Euros 2020 - in 2021

Italy well deserved it tbh. Saint Gareth wasn't up to it.

Gutted. Rubbish pens by England and Italy deserved the win.

Yes I agree.

The game plan was wrong in the second half and allowed Italy back in the game - no players seemingly wanting to go forward - seemed to go all negative in shape on the pitch.

Declan Rice had a good game - did he?

Phillips seemed to be the one doing the good stuff and Grealish needed to be on to keep the team on the front foot.

Southgate much too negative for me.

I thought the two Italian central defenders were superb.

Mancini's substitutions did the job - Southgate's were much to late and ineffectual.

I thought once I saw who we might have to play after we came through the league part of the tournament that once we beat Germany we had a clear path to the final but with Belgium, Spain and Italy in the other half, that I didn't fancy a Southgate team beating any one of them - and so it turned out.

I think most people probably would expected the same but hoped for the best (as per usual).

Italy easily deserved it. Surely Gareth could've fit another couple of defenders into his line up somehow.
Really depressing that we are lumbered with him for the world cup in my opinion. What's the use having all these quality, skillful young players if they are just going to sit on the bench until we go behind. If we want to be serious about actually winning a World Cup we won't do it using ultra cautious tactics. Even the Italians have cottoned on to that one.

I hate to say it but Southgate got it wrong. Even if we won 1-0 I would have been a little miffed at how we played out the match.

In the end we were playing to get to a shoot out. And for me that's no way to go. We had attackers on the bench who could have come on and changed the game... But from 45 mins we decided to stick at 1-0. And then once it went 1-1 we almost purposely kept it level to try to limp through to pens. Not only was that a disappointing outlook (given their tired and aging defenders) but it ultimately back fired.

Sancho and Saka took shocking pens and Rashford was unlucky. Although the keeper had a lot to do with the Rashford miss IMHO.

Kane didn't really have a sniff in the last 75 mins of the game and we basically carried him just in case it went to pen's.

I would rather lose a brilliant match than win a crap one. Maybe that's just me.

Hip Priest wrote:Italy easily deserved it. Surely Gareth could've fit another couple of defenders into his line up somehow.
Really depressing that we are lumbered with him for the world cup in my opinion. What's the use having all these quality, skillful young players if they are just going to sit on the bench until we go behind. If we want to be serious about actually winning a World Cup we won't do it using ultra cautious tactics. Even the Italians have cottoned on to that one.

There is cautious. And then there is outright trying not to score.

Southgate has at least made us hard to beat. No goals conceded from open play this tournament.

But sure, let's get Howe or Lampard in (those are the options, let's face it) and we'll go out against the first team who has a decent attack because we will be abject defensively.

Hip Priest wrote:Italy easily deserved it. Surely Gareth could've fit another couple of defenders into his line up somehow.
Really depressing that we are lumbered with him for the world cup in my opinion. What's the use having all these quality, skillful young players if they are just going to sit on the bench until we go behind. If we want to be serious about actually winning a World Cup we won't do it using ultra cautious tactics. Even the Italians have cottoned on to that one.

Strangely enough Southgate might be better suited with his cautiousness at the next World Cup seeing it is being played in Qatar.

I know the games will be played indoors and airconditioned stadiums but I still think there will be much more 'walking' football that will lead more towards keeping clean sheets than cavalier attacking.

He should have gone for it tonight.

I think we would still have lost but better to go out as a lion than as we have with a whimper.

Feby wrote:Southgate has at least made us hard to beat. No goals conceded from open play this tournament.

But sure, let's get Howe or Lampard in (those are the options, let's face it) and we'll go out against the first team who has a decent attack because we will be abject defensively.

So Italy didn't score then?

Agree with most comments above.

Additional points: The extra day's rest for Italy was a factor; we tired.

Moving Sterling from the flanks was a mistake....too congested for his dribbling/goal threat.

Success taking pens in practice is a world away from success in front of millions watching in a crucial shoot-out....Experience/maturity more likely to be important

Being conservative and plodding can only take you so far.  Sooner or later you have to get some creative players on the pitch. Italy were the better team and deserved to win in the end.
The shame of it is we have better players parked on the bench or not even picked in the squad. Rashford proved again that he is not a world class player and what genius picked Sako to take that penalty at 19 years old and scared to death.
Sadly it looks like the same again for the world cup - SouthGate out.
Now back to BWFC

Southgate made Parkinson look like Pep, I have said it before, most successful international coaches have won major trophies in their career, Southgate failed as a manager at club level, and there is no reason to believe he can be at international level, he through young Saka under a bus last night, and Rashford should just fuck off and serve up school dinners.

I am seething.

Pep wouldn't be able to spend a billion on players managing England

Feby wrote:Pep wouldn't be able to spend a billion on players managing England

I'm not sure how much money you have to spend is relevant to game management.

Would Klopp, Pep or any other top level manager (as an England manager should be) have kept things as they were up to Italy scoring? Of course not.

Pep can't even get City to win the Champions League due to his chopping and changing and ludicrous lineups, I don't see why it would be any different with England

Feby wrote:Pep can't even get City to win the Champions League due to his chopping and changing and ludicrous lineups, I don't see why it would be any different with England

So are you saying Gareth is the equal of Pep in terms of management?

I'm just saying it's a moot point because neither Pep nor Klopp will manage England

Feby wrote:I'm just saying it's a moot point because neither Pep nor Klopp will manage England

I've e-mailed Klopp, so there's a chance.

Yes we did well to get to the final and that is a decent job done. But most of us know we were dull and fairly boring throughout. Scared of losing tactics. 
I see the same for the World Cup. Probably a good run short in the end.
Southgate has to go IMO.