Eng v Belg

[Airborn Pie]

We are shot shy and naive and slow in defence.

Sterling and Rose were crap,again and again I say, he should have picked the best team to try and win the game for the sake of the fans that stayed to watch.

[nw6pie]

3 defeats in the same World Cup doesn't seem much like progress. It think it's emperor's new clothes time. We have seen that a decent team pressing high can totally nullify the 3-5-2 system that Southagte prefers and he has no plan B.

I do hope that getting through to the last four doesn’t blind Southgate to the team’s flaws - but how many players are out there to replace some of the weak links? Hopefully the left back at Fulham can replace Young, but who else? The one player England should have made more of an effort to land was Zaha at Crystal Palace: someone who can go past a couple of men and drive into the box. Whenever Sterling does that, you just know he’s going to eventually trip over his own feet.

And I’m still not convinced by Southgate as a manager. If Glenn Hoddle could see the problem down England’s left side in the second half against Croatia, how come he couldn’t?

[Airborn Pie]

I do hope that getting through to the last four doesn’t blind Southgate to the team’s flaws - but how many players are out there to replace some of the weak links? Hopefully the left back at Fulham can replace Young, but who else? The one player England should have made more of an effort to land was Zaha at Crystal Palace: someone who can go past a couple of men and drive into the box. Whenever Sterling does that, you just know he’s going to eventually trip over his own feet.

And I’m still not convinced by Southgate as a manager. If Glenn Hoddle could see the problem down England’s left side in the second half against Croatia, how come he couldn’t?

I think that Vardy would have made a difference, if the chances that fell to other players had fallen to him, we may even have been playing in the final, we have just not been clinical enough with the very few chances we created.

[Frigiliana Pie 1]

Yes, England have made progress and Southgate has done a good job in organising the resources he has. But at the moment it’s difficult to see how the progress which has been made can be built on.

England have quite a few good players, but I can’t see anyone in this squad who’s ever going to be a great player, nor is there any young player around who looks like the next world star in the way that Mbappe does. An international team usually needs at least a couple of really top class players to be successful but England have no one in the same class as, say, Hazard and De Bruyne.

The best that can be hoped for at the moment is a team whose strength of organisation overcomes its lack of natural talent. Something like Greece (Euros 2004) or Denmark (Euros 1992), but successes like theirs are very rare.

[sidders]

Much better after half-time. Bear in mind what an anti-climax this was after Thursday. The better team won but England were far from outclassed.

[nw6pie]

Much better after half-time. Bear in mind what an anti-climax this was after Thursday. The better team won but England were far from outclassed.

Agree that we were much improved in the second half, but still failed to trouble their keeper. At the very top level you need world class players in midfield and attack, and I'd say that our best players are all at the back. Despite probably winning the Golden Boot, Kane has failed to enhance his reputation in this tournament - he's become a flattrack bully. If he'd buried that chance at 1-0 against Croatia, we'd probably be facing France tomorrow.

[Bohinen]

Agree that we were much improved in the second half, but still failed to trouble their keeper. At the very top level you need world class players in midfield and attack, and I'd say that our best players are all at the back. Despite probably winning the Golden Boot, Kane has failed to enhance his reputation in this tournament - he's become a flattrack bully. If he'd buried that chance at 1-0 against Croatia, we'd probably be facing France tomorrow.

Agreed, trying to curl it round the keeper from 5 yards out was bizarre, it just needed blasting into the roof of the net. Maybe he should watch a video of Lineker's 6 real goals in Mexico to see how it's done by a proper Golden Boot winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOyAytIw2Sc

[DomdomPie]

how many players are out there to replace some of the weak links? Hopefully the left back at Fulham can replace Young, but who else?

We won the U17 & U20 World Cups in the last year, plus the U19 Euros & U21 Toulon Tournament. The young players are out there but we just have to hope they’re given a chance.

There’s hope though - Jason Sancho (18) impressing at Dortmund, Marcus McGuane (19) seen as a real prospect at Barcelona, Mason Mount (19) getting Vitesse player of the season on loan from Chelsea... it’s just a shame that they have to leave the country to get chances, but also encouraging that they’re beginning to do so.

[them0uf]

There is plenty to do, and I'm sure Southgate recognises this. He put together a team both to represent us and build for the future. I'm sure he was as surprised as any when our side of the draw fell apart and the expectations (and so disappointment) went up accordingly.

We need to be quicker of thought and, dare I say, fitter before we can threaten. Of course we also need that ability to sum up a position immediately (like Hoddle could do as a player); at times it seemed we were holding onto possession for the sake of it without quite knowing what to do. In the future he might find he needs to consider the maverick who doesn't quite fit the mould. Wilshere will be too old in four years' time so will be out of the equation, but his style would have been ideal for the last 20 mins when chasing a game. As it was Plan A (with Henderson) was replaced by Plan A (with Dier). Both did okay, but neither is a an aggressive running, passing central midfielder.

I get the Sterling criticism but it was both harsh and with points well made. He was a terror to defences in terms of closing them down and work rate, but had no idea what to do when he got into dangerous positions. His awareness of his teammates' positions was woeful without being compensated for up by his finishing (Harry Kane escapes the same criticism of penalty box myopia, but only just).

Entirely agree with NW6's point re Zaha. Palace were awful last season and pretty much a one man team. And that one man was not the pedestrian of thought Loftus-Cheek, who will surely become a good player but isn't one yet. I fear the Premiership with it's almost complete focus on 'now' won't help. but it's good to see some of our finest talent trying Germany - Lookman is pulling up some. trees at RB Leipzig.

Alli and Lingard are still young and will also improve but for this time Alli was poor throughout, and Lingard dropped off very badly. I do think, however, that GS has done well but the proof of the pudding is where he sees the team kicking on. Can you imagine what it would have been like with that fat bloke from Dudley?

[queenslandpie]

There is plenty to do, and I'm sure Southgate recognises this. He put together a team both to represent us and build for the future. I'm sure he was as surprised as any when our side of the draw fell apart and the expectations (and so disappointment) went up accordingly.

We need to be quicker of thought and, dare I say, fitter before we can threaten. Of course we also need that ability to sum up a position immediately (like Hoddle could do as a player); at times it seemed we were holding onto possession for the sake of it without quite knowing what to do. In the future he might find he needs to consider the maverick who doesn't quite fit the mould. Wilshere will be too old in four years' time so will be out of the equation, but his style would have been ideal for the last 20 mins when chasing a game. As it was Plan A (with Henderson) was replaced by Plan A (with Dier). Both did okay, but neither is a an aggressive running, passing central midfielder.

I get the Sterling criticism but it was both harsh and with points well made. He was a terror to defences in terms of closing them down and work rate, but had no idea what to do when he got into dangerous positions. His awareness of his teammates' positions was woeful without being compensated for up by his finishing (Harry Kane escapes the same criticism of penalty box myopia, but only just).

Entirely agree with NW6's point re Zaha. Palace were awful last season and pretty much a one man team. And that one man was not the pedestrian of thought Loftus-Cheek, who will surely become a good player but isn't one yet. I fear the Premiership with it's almost complete focus on 'now' won't help. but it's good to see some of our finest talent trying Germany - Lookman is pulling up some. trees at RB Leipzig.

Alli and Lingard are still young and will also improve but for this time Alli was poor throughout, and Lingard dropped off very badly. I do think, however, that GS has done well but the proof of the pudding is where he sees the team kicking on. Can you imagine what it would have been like with that fat bloke from Dudley?

England are no better or worse than ever. We got to the semi final for two reasons only. Luck and poor teams played against. We beat Tunisia just Columbia just ( and nearly lost) 6-1 completely flattered us against Panama and the only time we looked ok was against Sweden. When we played credible opposition we lost and deservedly so. This team is rank average and the manager is rank average and I would bet my house it never wins a major tournament. We could very easily have gone out against Colombia yet all the news is full of how proud we should be in the lads etc. I call bull**** on that one. I remain wholesale unimpressed with everything I see in regards to the England football team.