Very Proud | Page 2 | Vital Football

Very Proud

Very pleased that Southgate`s decision to go with young players has been vindicated. I think we may have been the youngest Team in the competition, though Nigeria may have fractionally undercut us if you measure across the whole squad. We also had the team with the most "home-based" players in it (by far). Our lads acquitted themselves well and clawed back the missing pride for our national team. Well done Southgate. IMHO, no-one in an England shirt typified the positive spirit and belief more than our goalie - good job Jordan Pickford.
 
Even though I won £100 on bets on Keiran Trippier scoring the first goal, the Full time draw and Croatia to qualify, I'm still completely deflated this morning. Sometimes I wish I wasn't right all the time!

You picked Trippier, f/t draw and Croatia through???

I think we have our "burn him at the stake as a witch" candidate right here...
 
The good thing about this likable young squad is lack of egos and they all just want to play football. After years of John Terry, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney etc all good footballers but shagging mates girlfriends, racism rows, half-naked selfies, smoking pot, and old prostitutes, it is nice that we are talking about things on the pitch.
 
You picked Trippier, f/t draw and Croatia through???

I think we have our "burn him at the stake as a witch" candidate right here...
Not all on one bet! I had£2 e/w on Maguire (again!) and Stones at 28/1 each, and £1 e/w on Trippier at 50/1 (it was the tip in the Racing Post so not all my own work ;)), and that gave me a £5 free bet which I put on Croatia to qualify when we were 1-0 up (4/1) as an "emotional hedge".
 
I've watched every Croatia match of this WC, and even from the group stage I knew they'd get to the final. No shame about last night, and very proud of our guys throughout the tournament. Bring on 2020, that's when it's coming home! :-)
 
I thought Alli looked half fit. I know he only got injured during the tournament so its not like he picked him in the squad knowing he was injured, but he still continued to persist with playing what did seem to me a half fit dele alli.
I felt (and I'm sure it was mentioned somewhere else on here) that he and Sterling seemed to be played slightly out of position and maybe should have swapped around.
Southgate obviously sees something in them playing this way round though and might be something he'll persist with as he wants it to work in future, we'll have to wait and see.
 
In the overall scheme of things coming third or fourth doesn't really matter it is getting to the semis that people will remember. Therefore, whilst not wanting to see wholesale changes I think this Saturday match should be used to blood/try out some squad players in a competitive match like another keeper and the two 19 year olds and FGS to put someone else in other than Sterling.
 
I don't feel underwhelmed in any way. Croatia are a good side, the best they have had and France are better still though that doesn't guarantee them the win. Of course it was an historic opportunity but we just weren't quite good enough to take it. I am convinced they gave it everything they could and that no manager could have got more from them.

Lack of experience meant our game management wasn't as canny as that of Croatia. Conversely their experience allowed them to recover from the early goal and a distinctly rocky aftermath.

Sterling? He was the key to the unsettling of ther Croatian defence and our good first half we never threatened as much again. I don't know if Alli was injured but if he was I understand the gamble. Creativity was where we lacked the quality of Croatia and Alli was is as good as we had. Let's hope we bring on some players to fill that gap
 
I felt the whole tournament we lacked an experienced head in midfield who could hold on to the ball and pull the strings. Henderson was the closest player we had to this, but last night he went missing from the 2nd half and then subbed off, today they say he tweaked his hamstring which could explain it.
Ali and Lingard are more suited to get on the end of things, playing like 2nd strikers, rather than creating and they found it tough last night, chasing shadows for the last 2 thirds of the game.
Loftus-Cheek has potential, but Southgate turned to Dier who is more of a defensive player to try and shore it up, but then we had problems in the wide areas as Trippier and Young were both very fatigued and Croatia hit umpteen crosses in until they found the equaliser.
 
The tournament has been a great success. As other have said the team showed pride, passion and self control. A team the country can get behind.

Southgate and his charges can be very proud.

The key now is to find a way that the talented youth at U20/U19 can get regular football at a good level to develop and mature ready for future tournaments. Until we crack that we won't realize our full potential
 
The key now is to find a way that the talented youth at U20/U19 can get regular football at a good level to develop and mature ready for future tournaments. Until we crack that we won't realize our full potential

One way would be B teams, another would be to restrict the number of foreign players allowed to play in each first team. Can’t see either happening.
 
The England team exceeded all expectations, but then met a well drilled, skilful and team they were found out. Next up the Euros they should qualify and let's hope they show they have learned how to control the game for 90+ mins.
 
One way would be B teams,


Nearly spat my tea out there Lark.

You reckon having Chelsea B, Man City B and WBA B would help our youngsters? Who would they be playing and how would it help?

Or did you mean having England B team playing some other countries B team?
 
Nearly spat my tea out there Lark.

You reckon having Chelsea B, Man City B and WBA B would help our youngsters? Who would they be playing and how would it help?

Or did you mean having England B team playing some other countries B team?
Just trying to think of ways the talented crop of U19/U20 England players can get regular first team football. Most are at Premier League clubs and rarely play, my suggestions would give them more chances to play, but B teams for one wouldn’t happen as 99% of people are against them, as your reaction shows.