You said two things in there, that are probably being repeated around pubs and water coolers (does anyone hang out there on a Mondays these days?) and WhatsApp groups all over Ingerland…
1. WTF is Kane doing two lines of players back? He’s either a forward or not on the team, IMHO.
2. (Your point 11) Speed. Ok I get that international teams have to play tippy tappy stuff - particularly if the opposition does park their bus - but this is where we seem to struggle (and waste time when we could be scoring that extra goal we nearly always need) . Is it not beyond these glittering athletes to create Forward Movement? Moving at speed up the field and through defences?
Maybe it’s about what STYLE of play that dictates who gets picked to play? That’s where we seem to get clogged up - some can do that possession stuff all day, whereas others are best suited to the ‘up’n at ‘em’ style.
When we try and pretend to be City, we tend to fail. And not even make use of the best City players in there.
thanks Alan. Kane dropping off is a constant frustration. It looks good for the heat map but not necessarily for getting goals. Your point about speed is very valid, it's not simply speed of body but also of thought, and England have been too slow in the latter. Regards.
Some very good points made Henry. Always good to get you opinion on England. You have followed them through thick and thin. Totally agree about the left back situation. Got away with it last night but Trent is no answer to the left back issue. Colwell should have played there and a proper left back needs to be in the squad regardless. I would keep an eye on Hall At Newcastle. Lots of promise. Shaw is still the best option but when is he ever fit these days.
Kane hardly touched the ball last night and as you say has to stay higher like he does for Bayern. England have enough players in that area already. Watkins does stretch the opposition when he comes on.
I still would like to see Bellingham and Rice play as a pair which allows the other attacking players into the team and Jude can still get forward. I don’t think he is a natural No 10. Also don’t get why people think he is arrogant and that it’s all about him. Crazy thinking. He is a proper team player and a winner. Gomes is a nice option to. It’s just his size against the very best that would worry me.
I like Grealish and it was such a poor decision not to take him as he would have been a great sub to bring on and to have had in the camp. The only problem is he does not commit defenders enough or take them on like he did at Villa. It’s to safe now. Hardly ever goes on the outside and doesn’t drive inside from the left enough which he can do and is a good finisher as he showed when he did. He can do more as that left hand position is up for grabs.
Carsley needs to stay away from a microphone for a while for his own sake as the press won’t let this lie. I feel sorry that every comment he makes on whether he wants the job or not creates a headline. He is not the answer in my opinion. He is a coach and that is what he loves doing. England need a top front line manager not a coach. Howe would be the dream and wouldn’t say no Tuchel. These people can handle the media and scrutiny of the job.
Greece game away will be interesting next month although it is just a glorified friendly. That’s all the Nations League is.
agree on all those points, John, especially on the Carsley point. He's not used to the exposure and the fact that we in the media are like dogs with a bone, it's gong to be raised when the next squad announced, on match day -1 before Athens and Ireland at Wembley. He's shown he's not the answer. Nice guy, and tbh he has a son with Down's so understandably wants/needs to spend time at home.
Agree. He is a nice man with life in perspective. I know about his son. He loves the U21 job and I think he wants to make sure he keeps that. He is a coach and number 2 who loves coaching. England need a strong leader. It’s different to most other International jobs. The expectations and media interest is huge.
Bellingham's natural position looks to me to be box to box rather than No 10. England might set up in the future with Rice and Bellingham in front of the back four to accommodate Palmer at No 10, but that would mean Gomes missing out. If they go for a midfield three with Gomes Rice and Bellingham,
then Palmer or another 10 would miss out.
It'll be interesting to see if the next manager can organise the players to change shape effectively during games, he'll certainly have the bench for it.
thanks Peter, Bellingham as an 8 makes sense, and his runs into the box would be another strength for England. Be interesting to see how many games Gomes gets post-Carsley. Bellingham seems capable of playing all over, as he has had to at Real to accommodate Vinicius JR and now Mbappe.
Thank you Henry for that commentary. The sideways and backwards movement of the ball for much of the time is so frustrating and allows, as you say, the opposition to park the bus. Either players going wide past full backs or incisive passing on the inside is what we need. Easier said than done, I know.
Thanks Charlie. I love wingers, but few wide players go on the outside as much as before. Grealish comes inside. Saka can go both ways tbf. Palmer, if starting on the right, comes inside. A lot of modern width is provided by the full-backs, but England haven't got a left-back with Shaw perennially injured. V frustrating. Regards
Yep, it happened a lot in the Euros with our players spending too much time on the ball resorting to tapping it sideways or back. Madueke made such a difference when he came on. Like the way Morgan Rogers and Jamie Gittens run and drive for the U-21s. They should be in the reckoning for the seniors soon.
We've played best in recent years with dynamic options either side of Kane: Sterling, Rashford, Saka - even Lingard and Dele prepared to make darting runs. We need to revive that and embrace the pace we possess.
Thanks Samuel. Spot on. I was at the U21s at the Vitality and Rogers immediately injected some danger when he came on. You're right, Kane needs pace around him; that Seville game was the great example of that with Kane flanked by Rashford/Sterling.
The ongoing conundrums, on repeat!
You said two things in there, that are probably being repeated around pubs and water coolers (does anyone hang out there on a Mondays these days?) and WhatsApp groups all over Ingerland…
1. WTF is Kane doing two lines of players back? He’s either a forward or not on the team, IMHO.
2. (Your point 11) Speed. Ok I get that international teams have to play tippy tappy stuff - particularly if the opposition does park their bus - but this is where we seem to struggle (and waste time when we could be scoring that extra goal we nearly always need) . Is it not beyond these glittering athletes to create Forward Movement? Moving at speed up the field and through defences?
Maybe it’s about what STYLE of play that dictates who gets picked to play? That’s where we seem to get clogged up - some can do that possession stuff all day, whereas others are best suited to the ‘up’n at ‘em’ style.
When we try and pretend to be City, we tend to fail. And not even make use of the best City players in there.
thanks Alan. Kane dropping off is a constant frustration. It looks good for the heat map but not necessarily for getting goals. Your point about speed is very valid, it's not simply speed of body but also of thought, and England have been too slow in the latter. Regards.
Some very good points made Henry. Always good to get you opinion on England. You have followed them through thick and thin. Totally agree about the left back situation. Got away with it last night but Trent is no answer to the left back issue. Colwell should have played there and a proper left back needs to be in the squad regardless. I would keep an eye on Hall At Newcastle. Lots of promise. Shaw is still the best option but when is he ever fit these days.
Kane hardly touched the ball last night and as you say has to stay higher like he does for Bayern. England have enough players in that area already. Watkins does stretch the opposition when he comes on.
I still would like to see Bellingham and Rice play as a pair which allows the other attacking players into the team and Jude can still get forward. I don’t think he is a natural No 10. Also don’t get why people think he is arrogant and that it’s all about him. Crazy thinking. He is a proper team player and a winner. Gomes is a nice option to. It’s just his size against the very best that would worry me.
I like Grealish and it was such a poor decision not to take him as he would have been a great sub to bring on and to have had in the camp. The only problem is he does not commit defenders enough or take them on like he did at Villa. It’s to safe now. Hardly ever goes on the outside and doesn’t drive inside from the left enough which he can do and is a good finisher as he showed when he did. He can do more as that left hand position is up for grabs.
Carsley needs to stay away from a microphone for a while for his own sake as the press won’t let this lie. I feel sorry that every comment he makes on whether he wants the job or not creates a headline. He is not the answer in my opinion. He is a coach and that is what he loves doing. England need a top front line manager not a coach. Howe would be the dream and wouldn’t say no Tuchel. These people can handle the media and scrutiny of the job.
Greece game away will be interesting next month although it is just a glorified friendly. That’s all the Nations League is.
Great work as usual.
agree on all those points, John, especially on the Carsley point. He's not used to the exposure and the fact that we in the media are like dogs with a bone, it's gong to be raised when the next squad announced, on match day -1 before Athens and Ireland at Wembley. He's shown he's not the answer. Nice guy, and tbh he has a son with Down's so understandably wants/needs to spend time at home.
Agree. He is a nice man with life in perspective. I know about his son. He loves the U21 job and I think he wants to make sure he keeps that. He is a coach and number 2 who loves coaching. England need a strong leader. It’s different to most other International jobs. The expectations and media interest is huge.
Bellingham's natural position looks to me to be box to box rather than No 10. England might set up in the future with Rice and Bellingham in front of the back four to accommodate Palmer at No 10, but that would mean Gomes missing out. If they go for a midfield three with Gomes Rice and Bellingham,
then Palmer or another 10 would miss out.
It'll be interesting to see if the next manager can organise the players to change shape effectively during games, he'll certainly have the bench for it.
thanks Peter, Bellingham as an 8 makes sense, and his runs into the box would be another strength for England. Be interesting to see how many games Gomes gets post-Carsley. Bellingham seems capable of playing all over, as he has had to at Real to accommodate Vinicius JR and now Mbappe.
Thank you Henry for that commentary. The sideways and backwards movement of the ball for much of the time is so frustrating and allows, as you say, the opposition to park the bus. Either players going wide past full backs or incisive passing on the inside is what we need. Easier said than done, I know.
Thanks Charlie. I love wingers, but few wide players go on the outside as much as before. Grealish comes inside. Saka can go both ways tbf. Palmer, if starting on the right, comes inside. A lot of modern width is provided by the full-backs, but England haven't got a left-back with Shaw perennially injured. V frustrating. Regards
Yep, it happened a lot in the Euros with our players spending too much time on the ball resorting to tapping it sideways or back. Madueke made such a difference when he came on. Like the way Morgan Rogers and Jamie Gittens run and drive for the U-21s. They should be in the reckoning for the seniors soon.
We've played best in recent years with dynamic options either side of Kane: Sterling, Rashford, Saka - even Lingard and Dele prepared to make darting runs. We need to revive that and embrace the pace we possess.
Thanks Samuel. Spot on. I was at the U21s at the Vitality and Rogers immediately injected some danger when he came on. You're right, Kane needs pace around him; that Seville game was the great example of that with Kane flanked by Rashford/Sterling.
Passing through the crowded middle is too hard yet Grealish never once went wide, not once. Why?