Where do you start. I thought Southgate was grounded and sensible. Doesn't get carried away with results from qualifiers. Knows we are a young squad who aren't yet ready so sets up defensively and does well like that. Respect for getting to a final and giving a young squad great experience, but what was he thinking in the final minutes. Henderson and Walker off while defending a corner???
I have always said I don't like late subs for penalties. The psychology is all wrong. They haven't had a chance to play themselves into the match and adjust, so risking conceding from a corner to take off two more experienced players who had adjusted to the game and the atmosphere looked insane to me.
Still think Southgate comes away with a lot of credit. I think lesser managers would have called our wealth of young attacking talent a golden generation, showed no respect to the opposition, played them all from the start and got blown away.
Have to disagree with both the last two posts. I think Southgate got the tactics all wrong last night. I think you are being way too kind to an obviously nice man. There is a whole thread here on Generosity - these posts should have been placed there.
Definitely give him credit for getting the best side to the final through the easier draw. However there are a lot of managers who could have accomplished that.
Give him credit for the lovely spot-on formation and the energy at the whistle.
But scoring in the first 2 minutes was his downfall for me. No way that side was protecting a lead against a smart seasoned Italy team for 88 minutes. It was just not a good strategy. At one point in the second half the TV was showing Italy with 71% possession. The final number was 62% according to ESPN.
England had a young talented bunch ready to put their stamp on history. It is as close as you can come to playing with nothing to lose. They haven't won a major tournament in two generations now. Why play it safe and try to nurse a 1-0 lead for 90+ minutes with a bunch of young in-form players?
Let them go play. Kane never got a sniff in a dangerous spot - there was no service to the strikers.
Watching them back up, back up, over and over was brutal.
I like Southgate. I do. But last night was not his finest hour. And it could have been. It takes courage to win the World Cup. No way this manager sees them to the promise land.
-Removed-Not all of it - I should have been clearer.
I think you were being generous when you said "I think Southgate has pretty much secured his position for the next four years." While you are probably correct - I think that guarantees that England does not win the Word Cup.
And that is easy to say of course - it has been a lifetime for most fans.
But I saw a manager this tournament trying not to lose. Yes they are young - but England has the best talent in the world right now. That is not always the case. I have never been a fan of the expression Golden Generation. For one thing I don't know what it means and for another thing Belgium ... well enough said.
But this England side is different. They have a look. There is no fear in their eyes - they don't give a flying fck about history. They had the wrong players taking the kicks. They have roster of players with a sense of courage managers can only dream of. Let them take the kicks - I don't care what happened on the training ground and watching film. Screw that. This isn't that. This is for the hardware. This is for history.
Kane
Walker
Maguire
Grealish
Sterling
Shaw
Henderson
Let them go win the damn trophy and get the heck out of the way.
If after the match we are talking about the manager - something is very wrong. I have never in my life watched a football game because of the manager.
Give Kane service. How hard is that to manage. See #9 up there? Kick the ball to him in dangerous spots. I will go sit down now.