Group D: England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic

[Tubey]

No one was near him. Fullbacks and sitting midfielders tonking it down the line for him to chase.

No one ran past him. Foden and Sterling hovered inside wide positions, never broke into the box. Mount was either picking the ball up from 2 sitting players that weren't needed, had zero to see in front of him.

I've said before, look at Holland. Set up how Southgate wants England to set up but they have faith in the system. Southgate is too pragmatic to even attempt an attacking team which is that squads strength

Southgate isn't pragmatic. Pragmatic means doing the best with what's available, even if it's not popular.

Southgate doesn't do that - what he is is conservative, a defensive manager. He plops square pegs in round holes, expecting individual parts to do what they do for their clubs even if they don't fit cohesively as a whole.

 

[Cameron Manning]

Calvin Phillips was woeful. At least rice tried to pass it forward occasionally, Phillips strolled through that game and passed it backwards 90% of the time. Those two players are too similar and one of them needs dropped with maybe grealish playing centrally.

I thought McTominay was very good for Scotland with Billy Gilmour not far behind much better than Rice or Phillips, with better forwards Scotland could have won this. England and Southgate with his safety first tactics were very disappointing, but that was no surprise.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

Over used expression but Scotland were up for it ,all of them.
England weren't.
Simple as that.

 

[Magus]

It's not even faith in DCL, it's how the game was going. Even bloody Kieffer Moore would have been better than Kane/Rashford in that game tonight, because Scotland were funnelling us out wide and challenging Sterling and Mount to do something, and they couldn't.

Grealish, Sancho, DCL and you win that game at a canter. It wasn't even a difficult call - 99% of England fans would have correctly identified the issue there, but England are so ingrained with the 'top four/top six' culture that the manager never makes the correct call for fear of pissing off the clique.

We are on the same page here, I thought Kane was sluggish all night and wondered what would happen if they had to deal with Dom's pace and aerial threat, but then I thought that every time he plays the team seem intent on marginalising him. That includes Sancho, who wants to do it all himself, just like Sterling.

 

[ToffeeTim]

All this stuff about a good point is so Everton. Such a dreadful mentality.

Imagine France drawing nil nil with Scotland in Paris and saying its a good point lol

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

A draw was about right.
Scottish thinking they have got getting a draw out of an England team playing its worst game in ages, is like winning a world cup.
Hope the Croatian's knock them out.

That would be very much Scotland.

 

[Kurt.]

 

[tommytowne]

Neville wholesome in his praise of Pickford. Nice to hear.
Obviously watching ITV and Souness. He doesn't look well at all. First time I've watched and listened to him in a long while though.

 

[evilwebby]

I can't understand how England are among the favourites for the trophy. They're not strong enough and they pussyfoot around on the edge of the box.

It's the usual story - they'll beat a couple of teams that they should beat to get the nation's hopes up, but will then get totally smashed by the first quality team that they come up against.

 

[duncs pigeon]

The media writing tomorrows headlines all about Harry Kanes substitution.

 

[DanEFC92]

Lol at not playing Bellingham, Sancho or Calvert-Lewin.

Pickford clear motm for England

 

[BlueStevie35]

All this stuff about a good point is so Everton. Such a dreadful mentality.

Imagine France drawing nil nil with Scotland in Paris and saying its a good point lol

France once got beat by Scotland in Paris tbf

 

[wellillwill]

It’s every tournament with England, always one group game that we labour in


Costa Rica 2014

We lost the previous two games in the group and were already out by that point.

 

[duncs pigeon]

I can't understand how England are among the favourites for the trophy. They're not strong enough and they pussyfoot around on the edge of the box.

They are drifting a bit, but a lot of punters just back them so that will always bring the odds down.

 

[BlueStevie35]

We lost the previous two games in the group and were already out by that point.

True but we had the chance to play for a bit of pride and wasted it