ThunderPower_14

I'm not from the US and as such I can't really comment on what they should wear, but I really liked when they wore red and white hoops, like the 2012 or even the 2018 home kits. It's unique to them, comes directly from the flag and looks brilliant.

I'm not sure why people are worried about his age, it's just a number. This isn't Logan's Run, some of the absolute top players in the world are the wrong side of 30. If he can play Champions League football and win Serie A at Inter Milan, he can play a role for us. I don't think Purslow is gonna sign him to a long term deal. As an experienced backup for a season or two, he's perfect.

He's thrown himself to the ground to make sure the Ref is aware of it as most attackers do, but this is foul.

I'd absolutely take him on a 1 year deal as an experienced back up. Good experienced head, he's just won a Serie A title at Inter Milan. He's played for some great teams under some great managers, he knows how to win. We're not going to pay him insane wages, we're not idiots. 36 is old but it isn't ancient, and his form hasn't fallen off a cliff because he didn't rely solely on pace or strength. There is nothing wrong with this sort of experienced signing as long as we're not signing him up for 4 years at eye watering wages. I don't see it a lot different to the John Terry signing which I think was absolutely a positive for the club.

I think they're probably past the personal stuff between them but I absolutely think Southgate doesn't want to hear the chorus of "I told you so" if Jack plays well. I feel like that would be like nails down a chalkboard to someone like him.

Brilliant finish. You feel like Scotland have a goal in them but it's a long way back from here.

Which horses for courses are we going to line up when playing the likes of France, Belgium or Spain, who might also dominate the ball. Hopefully something with some more creativity than we saw against Croatia.

With Jack to drive the ball forward, hopefully he won't feel he has to come as deep. He was basically playing a decoy role, pulling the defence out of shape for long balls over the top to Sterling, but it'd be nice to be less one dimensional and to utilise our attacking riches instead of playing like a side trying to stave off relegation.

I guess the argument is that if the teams objectives are to end up with 2 shots on target against a middling Croatia, it doesn't bode well for us as the tournament goes on. We have such an incredible array of attacking talent. Nicking goals with long balls and then protecting the lead isn't the best use of that talent at all.

The criticism for long balls is a bit harsh, that seemed to be the manager's plan. He was brilliant defensively, rock solid. Not sure why you'd replace him with Maguire unless Maguire was completely 100%

Jack is undeniably world class. He would start for every club and national side in the world, apart from England apparently. He could arguably be even more value at international level, because he doesn't need help or a system to carry the ball into the box and create chances. Given national teams have so little time to gel and learn their system, that's vital. This wasn't a game where we dominated and peppered the goal. If anything we were lucky to get the one we did. Leaving your most creative player on the bench is insanity.

I've made a case for Sancho who was left out of the squad entirely as well, who i'd have played ahead of both Rashford and Sterling if we were going to play a "pacy" winger. It's hardly way out of left field for me to argue that Grealish should be playing. Plenty of people who aren't Villa fans have done the same thing, it was one of the biggest discussion points of the week leading up to the game. Grealish is an attacking player. I just watched the team I want to win the tournament eek out a win with 2 shots on target. I don't believe they can win the tournament if they don't significantly improve their play going forward.

Were you expecting 2?

They certainly can be, yes. Why weren't we more of an attacking threat in this game? It looked pretty disjointed to me. Kane couldn't get involved at all. Our plan seemed to be to dink it over the top to Sterling and hope.

I have 2 issues with that line of thinking 1) Southgate has been the manager for quite a while now, based on what i've seen I doubt his master plan involves a dramatically different XI and strategy. 2) If we have a preferred style and XI that is different from what we saw today, wouldn't it be better to get games into that team so that they gel? 3/4 teams go through from the group stage, it's very low risk. Building chemistry could be the difference between hoisting the trophy and a quarter finals exit.

Agree! But I don't see it as a positive that he was left out. Sancho should have been in the squad and possibly in the team. I'm of the opinion that these selection mistakes will end up costing us when we play the good teams in this tournament.

I think this is garbage. You can win and not play well. England beating Croatia is great, but I want England to win the tournament. Despite the win, i'm now less confident that we can do that. Being critical of a performance doesn't make you less of a fan. "Played very well", christ. We had 2 shots on target. If that's playing very well for England, it'll be a short tournament for us. Villa fans like Jack because he's one of our own, but we also think he'll give us a much better chance of winning the tournament if he's on the pitch.

I couldn't disagree more with the notion that a win automatically justifies the manager's decisions. I think it's an insane position to take. If we set up and play like that against any remotely capable team, we'll lose. So much attacking talent in the team and we couldn't get anything going at all.

Really chuffed for Mings who was excellent. Dirty about Jack not getting on, and unless he was specfically rested tonight because of his shins, I can't really see how he plays more than 20 minute bursts here and there. All the discussion about the wealth of attacking talent in this side and we manage 2 shots on target against a poor Croatian side, and the one that went in was hit straight at the keeper.

2 shots on target through 85 minutes. Let's see how that goes for us against a good team.

Sterling's touch has been awful. It's hurt England's chances in this tournament that he nicked one

Mings has been the best player on the pitch. Sterling over the top isn't working, they've dealt with it easily apart from one unlucky handball. Get Jack on to run at this defence a bit FFS.

Phillips playing that high energy holding mid role really well. I think he'll pair well with Rice and allow the attacking talent to flourish.

I don't agree that we're just biased Villa fans in relation to Jack. Go and search for "Grealish" on Twitter and look at fans of a variety of clubs saying this is the wrong call and that Southgate should be building the side around him. His stats speak for themselves in terms of his ability to create chances, to draw fouls. He should be playing.

Trippier at LB would be bizarre when there are 2 good leftbacks in the squad. I don't mind Trippier but he's not a LB. Sterling is the epitome of being picked on reputation and not form. Awful. I don't mind Phillips really. He's a good DCM and I think he'll pair well with Rice.