Xhaka wanted to leave the previous season but Arteta did a deal where he signs a new contract and then he could go the following year (last year). Xhaka's wife is German and she wanted to bring up their children in the German education system. He got his move, Arsenal got a bit more money for him, a typical gentlemens agreement from the club. It also allowed Arsenal to raise the money for his replacement (Declan Rice).Once again Southgate leaves substitutes to the end. He/they just got lucky with that corner. Not saying Bellingham got lucky,it was skilful....but...
I think Switzerland will knock them out. They're in great form with Granit Xhaka man of the tournament, so far... I think.
I wonder if Arteta regrets selling him ? By all accounts Xhaka wanted to leave,though. He's done well since joining Bayer Leverkusen.... winning a league and cup double.
Have you read the press? They have been slated this tournament.Well I was mightily impressed with Georgia. They were great to watch and I've been routing for the lesser known euro teams. Germany are looking pretty hot at the moment. France and Spain both haven't got into gear yet and are not performing the way I thought they would. England are been terrible. I'm amazed they're this far into the tournament! What frustrates me the most with them is the hype they get with the press and commentators and how they get bigged up with poor performances and excuses are given when results don't come in, which is why Southgate probably has been the manager so long. The commentator said during a match about the poor pitch when Kane I think it was completely missed the target, yet the replay showed he totally scuffed the ball.
I think when they play Switzerland they really need to find some form from somewhere and step it up, push forward, make more runs and come out more dynamic.
On a flipside, as a Gooner, I'm awaiting some transfer news ready for the new season, maybe this year could be our year, it's been a while!
Have you read the press? They have been slated this tournament.
And Spain have arguably looked like one of the best sides.
I can't see them getting past Switzerland, tbh.
A read for you,Gareth https://onefootball.com/en/news/mik...tract-and-reflections-on-last-season-39716095
I agree. Several times we had corners, and free kicks in promising positions, and somehow managed to get the ball all the way back to Pickford in one or two passes.Southgate should have been sacked long ago.
I had the match on but hardly watched as I just get so bored with England constantly passing the ball from one player to another across the pitch and back again and then possibly involving the goal keeper in the attack. They're so slow going forward that when they do get up the pitch they're facing 11 defenders which they find hard to break down and then they seem to have no plan B be except to panic.
In my Football Bingo game there is only phrase all that gets even close to a win. Loads of attacking, then a slight stall and a little pass a little bit backwards.. thenI agree. Several times we had corners, and free kicks in promising positions, and somehow managed to get the ball all the way back to Pickford in one or two passes.
It's great that we win, but boy this sport is no longer entertaining. I guess the result is everything in the modern world.
I took had the match on, but watched very little of it. That said, I shall of course tune in again on Wednesday in the forlorn hope that we will both win and entertain.
I have no idea why Southgate is so scared to make early changes. Kane was poor again. We have great players on the bench, foden should have been off earlier.That was a bit diffeent to the earlier games, but still had the negative elements from defence and midfield. Saka was absolutely brilliant, Pickford, Foden, Mainoo, Walker, Palmer and Bellingham had good games. It is time to get rid of Kane, he did absolutely nothing, so I would start with the above players and subsitute Kane for Watkins or Toney. Subsitutions need to be made at half time or 60 minutes at the latest.
I'm not quite sure why we have a better quality team. If we have then they do their damndest to hide it. We have been abysmal for 90% of the tournament and that's not taking into account the lower level teams we have played who have actually equaled us or bettered us the majority of the time. Even if we win it southgate has to go.
My bold:I'm not quite sure why we have a better quality team. If we have then they do their damndest to hide it. We have been abysmal for 90% of the tournament and that's not taking into account the lower level teams we have played who have actually equaled us or bettered us the majority of the time. Even if we win it southgate has to go.
My bold:
I meant re individual players.I should have made that clearer.
I think one reason, for what can be considered to be underperformance considering the talent, is that these tournaments come soon after the end of what is, arguably, a longer, harder and more intense domestic season than any other country and so our players can seem tired reflected in the slow pace of the game ..bar short periods of 'liveliness' and not at their best. We see them play so much better for their own Premiere League clubs. Another issue is how much time,compared to the England team, do the teams of other nations get to play together before a tournament ? Having said all this, Gapko and Van Djik play for Liverpool ,Ake Manchester City and Van de Ven,Spurs. Depay plays for Atheltico Madrid and De Vrij-Inter Milan.
Premier league players from France Spain Italy Belgium Germany don't whinge about tough seasons.
I'm talking about the pl players that play for other nations in the euros.
We are talking about a bunch of full-time professional footballers who play the game week in and week out. They really shouldn’t need someone to tell them what to do. Once they are on the pitch the manager has very little control over their performance.
Maybe the extra stress of not being able to spend their millions as they are playing football
All the time![]()
Not really. The players are supposed to impose the tactics of the manager. They can't just make it up as they go.
Does anyone know how many of them actually play in the position they do for their clubs ?
Trippier plays right back usually, Rice plays as an 8 not a 6 for Arsenal, so that’s three.Foden is about the only one out of position