12 Jul 2021 12:46:26
I think Southgate done well as manager. He made a few good decisions throughout the tournament. Got his team to a final so if it isn't broken don't fix it. Any player in the world can miss a penalty, ti's easy take them on the training ground. Italy are good footballers. They have football brains. Now Southgate and all the players come across as a good bunch of lads good people. But that minority of English fans are the biggest numties in the world. They should never be left inside a football ground or near it. They let down the team the players the whole country. Embarrassing shower. I just feel sorry for the genuine English fans. I know a few myself and they are good lads. And I thought maguire was very solid all tournament he surprised be. Credit to him. And Shaw brilliant. Anyway ireland will win the world Cup.

1.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 12:59:54
You had me nodding right up to the last sentence Leahy.

I think Southgate is a top bloke but I think in the very big games his safety first approach doesn’t do it. After that early goal Italy had to be more expansive, we should have changed out formation right then and been ready to use pace and speed in the gaps they would leave.

Stll, he’s done better than the big fancy names we’ve had in recent years, a semi and a final is some achievement. Just need to go for it and take that last step.

2.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 13:22:49
Southgate is very similar to Ole. A relegation on their CV and a reluctance to take risks, caution first, don’t concede and build from there. I agree with building on a solid defence, it’s the rock SAF relied on, yet also there is a need to adapt in game and neither Ole or Southgate seem capable. Sterling was awful yet stayed on, the Italians had two old immobile centre backs and had to push up to get back into the game. Instead of changing it at half time, getting some pace to exploit it, Southgate retained Mount and tried to play for the 1.0 win. When they equalised he again didn’t react. Don’t even need to talk about the Sancho, Rashford subs or selecting Saka for a penalty. Grealish has said this morning he wanted to take one, yet Southgate threw three young players to fail. Not impressed one bit with Southgate yesterday. He plays a very pragmatic don’t lose style like Ole but he must not follow Ole at OT. Well done for a semi and final but marginal games need that brilliance in the manager and neither England or Inited have that. I watched the Italians prepare for the pens talking focussing whilst Southgate waved a piece of paper before getting that focus. Gareth has to learn yet whilst praising him and the team’s performance in the last two competitions, we have thrown two great opportunities away, both times failing to adapt to the game in front of him.

3.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 13:24:39
close but no cigar. I'm sad for the manager and sad for the players. The vast majority of neutrals wanted italy to win and England to lose. Its pretty obvious why.
Evey pub and gathering outside England would have been like sitting in a pub in Rome no matter where it was Spain France Israel China it makes no difference neutrals never want england to win. The perception of the english football fan worldwide is not good and they are universally disliked I suppose its not just about football.

4.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 13:47:38
Italy deserved the win, I thought England played it too safe which is easy said in hindsight but it felt like we had a lot of firepower that we didn't try to use.
A back 3 again turned into a back 5 after a bright start and after a fairly comfortable first half I felt Southgate was slow to react when it was clear Italy were beginning to dominate .
The momentum was with Italy by the time we went to a back 4, I felt if you have a good bench and the game is getting away from us then use it more and earlier.
I'm maybe harsh on Southgate he got us to the final but I'm left feeling the final wasn't his finest hour tactically wise.

5.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 14:04:05
Yeah slate we said this last night.
The margins between success and failure are wafer thin.
Just a little too Conservative.
Just like ole at united.
If a manager goes into games with an attitude of not losing is as important as winning. You won't win enough to get titles more often than not.
Finals are games you need to go out and win they are not games you can hope not to lose.
Well done to southgate he came close. Closer than anybody for best part of 60 years.

6.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 14:11:53
Southgate has given England their best 2 tournaments in a long time.

However, he is a very cautious manager who will likely hold England back. All the attacking talent that England have and they could only muster 1 shot on target through the 120 minutes. The tactic seems to be nullify the opponent rather than go and impose themselves.

Penalties are a lottery but Italy fully deserved the win across the 120 minutes and they looked like the only side wanting to win it where as England just looked like they didn't want to lose it.

7.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 15:01:40
Bang on RJ.
Its the exact approach we as united fans have been watching for the last 3 years from our coach.
It will get you there abouts if you have good players but it rarely wins you the top prizes its not an approach I like or 1 befitting Manchester United imo. Its OK for England to a point as they hadn't won anything for 60 years and nobody outside England really expects them to win anything but its not OK for a club like united.

8.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 18:07:21
I wrote last night that the display from England was cowardly (it wasn't posted for whatever reasons) . They get a dream start, the stadium is rocking and they just try at sit back for 89 minutes. Southgate like Ole may have got their respective teams as far as they can. Some of those players were deer in the headlights. Substitutions were poor.

Very much like Ole I think Southgate has his subs picked out before the match even starts and that's it. They have a very good squad there and with a decent manager I think they could genuinely compete at the World cup.

9.) 13 Jul 2021
13 Jul 2021 14:06:04
Love Southgate as a man, very decent bloke, only the 2nd England manager ever to get them to a final but I genuinely believe this crop of English players are as talented as any other squad in the world and southgates tactics will only hinder them.

10.) 14 Jul 2021
13 Jul 2021 14:14:54
Its a difficult one ken, we got to the final and only lost on pens, on the face of it the best we have done in modern times .
But there's a nagging feeling of what if we had removed the shackles and and made more of the creative midfielders and speedy forwards .
Its an england side that has the potential to be pretty attractive but Southgate prefers a very cautious style .
We did well but there's still a feeling of what ifs, if we were a little braver in team selection and tactics.