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What are the problems with the England team and can they be solved? [I Love Real Football]

First of all, well done to Scotland, who played a good game and tested us in lots of ways which Croatia didn't. A test that we failed.

Its hard to see England as genuine tournament contenders based on the evidence so far. Despite a wealth of attacking talent, we have scored one goal in two games against average teams.

There is a lack of midfield fluidity, with slow passing and a lack of opinions. The long ball over the top to Sterling is effective but teams tend to suss it out early in a game.

There is also a lack of energy. England have only plated well in the first ten minutes of each half and fade after that. You can blame it on a congested fixture list: the amount of games played in Europe and the congested domestic schedule, but most of England's rivals have the same issue. Pogba and Mbappe don't play as of they are tired buy Harry Kane does. The latter has played the least games.

Kane has suffered due to lack of service but there is no getting around the fact that he himself has been poor. Rasford is not a central striker and Calvin-Lewis has nothing like the same quality so what do you do?

Maybe Southgate has overcompensated for a for defensive vulnerability by not placing enough emphasis on coaching the attack? We will get through to the next round but are we good enough to go deep in the contest?

Thoughts?
SW-User
Expectations are built up too high, and brought down too quickly. England v Scotland games are generally close and last night Scotland played well and possibly deserved to win. Its not a disaster by any means, and doesn't really change the outcome in the group much for England. All to play for, for all four teams.

I still think England lack creativity in Midfield, fine for counterattacking but never going to break down a well organised defence. There seems to be a reluctance to shoot at times as well.

Some of the bright young stars are maybe not as good as their reputations. I haven't seen much football in the last year or so, but I still haven't seen Foden play anywhere near as well as you'd expect from the press. I've been far more impressed with Billy Gilmour, again only based on a couple of games though.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@SW-User Mbappe is the best forward and France also has the best defensive unit. They really should have beaten Germany by more and the game was in Munich. I also don't think Germany played that badly.

Italy are an impressive attacking team but it remains to be seen whether they can do it against a fellow contender. Maybe they can but I think France is even stronger.
SW-User
@Burnley123 I'm looking forward to today's games. I think Germany v Portugal will be a good indicator of both teams. Possible next round opponents for England, IF we can beat Czech republic.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@SW-User Agreed
RubySoo · 56-60, F
The press build English teams up so much ( in all sports) so unless they actually win tournaments they fail to meet expectations. The press slate them on a personal level.
Compare to the treatment of the Welsh team. Obviously here in Wales we want our boys to do well....but they have already done well to get there. The British press dont actually expect any from them, but its nice to see the 'under dogs' do well. They will no doubt treat tge Scotishbteam the same way.
They dont get the heat like the English team do. They are uder so much pressure to win...it must be unbearable..
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@RubySoo Yes it's true about the press culture. Last WC, there were low expectations going into it and that helped the team over-achieve. There have been times in the past when very mediocre England teams are seen as favourites by our media. Its a stupid and arrogant mentality.

The Welsh team is mostly made up of Championship players and for them, it's the highest stage they will play on so they really care. They have a collective sense of purpose which helps them raise their level.
Kwek00 · 41-45, M
Looks like Belgium from 8 years ago.

Not enough tournament experience, not enough believe and individual talent that doesn't materialise on the pitch.

But no worries... England has a lot of good stuff and more coming it's way. This just ain't the year.
Kwek00 · 41-45, M
@Burnley123 Could be, but we are 3 years later, and I honestly don't see a lot of improvement in the squad. And I blame that on the team, but... you can't fire the players and you need to find a manager that can squeeze out players full potential to the last drop. And even if you are a good coach, some coaches just can't get the same done that other coaches can with a similair group. It has to do with compatibility of individuals and a culture in the locker room. I don't see it with the staff you have now. Even if you make the final 8, it will just be being happy with scraps again.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@Kwek00 We have had some good games with Southgate since then. It's too early in the contest to make a final judgement. I'll decide what to think on this after all the games are played.
SammyJo · 51-55, F
@Burnley123 It's the players, I think, rather than the Coach. We have this mentality in this day and age to sack the coach if the team aren't up for it.....which I don't believe is right. It's the players not playing to their optimum for the nation; maybe they need rest, a bit of physiotherapy or psychology.....

Fact is, we are England....Overachievers? Nope. Underachievers? Nope....but the nation, thanks to the media, things we're gonna clean up the silverware every single time....

We've won the World Cup once....the Euro's, never....in god knows how many decades...

England always play better as the Underdogs...

SJD x
SammyJo · 51-55, F
My take on it all is this....a combination of workload over the last 18 months, the expectations of the media and the youth of the team....

I mean, they looked a little tired last night...not so much against Croatia, their workload was pretty good...but last night, especially, they seemed a little off the pace...and no real [i]snap[/i] in the majority of their balls. Mount played pretty well, as did Foden...Grealish didn't make much impact, although maybe he should have played from the start.

Last night, especially, I think the pressure got to them as well as the fact that Scotland were up for it, pure and simple.

Kane needs to be rested. Although I am one of those girls that checks out her own team (and league), ie Championship Level etc, and not much of the Prem, as I understand it Kane has had fallow runs before in the seasons...and I just feel he's in one at the moment. He shouldn't be on the bench for the next game.

End of the day it's all about tactics as well as picking the players that are hungry for the job...and playing well in practice.

3 Lions on our shirt....shouldn't really need much more of a reason, right?

🤔

SJD x
MartinII · 70-79, M
To my mind the underlying problems are first a lack of collective drive and desire, and second a lack of individual initiative. One could write long essays trying to explain these things - too much football, too much money, too much (and/or poor) coaching, etc etc. Difficult to see how to change any of this in the middle of a tournament, but a few more imaginative managerial decisions might help. For example, it seemed absurd last night, psychologically as well as tactically, to bring Grealish on for Foden rather than for one of the deeper midfielders - unless of course England were really playing for a draw.

England might be lucky and get to the quarters, even possibly the semis, but I can’t see them as realistic winners. All that said, I’m old enough to remember (vaguely) the first two matches of the 1966 World Cup, when we were pretty dire!
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@MartinII In tournament football, you can always win narrowly by luck. Portugal won the damn thing last time but nobody is gonna say that they were the best team in Europe. Also see Greece. In tournament football, the sample of games is tiny and anyone can have a good or bad day.

I agree that the psychology was wrong. It was obvious that Scotland were gonna raise their game against us but the team played as though they had a right to win.

I think we can turn it around and the one thing Southgate has done well is get us defensively solid. For these reasons, we can go further if we are lucky. But we should be better than this.
MartinII · 70-79, M
@Burnley123 Yes, especially in the Euros, and no doubt other regional tournaments, where there are usually only two or three really good sides. Most World Cup winners have been worthy winners, I think, though of course England needed quite a bit of help in 66.
Gangstress · 41-45, F
Said that from the start. There needs to be coaching In attacking. They are missing Trent on the right atm too. He feeds balls in all the time. Something kane or sterling could actually make a difference with. We just don't have the skill. Take away the Europeans out of the premiership. They are just division 1/2 players bar a handful.
Scotland did play well and showed England's lack of skill.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@Gangstress I think that is true of England teams past but the current crop are anderachieving. Most of the England starters have previously played well in the Champions League.

Trent is a great attacking right back but can't really defend. He would be a great bench option if he was fit though.
Gangstress · 41-45, F
@Burnley123 disagree with what uiu said about Trent. One of the best right backs out there.

The English teams don't do very well at all. The bigger teams are exempt. They have the money and sponsorship.
Funny how it's the same top 4 teams pretty much.
MartinII · 70-79, M
One other point that occurs to me is that for a country with relatively limited resources like Wales (and many others) the first XI more or less picks itself. For England there are lots of options and it’s not obvious that most of the present side are significantly better than alternatives in the squad, or in some cases outside the squad. And of course one who really is better, Kane, seems to be out of sorts at the moment.
adorbz · 26-30, F
We are England is the problem 🤪 we could have a perfect team and we still wont win

 
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