Reply With QuoteTo be fair he's struggled for game time this season. I'm more bemused over his selection of Dunk over Branthwaite, he looked completely out of his depth in the two friendlies back in March.Originally Posted by Smigpie
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Has Mr Southgate made an error or have statistics taken over.
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To be fair he's struggled for game time this season. I'm more bemused over his selection of Dunk over Branthwaite, he looked completely out of his depth in the two friendlies back in March.
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If Maguire was going Dunk wouldn't be and he's a more like for like replacement.
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Error.
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Agreed
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Hasn’t had a brilliant season, but he could be a real ace in the pack. I can’t fathom how Bowen is a better option.
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That’s exactly my thoughts so is there more to it than form as I thought he was the difference the other night.
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Southgate plays everything safe all the time and doesn't really take chances. So whilst Grealish could be a surprise package he won't pick him over a player who is average all the time. I don't agree with his approach. He wouldn't have picked Gazza either and look what he did from time to time. He's the most boring and uninspiring manager in the world. Makes ours look like Mourinho.
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Bowen is hardly average, although he is not obviously top level international standard either.
On the rare occasions Grealish has been given a go this season he's looked like he's lost more than a yard of pace and is mostly looking to draw the foul (not a bad thing in itself) rather than take on the man and keep the phase going. Re the yard+ of pace lost, it appears he has had to bulk up to become stronger rather than relying on a core strength, compare with someone like Foden who is so strong for someone so small. I don't know why Jack has felt the need to do that (Pep in his ear?) because the strength (allied to great courage) was certainly there when he was 17 playing against hairy arsed L1 defenders wanting to show him who was boss (answer: he was).
Agree Southgate is dull. The overwhelmingly overrated and destructive Hodgson used being parachuted into the job at short notice as an excuse to be negative all the time. It was legitimate for one tournament only. Southgate used the need to address the culture (essential when he came in) as a reason for continuity but he failed to develop the team and now he has thrown a lot of new faces together at far too short notice. I think it's generally a good selection but I don't understand Dunk ahead of Branthwaite, and we don't have anyone for when Shaw inevitably breaks down. [Trippier is not even a RB at this level, let alone a LB. He could be a 'special teams' free kick taker maybe but we have TAA if he can be squeezed into midfield but he's not even a national league level defender]. The new generation of selections wants to attack and I don't know what they will make of GS, or he of them. I fear the team will want to move into 5th, whilst the manager is still slipping the clutch (somehow) with the brakes on.
I just hope he trusts the flair players and they repay that trust. Foden is a joy to watch when he's on form. And I know it's a push but picking someone like Chilwell (defensively suspect but brave enough to play high up the pitch and trust his athleticism) could have been a statement.
Last edited by M0ufMk3; 06-06-2024 at 08:23 PM. Reason: better phrasing
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Sort of disagree with the pace comment as I think it’s the fact that defenders understand his game better and have got tighter to him and not allowing him to be creative or run at them as much but he can draw a foul when it matters and in a big competition that’s invaluable. He would always be in my 26. As previously said, Southgate plays a safe game but I have a feeling there’s more to it, time will tell.
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