What does it matter? Ive never known the usual powerhouses of Europe having such poor squads compared to previous tournaments
UEFA Euro 2024 Final Spain v England ** spoilers ** [Sunday 14th July 2024]
- Thread starter explicit4u
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Soldato
When faced with top class opposition maybe we are found wanting because they are better than us?
Soldato
Will the next manager be a success if we play pressing adventurous football and don’t make finals? I look forward to all the people who have said the style is the issue cheering the team and manager home if we loose a quarter final playing that way (hint it won’t happen everyone will moan like crazy that we gifted who ever it was the game by attacking to much as exposing our awful defence, the armchair managers will be demanding a second holding player it will be hilarious!)
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Or maybe they are coached in a progressive modern style of attacking play while we are coached in 1980s punt it up the field and hope for the best.
Soldato
Do you think if we'd have had trickier opponents we'd have made those finals playing as we have?
Id rather go out in the quarters playing exciting attacking football than lose in the final playing negative dour relegation football, even if we didn’t win a trophy I’d have at least enjoyed watching the matches which is what football is all about, trophies are just the icing on the cake.
Soldato
neither klopp nor pep are going anywhere near managing England.
Plenty of managers though would love the chance to manage a team with the talent England have and a good shot at an international trophy.
Soldato
i'm sure there are but klopp and pep are not among those and it's a bit silly to be thinking otherwise. there's more hope of klopp and pep turning up at Old Trafford tomorrow morning holding hands and telling Ten Hag to sod off as they are taking over
Soldato
That’s an unknown and as said to a certain extent we have earned those easier draws by breezing through qualification and topping our groups. Either way plenty of people are saying Southgate is a failure because we won nothing which is a pretty high bar to set when only one England manager in History has ever won anything!
Soldato
Then you are the one in a million fan!
Soldato
England have been much more possession based under Southgate (the stats support that) calling his football 1980’s good ball is just yet more hyperbolic drivel. People need to be objective in their criticism.
Possession under Southgate is passing back and forth between the CBs and goalie.
1980s football was a reference to Pickford just hoofing it up the field at every opportunity, modern teams play their way out.
Soldato
I don't think he's failed, like I said, from where he found them he's done an outstanding job.
I just think with the players we have and the style they're comfortable playing he's probably not the best fit now. That doesn't diminish what he's done, it's just the international game has moved on.
Played crap football in easy group stage struggled through, had Easy side of the draw , had to goto extra time to beat Slovakia, penalties Vs Switzerland, late goal to beat Netherlands
If was other side of the draw would have most likely knocked out earlier he can't keep getting lucky with Easy draws
You really wanna go to another tournament with Southgate playing the same style, he isn't gonna change this is all he knows and when he managed at club level it's like he is still stuck in that time ?
Play like premier league club that's fighting relegation
I rather get knocked out in quarters / semi final playing good football not like some lower football nation that has to sit back and hope to get a goal and hold onto it
Soldato
I’ve already said it’s time for him to go, I’d just like to see some rational criticism instead of the ridiculous narrative that has been woven. Who ever replaces him will do well to match his level of success it really is that simple.
25% win rate against teams ranked at around our level is not very successful.
So you are happy to keep playing the same style of football going forward ? The path to the finals was very kind I'd be very surprised if that keeps happening
Path to the last 2 finals only top team England has beaten was Germany, he has really poor record when facing high ranked team that's where manager can make a difference with selections and tactics but he only has one way
I'd love him to get a premier league job so we can really see
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Soldato
Twice you have mentioned the easy path to the final. Criticism of Southgate is definitely warranted, I'd have booted him after the last Euros, and we are all entitled to have our opinion but the path to the final was easy because Southgate's England side were seeded so high in the initial draw due to previous results and then won the group - which was priority number 1. It's a little unfair to cite the easy draw, they only lost 1 game.
For me Southgates record is flawed like harry kanes goal scoring record , plays every game no one else gets much chance, stat pads in qualifiers Vs farmers when it comes to the real business end fails to deliver