The Official England Thread-The Team We All Support [Vol 3]

[GloverMart]

Slowboathome said:

I know it's only Ukraine, but it feels like Maddison offers so much more than Grealish. More drive, more intelligence, dead ball ability.

Yup, hopefully he'll keep him in now. OPTA saying he created five chances for team mates today, the most by an England player on debut since 2008.

[Slowboathome]

GloverMart said:

Yup, hopefully he'll keep him in now. OPTA saying he created five chances for team mates today, the most by an England player on debut since 2008.

As the commentators were saying, we have so much attacking quality in the squad. If only we were equally strong in central defence.

[48k]

Slowboathome said:

If only we were equally strong in central defence.

How many did we concede today?

[Slowboathome]

48k said:

How many did we concede today?

You think our 3rd and 4th choice central defenders are the same calibre as Foden and Maddison?

[48k]

Cie said:

48k said:

Aaaaaaaaand stop the clock - Stevie G trying to move him to a different club already.

I heard the sound of eyes rolling from up here

Aaaaaand again. You literally couldn't make it up. International game, England 2 from 2 at the beginning of their European qualifying campaign, and at full time the pundits can't resist talking about club football and about Harry Kane needing to move clubs to win a trophy.

[48k]

Slowboathome said:

48k said:

How many did we concede today?

You think our 3rd and 4th choice central defenders are the same calibre as Foden and Maddison?

Instead of answering a question with a question you could have correctly answered "none".

[Slowboathome]

48k said:

How many did we concede today ?

When Stones and Maguire are injured, who would you pick?

[48k]

Slowboathome said:

48k said:

How many did we concede today ?

When Stones and Maguire are injured, who would you pick?

Honestly. He's picked players who were available. We've kept a clean sheet at home, we're 2 wins from 2 at the beginning of a qualifying campaign and still there are Ron Managers on here who could do better.

[Abdul Abulbul Amir]

Slowboathome said:

48k said:

How many did we concede today ?

When Stones and Maguire are injured, who would you pick?

I'd go 3-5-2. I'd rather lose 4-3 than another penalty shootout.

[Slowboathome]

48k said:

Slowboathome said:

48k said:

How many did we concede today?

You think our 3rd and 4th choice central defenders are the same calibre as Foden and Maddison?

Instead of answering a question with a question you could have correctly answered "none".

Oops, my mistake. I thought your 'question' was rhetorical and being used to contest my point about the overall quality in the squad.

[Slowboathome]

48k said:

Honestly. He's picked players who were available. We've kept a clean sheet at home, we're 2 wins from 2 at the beginning of a qualifying campaign and still there are Ron Managers on here who could do better.

You'd be doing better in this conversation if you hadn't misinterpreted my original point. I think Southgate picked the best available defence, as he almost always does. Once again: I think we have more depth of quality up front than we do in central defence, and indeed in terms of defensive midfielders. Rice is excellent, but I don't see anyone else who can come in and do his job. Full backs we have good cover: Shaw/Chilwell/James/Walker/Trippier. I don't think the same is true of central defence.

[Driver101]

I agree with Southgate the game was made to look like a formality, but it shouldn't be so slow and dull.

England have exciting players. Make the game worth watching and excite the crowd.

[Adam.]

God that was dull

Well controlled but do the players not fancy going for a third a bit more?

I guess get in front and sit back is a valid strategy, feel sorry for those who paid a lot for a ticket though

[M3ax]

Watched it at the the pub with Ukraine and Russian mates. May ha babe been spurs and arse supporting people there. My view is that Saka is immense. And I’m a Liverpool supporter. They need to free him up more.

[Blackpuddin]

Driver101 said:

I agree with Southgate the game was made to look like a formality, but it shouldn't be so slow and dull.

England have exciting players. Make the game worth watching and excite the crowd.

Bazball is the answer!

[Leicester Loyal]

Good win that, 2 out of 2, great start to the campaign. Malta and Macedonia up next in June, hopefully win both of those and be sitting on 4 wins out of 4 at the halfway point. That win away in Italy will hopefully make it much more comfortable than most of us thought it was going to be.

[CooperD]

Watched the game yesterday and thought that Ukraine were very poor. I can't recall Pickford having a save to make.

[Slowboathome]

CooperD said:

Watched the game yesterday and thought that Ukraine were very poor. I can't recall Pickford having a save to make.

I think the commentators were saying many of them hadn't had any game time.

Tbh, I'm quite glad we only put 2 past them. I really didn't want them to be humiliated. Not suggesting that our lack of further goals was due to sympathy on our part btw.

As an aside, I wasn't sure whether Steven Gerrard's earnest proclamation 'We're all with you, anything you want just ask' was an offer of a bed for the night or a committment to a squadron of F16s.

[Cheib]

M3ax said:

My view is that Saka is immense. And I’m a Liverpool supporter. They need to free him up more.

Not many non Arsenal fans seem to have that view. He’s a special talent without a doubt and also seems to have his feet firmly planted on the ground. His cross gave Kane a relatively straightforward finish and then scores a goal that was literally unstoppable.

[Frimley111R]

Slowboathome said:

Tbh, I'm quite glad we only put 2 past them. I really didn't want them to be humiliated. Not suggesting that our lack of further goals was due to sympathy on our part btw.

My thoughts too. We didn't really want to beat them but had to but we definitely didn't want to hammer them.