You’re the one
Southgate you’re the one. He wasn’t anybodies last week. How things change, and you know what? I am pleased as punch for him.
He isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and he does have connections with that lot from Croydon, but too often we put down achievers in our country, so my smile was particularly wide when he celebrated in front of the English masses last night in Dortmund.
Through to the final. Who’d have thought it, but the country brimmed with smiles and excitement last night and once more Southgate united a nation.
I’m not having the easy draw bit either, I remember when we couldn’t even qualify for finals of tournaments. Spain await, and judging by the COPA America, which I’ve had one eye on, they are the current best football team in the world.
The three lions have been unleashed though, and a team that are resilient and together, and have many players and more on the bench that can do extraordinary things in a fraction of a moment has to have a chance.
His subs may come late, but they have a tidy habit of working. Palmer into Watkins and what a beautiful instinctive finish from a player who is a role model for the football pyramid.
The first half was the best we have played by a long shot, but with Koeman tinkering with tactics and players and with the game more like a Premier League match, we had to expect ‘het Oranje’ to have their moments. England had also played a lot more minutes to get to this point in the tournament as well.
Whereas Foden, Saka and Mainoo stood out in the first half, it was Stones and Walker in the 2nd as England showed resilience as well as the admirable trait of never knowing when they are beaten.
I was driving for the first chunk of the match and as someone who often prefers listening to football commentary than watching, I was happy knowing that Fox Sports were covering it on SiriusXM.
However, it was the TV coverage led by Ian Darke, and it made me quickly realize that TV commentators don’t actually say much during the game, so it was a little tough to follow.
By the second half I was at a hotel bar in front of the TV with a pint of Stella throwing it on myself as Watkins smashed home.
Have to totally echo your thoughts CA and hats off to Gareth for making brave substitutions towards the end of the Holland game.Ollie shot with skill and accuracy that was planned.He explained that in training he worked with Palmer on the type of pass he likes and it worked !!!
I still am very unsure about the penalty Kane was awarded and it puts into question VAR and decision making by the referee in such an important game.The Dutch are livid about it and have publicly expressed their anger and frustration at the decision.I feel it was two players going for the ball and Kane connected with the foot of the defender.
The final will be tough but Southgate has silenced some of his critics and fingers 🤞 for Sunday night
That was only a penalty in the imagination of VAR.
weote long comment and accepted but not shown so not going to type it again as it was a long one.
A waste of a pint and well how about all the other the decisions in the past regarding England and yes there was something in UEFA rules that a players is deemed to have made a dangerous tackle then it is deemed to be a penalty.
Yes about the commentary, I agree and the games supposed to be on normal TV in Thailand and guess what could not pick it up.
Listening to thos huge false and egos of Talksport says it all and with the likes of Big Brazil, McCoist (who gets everywhere with toy girl Miss Woods) and then White and Jordan and get all the huge salaries and perks and like being in Germany for a whole month.
They so full of themselves and yes the media indeed very toxic but they do not like it up them but they can and do say anything with not accountable to anyone.
Not my favourite station as you may have gathered.
Come on England and in the final not coz of Southgate but the players though TBf the subs against Holland worked a treat.
MOM Watkins 10 out of 10 for 9 minutes and yes Pickford too.
See CAFC being put through their paces and on paper have signed some good players.
However, football is not played on paper but
COYR
Getting this far is an achievement. I’m still not quite sure how we’ve got to the final.
Southgate has played the whole competition without a good left-sided winger, simply playing people out of position.
In the semi he finally realised the problem. Trippier wasn’t up to the job and subbed him at half-time. Luke Shaw made a far better job of it. Hopefully he’ll start on Sunday. ( I know Shaw wasn’t fully fit when selected, that just raises another question. Why not take a fit Left sided player?)
I’ve never taken to Southgate in this role. I hope his contract will not be extended. What a way for him to finish though. Into the Euros final, hopefully winners. Go out at the top, not on the way down. Time for a new manager.
We’re 90 minutes from glory, or maybe 120 minutes away or maybe a penalty shoot out away…but then so are both teams.
You make your own luck in life and so it’s up to the players to seize the moment.
England have struggled in these Euros, we’ve looked lethargic and I think some of the questions asked of Southgate were fair, he has been reactive especially with the subs and ne needed a massive slice of luck against Switzerland to get that 94th minute equaliser. But you have to make the most of your luck when it’s delivered to you – and the awarding of that penalty was up there with gift wrapped presents. How the VAR referee and then the on-field referee decided it was a penalty we’ll never know. You see some soft decisions given in the heat of the moment/real time, but they had the luxury of replays. Sure Dumfries went in studs up but that was after Kane had got his shot away.
We need to look at the VAR protocols for awarding penalties and sort out what will and won’t be given so there’s some certainty because if that was a penalty then you are going to see defenders afraid to challenge for the ball or going for 50-50s inside the area from here on. That’s a debate for another day, in the meantime we have a match to win.
I expect we’ll see the same side that started the semis and 90 minutes of chess with the team winning being the side that takes their chance. Lets hope the luck is still shining on us…
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