UEFA Euro 2020 Round of 16 ** spoilers ** [26th - 29th June 2021]

[Pigeon_Killer]

When we manage something like a 4-1 thrashing of Holland we can talk about Southgate being better than Venables. Not until. The first real test at the world cup we had no answer for, and his tactics failed him, just like with Scotland, he couldn't mix it up to change a system that was ineffective. If we win the tournament we can revisit things, but better than Venables? Hoddle even? Not from what I've seen. Better than Capello? Yes. Eriksen? Yes. Roy? Yes. Not sure he's better than Hoddle - he was only let down by Beckham's sending off. I think we'd have gone on to the final without that.

Eriksen's the reason I barely care about England anymore but we only lost to France and the eventual winners Brazil, thanks to David Seaman thinking he was David James, at the 2002 World Cup and then to Portugal on penalties at the 2004 Euros and again, after Rooney was sent off, at the following World Cup. I can't remember the France game anymore but we were well in the other 3 games and could've won them all had luck been on our side so 4 losses spread over 3 competitions and 14 games compared to 3 losses alone at the last Word Cup with Southgate is pretty damn good.

 

[DrToffnar]

So what is the reason for Englands exit from the last WC

They probably had a quick glance at this forum and decided it wasn't worth it.

 

[chroniclard]

 

[ik9000]

Eriksen's the reason I barely care about England anymore but we only lost to France and the eventual winners Brazil, thanks to David Seaman thinking he was David James, at the 2002 World Cup and then to Portugal on penalties at the 2004 Euros and again, after Rooney was sent off, at the following World Cup. I can't remember the France game anymore but we were well in the other 3 games and could've won them all had luck been on our side so 4 losses spread over 3 competitions and 14 games compared to 3 losses alone at the last Word Cup with Southgate is pretty damn good.

Eriksen lost to Portugal because he didn't adapt his tactics for the opposition. We needed to hit them with pace and exploit their lack of it in their defence. He takes Walcott - who at that time was a bit like Watkins is now, fast and direct. Then doesn't use him. We needed to stick Lenon on the other side from Beckham, play with 3 up front and hit them with fast runners. Instead we plod plod and lo and behold... stalemate and pens. That one more than the others really annoyed me as it was tactics that let us down. Just like with Croatia in 2018 and Scotland a few weeks ago.

 

[ik9000]

So what is the reason for Englands exit from the last WC. We lost to the first even remotely good side we played against.

They probably had a quick glance at this forum and decided it wasn't worth it.

Comedy, but IMO it was not using some rotation in either Columbia or Croatia matches. The former arguably perhaps more valid as it would have rested more of the squad for Croatia. A fast breaking attack with Vardy and Sterling against Columbia would have seemed the best option to me. That would have rested the fatigued Kane, but in fairness it wasn't obvious he was tiring until that game progressed. But he left him on for ages. Then Croatia he plays him again and at 45/60 mins still won't mix it up, even when we're struggling just like with Scotland. For a manager that says he likes to have options with different systems he sure seems reluctant to change them during a game. No wonder Vardy said "no more thanks". It was obvious Kane needed to come off at half time, but he took him off at what, 80 minutes IIRC. That's not long enough for the subs to get going and make a difference to a knockout game. Not when you're 1 down and they've closed shop. At half time we were 1-up and there would have been more space for the faster forwards to exploit. It's that self-fulfilling destiny thing - if you worry about defending not to lose more than attacking you will always end up in the position where you're defending defending defending, and it just takes one goal for them to get the confidence and press even harder. Hit them with a good 2 or 3 then park the bus by all means, but you need that cushion. And to not be France.