Euro 2020 (21)

[Gingerfinch]

The summer weather is here and the Euros are nearing

Southgate has picked his squad, which includes four RB's though Walker will play CB if and when they play three at the back. There is also talk of Arnold playing in midfield and given our lack of midfielders could be the case.

As for the other teams, the usual contenders spring to mind, including France, Belgium, Portugal and of course Germany. Dark horse? Mmm, The Dutch, though are they really a dark horse.

Back to England, here is my staring XI , if all fit

https://team-picker.files.bbci.co.uk/en ... 6b464.html

A bench including Calvert-Lewin, Sterling and Rashford is a pretty scary one if you're an opposition manager.

[Durhamfootman]

I wouldn't have Henderson and Rice in the same side, although I think Southgate might, because it feels far too negative to me. I'd also have Rashford in the starting XI, but I don't know enough about the best positions for players to suggest how to shuffle them around to make that fit

In fact, if I know anything at all about Southgate, he'll want to play 2 defensive mids and 5 at the back.

[Gingerfinch]

A fit Henderson can get around the pitch, whilst Rice will sit back. Two different players really. I think Southgate will start with Sterling with probably Foden and have Rashford on the bench.

Definitely a more creative squad than we had two years ago.

[Durhamfootman]

From the little I've seen they both seem to prefer the backwards pass. I could easily envisage the ball going to either of them in the opposition half and then watch the ball gradually being square passed and back passed until it ended up with Pickford. No attacking intent in either of them

[yuppie]

I've only watched Forest this year so no idea who is in form.

Maybe this will be a break out tournament for Foden, Mount or Grealish at international level?

And thus signaling a change of direction to England's play?

[Durhamfootman]

this friendly (unless you're Grealish) is a bit frustrating. Lots of intent from England early on, but it's just sort of fizzled out. Saka scored a nicely worked England goal, but I suspect Austria will find an equaliser before this is done. The changes haven't improved anything yet

[Durhamfootman]

well they managed to hang on by a whisker, thanks to Austria hitting the bar and White making a goal line clearance and then Austria missing a clear header in front of goal with the last touch of the game

Poor game by the end of the first half, which got worse in the second. I wouldn't be surprised if Austria ended up having more shots on target in the match even though all their best chances came after the first tranche of England substitutions.

The TAA debate looks over

[bigfluffylemon]

This ought to be an exciting side. Mount, Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Rashford etc., - a lot of speed, flair and goalscoring ability there. Not to mention Captain Kane.

So we end up with a squad with four right backs and two defensive midfielders, and no doubt will play our way to a bunch of 1-1 draws and an exit on penalties.

[Gingerfinch]

well they managed to hang on by a whisker, thanks to Austria hitting the bar and White making a goal line clearance and then Austria missing a clear header in front of goal with the last touch of the game

Poor game by the end of the first half, which got worse in the second. I wouldn't be surprised if Austria ended up having more shots on target in the match even though all their best chances came after the first tranche of England substitutions.

The TAA debate looks over

I watched last night's game in a pub, so wasn't really watching. Looked a bit dull but many players were missing. Shame for Trent but I don't think he would have played.

[Durhamfootman]

Oh blimey... here we go again.

Turgid fare again, this time lit up by the moment of the game which was the Johnstone save. That save was as good as anything I'll see any time soon. I have no idea how he saved that

That that was the moment of the match sums up England's performance tonight. Plenty of possession with which they did very little interspersed with moments of high alarm as Romania carved England's defence apart time and again. If Croatia had made those sorts of openings they'd have scored 3 goals, it was only a combination of poor shooting and good goalkeeping that saw England home 1-0

Out of curiosity, was there a single person watching who didn't know before it was taken that Henderson was going to miss that penalty?

I thought Johnstone was excellent, Grealish was good, Rashford was decent, Calvert Lewin wasn't bad, but the rest you can keep, for me.

Mark my words.... England will line up next weekend against Croatia with 5 defenders and 2 defensive mid's and try to park the bus, but Croatia will still dominate the game. England will lose and the Scots will sniff a chance to put one over on the old enemy. England had better hope that 3 teams in a group can qualify

[mikesiva]

An unfortunately large minority of England fans continue to boo their team for taking the knee.

No change there then.

[Durhamfootman]

I would say a small minority, mike, whilst everyone else claps louder to try and drown them out

[Gingerfinch]

I suppose some don't believe politics and sport should mix? I personally think it could be done once a year to make more of an impact but don't hold any strong views on it if I'm being honest.

I didn't see the game last night but it sounded bland. We're going to need some flair in midfield and pace down the wings to break down Scotland and the Czech Republic.

[sussexpob]

An unfortunately large minority of England fans continue to boo their team for taking the knee.

No change there then.

I do love the fact the people on my social media feeds who are adamant the knee must stop are also keen free speech warriors when it comes to Facebook removing far right posts they share, or experts on Freedom of expression when it comes to not wanting vaccines.

Yet a few black lads kneeling down a few seconds a week must stop NOW???

Regardless of what I think about the knee, if the lads involved want to do it, then who cares. The fact its become controversial is beyond stupid.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Have been in two minds whether to watch. I saw some of the last WC and took some interest from it.

Then I saw the repeat of the BBC documentary, The Impossible Job, with the toxic press, the England bandwagon of hype that goes into all competitions and the outpouring of hostile blamemongering that leaves them. The deluded fans, the irredeemable FA. The tv exit montage scored to a power ballad in a minor key.

Regarding England bosses, I still can't explain Steve McLaren. OK, maybe the FA thought Graham Taylor's route 1 blueprint was a secret weapon and thought anything was worth a try having tried everything else. But now he looks like a hopeless choice. But who on earth thought Steve McLaren should be England manager?

Glen Hoddle was crazy. How was that going to work?