Euro 2021 Group D: England vs Croatia

jsp

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Feel this one needs it’s own thread for some build up.

Tough opening game for England Croatia have lost some key players since 2018 but still plenty of quality in the side and lots of big game experience.

England have a new generation of talent who’ve emerged since the World Cup but the side is very unsettled currently and it’s hard to determine who will start and what formation they will play. Strong rumours today that Sterling will start the game.

Looks like it will be a baking hot day at Wembley so England need to keep the ball well we can’t be chasing the ball for 90 minutes.

Pickford

Walker Stones Mings Shaw

Rice Phillips

Foden Mount Sterling

Kane

This is what I think he goes with won’t please the Grealish fan boys but for this game I think he starts the two in form players and looks for Sterling to provide the threat in behind.
 
If you’re going on form then Sterling wouldn’t be starting but like you jsp I think he will. Would be harsh on Grealish who has really catapulted himself into the mix but he would be a great option off the bench anyway. The same with Rashford who I don’t think will start.

Haven’t really watched any of the games yet but buzzing for this one.
 
I think you need one player who wants to run in behind that’s why I think he’s going for Sterling or Rashford from the start in most games.

Grealish to me has become the media/fans darling but we can’t fall into all the old habits of getting all the big names in when it unbalances the team.

I think having players like Grealish, Rashford, Sancho on the bench is huge gives England a great way of freshening things up for the last period of games as teams get tired. Also, I do think Southgate will rotate his team a bit to keep players fresh.

Big thing today is don’t lose a win is a great result but a draw is still a good one these are 3 tricky games we will need to play well to beat any of these teams.
 
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Trippier at left back? Honestly what is Gareth smoking? Jesus.
 
Two left backs in good form and we start a right back. Pretty pathetic tbh. Glad I am not particularly arsed about England
 
It is pathetic. You have the best left back in the country and you pick a right back? Pretty ridiculous.
 
0-0 half time. Pretty turgid game in truth. We started really well and Foden really unlucky.
 
Solid 1-0 win in the end. Opening games aren’t always pretty affairs so this is very much job well done.
 
I’d go for uninspiring, but an opening game win isn’t something we do, so it’s job done, I suppose. Southgate is way too cautious, and seems scared to drop his regulars. Trippier on the right and Shaw on the left. I know he scored, but I’m not a fan of Sterling. Play Rashford/Sancho and look to get in behind. Our goal came from pace creating space through the middle. Rice and Philips is McFred all over again.
Emotionally I’m glad we won, but finishing second wouldn’t be the worst thing either.
 
very very dull but a win's a win. would have liked to see Grealish get some minutes. Rice put in a good (if uninspired) shift, Mings looks better than some CB's we've been linked with. Kane was totally anonymous (must have signed or Ole already!!)
 
Southgate is way too defensive. WTF was Trippier doing on the left, they said pre match commentary because of his free kicks, we had one.
Anyway, thought he did ok there, walker was shaky, Kane looked way off the pace, didn't think mount or Foden offered too much.
Philips looked ace, sign him up to replace mcfred
 
Good performance and a great result. It's international football in the baking heat England got it spot on they wore down the opponent kept the ball well then hit them with pressure when the ball turned over. Didn't give them a sniff all game either and we took one of the two or three good chances we created. Also, he gave himself options off the bench to really try and turn the screw late in the game but that didn't really come off in the end. From the looks of things both Sancho and Chilwell weren't actually available to him from the bench. Think that was a very mature performance and it's the first time we've ever won our opening game at the euros.

From the sound of it Trippier was left back because of fitness concerns over the two left backs in the squad and he stepped in and did well.

Sterling was a threat in the game but his final ball let him down a few times glad he got a goal though local lad scoring at Wembley in an international tournament must be a huge buzz for him hopefully it brings him back to near his best.

Phillips was immense in midfield was like having our own Kante put them under pressure all the time when they got on the ball won it back a few times and looked after it when he had it and it was a lovely move to open them up for the goal. His energy levels could be huge for England neither him or Rice played in European comps this season so they shouldn't be full of beans.

I think we might see some changes for the next game against Scotland they aren't as dangerous with the ball so he might look to play more of the ball players and hopefully get one of the left backs fit enough to play.
 
Not sure the article that leaked the team was on the athletic and I don't have a subscription but someone tweeted the reason for Trippier at left back was neither of the left backs were fully fit. Shaw played the last warm up game so maybe they decided not to take any chances.
 
Anyone think Mings would be a good fit for us - rather than spending tens of millions which could be used elsewhere. He didn't put a foot wrong and had a pretty good season at Burnley
 
Mings is probably costing you £50m he's in his prime and English you aren't getting him cheap.

Also he played at Villa not Burnley. If we were going to go in for a defender. I would look at Burnley and Tarkowski.
 
I read the reason he played Trippier over Shaw and Chilwell was because he wanted some tournament experience in the side especially with Ming's lack of international experience alongside side the LB. And the two holding mids having none.
 
Mings is probably costing you £50m he's in his prime and English you aren't getting him cheap.

Also he played at Villa not Burnley. If we were going to go in for a defender. I would look at Burnley and Tarkowski.
Sorry, just had a conversation about Alistair Campbell so Burnley was in my head. I agree tarkwoski wouldn't be awful for us but do think Mings looks calmer and more assured. We might get better idea if he plays against Scotland (pressure of the fixture) and more so Czechs, who are a good side. He stands a good chance of playing both because I don't believe Maguire will be anywhere near (match) fit
 
Not sure the article that leaked the team was on the athletic and I don't have a subscription but someone tweeted the reason for Trippier at left back was neither of the left backs were fully fit. Shaw played the last warm up game so maybe they decided not to take any chances.
to be honest, I wasn't surprised Shaw didn't start. yes, he had a great season but his performances droppd of in the last three or four games and he looked knackered
 
I think Mings is crap had a good game yesterday but he will be found out by better teams.

Wouldn’t be a bad addition as a squad player for a top club but nowhere near good enough to be a starter.
 
I think Mings is crap had a good game yesterday but he will be found out by better teams.

Wouldn’t be a bad addition as a squad player for a top club but nowhere near good enough to be a starter.
Exactly this. He isn’t even the best English central defender at Villa. Not sure how he keeps getting in England squads. Had a good game yesterday but don’t rate him one bit. Think we would be crucifying his defending week in week out if he came here.
 
I thought it was a boring game and England were nothing other than adequate. Phillips played well.


Hopefully Southgate will be more adventurous after a potentially difficult opener.
 
It was dull, started well, we had a fair amount of possesion but didn't do anything with it. I don't really get all the plaudits.

The Dutch game was good.
 

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