not allowed to question Southgate's tactics in the final? It doesn't mean I'm not supporting them or that I'm not happy they got to a final.

So it's ok to dismiss Germany but not Belgium?

England couldnt have taken Spain to penalties but they managed it with Italy...who beat Spain. 

Is there actually any logic to what you are saying or is it correct to assume that you just dont like Southgate because he is not a fashionable name?

46 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

The penalties were also a failure on the coaching side. The sports science is that you gain the best chance of winning the shootout by putting your best penalty takers later in the shootout. We must think Kane is our best penalty taker as he's the designated person during the game, yet he went first. What was Southgate thinking? Also, the best penalty according to the science is blasted into the top corner, which is unsaveable (sp?), like Harry Maguire's. This is what we should have practised for hour after hour over the last month. How come we hit three soft penalties instead, none of them being scored?

Because football is played on a pitch, not a computer is probably the most realistic answer to this question.

2 minutes ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

I sometimes wonder what it will take for some England fans to be happy. You don't just sleepwalk in to a world cup semi then follow it up by getting to the final of the Euros. 

Probably only be happy when we beat Brazil and Argentina to win the Euros...

1 hour ago, DCFClks said:

Yes he's managed to get to a final and semi-final whilst only having to beat one (possibly two) top team(s) over two tournaments, how lucky can you get? I honestly think Sven could have done just as good, if not better than Southgate had he had the same opponents. 

Potters clearly a very good modern tactical coach who's already being linked to top teams. Why do England always seem to hire managers whose tactics are already 10 years out of date?

So Potters credentials are that you think he is a 'good modern tactical coach'? Does that go on his cv out of interest?

I'd say that thinking there are many easy games at international tournaments these days is a voew that is at least 10 years out of date...

1 hour ago, DCFClks said:

Southgate has been the most lucky manager in England's history. We will never have an easier route in a tournament than we have the last two. He's very media/corporate friendly, which is why he'll get another contract, but he's just not good enough tactically. Mancini isn't the best manager in the world but he's still good and he's won things before. What are Southgate's past credentials? Italy changed formation and Southgate had no answers, terrible subs at the wrong time. Germany are the only top team we've beat in the past two tournaments. I'd like to see someone like Graham Potter as England manager.

Southgate's credentials currently stands as 2 semi finals and a final from his first 3 tournaments. 

What are Graham Potter's credentials?

My take on last night:-

The best team over the 120 minutes won but it was a game over very tight margins.

We looked good in the first 25 minutes and got into some very dangerous positions.

Obviously once Italy got back into the game they dominated. 

Chiesa looked a fantastic player and caused us all sorts of problems. 

Pickford really unlucky with their goal, another 2 inches and it goes out for a corner.

Substitutions were pretty uninspiring and did little to change general play, although we did get back into the match for a short spell of extra time.

Not sure if Southgate was being honest about the decisions on who was taking penalties but, if he was, it was a huge huge error on his part.

If you, as a squad, have been practising penalties for 5 weeks you really shouldn't be needing to put 2 players on, that have not even kicked a ball during the match, to take one.

Disappointed to see Saka thrown in at the deep end with penalty number 5, ridiculous decision.

The miss that turned the tide though was Rashford and I'm afraid if youre goinfg to pretend to be Paul Pogba with  stupid run up, on the very biggest stage, then you make sure you score because otherwise you end up looking like a cocky tit.

Plenty of positives but also a gew negatives to take with us from the touurnament.

We are a young team.

Didnt lose a game.

Most clean sheets.

Didnt concede a goal from open play.

Probably didn't see enough of our attacking flair.

4 minutes ago, Tyler Durden said:

Feel sorry for the people who've booked tomorrow off work now

Well as long as they let genuine football fans book it first I shouldn't let it worry you too much!

4 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Yeah cos everyone is as healthy as you. Really that's your take on it? I'd hope that you'd be grateful - 'there but for the Grace of God go I'.

Well I assume that you've been wearing a mask all of your life then to protect people not as healthy as you?

2 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

On the evidence of what we have seen this tournament, I am not so sure if we stick with Southgate.

Our standout performance was against a very poor Ukraine. Most other games we had a slight edge, if any. It was a tournament of moments for us, rather than convincing performances.

Time will tell, but I think it will take another coach to really get us putting it all together.

And that is what tournament football is all about.

The supposed standout team of the tournament, Italy, were very lucky to beat both Austria and Spain.

11 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

I think now is a good time to reset, yes. Why wait 18 months for more disappointment and what ifs to follow?

This was our real opportunity and Southgate’s real opportunity, particularly once the draw began to open up for us.

The World Cup is a much more difficult prospect. You have Argentina and Brazil who will be two of the favourites. You have France, Belgium, and of course Italy who will also be contenders again. You even have Germany, Spain and the Netherlands who could all look far better in 12 months’ time.

Tonight was a big opportunity missed.

Why do France,Belgium Germany, Spain and Holland, all who went out earlier than us in this tournament, automatically improve but we don't? How does that work?

Do you not think having such a young squad gives us room for improvement?

4 minutes ago, Derbados said:

I grew up in Italy (Turin) my mum is Italian and my dad is English, I supported the England national team as my mum was not into footbal and my Dad was an avid England/ Derby  fan. We moved back to Derby as a family when I was 13. To claim I know nothing about the Italian national team or Italian football shows how ignorant and pig headed you are you absolute melt. I had a Cuore Granata card at Torino for 7 years ? 

go to bed mate 

I never claimed you knew nothing about the Italian football team or Italian football, think that must be the shandy playing tricks on your mind again..

2 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

Italy, as expected, just had more guile, more nerve, and crucially, more experience.

On the balance of the whole tournament, Italy were the best side from start to finish and deserved winners.

I echo the comments of a few others. We scored too early and allowed Italy too much of an opportunity to grow into the game. 

It was like Croatia in Moscow all over again - outdone by the more streetwise side with a few more gears to find.

Personally I think Southgate should step down and we should start a new era. There’s plenty to be proud of and he can leave with his head held high.

But a different coach might make the tweaks that take us from nearly men to the finished article.

We just played in a final which, we were second best in but, could easily have gone either way and you want the manager to step down ?

Could go for a more experienced manager like Eriksson or Capello, that worked well in the past!

Just now, Derbados said:

Ah cool, I take it the trophy stays at Wembley then? awesome, I must have been  Mistaken, apologies 

No but Im sure you know how football games work and over 90 and 120 minutes the score was 1-1.

Doesnt sound like much of a schooling to me.

Italy were the better team but lets not start making ridiculous knee jerk statements just yet.

2 minutes ago, Derbados said:

Nonsense 

Mancini was 1-0 down after 2 minutes. His tactics, proactiveness of substitutions, experience and general nouse won them this game. 

Italy are unbeaten in 30+ games under Mancini, after we scored the goal he changed it up and they absolutely dominated us.
 

we’ve got a better team and squad than Italy, 100%, and he made Southgate look like an amateur. 

They didnt win the game, they drew 1-1.

8 minutes ago, Derbados said:

Better team won, but we won’t win anything with Southgate, ever. I love the bloke, he’s smart, articulate, likeable but he’s just doesn’t have that nouse, that experience that it takes to win the Euros / World Cup. Mancini absolutely schooled Southgate tonight 

Schooled him with a 1-1 draw?

The outcome of a penalty shootout has very little to do with Mancini or Southgate's nouse.

18 minutes ago, Miggins said:

Winter is always a tough time for the NHS because its the season for flu and all kinds of respiratory problems for the elderly and with the added problems of covid it will no doubt be much tougher than usual. But as long as people are careful, take care of vulnerable friends and relatives, wear masks where required and take extra care... or is that too much to ask?

I'm not comfortable wearing a mask, is it too much to ask for people who are worried about catching Covid to stay 2 metres away from me?

My step dad falls into the vulnerable category but be says he does not want me to wear a mask in their house anymore, its called managing your own risk. 

57 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Better wear a mask then.

Never had flu in my life, try to avoid medication at all costs, prefer to let a robust immune system fight off any infections, maybe a nation that relies on medication has paid a high price...

6 minutes ago, Miggins said:

Having built up an immunity over many years (especially as a primary school teacher) I don't think my immune system has been 'shot to pieces' over the last year. I think that it all depends on personal circumstances. I'm not sure that the last year has resulted in immune systems to be 'shot to pieces'.  I understand your worry but hope that your concerns are unfounded.

Your views would appear to be at odds with medical professionals who are expecting a very tough winter ahead.

35 minutes ago, Miggins said:

I'll tell you what, G STAR RAM,  it has been so good this year not to have had a single cold! My family is stricken with the heaviest colds you can possibly imagine and it has saved us a fortune in tissues!

Now wait until people start mingling again with their immune systems shot to pieces

49 minutes ago, Miggins said:

Only time will tell when things will change. I hate wearing a mask as I guess you do. What works for me is carrying one in my pocket and then judging each situation throughout the day. If I am in a crowd indoors,I  wear a mask. Outdoors in a crowd? I do a quick risk assessment and use commonsense. If I feel uncomfortable, I put a mask on etc. I think masks will be not as necessary in the future as they have been but it will still be considerate and polite and even essential in the case of hospital and care home visits. I guess you never know whether you are safe or not because of the incubation period but you have to do a realistic and sensible risk assessment when you are in contact with poorly and elderly relatives.

So based on the assumption that Covid will be with us forever, as has been said, mask wearing will also?

1 hour ago, ram59 said:

I think that we would have had some kind of defence of the players had been paid a couple of days late, as soon as we realised that the deal hadn't gone through. Unfortunately, it was done 2 or 3 weeks later.

Not sure about you but I could not just magic up £1.4m overnight.

Also, if the club were led to believe the transaction was still going ahead I don't think they would have desperately trying to get the funds in place.