Because we beat Belgium, I think people just assumed we were going to beat Denmark. When I actually looked at their team, you know, they’ve got some top players. Martin Braithwaite at Barcelona, Thomas Delaney at Dortmund and Christian Eriksen at Inter. I think everyone – not just the team – looked at them and thought ‘we’re gonna win’.
I don’t know what has happened for it to get to this point with Grealish. You can obviously see he (Gareth Southgate) doesn’t want him. He’s had to play well for two years to get in the squad and now he’s in there it’s like ‘well, he’s in the squad; be happy’.
He’s not really been given a time to shine. I think he’s (Southgate) scared that if Grealish does well, he then has to keep playing him. He got man of the match when he did play against Wales. If he played on Wednesday night and did well with Raheem Sterling out, who comes out of the team for Grealish in the next game? Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane and Sterling are the front three, realistically, so who do you drop for Grealish?
I still think Southgate’s got the backing of the fans. We reached the semis of a World Cup and there’s definitely a better harmony around the group and the fans. With Southgate it does seem like there’s a genuine belief that England will do well, rather than an expectation for them to fail.
I’ve given up blaming the management with England. They’ve got in top managers over the years. Sven, Capello etc had won massive things and managed at the top level. The common denominator is the players. We just can’t put a team together that’s good enough. We produce top players in certain positions but the blend of skills needed to be a top international team just isn’t there, and never has been. Let’s be honest…
Yeah but Levy had a budget of £0.00 for a third choice keeper. 😂
Grealish brings flair and creativity. The British Isles doesn’t generally produce players like that, and if it does not many of them can do it at international level consistently.
This is why Gazza was such an important player during his time with England. He wasn’t fazed by the occasion, played with a bit of arrogance as swagger and crucially this was coupled with great determination and teamwork. Never went missing and trained well (when fit). The injuries, the alcoholism, the rest we know.
Grealish knows what’s required of him, he doesn’t strike me as a player that will ever stroll around, he’s now Villa’s captain etc.
If I was England manager, I’d have him in the side. This generation of English players look fresh faced and dynamic but the truth is, for all their acceleration and pace the same old issues persist. Tattoos and crazy hairdo’s don’t make up for a lack of flair. Grealish has the sometimes crazy haircut but instead of the tattoos he brings flair on the ball.
We were lucky to beat Belgium and were awful in the other games. I don’t rate Southgate very highly with the seniors, we grossly overperformed in the last tournament thanks to lucky draws mostly. I think he has over-reached his ceiling. Bring in Poch if Man U don’t get him, lets play some attractive attacking football and utilise our talent. It would be a good test for Poch too, if he can’t succeed with the best English football talent available, then he’s been found out hasn’t he? I think he’d do a good job.
Personally , England are accommodating too many players to realise their best eleven, the young players brought in have shown their immaturity which proves they are not ready. Southgate is an FA man , ticks the right boxes but he’s not the answer, don’t know who is.
Off subject,but what a good bit of business by Palace to get Butland for 1M.
Six years younger than Hart too.
It was obvious in the Denmark game that we were crying out for some creativity,particularly in the second half.It remains a mystery why Grealish wasn’t given some time on the pitch.
The question as to who Grealish would replace if his performance warranted it is obvious.Rashford has been average at best this season and didn’t deserve his selection in the first place.