Weekend Football

[Winston Biscuit]

Another late winner against another of the top teams for Plymouth. What a start to the season they are having!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Another late winner against another of the top teams for Plymouth. What a start to the season they are having!

What happened to the Plymouth fan that used to pop up on here every now and then?

[From Despair To Where?]

Another late winner against another of the top teams for Plymouth. What a start to the season they are having!

What happened to the Plymouth fan that used to pop up on here every now and then?

T-Rex?

He was an utter bellend.

[Royal Rother]

Another late winner against another of the top teams for Plymouth. What a start to the season they are having!

What happened to the Plymouth fan that used to pop up on here every now and then?

T-Rex?

He was an utter bellend.

I don't remember him - think there was another one who was decent. Give me 6 months and I'll remember the name. Maybe.

[Sanguine]

Southgate can't win can he. Gets absolutely slaughtered for playing an out of form Maguire who has rarely let him down, especially in tournaments. Then gets absolutely slaughtered for not playing an out of form Alexander-Arnold who has rarely if ever put in one of his Liverpool performances for England even when he's been in form. I really don't think TAA's form this season has warranted him getting into the team, his defensive frailties have been all too obvious this season. In an ideal world you'd build your team around getting the most from him but can you risk doing that at the moment when he's clearly struggling? If some of the lesser Premiership teams are targeting him as the weak link in Liverpool's defence do you really think international teams won't do exactly the same.

I think I'd be taking Madison to the world cup if his form continues as it is. Maybe not as a starter but at the moment I'd have him over Ward-Prowse. Its always good to have an in form late comer in the squad.

Agreed that Southgate can't win, I've said as much before. Every success that he has had has been met with 'yeah but....' or 'okay, but apart from that....'

That aside, I do think though that it is becoming evident that England has a small number of world-class players, or potentially world-class players, around which the team should be built. England have played 58 times since TAA made his debut, and he has what, 17 or 18 caps. As Gary Neville (obviously a much better defender, I don't argue that) pointed out, he got 35 assists his entire career, TAA has 44 in the last four years, and is only 23.

TAA, Bellingham, Foden, Rice and Kane should, in my view, be on every team sheet. Our team should be structured around them and as much as I have supported him, it is becoming increasingly evident that Southgate can't find a formula with which to do that.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Another late winner against another of the top teams for Plymouth. What a start to the season they are having!

What happened to the Plymouth fan that used to pop up on here every now and then?

T-Rex?

He was an utter bellend.

That's the guy.

[Winston Biscuit]

Another late winner against another of the top teams for Plymouth. What a start to the season they are having!

What happened to the Plymouth fan that used to pop up on here every now and then?

T-Rex?

He was an utter bellend.

was trying to get a T-Rex song pun into a response but its really hard without forcing it. Their song names are rubbish for puns

[From Despair To Where?]

What happened to the Plymouth fan that used to pop up on here every now and then?

T-Rex?

He was an utter bellend.

was trying to get a T-Rex song pun into a response but its really hard without forcing it. Their song names are rubbish for puns

He constrantly tried to get it on with some online beef IIRC.

[Sanguine]

After a four game hiatus, Preston finally achieved their sixth 0-0 draw of the season last night. After 11 games, they have scored three goals, and conceded only four.

[South Coast Royal]

We need a Baz Ball style attack attack attack reset.

Our strengths are in attack so play a team and with an approach that gives us the best chance of scoring goals.

Naive? Maybe, but we don't have world class defenders so we can't really fix that.

Doesn't have to be stupidly gung-ho but take the bloody shackles off and play to our strengths which are formidable, as shown in that 15 minute spell against Germany.

I think most would agree with you but it won't happen-it's not in Southgate's DNA.

Am reading a book at the moment to do with D-day and the writer made the point that in battle over the centuries we British have always concentrated more on defence than attack.
Maybe as islanders it is just in our (and Southgate's) DNA when even applied to football-it certainly has applied in cricket until the arrival and influence of our New Zealander coach and captain.

[URZZZZ]

On another subject htf is Madison not playing for England? Real quality player.

Harry Kane the only English player with more total goals and assists since the start of last season than Maddison. It's madness that he can't get in the side. I have been a big fan of Southgate but his rigidity in selection is really beginning to grate.

For what it's worth I'm with Harry Winter on the TAA stuff too - he should be in the side, and we should find a way to play to his strengths. He is one of the best full-backs in the world.

Problem is both of those players are in positions with an extremely stocked pool of players. I’m not sure you can justify taking all four of Maddison, Mount, Grealish and Foden in a 23 man squad. Ideally, for balance and variety, you take two of them as a maximum but who do you leave out? Most obvious answer is Mount given his poor start to the season but given he just scored and helped to change the game in our last game before his selection, it makes it difficult

Same with TAA. Again, it’s difficult to justify taking more than 2 RB’s in a squad. Walker and Tripper are more versatile and James, whilst obviously isn’t as good as attacking as Trent, is still competent at both parts of the game

Course, there’s still a way away from him announcing the squad, you’d expect a couple of injuries before then but it’s certainly going to be a difficult choice for him

[Sanguine]

I think the wider point re TAA is Southgate's style and flexibility and more broadly whether our current setup will get the best of the likes of Foden, Bellingham, TAA etc as they move into their peak years. There's no doubt that on current form and current setup, Jame and Trippier are ahead of him.

But Winter's point in short is that when a player like TAA comes along, you make it work with him in the side. Because he's brilliant. As Gary Neville said, in a decade's time we could/should be talking about a full-back of the level of Cafu.

[Franchise FC]

If we’re going to have a lot of the ball, play TAA
If we’re up against a team where we going to be competing defensively, absolutely do not play him

Just my view

[Royal Rother]

Over many decades, it has generally seemed to be the case that, where there's competition for places, England managers will choose the safe and steady option over the flair option.

[URZZZZ]

If we’re going to have a lot of the ball, play TAA
If we’re up against a team where we going to be competing defensively, absolutely do not play him

Just my view

Something in that

It’s about making that balance. Sure, having Trent on the pitch increase our chance of scoring but to what extent does it increase our chances of conceding? In games of “fine margins”, is it worth that risk? Given our manager is safety first, there’s your answer

It doesn’t make Southgate “right” or “wrong”, he sticks to his approach (an approach which has got us a semi final and final) because football is all about different people having different takes on the game. It’d be rather dull if everyone was unanimous

[Sanguine]

If we’re going to have a lot of the ball, play TAA
If we’re up against a team where we going to be competing defensively, absolutely do not play him

Just my view

Something in that

It’s about making that balance. Sure, having Trent on the pitch increase our chance of scoring but to what extent does it increase our chances of conceding? In games of “fine margins”, is it worth that risk? Given our manager is safety first, there’s your answer

It doesn’t make Southgate “right” or “wrong”, he sticks to his approach (an approach which has got us a semi final and final) because football is all about different people having different takes on the game. It’d be rather dull if everyone was unanimous

It does shine a light on how systems make players. Guardiola commented at the weekend that for all his brilliance, Haaland needs 'his mates' to get him the ball in the right places. TAA's excellence in recent seasons at Liverpool has been supported by a) the pace and positioning of their centre-backs in Van Dijk, Matip and Gomez and b) the willing cover provided by Henderson and Fabinho when he is in an attacking position. For England, Maguire just isn't as mobile a defender, and our defensive midfielders are more of a traditional roaming band of two through the middle than flexible pressers of the football and alternative full-backs.

So yeah, Southgate will stick to his way, but it feels increasingly like a waste. As great as Bellingham was against Italy recently, he is a different player altogether for Dortmund. Likewise Foden has more ineffective games for England than he does City.

[Pepe the Horseman]

After a four game hiatus, Preston finally achieved their sixth 0-0 draw of the season last night. After 11 games, they have scored three goals, and conceded only four.

Preston v WBA is very 0-0 on paper, so expect it to be a six goal thriller. See also Burnley v Stoke.

[Sanguine]

After a four game hiatus, Preston finally achieved their sixth 0-0 draw of the season last night. After 11 games, they have scored three goals, and conceded only four.

Preston v WBA is very 0-0 on paper, so expect it to be a six goal thriller. See also Burnley v Stoke.

1-0. Four scored and four conceded in 12 games. I've obviously not watched much Preston this season - are they setting up defensively, or is this just a statistical freak?

[Pepe the Horseman]

After a four game hiatus, Preston finally achieved their sixth 0-0 draw of the season last night. After 11 games, they have scored three goals, and conceded only four.

Preston v WBA is very 0-0 on paper, so expect it to be a six goal thriller. See also Burnley v Stoke.

1-0. Four scored and four conceded in 12 games. I've obviously not watched much Preston this season - are they setting up defensively, or is this just a statistical freak?

Watched the game last night and it was wide open. Lots of good chances at both ends. So based on that it's a statistical freak, but then I haven't watched any of their other games.

[Whore Jackie]

If we’re going to have a lot of the ball, play TAA
If we’re up against a team where we going to be competing defensively, absolutely do not play him

Just my view

Something in that

It’s about making that balance. Sure, having Trent on the pitch increase our chance of scoring but to what extent does it increase our chances of conceding? In games of “fine margins”, is it worth that risk? Given our manager is safety first, there’s your answer

It doesn’t make Southgate “right” or “wrong”, he sticks to his approach (an approach which has got us a semi final and final) because football is all about different people having different takes on the game. It’d be rather dull if everyone was unanimous

It does shine a light on how systems make players. Guardiola commented at the weekend that for all his brilliance, Haaland needs 'his mates' to get him the ball in the right places. TAA's excellence in recent seasons at Liverpool has been supported by a) the pace and positioning of their centre-backs in Van Dijk, Matip and Gomez and b) the willing cover provided by Henderson and Fabinho when he is in an attacking position. For England, Maguire just isn't as mobile a defender, and our defensive midfielders are more of a traditional roaming band of two through the middle than flexible pressers of the football and alternative full-backs.

So yeah, Southgate will stick to his way, but it feels increasingly like a waste. As great as Bellingham was against Italy recently, he is a different player altogether for Dortmund. Likewise Foden has more ineffective games for England than he does City.

That's been the case for as long as I can remember. Massively agree on Foden, Bellingham and TAA. Mount too always looks much better for Chelsea. Conversely, there's always some players who somehow look better for England. Maguire, Shaw and Pickford spring to mind. Going back, always thought Platt excelled more in an England shirt.