The England Thread

[Venton]

Are we after Oxlade-Chamberlain? I hope not.

[Venton]

I'm glad May is watching this to add to her annus pruritus.

[Venton]

"Tired errors from England" against France who've played with 10 men for a half.

[Venton]

Well, another rubbish performance. Not much else to say really.

[Kenneth]

Southgate is such a gimp. Everyone knows he's a born loser with zero charisma and no hope of having a successful managerial career. But he's learned the right cliches, rimmed the right people at the FA and everyone goes along with the charade.

[Deano]

I think we're a bit cowed. We know we should be doing something different but don't know how. Who's the one bollocking everyone from the back? No-one, I tell you.

Missing a leadership all over the park IMO but, Dier and Ox shouldn't be a partnership in the middle of the park - Alli and Kane to far forward - Sterling shone in fits and starts but everything seemed slow and flat footed.

Showed up how far Southgate is away from a top coach - reminds me of "e got the job on a techknitalty" - He's an English Moyes

[Venton]

Southgate is such a gimp. Everyone knows he's a born loser with zero charisma and no hope of having a successful managerial career. But he's learned the right cliches, rimmed the right people at the FA and everyone goes along with the charade.

Absolutely. Although I'd argue we've been pretty much the same with every manager we've had since the 80s. English players at international level are brittle.

[Venton]

Missing a leadership all over the park IMO but, Dier and Ox shouldn't be a partnership in the middle of the park - Alli and Kane to far forward - Sterling shone in fits and starts but everything seemed slow and flat footed.

Showed up how far Southgate is away from a top coach - reminds me of "e got the job on a techknitalty" - He's an English Moyes

Yes, there's not much out there with backbone, and the set up was off. Sterling makes the right moves and plays the right passes but 9 times out of ten the pass it just too close to the defender, behind or in front of the forward. It's never miles away but most seem to be just cut out. The quality gulf with France's best players is enormous.

Plus we drew with Scotland.

Scotland.

[Buzzo]

Southgate is such a gimp. Everyone knows he's a born loser with zero charisma and no hope of having a successful managerial career. But he's learned the right cliches, rimmed the right people at the FA and everyone goes along with the charade.

[Deano]

Cant stand the **** but it would have been interesting to how Allardyce got on

[Cormack74]

I can't pretend I watched more than about a minute of Spurs season apart from when they played us but having seen some of saturday and tonight's games I find it hard to believe they came second in the prem' with those players.

[Venton]

I can't pretend I watched more than about a minute of Spurs season apart from when they played us but having seen some of saturday and tonight's games I find it hard to believe they came second in the prem' with those players.

It's the classic Premiership football meets International football readjustment. You can be great in our league and look awful when you meet technical football. Spurs players are great in our league.

[Cormack74]

I always thought it was just tired received wisdom that English players need to go abroad but perhaps it's true.

I wonder if a (top tier but) low end Italian or Spanish team would take the whole squad as a single consignment - like some sort of group sabbatical.

[Norbs]

That'll learn them.

I love that turn of phrase

[dww]

Yes, there's not much out there with backbone, and the set up was off. Sterling makes the right moves and plays the right passes but 9 times out of ten the pass it just too close to the defender, behind or in front of the forward. It's never miles away but most seem to be just cut out. The quality gulf with France's best players is enormous.

Plus we drew with Scotland.

Scotland.

My feeling is that we are just marking time with Southgate as manager - hoping he brings in young players and that the next generation is more talented. You get the feeling he's the football equivalent of Peter Moores.

Next season will be a big one for Sterling I think. With more competition and longer under Pep he's either going to kick on or slide into obscurity as the 400 nippy midfield sprites bought in at unfathomable expense over the summer take his place.