What We Learnt About England's Tactics. 

Calling whatever Southgate was doing "tactics" is wild lmao

Start Gordon on the left. How he didn’t even get on the pitch is beyond me, let alone not start!

The LB thing is mental to me. You’ve got Joe Gomez, a guy who has started LB for Liverpool for the bulk on the season and played REALLY well, sitting on the bench and we’re talking about Saka as LB? 🤯 MAKE IT MAKE SENSE

Walker has been less than anonymous, Trippier slows the game down and doesnt progress play, Foden on the left was a failed experiment 3 games ago.

Why can't Foden be dropped? He has not done anything significant for 4 games. Drop Foden and start Gordon. Simple as.

Having Foden and Trippier on the same flank means you have an entire side of the team that want to play inside. Nobody will go on the outside. Similar issue on the right except Walker isn't actually overlapping/underlapping when he feasibly could. As ineffective as Kane has been, I wouldn't be against playing to 10's in Foden and Bellingham with Gordon on the left. The frustration is that there are better solutions to a lot of the problems England has but Southgate is incredibly loyal and risk averse hence any changes will be minimal. Even the changes he made yesterday felt forced.

Gordon in for Foden, Walker to the left (and stay as back 3), Trent RB driving forward. Saka's not the problem, it's that left hand side

I’m sorry but aimless crosses are not effective. Palmer’s decision making was bad and we witnessed it in the last counter attack as well when it was 3 v 2 and he passed it to the Slovakian defender.

Love how Flav turned into someone from Boston when saying crosses @15:54

Southgate is playing a version of Emery's formation. LB goes high left, RW high right. RB tucks in. Then LW comes inside to form left 10 alongside the other 10 to form a box midfield wit the 2 6's. Issue is it does not suit England's players. Kane refuses to stretch the field to clear space for the 10's, Bellingham keeps going into Fodens spot so you lose the box midfield and Trippier has no left foot so no width on the left. I would just invert it, LB tucks in (play Gomez/Walker), play TAA RB who goes high and right. Play Gordan left wing to provide width on the left. Play Foden/Palmer on the right to drift inside to form the right 10, Bellingham plays the left 10. I would also play Watkins for first 60 then play Kane when everyone gets tired.

What we learn about England's tactics: Everyone: "There's none. Zilch. Zero."

"tactics"

I'm sorry but you're giving Southgate too much credit. Over four games he's changed players in two positions, despite our attack looking awful in every game bar the first 30 minutes of the first game. We took 90 minutes to get a shot on target against Slovakia. The attacking lineup is non-functional and yet we haven't changed the front four yet. Every time we sub someone on in the attack we suddenly look better. Starting Gordon on the left is such a simple solution to balance the attack by adding some pace and running to our stale attack.

Its criminal that Gordon didn't get on the pitch. If we dont have a left footed full back, we need a left footed wide player

You can get away with Trippier at LB if there is a wide player (Gordon) ahead of him who'll use the space but if we have nobody to attack that space it just a huge area of the pitch the opposition doesn't need to defend which means that all the other areas are that much more congested. Trippier had one moment where he actually stayed wide and went with his left foot and it almost came to something. He needs to be given the instruction to do that more or he should be hooked.

Everyone has this idea that Trent cant defend. Im sorry but you cannot win everything in football , get 99 points in a season and also be a bad defender. Its the whole team that defends together. He is too goo of a player to leave out

Looked like yet another game missing Maddison and Grealish

Flav looks like He’s been enjoying himself 😅

Foden, Walker, Trippier shouldn't start the next game. They can come on if needs must (I doubt Southgate makes the right substitutions anyway). Let Gordon, Trent, and preferably a left footed defender but Southgate didn't think to bring a fit one because why would he? And let them have 90 minutes. Can't be worse than any of what those three showed up this tournament so far.

Palmer was not good off the bench yesterday btw. Not sure what people were watching..

The Palmer gaslighting is beyond a joke now, he was no better than Saka on the right.

Im not having the idea we looked better with Saka left back. We looked worse! The spell from half time until thst substitution was our best in the game, we looked disjointed from the sub.

Why does Cole Palmer have to start (on the wing)? Serious question. I just saw someone who did not beat his man and who was just as wasteful in possession What I learnt was that Gordon and Bowen must start to provide some natural width, pace and directness. Kane would benefit as he would have people running behind him and two players capable of cutting the ball back into the box. Something we have done very very rarely.

‘Cole Palmer affected the game massively’?????? What on earth where you watching, he gave the ball away constantly and gets credited for doing things saka does but he’s apparently he’s performing like 2010 Messi

Why does Cole Palmer have to start? What did he do?

For me you have to start Gordon on the left. If you think you still need pace in defence then play Walker at LB and TAA at RB. Kane Saka and Gordon on the pitch. Pop Foden in at 10, Rice and Bellingham chilling in the centre. Konsa on at CB... it really is that simple and yet apparently it is very very complicated

Tactically we need to look at the last few games, not enough shots on target (1 shot on target and it came in the 95th minute). We've got some of the best chance creators at club level and arguably the best finisher in football yet we can't register a shot on target? Nobody seems to be talking about our lack of chances! We're prioritising possession over chances which means we move deeper and deeper to retain the ball. Kane has received criticism because there's nothing on for him, same for the likes of Foden, Saka, Bellingham. If you look at Spain vs Georgia, Spain were 1 nil down and they managed to get 13 shots on target and win 4-1. The possession they had was right in the Georgia box not their own. If it were England we would be waiting for 1 shot in the 95th minute. If I know Southgate, I'd expect a 5 at the back vs Switzerland with Guehi out.

Throwback to the Ball Street days, this! 👊

Trippier is the reason Guehi Misses the next game

I’d give us more of a chance if we sacked him before Saturday and got an interim in. MISSING PERSON for Anthony Gordon? never seen a worse manager than GS

Everyone saying Gareth can't organise an attack because he's a defender by nature, but he's not even good at that. Slovakia were far better without the ball and limited England all over the pitch, forcing errors and restricing England to zero shots on target for 93 minutes. In truth, Gareth is bad at every kind of tactic.

Im so baffled Walker starts ahead of Trent. We have had 4 games now of this. Its horrible to watch

What I love is the back 4 with 2 defensive midfielders making a back 6, and when all they do is pass the ball to each other Bellingham drops deeps to form a back 7. As a West Ham fan I've had to put up with 2 seasons of mindless Fisher Price tactics (plus similar gaslighting telling me it's not that bad) and I have to say, Southgate is worse. Reverse alchemist. The whole England set up is weak, delusional and arrogant. This is a cultural issue though, how many English managers have won top flight trophies in the Premier League era? For some reason either by intent or neglect, The F.A seem content with fostering a climate of mediocracy.

I'm not even saying i don't rate Palmer but i am begging someone to tell me one thing he did. Didnt beat a man, he doesn't run in behind, doesn't stretch play or offer real width. Every time he got the ball, he moved inside and tried the million dollar pass, which came off 0 times. I think he's a great player but he is not the solution. There was a counter situation where Kane gets the ball, looks for a pass, nobody is running, gives it to Palmer, who also looks for a pass. Just another ball to feet 10 on the wing. Meanwhile Saka has been the best (only) winger for England, most consistently threatening player who can actually take on a man and is willing to play simple link passes because he doesn't have the main character syndrome that every other player in this team has, and he gets moved to LB lmao. The thing thats most maddening is people saying "the game changed" - no it didn't. England were as shit before Palmer as they were after. The goal was a bit of scrap, and brilliance from Bellingham. It had nothing to do with any tactical changes, except Toney being an influential physical presence. Saying Palmer changed the game is the same as saying England scored because Foden went off. It isn't actually true lol

Oh ffs.... You can't be serious. I told you before the tournament started & I'll say it again. No need to worry. They'll NEVER have a chance of winning it due to the Southgate guarantee of inevitable failure. It's a miracle they have reached this far.

Still persisting with Foden and Trippier on that left side is criminal. Fair enough for the first couple of games, because you want to try and get the best players on the pitch. But the balance was clearly off and negatively impacting the team, as there was 0 width or runners in behind. We are here in the quarters now and he’s still persisting. Southgate has not only showed he’s a poor coach, he genuinely comes across as someone who lacks any basic understanding of a balanced side. It’s incredibly worrying, and we are only here because of the phenom Jude. Gordon, Saka, Kane, Jude has to be the front 4 now. Gives you the option to play Trent with actual runners as well. We shouldn’t need to make such changes with the sheer talent in the current front 6, but Southgate is that inept we simply have to find another way of playing. Southgate will be gone for the next tourney, but let’s bring it home lads. Jude carrying us all the way

Kyle Walker has been absolutely rank. There’s a reek of complacency with “senior” players who feel like they’re undroppable.

Why the calls for Palmer? He had zero impact because similarly to Saka nobody wants to play a ball in behind. The number of times you see them both making runs and they get ignored until they come short to get the ball to feet.

How Trent isn't playing, is as Gary Neville said- illegal. Ridiculous

Saka LB isn’t ideal but at least he’ll be a lefty and it allows palmer in and I’d play Gordon over foden for some width/ runs in behind.

GK: Pickford CB: Guehi CB: Stones LB: Saka RB: Trippier CM: Rice CM: Mainoo CAM: Bellingham LW: Gordon RW: Palmer ST: Kane

I think southgate uses some kind of random substitution generator

The thing about Toney winning headers is so underrated. Every attack or set play we had was spraying in crosses and I didn't notice us win a single one. We were massively outclassed in terms of height and strength and so no clue why we were still attacking through crosses

3-4-3 Pickford | Walker, Stones, Gomez | Alexander-Arnold, Wharton, Rice, Saka | Palmer, Toney, Foden. 5 going forward, 5 strong defenders. Left/right balance.

Why are you England fans all hellbent on Foden having to play? Just because he was voted a PoY? You could make an argument for like 5 Man City players for PoY, he is just a player that fits good in an AMAZING system. Drop the Foden for Gordon, drop the Saka for Palmer, do whatever at back and midfield, those were not your problems, Foden is.

Left field but Shaw surprised everyone when he filled in at LCB at United. Could be that he's not fit enough to bomb up and down the wing but could do a job there

Palmer didn’t do anything when he came so it’s quite infuriating that people are so blind to what actually happened. It’s so clear what’s needed and that’s Bellingham goes next to Rice,Gordon on the left,Foden to cam and then walker can go left back with Trent at right back. Such a simple fix that would make the team more balanced.

When England make more of the changes that people keep calling for, it weakens them defensively. Yes, the play appears livelier - even if not being that much more effective - but spaces open up all over the place between the players after they lose the ball and when pressing. A lot of the chat seems to be ignoring this and only focusing on the attack. It was evident against Iceland but people put it down to only being a friendly. It is probably a big influence on Southgate's selection decisions that people aren't taking into enough consideration.

The new heads of the Southgate appreciation society. 2 overweight middle aged balding guys giving a masterclass on tactics 😂😂

IMO Pickford is a big problem. Constantly booting it long to nobody and inviting pressure.

Walker struggled outside the Man City dominance. Without it Walkers judgement is exposed and passing range too

I feel like Southgate has just become more stubborn, and starting Gordon or Trent at rb would be admitting he was wrong.

What we learned about England tactics: We don't have any.

The way Southgate has treated and played TAA (and a couple others tbh) is criminal. The only reason why Walker plays ahead of Trent is due to his pace and defending. Walker was (and has been) SHOCKING both on and off the ball, and Trent didn't even get on the pitch in AET? Crazy.

Nobody talking about the best player, first half especially at 19 years old.

Guys, it's time to accept that Southgate is not going to change anything. Bar a broken leg, the team against Switzerland will be the same one as Slovakia. In Southgate's head everything is going perfectly, we're a devastating attacking unit on the left, Kane's movement and link up play is lighting up the tournament and the midfield is purring like a well oiled machine.

What tactics?

Why was Southgate warbling on about '66 again? Can we bin the grasping at the glories we weren't even alive to celebrate when they happened? Some of our players dads probably weren't even alive in 66 ffs. I'm surprised we've not been talking about when we stopped Caesar the first time the Romans tried invading.

We learned that Southgate needs to go to Vegas because he's a lucky lucky boy

Kyle Walker was awful last night, couldn’t seem to do the basics right, not sure I can cope with another 90 mins of him and John Stones faffing about at the back

When England briefly played a 5-3-2 they looked really good, Saka, Eze, Gordon or Trent as wing backs solves the width problem & 2 up top gets Kane help with his movement.

Our players could do with learning something about our tactics. For the 2nd game in a row they're waving their hands at each other within 10 minutes as if no one has a clue what's going on.

Kyle Walker can’t start anymore games, awful offensively and defensively. Also, Foden at LW HAS to end, as good as he is. I’d move Saka to LW, and bring Palmer in at RW.

What we learned about England’s tactics - there are none

With walker having a shocker of a tournament on his preferred side , why is no one thinking about trippier in his correct position. 11 assists last season shouldn’t be overlooked

9:47 Jim's face after Flav says Walker's been the best RB in the world killed me

Guehi has not been great. Total myth. He's had potentially disastrous mistakes in almost every game.

If we were allowed 11 subs, Southgate would sub the whole team except for Kane, only to tell him to put the 'keeper's gloves on and put him in the goal.

Spain put the Ball In the Georgia Box 10 TIMES in the 1st 10 Minutes. I counted. That is tactics.

Too many football comments for my liking #Slugs

It looked like Tony contributed more in 5 minutes than Kane did in the rest of normal time

Flav just mentioned the word mid block, what’s up with all these wanky tactical words just kick it in the net

are u mad brothers or drunk? Cole palmer has to start? What has he done in his last 2 sub appearances to earn start? Palmer was ok in that 20 min cameo and he was very poor yesterday.... No chance palmer will start over saka Only player that might comes in will be in that LW over foden....might be eze or gordon

If you cant play trent and saka as full backs, play a 343 formation with saka and trent as wide midfielders. Back 3 of gomez stones and walker/konsa. And a front 3 of gordon kane/toney and palmer

Saka says he's not left back. Well, neither is Trippier.

Why is Flav wearing a Ben 10 watch

I'm sick of these discussions about right backs playing on the left and left footers playing on the right wing. And ultimately all these calls for saka to play at left back. The stupidity with which people jump on bandwagons like this i find depressing. Saka is not a left back. Players should be able to use their weaker foot on most occasions when its needed. Even when they are playing on their normal wing they have to use their weaker foot a lot. Good players if they have anything about them should be able to use the outside of their strong foot when needed but apparently that skill which used to be a basic years ago , has long gone from modern players. In the end most england attacks broke down because Southgate wasnt willing to commit players to attack. Players werent running into spaces because their main priority is to defend. This comes from a manager who just doesnt want to lose. And hopes to win on pens. This is why we barely have any shots never mind any on target. Cant blame him because its worked well for him but its mainly been because they draw has been in his favour.

The ironic thing - after all the “Trent is a failed experiment’ talk - is that England have played at their best in this tournament when Trent has played.

Im a Geordie but even so i think they need to stop playing trippier. For some reason he isnt crossing ball i'snt the box and thats all he really offers. im really angry with Foden cos he goes missing on the left wing from the first whistle and leaves trippier exposed. unless you are gonna play Gordon on that wing you need to be playing gomez or maybe trenton as left back. Having listened to the video here's what id do. Pickford Trent Stones Konsa Gomez Rice Mainoo Bellingham Gordon Kane Palmer Half time Toney for Kane (unless Kane is playing a blinder) Gomez for Walkwer (if he hasnt improved) Trent to right, gomez on left 60-70 mins If we are winning, Bowen for Mainoo to boost forward play

Mainoo yet again England's best player by a long shot. He has to start every single game going forward

3-5-2 more 3-3-2-1-1. Shaw/Dunk, Stones, Walker, Saka, Rice, Trent, Mainoo, Jude, Kane, Watkins

3-2-4-1 seems like a sensible compromise to all of this. You can have both Jude & Foden in 10 roles, 2 wingers, 2 pivots in Rice and Mainoo.

Southgate. Tactics. Sorry can't compute. Hope for a lead. Get lucky woth a goal. Defend. Hope for a win.

That watch diabolical 😂

"Southgate has tried everything"? Here are 3 options that have not been tried:- 4-1-2-3 with Jude and Foden in the half positions and Gordon as LW. Walker-Stones-Guehi-Trippier/Gomez; Rice; Jude-Foden; Saka/Palmer-Kane-Gordon 3-3-3-1 with Trent at RWB. Eze would be an option at LWB in this system. Walker-Stones-Guehi; TAA-Rice-Eze/Trippier/Gomez; Foden-Jude-Gordon/Palmer; Kane 4-2-3-1 with Jude + Kane + Saka as finishers. Walker-Stones-Guehi-Trippier/Gomez; Mainoo-Rice; Palmer-Foden-Gordon; Watkins Starting in a 3-3-3-1 and switching to the 4-1-2-3 if the Swiss score first would be a reasonable plan though I suspect the starter-finisher approach would actually be the best team.

Absolutely ZERO is going to change. Why? Because he won the game, so "all according to plan". Good luck playing Switzerland after playing 120 minutes

With the left back issue and Guéhi's suspension, should we try and match the Swiss with a 3 at the back? Konsa, Stones, Walker; Saka, Rice, Bellingham, Mainoo, Trent; Kane Palmer...?!? Saka won't work in a 4 but could as a wing back, Trent can create with Walker protecting and it enables Palmer to come in. I think Foden unfortunately should be dropped.

We learnt..... AGAIN........ that Southgate has none, he's absolutely clueless.

Why not for 3421 and go back to what did us well previously Pickford Walker Stones Konsa Trent Mainoo Rice Saka Foden Kane Bellingham

Walker LB, Gordon LW. TAA RB, Palmer RM. Walker stays deep in a three with Stones & Konsa as he has been doing from RB. Gordon provides width ahead of him. TAA then has licence to overlap Palmer on the right. Mainoo, Bellingham & Foden in the middle. Toney CF. Southgate won't do any of this.

There is definitely a huge argument to be had about personnel changes, but for the love of God, please please please get higher up the pitch! Saka LB Konsa Stones Walker Bellingham Rice Foden Gordon or Eze Kane Palmer Why can't Foden and Bellingham both play as high 8s? I just dont understand....

England got lucky but don't panic 🧘‍♂ Defence is really important in international football and is normally neglected by pundits and public. And I struggle to blame Southgate when some of the players were clearly shook by the occasion, struggling to do simple passes at times. And every man and their dog reflexively wanted "massive changes" 2nd half... Pure panic... Absolute nonsense from armchair experts - change my mind. That is not how professional managers should make decisions. Past England managers would have 100% done that. The players had their chances in the 2nd half. Most of the subs played their part too like Tony. Was it just me or was some of the body language of the guys on the bench poor. Entitled gen z vibes lol. The left back issue is interesting for sure - even more so if the right back is not being super-aggressive. We rely on Walker and Saka. Should we sacrifice defensive for more of an outlet on the left? Potentially, who knows. Having experience/class is important for loads of things like set pieces, penalties, VAR though. It seems foolish to completely change things mid-tournament. Hopefully just a few tweaks.

If Luke Shaw still isn't fit to play (at the QUARTER FINAL stage) and Southgate chose not to even bring Branthwaite as a left-footed defender, then it's beyond belief. I defended Southgate before, but his team selection and tactics in this Euros are plumbing the depths of despair - our performances are disgraceful (and I'm a Man Utd fan, so I know disgraceful).

No guehi will be big. I think Walker has proven he’s not a good rb going forward and isn’t being called out enough for mistakes. Trent rwb, Walker, stones and our next best cb (maybe even rice) with saka lwb. Maino cdm. Foden and Bellingham midfield. Kane Watkins up top or Toney. There’s one obvious thing to fix and that’s it, keep the width. Stop crowding the midfield with Bellingham, foden and kane all wanting to play 10. Can’t have everyone occupying the centre with no runners in behind.

2:15 Errr when has Trippier played LB for England or Newcastle? Maybe one or two games for England in qualifiers but certainly never at club level. Did he play there for Spurs or am I missing something? He's never been a left-back, ever.

Feel like we need to go back 5 with the team. Have TAA on Rwb, give RCB to Walker, Stones in the middle, Guehi LCB (if we beat SWI) Konsa/Gomez otherwise and Saka LWB (we could rely on Gomez here and save saka in the RW). We can then change formation to a more typical 433 at half time to shake things up with fresh legs. In attack he can have an aggresive mid pivot with one of the wing backs and have a 3 at the back and then reform our shape out of possession. This should give us more width which patches up our lukewarm midfield (giving us more options.) And i think Foden/Bellingham should be our out and out CAM. We should only have one on the Pitch at the same time. RW id have Palmer start and Gordon on the Left. Come second half we can swap palmer for saka (they play diffrently. Palmer likes to cut in and run at defenders, Saka sticks further to the line and crosses/runs from the corner line. ST we should start Watkins he will run at the defenders. I still think we need Kane on at some point so tire the defenders out with Watkins and then get Kane on at half time and see how that changes the game. Obviously southgate is gonna go bread and butter as oer usual. Trying to play 3 players who like to be in the CAM/CF areas.

Decades ago Italy in the 1970s /1980s / 1990s were a very successful defensive team. As southgate was a defender it figures he'd be a defensive minded coach. He has been reasonably successfull without winning a trophey but remember only sir alf ramsey has won a trophey for England. However everyone can improve . If he can bring on his subs earlier eg 65 /70 mins then England could nail it.

Do nothing for 89 minutes and let Bellingham and Kane to score from nothing

3412 Walker Stones Konsa Trent rice mainoo Saka Bellingham Kane Toney

Honestly don't get Southgate! Yes he trust the starting 11 but Tripper has NO left foot so he always has to come back onto his right and yet you have Luke Shaw sitting on the bench who has got a left foot whether he is still not fit but even if he isn't fit why on earth did we take a player who isn't even fit🤔 Ben Chilwell should of brought him, that's one of many issues I have with this England Squad and Southgate. Tripper was all by himself with no support foden was doing whatever he wanted and Bellingham went missing for like 50 minutes of the game but the whole team was SHIT!! Palmer was our best player and Toney when he came on, yes Bellingham and Kane scored the goals but they were unbelievably shit for most of the game and only until all the England fans were booing and last minute of the game they decided to wake up and save Southgate. Our Midfield was no where in sight for most of the game thats what made it easyfor solvakia to get to our goal,our attackers couldn't be asked, the defence was rocky. We need a new Formation badly! Play wing back that kind of worked when eze and Saka was wing backs for us and go to a back 3 We really miss Ben White because he would do overlapping runs like walker only did about 3x. We had 2 shots on target for the whole game! That is shocking, I honestly don't see us winning against Switzerland they are too good compared to us! Nothing can get worse then our recent performances. There was sooo much stress,Yelling/Shouting and anger when we were watching it. Even Lee Dixon said theses are professional footballers they know how to get the best out of the team and what Formation looks. I just want Southgate gone now!!