Today's Football 2023-24

[Bluedylan1]

Defence isn't good enough to win tournaments.

France have got about 8 CBs who would be first choice in our team.

[AjaxAndy]

Defence isn't good enough to win tournaments.

France have got about 8 CBs who would be first choice in our team.

Yeah we don't have the level of player we used to. I like Stones, think he's a brilliant player but I also think he's prone to a mistake or switching off at the vital moment. He's the kind of defender that would be amazing next to a Sol Campbell but as the lead defender I don't think he's solid in the way he needs to be.

Maguire isn't as bad as many make out but again is he a tournament winning defender? No.

And the strength in depth is tragic. If you're relying on Dunk or Gomes at all in the tournament you're on a hiding to nothing.

I still think we could win a tournament with this team but I'm not convinced Southgate is the manager to do that. We have the players to over power most teams but we don't set up in a way to dominate and use the quality we have effectively.

[Goaljira]

I don't think anyone is saying that with a different manager we should win the Euros? Its like is said above, the persistance with older more limited players when you saw last night how much more fun it can be with the next generation of absolute quality footballers.

Southgate united the country behind the national team by not having pre-medited negativity towards him. Not having any initial expectations due to a lack of personal success, and also the recent national team performance under Hodgson. He didn't inherit a team of the level of talent of the current generation. He got lucky with the draw in Russia 2018. He got lucky with playing all the Euro 2020 games at home. He couldn't have asked for a better set of conditions.

Who you get to replace him is a problem.

Someone coming in needs to not have a connection to any of the big teams so that they don't get accused of playing favourites, and doesn't have negative connotations with other teams fans. They need to either not be ambitious enough to want a top job soon, or old enough that they've peaked at club level already. But they can't be too far past their peak because they'll be seen as a 'has been'. They've got to play attacking football to get the best out of the attacking players we have, but also defensively strong to make up for the limitations of the defenders available.

And I don't know who even ticks half those boxes.

[AjaxAndy]

I don't think anyone is saying that with a different manager we should win the Euros? Its like is said above, the persistance with older more limited players when you saw last night how much more fun it can be with the next generation of absolute quality footballers.

Southgate united the country behind the national team by not having pre-medited negativity towards him. Not having any initial expectations due to a lack of personal success, and also the recent national team performance under Hodgson. He didn't inherit a team of the level of talent of the current generation. He got lucky with the draw in Russia 2018. He got lucky with playing all the Euro 2020 games at home. He couldn't have asked for a better set of conditions.

Who you get to replace him is a problem.

Someone coming in needs to not have a connection to any of the big teams so that they don't get accused of playing favourites, and doesn't have negative connotations with other teams fans. They need to either not be ambitious enough to want a top job soon, or old enough that they've peaked at club level already. But they can't be too far past their peak because they'll be seen as a 'has been'. They've got to play attacking football to get the best out of the attacking players we have, but also defensively strong to make up for the limitations of the defenders available.

And I don't know who even ticks half those boxes.

I know not all our fans are in to Ancelotti but I'd genuinely move heaven and earth to get him in.

Think with this crop of players he'd win something, he's exactly the right man imo to take this generation to a successful outcome.

[cassius]

Lee Carsley

[Toffee1]

[Toffee1]

[Cereal Killer]

Ah yes, an abundance of travel options at 8pm on a Sunday!

[Toffee1]

[Shogun]

All aboard the Leicester bottle train

[Cozzie]

Kind of torn. If we survive this season and they get promoted they will likely start on minus points, helping our cause.

Shit that that's the way I'm thinking.

But they do annoy the shit out of me as a team, but so do Leeds.

Hopefully Southampton go on a winning run and Ipswich take the other slot

[Bob Sacamano]

I love that it was Vardy’s fault that they lost that.

[Cozzie]

Simms again for Coventry.

[TheRam]

Big Ellis simms knows where the net is.

[Shogun]

Kind of torn. If we survive this season and they get promoted they will likely start on minus points, helping our cause.

Shit that that's the way I'm thinking.

But they do annoy the shit out of me as a team, but so do Leeds.

Hopefully Southampton go on a winning run and Ipswich take the other slot

Be surprised if Leeds don't come up automatically, think I read they've won 12 of their last 13 in the league. Absolutely smashing it.