New International Football thread

[Durhamfootman]

England U21's defend their Euro title by beating Germany 3-2 in extra time

I didn't watch extra time, but I watched the first half and a big chunk of the second half

First half England were all over Germany like a rash. Went 2-0 up early and then just couldn't quite take advantage and put the game to bed early. There were near misses, desperate 'Gazza' slides, smart saves from the German keeper. They could have been 6 up, they probably should have been 4 up, but as is often the way conceded a goal moments before half time completely against the run of play. Germany were better in the second half. They'd clearly learned from the flicks and tricks that were tearing them to shreds in the first half and started to get toe ends on things, setting up counter attacks of their own. They scored the equaliser, but this time not against the run of play. As players tired and the game slowed right down, they came into their element and nearly went ahead from a shot that took a slight deflection onto the cross bar.

After I had to stop watching, England scored early in ET and saw it home.

England were absolutely magnificent in the first half, showing the kind of positive, purposeful, fast paced skillful football that the senior team almost never produce. Germany just couldn't live with them in that period. They looked completely shell shocked and England played the ball patiently from the back to draw Germany up the piutch and then.... bang... suddenly hit them at pace with everything they had. When Germany did get the ball, England swarmed all over them. They really should have put the game to bed in the first half hour. Credit to Germany for sticking in there. Second half they looked the more likely to snatch a late winner. Seemingly they also hit the bar deep into ET stoppage time too

Elliot Anderson was terrific... I understand he's been brilliant all tournament. Harvey Elliott has scored 5 goals so I imagine he'll get POTT

[Durhamfootman]

Harvey Elliott has scored 5 goals so I imagine he'll get POTT

indeed he does

Germany couldn't cope with Anderson tonight. All they could do was try to foul him at every opportunity. His dinked ball over the top under pressure to set up goal 2 was a thing of genuine beauty and he was everywhere. Imagine Joelinton going backwards and Jude Bellingham going forwards... that was Anderson tonight. Sensational

[Durhamfootman]

All done in front of a watching Tuchel

food for thought for him

that's what he said he wanted to see from his senior team and then went and picked Henderson

[andy]

Tuchel confirms Kane will start against Andorra.....nothing like giving someone else a chance against a team that has no interest in playing football....

[Durhamfootman]

I reckon Anderson will feature tomorrow. Either starting or on as a sub. There's no Bellingham, of course, so he might start, you never know

[Durhamfootman]

Tuchel says he wants to see England beat the block by playing quickly, aggressively and with more rhythm than in the last outing against Andorra, so if he starts Henderson we'll all know that he's just talking sh1te

[Durhamfootman]

I'm still waiting for this brave new England

maybe Tuchel should pick football players for these matches instead of chess players

[andy]

I'm still waiting for this brave new England

maybe Tuchel should pick football players for these matches instead of chess players

All talk of tuchel letting the handbrake off tonight...but I would have thought Serbia away is a harder game to do that then Andorra at home?!

[Durhamfootman]

I suspect the handbrake will remain rusted solidly in the on position

[Gingerfinch]

At least Serbia might try and score (and probably succeed)

[andy]

Who starts at left back now do we think? With lewis-skelly left out the squad...I'm assuming djed Spence?

[Durhamfootman]

Serbia having a go ought to suit England more than the teams that sit back

I don't know Spence, so I'm going to go with Livramento

part of me wonders whether he might pick 3 at the back and use Reece and Tino as wing backs. I keep being told by the BBC that Tuchel has a record of playing a back 3 domestically and I'm not aware that he's tried it yet with England. Not a lot of time left to experiment before he has to decide. If he wants to play a fast attacking or counter attacking game, then he needs 2 up top, because Kane (although still a very good player) doesn't have legs anymore. If I'm honest, I think this might be why England always seem reluctant to break quickly and get in down the flanks. I'm not convinced any of the speed merchants in the side think there's any chance of Kane keeping up with the play and being in position for the cross, so they slow down or cut inside instead

[Gingerfinch]

Well no complaints about tonight. Could have had a few more as well.

[Durhamfootman]

agreed. It was a much better performance. First 20 mins I thought it was going to be same old, same old. Serbia surprisingly sat back, but this time England tried a few different things to stretch the defenders. A couple of balls dinked over the top, Gordon switching from wide left to inside right and Rogers who had been invisible in the first quarter, suddenly turned on the style... alovely turn and threaded pass, a cheeky little back heel into the path of Madueke for the second goal. Once England scored 2 in a couple of minutes Serbia were done. They came out a bit more in the second half to try and turn things around and England just picked them off. Everyone played well; everyone contributed and England cruised to victory. If I was to be hyper critical, Declan Rice needs to work on his shooting when he's filling in for Bellingham, because he had 7 shots tonight and only one of them troubled anybody. His set piece delivery for goals one and four were excellent

I like Anderson in front of the centre backs, because he plays almost everything forward and keeps England pushing on instead of the Southgate back to the keeper football we've endured for an age. What happens when Bellingham comes back will be interesting because presumably Rice will drop back into that role and then the back and square passes might begin again

A good performance tonight from the lads. I like the Guehi/Konsa partnership and I was particularly impressed with Madueke and Rogers. It might be Rogers who makes way when Bellingham returns... we'll see

[Durhamfootman]

A pretty good performance from England against Wales. 3 nil up after 20 mins and several chances throughout the game to improve on that scoreline. They turned Wales over early on and Wales ended up looking shell shocked in that first half. Full credit to Bellamy that they had a much better second half, but the match was won in that first 20 mins.