and his dullards.
Another timid Nations League defeat that sees England relegated from the top group has awoken some to what they’ve actually watched over the last few years not what they think they’ve watched.
This was a classic Southgate game, as pointed out in one of the previous posts, the squad was full of players that are neither playing nor in any sort of form and they spent most of the game passing backwards.
And in classic Southgate style they almost got away with it, due to the hosts, Italy, being particularly poor in England’s box. Much how they got away with getting easy draws in the World Cup and Euros. And now some are actually remembering what it was actually like, after they got carried away with getting to the semi and final, not paying attention to how it was done.
With this sort of performance and a lot of luck.
And when they see that it doesn’t work they’re not conned by Southgate saying the performance “is a step in the right direction”. Yeah, don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.
The performance was much like the passing. Backwards.
Again Southgate went with a midfield pair, against a trio, so they were out-manned and had rings run around them. Rice, doesn’t turn up for his country the way he does for his club, while Bellingham was getting plaudits for doing very little. Wow, he went forward.
Wide Saka was lumbered with Sterling in front and Maguire behind. He didn’t know whether to stick or twist. Has to cover Maguire’s ineptness can’t get forward and rely on selfish Sterling to cover. On the other side Reece James was passing backwards – I know, what a shock – did he actually pass the ball forward? Well, he tried once, it rebounded off an Italian player and England ended up further back than when he received the ball.
Up front the three are so separated and and selfish, with Sterling and Foden, so there’s no link up play at all. Sterling doing his usual running into people, losing the ball and falling over. “Why didn’t Kane cross for him instead of taking the shot?” Well, look at where he is, he’s hiding behind the defender. Foden just fannies around.
At the back, Dier, on his return, lumbered with the dopey twins each side of him, Maguire and Walker. Well as said Maguire is shot. Did he get across the halfway line? I mean at least he used to do that. While Dier would receive the ball, look up to pass forward, get noting from the midfield, so pass it out to Walker who would pass it sideways to James, who immediately pass it back to Dier. Wash, rinse, repeat.
It was no surprise that even though they were lightweight up front, when Italy did get their moment it was one of Walker or Maguire who helped them. It was Walker, who has never been a defender exposed especially in situations like this where he can’t use his pace to get him out of trouble. Long ball, taken down and Walker drops off him before he curls it past Pope. The latter another unlucky one, to get his chance in this team at this point.
No Gareth this wasn’t a step in the right direction, it was a clueless and cowardly performance. Where players bottled it and played safe all game. It was a Southgate performance. Dull and predictable, as England head to a dead rubber against Germany, after 5 games with 2 points, a minus 6 goal difference and zero goals from open play. One of only two teams in the whole competition with such a statistic, the other being San Marino.
It all stems from Southgate and it has through his whole tenure. He’s a clueless, cowardly dullard and they just mimic him on the pitch. Finally the calls have come for his sacking, which of course won’t come, even if Germany hand them a stuffing, while you know Southgate won’t do the decent thing.