GENTLEMAN

2 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

If England win on Tuesday it will be our biggest victory at a tournament since 1966. And I don’t think I’m exaggerating 

Quite. WC 2018 was an absolute chill route to get to a final. In a one off game maybe could have shithoused a superior French side.

Next Tuesday, I reckon it’ll be the Germans. We owe them 1. What momentum we will gain if it was to pass.

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the other thing we have to get better on is our attacking set-play which is normally such a good source of goals for us and our deliveries have been really poor.

Southgate ^. JWP says hi 

31 minutes ago, Condimentalist said:

Smith has one of the most exciting briefs in English football at present - restoring his boyhood club to former glories - with a patient, cash rich board, and a hugely promising young team. He'd be mad to leave - even for England. 

I think that opportunity could be there for him in the future if he wants it, but let's see how the next few years go. I think they are going to be a lot of fun. 

Its like an FM save challenge. Even the way he took over in the Championship with no centre backs.

3 minutes ago, Kingman said:

Not sure how reliable?.. 

Hmmm, pinch of salt of course but that would suggest straight swap for Mount. System remains.

That would mean Jack would need to have output in assists and goals to retain his place. 

I like the 'idea' of Dele Alli, if he could recapture that form 16-17 season (crikey that long). As a sort of raumdeuter behind Ollie. A rose between two roses of Grealish and Buendia. Then two from the hardworking, energetic (with a dash of guile) midfield trio of Sanson, Luiz and McGinn.

Now comes the slap of reality. Levy, of course (£££). Attitude and our fingers being well and truly burnt with previous out of favor prodigal son projects. What the hell am I thinking.

3 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Not sure if been mentioned but Grealish is now 10/11 to stay at villa and evens to join City.

Not been keeping abreast of betting markets. Are the odds shortening or lengthening for City transfer?

3 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

Same here bud, hope he blows the Czechs away. This wasn't supposed to be but it's looking like the toughest game in the group now, so glad we gave the points on the board.

Just want him to show what we know he's capable of.

Perhaps a bit of Jungian synchronicity at play. Mount's unconscious mind knew that for the good of the nation Jack had to get minutes to show Southgate the error in his thinking. Therefore, the urge to frolic in the tunnel with Gilmour manifested in Mount's conscious mind. Meaning Mount misses the game and thereby allowing Jack to become un-droppable for the subsequent games and shining throughout the tournament. 

1 minute ago, Phil Silvers said:

Sorry I'm out of likes but this just made my day mate, cheers.

Tell me about. I tried to talk myself round before the match against Scotland but I was all bile inside and moping about when chatting to local mates about England. Absolutely buzzing for tonight's game now.

Wouldn't there be WP issues with this one?

13 minutes ago, GENTLEMAN said:

I've seen the Italia 90' doc. Was in tears. Might search out that whole game. Found this youtube clip I am going to watch...

 

Watching that at 1.5x, I really do no see the comparisons. Jack is a far superior 'consistent' dribbler and passer. God I'm so nostalgic for that era though. Love the aesthetic.

Clips I've seen of Best are closer. I say without shame.

Of course I think that I should be England first and foremost but I will be really upset if Jack does not start tonight. Sad that it will make such a difference to my night whether Jack starts or not, but this is true.

3 minutes ago, Steero113 said:

You clarify there that it was before your time but to give you a taste of how good Gazza was he ran the entire show in a world cup semi final against a far superior team in West Germany. We 100% should have won that game and were desperately unlucky. 

He was 23. 

I've seen the Italia 90' doc. Was in tears. Might search out that whole game. Found this youtube clip I am going to watch...

Just now, John said:

Nearest for me, for his impact on a game:

I do not see this myself. Granted it was a touch before my lifetime, so I cannot judge properly. I consider Gascoigne more unreliable and unprofessional on the pitch. A moments player, so to speak. Someone who would go missing for large portions of a game and then pop up with a moment of absolute skill to wow. Jack drives a team, demands a standard. He is constant and relentless threat. Jack is an absolute athlete too. 

Would really like to hear peoples views on why the comparison is apt though. As I do not really know much about Gazza, other than the sad stuff.

I'm torn between wanting to be patriotic, get behind the boys not matter what is and will happen and an incandescent rage for Southgate that he is wasting a lot of attacking talent with his idiocy. Jack is top of that pile. England have not had a player like him in my lifetime.  

Just now, nick76 said:

I always thought…

Nailed it!

So I've been racking my brain for who Gareth Southgate reminds me of. Finally narrowed it down to two contenders:

On 15/06/2021 at 23:02, ciggiesnbeer said:

Interesting he was carrying this. Maybe he will be even better next season  I wont hide my fandom of Bertie. He is such a joy to watch. Seeing him, Jack and mini Emi all play in the same team is going to be amazing. I cant wait.

With a proper pre-season too, I think he's going to shine next season. Going to be a real selection headache for Smith.

21 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

and if we had started Jack and Sancho in the first 2 games neither of them would have done enough to remain in the starting 11.

The system is crap, and the coaching is crap, the mentality is crap and the style of play is crap.

 

Oh I agree. But you work with what you've got and make a judgement on what has passed previously. We cannot oust Southgate now, so just hope a combination of individuals could work.

2 minutes ago, Genie said:

Goes against the experience line Gareth has been trotting out though.

He’s tying himself up in knots. 

Honestly I don't think Foden and Sterling have done enough to remain in starting 11. Grealish Kane Sancho. Rice Phillips Bellingham. Shaw Mings Stones James. For me that has a nice balance. 

The way Southgate is talking, what I expect is a return of Trippier, Walker, Maguire and Henderson. Foden Kane Sterling. Rice Henderson Bellingham. Trippier Maguire Stones Walker.

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What helped me a lot was one of the physios at City, who explained it to me very simply. He said, “You’re already a big guy, but you need to do something to deal with the shock when people run at you while you control the ball. We need to build your muscles to absorb it. We need to build the strength in your bum and hips.”

It sounds funny, but your bum can be a very important tool when you play football.

I’m sure a lot of you watched England play Scotland last week in the Euros. What impressed me in that game was how disciplined John McGinn was in midfield, taking the ball from the defence and protecting it from England players before making the pass.

If you look at a picture of McGinn, you can see he has very powerful legs and hips, and there were times where you could see him get the ball with his back to an England player, smell the danger was coming and then use his bum to shield the ball from them. The bum is important as it can create a moment of space between you and another player, so you have more time with the ball.

Yaya appreciating something we've been appreciating for a good while now.

33 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

This! 

Drop mings and what does that say about him and do to him? Stones then gets injured or sent off and Mings has to come back in 

Drop stones for maguire, they don't need to work on their partnership or get to know each other they've played before 

Everything about dropping mings says doesn't matter how well you've played I'm still going to drop you for my favourite

What does that say to grealish, sancho, Bellingham who could all come in tonight? Sancho sat thinking I'm gonna get a goal and assist tonight and start in the next round...or does he sit and think I'm not playing next week regardless of what I do here? Which to be fair is the reality because those 3 won't be

I think it could be a back 3 to accommodate Maguire. Rumblings that he may reintroduce Henderson too. 

God. I cannot wait for the season to start.

23 minutes ago, MotoMkali said:

I clearly edited. I thought this was the Ward-Prowse thread. Loads of people get the threads mixed up. 

Come now, I kid. That was clearly a JWP post. But I do admire your conviction and assertiveness in posts. You always hook me in even when there is sometimes only ‘small’ truth to your statements. I suppose it’s testament to the adage that it’s not what you say but how you say it.

‘Contrary X player has more free kicks won per 90 than mainstream Y player therefore X player is better at dribbling than player Y. Duh you dummies!’ Hmm I think maybe Moto has a point.

Someone posts the actual stats that contradict this.

‘Well I meant more free kicks won in last 15 mins per 90 mins so therefore my point stands, also if you combine this stat with the throw ins won per last 5 min when opposition is at home, clearly what I said is absolute objective truth’. Well hot damn.

Someone posts the actual stats that contradict this.

’Whoops I misread those. However, my point still stands, if you look at just the last 10 games when dribbling is most likely to be an important match moment and you will clearly see that I am right to hold my contrarian view.’

You’re certainly one not to follow a crowd. Anyway, what do you make of ESR?

1 minute ago, MotoMkali said:

He is 26 so 4 years seems pretty realistic. You don't want to have a player contracted for too long after 30. So you get to 28 and you can judge how much he will regress etc and give him an extension. 

I doubt it has happened though

I do love how you post with such conviction.