Southgate stepping down

The most damning thing for me from the final is that Declan Rice only made one forward pass in 90 minutes.

Yeah but we’re England. We invented it, so anything less than winning it is failure.

comment by Ali Gator (U23092)
posted 18 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Darren The String Fletcher (U10026)
posted 18 minutes ago
Yep, people just think you can go out and play that way against anyone and if you can’t it’s because of the manager.

As you mentioned with Italy, their midfield was levels above ours.
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We were never going to play the way Spain did in that game but they were beatable and we did get at them at times. Better management of the situation may have got us through that. It was like a Man City vs Man United in the FA Cup situation.
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You say they were beatable - they literally broke records galore, including being the first European side to win all 7 games in a tournament.

If anything, they were the most unbeatable team ever to appear at a Euros.
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All teams can be beaten, it's a matter of how good you have to be to beat them. We had to be pretty damn good to beat Spain and better than what we showed, although I don't think they were at their best in the final.

Southgate’s record on paper looks very good, but on closer inspection, did any of his England sides win against the odds in any knockout games?

To win a tournament, you'll likely need a surprise win at some point.

comment by Robbing Hoody - I want to play by my own rules... (U6374)
posted 5 hours, 2 minutes ago
You keep writing we avoided every big team… like Germany and Holland??? So I stopped reading after that.

I think you’ll be in a group of one where thinking a root and branch review of English football is required though and tbh it seems absurd and reactionary to me.
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The post office & half the water companies need that...not England FC

comment by AlwaysUnited (U4063)
posted 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
Southgate’s record on paper looks very good, but on closer inspection, did any of his England sides win against the odds in any knockout games?

To win a tournament, you'll likely need a surprise win at some point.
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What was Spain’s surprise?

comment by AlwaysUnited (U4063)
posted 1 hour, 46 minutes ago
Southgate’s record on paper looks very good, but on closer inspection, did any of his England sides win against the odds in any knockout games?

To win a tournament, you'll likely need a surprise win at some point.
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Yeh

comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 4 hours, 47 minutes ago
98 problems, you said:

‘- We reached two finals by avoiding every big team on both occasions. When we did play quality teams in 2018 and 2022 we got knocked out, same as 96, 98, 90 and a lot of other tournaments’

Do you actually believe that?
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I do. It’s why I said it.

I used the word quality in that same sentence because I’m aware we played the Netherlands in these euros for example but I’m also aware that they are a shadow of the Dutch sides we’ve seen in the past

When we play the top teams we come up short every time. Croatia in 2018 - easiest route to a wc semi final we’ve had for ages. Italy 2021 - the toughest team was Denmark in the semis ffs - we barely laid a glove on the Italians after the first goal. Netherlands in these Euros were ok and we played well, but hardly what you would call one of the tournament favourites. Again - we met Spain and it was comfortable

So yeah - I think Southgate has unbelievable opportunities with the draws he has been handed, and ultimately we squandered those opportunities. The Italy 2021 game was the opportunity of a lifetime and that won’t come again for many many years

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 2 hours, 30 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - I want to play by my own rules... (U6374)
posted 5 hours, 2 minutes ago
You keep writing we avoided every big team… like Germany and Holland??? So I stopped reading after that.

I think you’ll be in a group of one where thinking a root and branch review of English football is required though and tbh it seems absurd and reactionary to me.
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The post office & half the water companies need that...not England FC
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I’d argue the Horizon IT system has been performed better than the England football team over the years to be fair

comment by Robbing Hoody - I want to play by my own rules and if I can’t I’ll sue you (U6374)
posted 4 hours, 2 minutes ago
Yeah but we’re England. We invented it, so anything less than winning it is failure.
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By your logic it’s been a pretty good 58 years then. It’s the taking part that counts right?