England v Switzerland - Saturday 6 July

[Guest Col city fan]

13 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Aaand I just read the last sentence and think @Col city fan has had one too many shandies. 

I’m not ‘disrespecting’ you Stan, with personal insults, that’s you doing that to me. And I thought you were meant to be a nice bloke who doesn’t like to insult?

Back on the football, having just watched Spain v Georgia, Spain had 30 odd shots in 90 mins. With over 10 of them on target. Georgia aren’t a strong side, but neither are Slovakia. The stats tell it all in terms of how Southgate sets us up to play. Ability wise, I suspect Spain and England are pretty even. How they play… worlds apart

[Mike1983]

England Euros 2024

• 78 straight scoreless minutes to end the Denmark game
• 97 scoreless minutes against Slovenia
• 95 scoreless minutes to start the game against Slovakia

And yet unbeaten in the Euros and are going to the quarterfinals

 

Always nice to see a defensively solid underdog smash and grab their way through a tournament.

 

Southgate masterclass. 

[HybridFox]

Southgate extension regardless of what happens here unfortunately. He's reached the par score for the FA which is QF. So can do no wrong 

Edited 30 June by HybridFox

[StanSP]

20 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

I’m not ‘disrespecting’ you Stan, with personal insults, that’s you doing that to me. And I thought you were meant to be a nice bloke who doesn’t like to insult?

Back on the football, having just watched Spain v Georgia, Spain had 30 odd shots in 90 mins. With over 10 of them on target. Georgia aren’t a strong side, but neither are Slovakia. The stats tell it all in terms of how Southgate sets us up to play. Ability wise, I suspect Spain and England are pretty even. How they play… worlds apart

I didn't insult you. 

I don't agree with bringing politics into something totally unrelated to the game, and it was just a bit of light hearted humour. Nothing serious. 

[Guest Col city fan]

Just now, StanSP said:

I didn't insult you. 

I don't agree with bringing politics into something totally unrelated to the game, and it was just a bit of light hearted humour. Nothing serious. 

I suspect you are the type who would drone on about civil liberties, but if it came to an argument over a torn fiver, you’d make Genghis Khan look like a pacifist.

😂

(light hearted humour Stan)

[StanSP]

2 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

I suspect you are the type who would drone on about civil liberties, but if it came to an argument over a torn fiver, you’d make Genghis Khan look like a pacifist.

😂

(light hearted humour Stan)

I thought you were a nice bloke who wouldn't insult anyone

 

[FoxTimmy2]

How can Switzerland beat us with fans like these? 

 

[Royston.]

Think tonight was the high point of our euros.

Can't see Gareth changing much.

 

He likes it boring and cautious and hopes someone produces a moment of quality .

 

Feels like we can't get much worse but then again Switzerland are far better than all the teams we've struggled against so far...

[BillyFOX12]

1 minute ago, Royston. said:

Think tonight was the high point of our euros.

Can't see Gareth changing much.

 

He likes it boring and cautious and hopes someone produces a moment of quality .

 

Feels like we can't get much worse but then again Switzerland are far better than all the teams we've struggled against so far...

Good teams at this level either have players that attack with pace or players that can get round the defence or both. The England starting 11 appear to have neither.

Also when we got the 2nd goal it was instant retreat - no thoughts of trying for the third to kill the game off. A better team than Slovakia would have made us pay for this. So so boring to watch.

Unless there is a U turn in attitude we will be deservedly dumped out on Saturday.

[Fear Of The Fox]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

Then it's: "Bellingham slates team-mates attitude and thinks England were lucky" as a derogation in tomorrow's headlines and among elements of the England fanbase anyway.

 

Truth is that he's going to catch flak no matter what he says based on the performance and I wouldn't agree that an "honest" response would be the route of most positive outcome for the team in any case, much less that those selfsame elements of the fanbase would be reasonable enough as a bloc to accept it at face value in any case. Frankly, they're not that reasonable.

 Back in the 90s we had a rule called "team shake". When the team underperformed in a game against a low rated opposition and we managed to win because of a moment of luck or an individual last second shot, our post game interviews were always starting by saying that the whole team was way off performance wise. We were almost obliged and instructed to do that by our coaches. In many cases also we were apologising to the fans in our interviews. 

So what would have happened if Bellingham was straight up honest? I don't understand. Are his teammates 10yrs old children and can't take any constructive criticism? Are they going to cry if Bellingham says we were all sh*t? 

This team needs a big wake up call and unfortunately it's not coming from anywhere. 

[Dan LCFC]

They're still on the defensive. Victim interviews and largely awful after going ahead as well. Without drastic changes (which won't happen under this fraud) this is a comfortable Switzerland win. 1-3.

[Jon the Hat]

Who knows at this stage, they have the ability to surprise us, and the Swiss might not come at us quite like Slovakia.  While I want to see the back of Southgate I will be delighted if we continue to stumble through this competition.

[Aus Fox]

When it gets to this stage and all you’ve got to do is grind our 3 wins the whole tournament is anyones.

Big break between now and the QF, which looks like it’s needed. 
Switzerland have been okay so far, without being spectacular. I expect England to be better, and go on to win this game 3-1.

[Ric Flair]

Still think we should go 3-4-3 / 3-4-1-2 and more direct to Toney or Watkins. This manager has bored this group of players in to being ineffective on the ball, we need to create chaos another way.

 

Pickford 

 

Walker

Stones

Gomez/Konsa

 

Alexander-Arnold

Mainoo 

Rice

Saka

 

Bellingham

 

Kane

Watkins/Toney

 

Harsh to still not start Palmer and if he doesn't move to a back three then Palmer has to start at RW but I think we're still too passive in the current system.

[foxfanazer]

The victim mentality of Southgate and the players really make me not give a shit whether we win or not. I can't believe they dare come out with some of the stuff they have after yesterday's farce

[CosbehFox]

8 hours ago, Col city fan said:

This is the problem, of course.

You can’t be honest IF it goes against what you ‘should’ be saying or if it goes against the status quo. 
It’s worse amongst the kids too, who have unfortunately become indoctrinated in bull-shit. You read it on here quite often.

I would have so much more respect for Bellingham if he’d have been HONEST and said that we didn’t play at all well tonight as a team, and that if he hadn’t pulled that worldie out the bag we’d be going home.

But he can’t, because he knows that the media will use it against the team and Southgate.

It’s all propaganda really and this stuff will be even worse when Labour get elected.

Makes you think Col, really does 

[foxfanazer]

Lost so much respect for Bellingham. If he seriously thinks turning up for a couple of minutes against Slovakia is sticking it to the fans then I'm afraid we've got another weak minded bottlejob on our hands

[leicsmac]

7 hours ago, Fear Of The Fox said:

 Back in the 90s we had a rule called "team shake". When the team underperformed in a game against a low rated opposition and we managed to win because of a moment of luck or an individual last second shot, our post game interviews were always starting by saying that the whole team was way off performance wise. We were almost obliged and instructed to do that by our coaches. In many cases also we were apologising to the fans in our interviews. 

So what would have happened if Bellingham was straight up honest? I don't understand. Are his teammates 10yrs old children and can't take any constructive criticism? Are they going to cry if Bellingham says we were all sh*t? 

This team needs a big wake up call and unfortunately it's not coming from anywhere. 

...and perhaps there's a reason that kind of management structure was left back in the 90's.

 

Or perhaps not, and maybe brutal honesty is the way to go. Truth is, we have no empirical way of knowing which is the best way to motivate this team to get results (which I would think is the shared end goal for everyone) and so it's better not to presume one way or another is best above all other consideration.

 

 

26 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Lost so much respect for Bellingham. If he seriously thinks turning up for a couple of minutes against Slovakia is sticking it to the fans then I'm afraid we've got another weak minded bottlejob on our hands

If that subset of fans can't hack Bellingham scoring and then giving a bit back to them, then perhaps they might consider growing a thicker skin themselves. Fair's fair either way.

[foxfanazer]

2 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

...and perhaps there's a reason that kind of management structure was left back in the 90's.

 

Or perhaps not, and maybe brutal honesty is the way to go. Truth is, we have no empirical way of knowing which is the best way to motivate this team to get results (which I would think is the shared end goal for everyone) and so it's better not to presume one way or another is best above all other consideration.

 

 

If that subset of fans can't hack Bellingham scoring and then giving a bit back to them, then perhaps they might consider growing a thicker skin themselves. Fair's fair either way.

I just feel like it's a real lack of self awareness and they'd be much better served looking at themselves with the next game in mind. The criticism has been completely justified imo and scrambling a result late against Slovakia isn't really something to be lauded. 

[stripeyfox]

was in Switzerland last week. Ridiculous prices for everything. 40 EUR for a basic burger and chips. 

 

8 EUR for a bottle of water at Basel Airport.

 

For that reason alone I hope we batter them!

 

[leicsmac]

9 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

I just feel like it's a real lack of self awareness and they'd be much better served looking at themselves with the next game in mind. The criticism has been completely justified imo and scrambling a result late against Slovakia isn't really something to be lauded. 

Fair enough - I think that while some of the criticism is justified, at least some of it is hyperbolic to the point of being utterly ridiculous. But then that's always the case when passions run high, I guess.

 

I'm certainly not going to say Bellingham was wrong to respond in the way that he did, even though I agree the performance was very subpar. But then I know others value aesthetics over results in such things, and that's their equally valid prerogative.

[Nalis]

52 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Lost so much respect for Bellingham. If he seriously thinks turning up for a couple of minutes against Slovakia is sticking it to the fans then I'm afraid we've got another weak minded bottlejob on our hands

Considering he is player of the year of the club with the biggest bottle around, I'm not sure that's warranted.

 

Saying that, he has been a bit shit in the tournament though I blame the system more than the players.

Edited 1 July by Nalis

[foxfanazer]

2 minutes ago, Nalis said:

Considering he is player of the year of the club with the biggest bottle around, I'm not sure that's warranted.

 

Saying that, he has been a bit shit in the tournament though I blame the system more than the players.

I meant internationally. I dunno maybe it's just me but I find it infantile. And I know that's something you could throw back at some of the criticism but these are meant to be elite sportsmen 

[foxfanazer]

6 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Fair enough - I think that while some of the criticism is justified, at least some of it is hyperbolic to the point of being utterly ridiculous. But then that's always the case when passions run high, I guess.

 

I'm certainly not going to say Bellingham was wrong to respond in the way that he did, even though I agree the performance was very subpar. But then I know others value aesthetics over results in such things, and that's their equally valid prerogative.

Maybe you're right. By all means if we do it against a Spain or France then so be it but that performance yesterday was rancid for the majority 

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Maybe you're right. By all means if we do it against a Spain or France then so be it but that performance yesterday was rancid for the majority 

I don't disagree.

 

Thankfully, we may still have the opportunity to find out as you say here.