Euro 2024 Discussion

[Shogun]

I do wish Southgate would be braver with the squad he has, and I'm not necessarily talking about the starting XI.

Obviously you're going to start the likes of Kane/Foden/Bellingham/Saka every match but if they're not firing then there's plenty of options off the bench. Foden probably should have been hooked against Serbia and I think you could say the same for Kane.

Feel like what inevitably happens is England fall behind in a match against a decent team in the knockouts and he brings on the likes of Gordon/Bowen/Eze/Watkins/Toney and expect them to do something when they've played a total of about 20 minutes of competitive football between them since the end of the Premier League season.

[Bluedylan1]

I think the ''TAA in midfield'' gambit is Southgate's attempt to show himself as an adventurous, complex manager, given that he's coming to the end of his time at England and with a view to getting a good club job. It's his Guardiola-style hail mary in an attempt to elevate his own reputation, because he's aware that he's viewed as a very conservative manager.

Ironically, if he just played all the players in their best positions in roles they are familiar with, we'd probably have a decent chance of going far and beating most teams in the tournament without need massively complex instructions, because the personnel are so good.

[TheRam]

I don’t think it worked myself.

His angles were all off which is why he conceded the ball so much.

If he was a better defender I’d have him left back but he can’t be trusted there.

Bring Bellingham back, foden in the middle, Bowen out wide.

[AjaxAndy]

I don’t think it worked myself.

His angles were all off which is why he conceded the ball so much.

If he was a better defender I’d have him left back but he can’t be trusted there.

Bring Bellingham back, foden in the middle, Bowen out wide.

Can Bowen play on the left? I'd have Gordon over there personally even if I think Bowen is a better player.

[Bluedylan1]

I'd even play Eze there over Bowen.

[Audrey Horne]

Palmer please

[TheRam]

Bowen as he can get in behind the space kane leaves when he drops deeper.

[Bluedylan1]

For me you need someone to hold the width on the left, because Trippier isn't going to overlap ever and it's going to make you massively lopsided towards the right as it did, so it has to be Gordon or Eze. Palmer would drift centrally like Foden did, and I've never seen Bowen play on the left.

[Toffee1]

[Toffee1]

[cassius]

I don't think Southgate will change a thing tonight - he'll stick with Foden and TAA.

I actually think TAA is less of a problem than Foden tbh. I don't think it works with Foden drifting centrally and cutting in with a right footed Tripper behind him. And with Kane dropping deep, we're just too congested in the middle.

I'd love to see Eze given a chance, but as much as it pains me to say it, I think Mr Chess is the best option.

[AjaxAndy]

For me you need someone to hold the width on the left, because Trippier isn't going to overlap ever and it's going to make you massively lopsided towards the right as it did, so it has to be Gordon or Eze. Palmer would drift centrally like Foden did, and I've never seen Bowen play on the left.

Exactly, I think if Shaw returns at any point it's maybe less of an issue (depending really on if he can get up and down), but everyone drifting in off the left in to the space Bellingham occupies nullifies our potency in that area as there's no pass available out wide and congests everything.

Gordon is the most likely to stay wide and work up and down which would help both offensively and defensively.

I don't necessarily think he's going to set the tournament alight, but it'd make the team more balanced and therefore better.

[Free Agent]

TAA is just there to keep Southgate onside with the UK media. He’s been awful, end of.

[Toffee1]

Bringing only one recognised left-back who is nowhere near being fit is also an issue. Playing Trippier against the so-called lesser sides will be ok but in the knock-out phase could be disastrous.

[Cereal Killer]

Probably quit if they lose today