Nations League Final

[Inverurie Ram]

Don't worry lads, it's the lasses go on Sunday, bound to put me into ermmm early hibernation perhaps!

Why does football wind me up every poxy time?

[LB_DCFC]

Still not at all convinced by Southgate tactically. England have largely been poor tonight and, besides 45 mins in Spain, haven't really been that good in any game against a good side. Should be commended for the way he's brought back the interest in the national side, but even in the World cup, we had an incredible opportunity and didn't show up against the 1st quality side we faced. We've got a decent pool of players and good young players coming though, hope we can improve and capitalise on this opportunity.

[Mr Tibbs]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

Pretend away mate. We're not in the final, again.

Why should we be? We're not a top team. Holland have much better players and needed a couple of clangers to get past us tonight. They were a clinical finish or 1 cm of Lingard's toe away from going home. We messed tonight up no doubt but there's plenty to be positive about on the whole when we're talking England. 

[Andicis]

Just now, Mr Tibbs said:

Holland have much better players

They don't. They have better centre halves, and one better centre mid. Our front three is miles better than anything they could put out, and we have much more depth than they do. Squad isn't an excuse for England, we have the best squad out of the 4 teams in the Nations League final.

[TimRam]

If that's how var will be used in the Premiership then it's going to kill the excitement and momentum of a game. A goal will be scored to silence as no-one will know if it will stand or not due to the var delay.

[TimRam]

8 minutes ago, Inverurie Ram said:

Don't worry lads, it's the lasses go on Sunday, bound to put me into ermmm early hibernation perhaps!

Why does football wind me up every poxy time?

I'll watch....in the hope they will change shirts at full time and chase the ref to a comedy "benny hill" type tune over the tannoy.

[CWC1983]

2 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

I agree, that behaviour is reprehensible. If you associate it with that song then fair enough. But I separate it and don’t see the song as being particularly offensive. If there’s anything with an element of acceptable jingosim, it’s sport, and football in particular.

The songs have nothing to do with Football though.

By all accounts be proud of your country and sing songs about how great your team are, but dont bring songs about World wars and terrorists into the songbook. Its being provocative.

Why would people sing about a World war when so many died and caused so much suffering accross the continent.

Also, why dont the Scots, Welsh, Irish sing these song's abroad? It makes the English look stupid. 

Sorry mate, not having a go at you, just trying to explain people's feelings about it. 

 

[TimRam]

23 minutes ago, angieram said:

Netherlands didn't feel the need to rest Van Dyck. 

Would have preferred Dick to turn up for them.

[Mr Tibbs]

1 minute ago, Andicis said:

They don't. They have better centre halves, and one better centre mid. Our front three is miles better than anything they could put out, and we have much more depth than they do. Squad isn't an excuse for England, we have the best squad out of the 4 teams in the Nations League final.

Their starting 11 was loads better, I'd have Sterling, Rashford and Pickford but the rest would be their team. Our midfield was average. Defenders are average. We had a world class striker to bring on who'd be a shoe in (albeit not at it recently) for either team. De Beek would walk into ours. They had the three best players on the pitch, one currently the best player in the PL and the other two look like joining the two biggest clubs in the world for mega fee's. Each to their own but they were much better on paper IMO and played like it too. 

[Andicis]

Just now, Mr Tibbs said:

Their starting 11 was loads better, I'd have Sterling, Rashford and Pickford but the rest would be their team. Our midfield was average. Defenders are average. We had a world class striker to bring on who'd be a shoe in (albeit not at it recently) for either team. De Beek would walk into ours. They had the three best players on the pitch, one currently the best player in the PL and the other two look like joining the two biggest clubs in the world for mega fee's. Each to their own but they were much better on paper IMO and played like it too. 

Dumfries, De Roon, Bergwijn, Blind and Babel are all piss poor players. I know it's subjective, but if you really think they have the better team than us, I'd suggest you haven't watched these players very often, just under half of their starting 11 wouldn't even make our 23 man squad. Depay is hilariously overrated and rubbish at finishing. Van Djik, De Jong, De Ligt and from the bench Van De Beek are wonderful players, Promes and Wjinaldum are decent.

I think it's us making excuses if we claim their squad is better. They just played better as a team, but also it has a huge impact that we had two clubs in the Champions League final. 

[Sexydadbod]

18 minutes ago, LB_DCFC said:

Still not at all convinced by Southgate tactically. England have largely been poor tonight and, besides 45 mins in Spain, haven't really been that good in any game against a good side. Should be commended for the way he's brought back the interest in the national side, but even in the World cup, we had an incredible opportunity and didn't show up against the 1st quality side we faced. We've got a decent pool of players and good young players coming though, hope we can improve and capitalise on this opportunity.

I think you’ve made a decent point. Many pundits say that Southgate’s best game was the game away v Spain and how we dominated Spain  in their back yard. I was actually having a look at the stats back on the game, I know stats don’t tell the whole story but it makes for interesting reading and backs up my view that we played counter attacking football in Spain and our speed is what won that game. Interesting to note that Spain should have had a clear penalty that game and Pickford should have gotten a red card. 

   Spain 24 shots  England 5

   74% possession England 26 %

Suggests that we didn’t dominate Spain in their backyard, it’s as how I remembered it, parking the bus and long balls to Harry Kane by Pickford, who won them and we then used the pace of Sterling and Rashford 

[Sexydadbod]

This would be my England team when everyone is fit. Winks and Loftus cheek would help the ball carrying from midfield. Henderson’s energy is essential for pressing as we have seen for Liverpool. 

               Pickford

Trent   Gomez    Maguire   Chilwell

                 Henderson   

       Winks        Loftus cheek

  Sterling     Kane      Rashford 

[Andicis]

1 minute ago, McLovin said:

This would be my England team when everyone is fit. Winks and Loftus cheek would help the ball carrying from midfield. Henderson’s energy is essential for pressing as we have seen for Liverpool. 

               Pickford

Trent   Gomez    Maguire   Chilwell

                 Henderson   

       Winks        Loftus cheek

  Sterling     Kane      Rashford 

Interesting that you'd take Chilwell over Rose, I think I prefer Danny's athleticism. Definitely agree with Loftus-Cheek and Winks inclusions, but Rashford over Sancho/Hudson-Odoi?

[Ghost of Clough]

Our strength has been from set pieces for a while now. Go back to 3 CBs to take advantage of it

[LB_DCFC]

20 minutes ago, McLovin said:

I think you’ve made a decent point. Many pundits say that Southgate’s best game was the game away v Spain and how we dominated Spain  in their back yard. I was actually having a look at the stats back on the game, I know stats don’t tell the whole story but it makes for interesting reading and backs up my view that we played counter attacking football in Spain and our speed is what won that game. Interesting to note that Spain should have had a clear penalty that game and Pickford should have gotten a red card. 

    Spain 24 shots  England 5

   74% possession England 26 %

Suggests that we didn’t dominate Spain in their backyard, it’s as how I remembered it, parking the bus and long balls to Harry Kane by Pickford, who won them and we then used the pace of Sterling and Rashford 

Oh we were quite frankly shocking for 45 mins of that game, but we scored 3 in the first half in Spain, so it instantly becomes one of the great performances. 2 of the goals were hoofs into Kane who came up with some magic (though the 3rd was a top quality move). I jut haven't seen a coherent plan yet, and when you compare our approach to the Dutch, we are quite far off tactically. However, our team will hopefully improve when the likes of Maddison, Alexander-Arnold, Winks, Loftus-Cheek, Gomez and, even possibly Mount fall in (though the last one may have some bias involved!). We'll see what the future holds.

[uttoxram75]

2 hours ago, Carnero said:

What an uninspiring midfield trio... England are crying out for a Maddison, Mount or Hughes to add some creativity.

Southgate would never pick that type of player. His style is a slightly upmarket Rowettball.

[Sexydadbod]

6 minutes ago, Andicis said:

Interesting that you'd take Chilwell over Rose, I think I prefer Danny's athleticism. Definitely agree with Loftus-Cheek and Winks inclusions, but Rashford over Sancho/Hudson-Odoi?

Fully fit Rose would be better for chilwell, but he’s a bit injury prone but fully fit Rose is quality. Sancho and Hudson odoi are better “wingers”, but I think Rashford is better as an inside forward and provides more goals than Sancho and perhaps has more chemistry with Kane and Sterling. I don’t really rate stones or walker that highly, not amongst the true world class players. Trent and Gomez will help us a lot out the back, Trent’s crossing is amazing.  Will allow us to get higher up the pitch in a defensive line because Gomez is rapid.

[Andicis]

Just now, McLovin said:

Fully fit Rose would be better for chilwell, but he’s a bit injury prone but fully fit Rose is quality. Sancho and Hudson odoi are better “wingers”, but I think Rashford is better as an inside forward and provides more goals than Sancho and perhaps has more chemistry with Kane and Sterling. I don’t really rate stones or walker that highly, not amongst the true world class players. Trent and Gomez will help us a lot out the back, Trent’s crossing is amazing.  Will allow us to get higher up the pitch in a defensive line because Gomez is rapid.

Fair comments, I honestly think Walker is a dreadful footballer, his pace bails him out of so many situations he put himself in, would rather see Wan Bissaka or of course Trent ahead of him. Stones is a walking error, he makes so many and he hasn't cut them out of his game with age. England definitely need some changes to the centre of midfield, I'd perhaps like to see Maddison as the forward in a 4-3-3, with Winks and Henderson behind to keep the game ticking, but Loftus-Cheek is definitely more solid, out for a while with his injury isn't he?

[DarkFruitsRam7]

3 hours ago, CWC1983 said:

The songs have nothing to do with Football though.

By all accounts be proud of your country and sing songs about how great your team are, but dont bring songs about World wars and terrorists into the songbook. Its being provocative.

Why would people sing about a World war when so many died and caused so much suffering accross the continent.

Also, why dont the Scots, Welsh, Irish sing these song's abroad? It makes the English look stupid. 

Sorry mate, not having a go at you, just trying to explain people's feelings about it. 

 

Think we have similar views but I don’t particularly mind it. You and most others do. That’s fair enough. I share the sentiment of honouring those who have their lives.

We agree to disagree.

[McRamFan]

It is still a young side, happy to give it time.