Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Only seen from half time but England have been worse than terrible. Can't keep the ball and dropping too deep. Getting fouled is our only way of stopping attacks.

England got away with that, I think. I also only saw the second half. Sir Gareth might have decided to stay on, but it's the same old stuff

hopeless

A bloody good win. I'm presuming we were much better in the first half.

I can't think of a single time in that second half where England managed to string 3 passes together. Pickford's distribution was awful with so many balls ending up either going to the Italian keeper, going out for a throw in, or just aimlessly lumped forward.

Both full backs were booked for time wasting on throw in's and then Shaw made a clumsy tackle seconds after his time wasting yellow and was subsequently sent off

At one point England had a throw in deep in the Italian half and just back passed it all the way back for Pickford to cede possession.

Presumably at 2-0 up England must have had a decent first half, but that second half reminded me of the Euro final defeat, getting deeper and deeper, ceding all possession with panicking, flapping and johny fartpantsing throughout

good to start with a win, but that shambolic half is a real worry

but to put things in perspective, England haven't beaten Italy in a competitive match for 45 years and haven't beaten Italy in Italy since 1961.... the year I was born

so it is a massive win and we should probably congratulate them for getting over the line..... but it was a bit harum scarum and cool heads in an England shirt were hard to find. Thank goodness Harry Kane kept his

and to give credit where it's due, Gnonto caused havoc when he came on and after Shaw got sent off, Sir G brought on James to double up on him with Walker (on a yellow and having to be very careful) and it neutralised Gnonto pretty effectively

England were by far the better team in the first half. The old cliche still applies.

Massive, massive achievement to win in Italy, and Italy's first defeat in over 40 European qualifying matches. Getting over the line was a big deal here, even if it wasn't the best performance in the second half.

Netherland's struggling with a virus in their camp that has led to 5 players having to leave the group

I can't begin to even imagine what kind of virus would lead to players being sent away to isolate and extensive cleaning and contact protocols having to be initiated. Interesting that nobody uses its name these days..... as if it never happened

bad dream perhaps?

nothing to see here

I watched most of the England France u21 friendly earlier. First half, England were awful, just awful. France dominated with slick, high tempo, free flowing, attack minded football, forcing goalie Trafford to make a string of smart saves. England, by contrast, were like a charlie cairoli clown car, bumbling about. Didn't get a shot away until the 40th minute in a rare foray up the pitch. It was depressingly similar to the performance and tactics of the England senior team.
Second half, France made an early mistake and England pounced to go 1-0 up against the run of play. France bombed forward again, but with less effect; England slowly grew into the game a bit; substitutions improved England and weakened France. The match looked to be petering out, so I popped to the loo before taking Mrs DF out and when I came back a couple of minutes later, England had scored 2 more goals and ended up running out 4-0 winners. I defy anyone to have predicted that scoreline in the first half

2-0 win over Ukraine tonight. 2 good first half goals, but a lot of huffing and puffing in the second half against mediocre opposition. Second half torpor seems to be England's 'thing' these days, but Ukraine were never going to capitalise.

Maddison got a start and did pretty well except when in the box. Teamed up well with Chilwell and with Bellingham, both of whom had decent games. Saka was the best player on the pitch, which is becoming the norm, because he's a terrific player... maybe even the best English player in the PL on current form. Just a shame there was no Rashford, because he might be the player to challenge Saka for the PL's most in form player and on current form, you'd think they'd be a formidable wide pairing either side of Kane

All looked a bit lob sided. Chilwell got forward a lot, Walker hardly at all, so it was Chillwell and Saka giving the width and Walker played more as though he was part of a back 3 rather than a back 4. Maybe that was because they were worried about Mudryk's pace, I dont know

A good start to the campaign with 6 points out of 6 and the 2 worst teams in the group still to play

It's always tempting fate making predictions about an England team, but after those two wins, with the top 2 to qualify from the group, qualification should be as assured as it ever is.

Some of Southgate's decision making really is puzzling sometimes. In the match V Italy he brought on Foden (is Gareth the only person in the world who thinks Grealish should start over him, but a different point), then took him off 5 minutes later with the red card.... then subbed off Saka 5 minutes later because he was knackered. At some stage I think he inherets a different planet to me.

Then v Ukraine, he picks Maddie to play left wing over Foden, the only position on the midfield he has never started a game for Leicester.... and in his natural position, picks Bellingham who, you guessed it, has never played a single match in his career at 10. All to accommodate Jordan Henderson, who has played 90 minutes of football once in 2023, and who by his own admission has been terrible this year.

The icing on the cake was him picking Guehi from Palace at centre back as his only cover in the squad, despite the fact that anyone watching the PL recently would tell you Palace have been the worst team in the league recently and he's looked like a joke at the back.... which Southgate must have known, because with England down to 10 and looking to close up shop, he ends up throwing on full backs at CB instead of the CB he picked.

I assume we will now beat Italy at a moment of deep transition for them, and beat a Ukraine team with 10 players who cant play every week, and he will be hailed as a genius, only for some second rate power to knock us out of a semi-final after his tactical bungles.

I take your point, but in fairness to him (and I hate being fair to him) he did say post match that Maddison was only nominally named on the left. He had licence to roam wherever he liked (as he does at Leicester). Maddison did pretty well linking up with Bellingham and Chilwell on the left and Henderson, for all his many faults, linked up pretty well with Saka on the right. The mystery for me was why Walker hardly ever got forward with Saka

Sir G does like picking his favourites regardless of whether or not they get any game time for their clubs. If I was a top performing CB, I'd probably be very frustrated about my England prospects. That being said Stones and Maguire did okay with Italy and Ukraine, but whether they'd cut it against France or Croatia is another matter entirely. At some point they'll have to.... and that'll be the point England will probably crash out

Durhamfootman wrote:I take your point, but in fairness to him (and I hate being fair to him) he did say post match that Maddison was only nominally named on the left. He had licence to roam wherever he liked (as he does at Leicester). Maddison did pretty well linking up with Bellingham and Chilwell on the left and Henderson, for all his many faults, linked up pretty well with Saka on the right. The mystery for me was why Walker hardly ever got forward with Saka

Well an attacking midfielder in the style of Maddison obviously needs to roam to occupy space in behind the midfield to create, but the idea of a roaming wide forward with no accountability to track back to defend, nor to be available and in position out wide then the team wants to switch play, is something only the polluted footballing mind of this giant turd of a manager could think up. How do you play a high press with the forward three if one side of the pitch is open all the time?

no good, SP....... you're going to have to stop mincing your words