Gareth Southgate

[Zatman]

2 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

Biggest Charlatan since Tim Sherwood 

wasted too many good players and stuck with too many shit ones

but to give him credit he has played the media well and moved England away from the off field debacles we used to have 

 

I won’t stop laughing st whoever gives him a premier league job though .. I really hope it’s West Ham 

At least Sherwood had charisma

[Nicho]

3 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

Biggest Charlatan since Tim Sherwood 

wasted too many good players and stuck with too many shit ones

but to give him credit he has played the media well and moved England away from the off field debacles we used to have 

 

I won’t stop laughing st whoever gives him a premier league job though .. I really hope it’s West Ham 

I’m defo not saying he’s great but also don’t think he got the tactics wrong today.The 1st goal especially.

In hindsight yes but we were the better team and France know they didn’t deserve that. I expect them to win it now. 

[Thug]

4 hours ago, jim said:

Is that because, maybe we aren’t as good as the better sides? 
@villa4europe hit the nail on the head, everyone moans when certain players get called up or play yet we’ve supposedly got an amazing squad. 
The only baffling decision he’s made for me this tournament was bringing in Sterling who’s been in England all week. 

Let’s face it..

 

He would have brought Sterling on even  if he’d been in a coma for 3 years and woken up just before he needed to hand in the team sheet.

[KentVillan]

I've enjoyed slamming Southgate on here for years, but I really don't think he was massively culpable for what happened vs. France.

Things I think he got wrong:

• Too passive in the first half with our pressing and passing
• We had the deeper bench and fresher legs, and should have been running our players into the ground for 90 mins. Our players didn't look "spent" at the end of the game, which to me says they were playing within themselves.
• The Sterling for Saka sub was odd, but not a gigantic mistake.
• We should have thrown the kitchen sink at them a bit earlier.

Things I think he got right:

• Starting XI and formation was basically spot on
• Mbappe had very little influence on the game
• His faith in Maguire was not an obviously smart move before the tournament, and took courage from him to stick with that choice
• We were clearly the better side over 90 mins

The idea that he's as big a fraud as Sherwood is small time bitchy nonsense. Would Southgate be any good as a PL manager? Probably not, but international football is a different kettle of fish, and the fact all the players speak so highly of him suggests he's doing something right.

I don't really see any benefit to binning him, because it's hard to imagine who would want to come in who'd be any good. Foreign managers always get done by the press, and there aren't any good English managers.

He's mediocre, but so were Deschamps, Löw, Scolari, Jacquet, etc when they won the World Cup.

If England had a manager like Lippi or Del Bosque sitting around waiting to complete their legacy, then fine, give them the job, but we don't. There are no obvious candidates. Just let Southgate crack on. It doesn't even matter that much. We'll be watching Villa again in a couple of weeks.

[Pinebro]

6 hours ago, Zatman said:

Also you were one of the non World Cuo watchers

Had to watch this one.

Christmas party with my colleagues at work...

[LondonLax]

Southgate in a nutshell. 

Wins the games you’d expect England to win, loses the games you’d expect them to lose

[Delphinho123]

7 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

You got 2 penalties and the game should've been finished before the free kick for the Sterling push on Mbappe. Gimme a break

That push on Mbappe was mad at the end wasn’t it??! Nobody seemed to mention it but it was as clear a free kick as you’ll see. Honestly, at times, I think the ref was just tossing a coin on whether something was a foul or not. Just made some really bizarre decisions albeit I don’t think he was THAT bad. 

[Kiwivillan]

17 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

That push on Mbappe was mad at the end wasn’t it??! Nobody seemed to mention it but it was as clear a free kick as you’ll see. Honestly, at times, I think the ref was just tossing a coin on whether something was a foul or not. Just made some really bizarre decisions albeit I don’t think he was THAT bad. 

Commentators mentioned it Townsend etc. Really don't think the ref was that bad. I only started watching after 1st French goal and didn't see the build up. Thought he made great calls for play acting from both sides. The penalty on Saka he called straight away and forgive for the Mount foul and VAR corrected. Thought England were all over France most of the game and was pinball moment in box 1st half 1-0 down that was mystery how evaded any English player. France made 3-4 goal scoring chances I saw. Giroud should've buried 2nd chance then he scored straight after from terrible defending to allow cross and Giroud getting the header far too easily

TBH going into game and said as much last 2 nights at pub thought England had better side and could win

Edited December 11, 2022 by Kiwivillan

[bobzy]

10 hours ago, villa4europe said:

France for one

We have a team and a squad that's somewhere between top 2 to 8

Which is where we have been finishing

I disagree that France are definitively better than England on paper - on the lineups last night, England's was stronger.

International football is full of 50/50 matches and last night was one.  England played well but largely didn't create much.  France also didn't create much, but got that one extra goal.  I wouldn't blame Southgate (apart from the Saka sub which was strange IMO) for last night persay, but it was yet another example of this England team coming up against a similar team and not being able to break them down.  2 wins and 5 losses against "good" teams in these last 3 major tournaments now.  "Fine", but those fine margins come from having an astute manager and we don't have one.

[MellbergsBeard]

No one should get 4 international tournaments especially when their biggest achievement is loosing a final against an aging Italy. 

[JPJCB]

I’ve seen enough to conclude that he’s reached his ceiling.

The press are being extremely kind to England. I’m not baying for blood but for me last night demonstrates the problem with the current set up. To win a tournament you have to beat at least one of the truly top international teams and to do that you have to show ambition. We played ok (better than the euros final at least) but we’re very very passive for long periods of the game without creating much and France stepped up when they needed to step up. (TIFO have done a good video showing how France deliberately let England have the initiative in the periods where they were leading). In the end though the result was completely predictable.

I remain of the view that the final/semi final achievements of the last two tournaments were largely literal luck of the draw. If we’d have come up against a France, a Spain, a belgium in the round of 16 we’d have gone out in each of those tournaments and Southgate would have been sacked by now. We all laugh at martinez at belgium but his side beat Brazil 3-0 at the 2018 WC. Can you imagine Southgate pulling that off? No chance.

nice guy and a breath of fresh air but he’s reached his ceiling and I’m convinced the outcome will be the same at the next euros if we stick with him. Qualify comfortably; out of the group comfortably. Then knocked out by one of the big boys. Maybe that’s enough for some but I personally want more ambition than that 

[HongKongVillan]

That last min sub for Jack says it all about Southgate. That was the last throw of the dice and wish and hope for some random magic, rather than a calculated tactical subs. 

 

Last night performance wasn't bad, but it really did took France 10mins of them actually trying to play to score 2.

 

And this WC, supposingly a better one under SG, England managed to beat Iran, Wales, and Senegal. Avoided defeat against USA who got completely sweeped past by the Dutch. Is it really a good WC or has he got another good draw, and fail once face someone decent? 

 

 

[cyrusr]

4 hours ago, KentVillan said:

I've enjoyed slamming Southgate on here for years, but I really don't think he was massively culpable for what happened vs. France.

Things I think he got wrong:

• Too passive in the first half with our pressing and passing
• We had the deeper bench and fresher legs, and should have been running our players into the ground for 90 mins. Our players didn't look "spent" at the end of the game, which to me says they were playing within themselves.
• The Sterling for Saka sub was odd, but not a gigantic mistake.
• We should have thrown the kitchen sink at them a bit earlier.

Things I think he got right:

• Starting XI and formation was basically spot on
• Mbappe had very little influence on the game
• His faith in Maguire was not an obviously smart move before the tournament, and took courage from him to stick with that choice
• We were clearly the better side over 90 mins

The idea that he's as big a fraud as Sherwood is small time bitchy nonsense. Would Southgate be any good as a PL manager? Probably not, but international football is a different kettle of fish, and the fact all the players speak so highly of him suggests he's doing something right.

I don't really see any benefit to binning him, because it's hard to imagine who would want to come in who'd be any good. Foreign managers always get done by the press, and there aren't any good English managers.

He's mediocre, but so were Deschamps, Löw, Scolari, Jacquet, etc when they won the World Cup.

If England had a manager like Lippi or Del Bosque sitting around waiting to complete their legacy, then fine, give them the job, but we don't. There are no obvious candidates. Just let Southgate crack on. It doesn't even matter that much. We'll be watching Villa again in a couple of weeks.

There’s a lot here to agree with. It certainly wasn’t his worse performance as an England manager that is for sure. 

However, it still highlights probably his biggest flaw in that he doesn’t ever really have a “plan b” or willingness/ability to change mid game. It’s a problem with a lot of managers as we know too well but I don’t think he has the tactical knowledge to take England that last step. 

The really genuinely difficult question though, if not Southgate, then who?

I have always thought Smith would be good international manager, but he suffers as well for a lack of plan b as well. Potter/Howe are unlikely to leave Chelsea/Newcastle I suspect.

Dyche won’t ever get the fans on side but struggling to think after that so looked at some odds, that is some grim reading… Cooper, Lampard, Gerrard?! It’ll probably end up being Steve Bruce knowing our luck…

Edited December 11, 2022 by cyrusr

[Jareth]

Think the bloke realises its time to hand over - he's reset England but we now need to finesse things.

[theboyangel]

That should be Southgate done with the managerial position.

He’s hit his ceiling and shown he cannot adapt/improve from previous mistakes.

We were the better team yesterday but I feel his tactics ultimately lost us the game.

Firstly, the position of Foden. He is a terrific player but completely wasted out wide - he was ineffective for the vast majority of the game and only looked good when he actually got on the ball.

Secondly, the team appeared reluctant to have a shot, instead looking for another recycling pass sideways or backwards and begin again.

Sometimes you just have to chance your hand (the French opener is a prime example!)

Finally, the substitute selection. Sterling and Mount are his go to, fingers crossed this gets me out of the shit, choices time and time again. It rarely works (yes, Mount got shoved over in the box and won the penalty)

what was the point of him taking Grealish, Maddison, Wilson etc if you don’t utilise them. 

Southgate is totally risk adverse to the detriment of the team. We went out with a whimper last night, passing backwards and sideways until the final whistle blew.

I’d rather have gone out 3-1 with us busting a gut to draw level and being caught on the counter.

Anyway, Southgate should step down and ITV never show a knockout England game again

[Lichfield Dean]

I said in the match thread that I've been surprised by Southgate this tournament. Up until now I've been very critical of him, but it feels like he's either finally learnt how to get this England team working, or he's had some better coaching advice from someone. Either way I think he has shown signs of improvement that I wasn't expecting.

Ok, I think he messed up the subs in the France game and reverted back a bit too much to the team that did so badly in the Nation's League towards the end, but despite being knocked out a round earlier I think we were actually a much better side than in 2018.

Whether we can get an upgrade on him is another argument, but I didn't find myself shouting at the TV in annoyance this world cup so much.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Lichfield Dean

[DJ_Villain]

Good…

Im glad England are out…

Theres nothing in that England side I remotely like, support or have any endearment to…

Its a bunch of “Sky 6” arseholes picked by the FA with Gonzo the Yes Man acting like he is in charge…

If England win a World Cup, there better be a Villa player in the squad for me to support!

Thats why I’ve been wanting Argentina, Poland and Belgium to do well…

Villa Park deserves to have a World Cup winner come back…

Aston Villa deserves to have a current player immortalised as a World Cup winner for the rest of history…

Ive said it before, and I’ll say it again, I’m not a football fan, I’m a Villa fan…

The only shame about that England squad that got knocked out last night is that more of them didn’t come back injured to give us an advantage when the season restarts…

[rodders0223]

The best players generally play for the top 6 pal.

edit : and Villa doesn't "deserve" anyhing.

double edit : wishing injuries on players at the pinnacle of their game and careers. Scandalous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2022 by rodders0223

[StanBalaban]

5 hours ago, KentVillan said:

I've enjoyed slamming Southgate 

 

[rbcuk]

Every tournament he’s had so far, had easy group games to finish top, soon as we play someone decent we fold, he's tactically inept, it’s probably the best squad we’ve had for years and still selects players that don’t even get in there club sides I mean Phillips has played what this season 10mins in the league 

Edited December 11, 2022 by rbcuk