AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2026 4:17 pm
We've had a pretty damn good defensive record under Dyche and Moyes (apart from the last few games).
In terms of structure and defensive organisation we've been light years ahead of this England team.
Better players doesn't always make for a better defence.
What on earth.
Come on man.
We were terrible at the back last season.
Players like Keane, mykolenko, Holgate, playing as often as they have and not having a right back for ten years tells its own story.
We had a decent period under Carlo, a few months under Dyche where we were solid. Other than that it’s been ten years of being terrible at the back, with Pickford often having to bail us out.
He’d be made up to be playing in that England team after what he had to put up with last season.
TheRam wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2026 6:00 pm
What on earth.
Come on man.
We were terrible at the back last season.
Players like Keane, mykolenko, Holgate, playing as often as they have and not having a right back for ten years tells its own story.
We had a decent period under Carlo, a few months under Dyche where we were solid. Other than that it’s been ten years of being terrible at the back, with Pickford often having to bail us out.
He’d be made up to be playing in that England team after what he had to put up with last season.
You're chatting pure shite
Pickford's clean sheet record for us is pretty much second only to Raya over the past few seasons. You don't have that without a well organised and structured defence FFS.
Cereal Killer wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2026 7:25 pm
Probably helps our shit defence gets 10 months a year to play and train together, whilst England’s shit defence gets about 2 weeks…
This is a legitimate advantage some countries have.
When most of your best eleven plays together at the club level or you have a smaller pool of quality players who’ve played together at the international level for years, there’s less work to be done on those partnerships when the tournament rolls around.
This England squad really has neither. Players are fairly well dispersed across clubs and there’s always pressure to put the newest in form players in the squad which hurts continuity.
One thing Southgate did well was not tinker with the squad too much. He just wasn’t good enough tactically to win the biggest matches.
kramer wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2026 7:46 pm
This is a legitimate advantage some countries have.
When most of your best eleven plays together at the club level or you have a smaller pool of quality players who’ve played together at the international level for years, there’s less work to be done on those partnerships when the tournament rolls around.
This England squad really has neither. Players are fairly well dispersed across clubs and there’s always pressure to put the newest in form players in the squad which hurts continuity.
One thing Southgate did well was not tinker with the squad too much. He just wasn’t good enough tactically to win the biggest matches.
All on Tuchel for “keeping his cards close to his chest” and never actually picking his preferred back 4 at any stage
England's defence also has £230 millions worth of a 2 man defensive midfielder sat in front of them
... and they still look shit. Takes some doing that.
Matt1878 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2026 9:32 pm
England's defence also has £230 millions worth of a 2 man defensive midfielder sat in front of them
... and they still look shit. Takes some doing that.
So far Anderson has made Ireobugnam look positionally elite.
AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2026 2:01 pm
Ok but all that shows you don't know much about goal keeping so I can't be arsed arguing with you about it.
If you think playing in behind of an organised and well structured low block is no different to chaotic disorganisation and players free to run through and shoot at will then you just don't understand the game.
Err…that’s not what I said is it….but if it fits your narrative to try achieve your point that’s fine…as obviously you know all about goalkeeping and and have a complete understanding of the game and no one else does…
Joe you don’t know what your talking about mate…get off the telly…
