I don’t know if it’s the standard or the focus on defending
@Cheasty hinted at protection for Semedo and it was a valid point - very often both full backs are bombed on - leaving 2 centre backs and a holding midfielder minding the house. There are very few pure defensive minded teams left. England only. Hopefully they’re beaten today for the sake of the quality of the tournament
At the same time though, bar Gosens of Germany and Spinazzola of Italy, I don’t think there have been too many rampaging full backs?
They’re definitely not playing flat back 4’s bar England. Walker and whoever has been left full have both been very conservative.
Look at France last night, Pavard and Rabiot both took risks getting forward. How many times did they get broke at losing it in the final third and all of a sudden you had 4 on 4 (3 centre backs and Kante)?
Oh I wish I was in London.
England remind me a bit of Argentina throughout the last decade. Everybody talks about how good their players are but they all play in the same attacking positions and you can only start 3 of them
The rumoured team is true.
3 at the back for England, Saka starts out wide. No Foden.
Werner starts for Germany. And Goretzka for Gundogan.
Argentina have had some excellent players all across the pitch.
You’re just trying to excuse serial international tournament failure Lionel Messi.
Plenty of teams with limited players have excelled at international competition.
I think think it was possibly but he’s managed to get even more cowardly.
At least he’s starting Saka. He’s the best of the English young fellas, and their most exciting player too.
It should be an interesting game if nothing else.
He’s left some serious attacking talent on the bench so he can play walker at right side of a back 3. 2 holding midfielders wasnt enough, so hes gone with 5 at the back.
He has 7 outright defensive players on the pitch and a goalie.
I hope they get obliterated now
Argentina in 2002 is the last time England beat a top team at a major tournament isn’t it?
I think the formation makes sense; they don’t want what happened to Portugal to happen and the German wing-backs to absolutely run riot.
Would agree that there’s no need for two holding midfielders in that absence; Bellingham would have been the one you’d think.
But it’s set up to contain and hope Sterling & Saka can do damage on the break.
Yeah but you need others breaking from midfield to take advantage of their pace. Germany arent going to allow them saunter through the middle.
It’s set up to hopefully grab a set piece or penalties. Set up not to lose as opposed to trying to win. Cowardly.
The French had plenty of flair players on the pitch last night and it was no good to them.
International football is about being functional and tough to beat. Invariably the team who wins out the competition makes the least errors.
Southgate has 6 or 7 attacking players where there isn’t much between any of them and it’s tricky for him because there’ll be a stick to beat him with regardless of who he picks.
They’re similar enough setups? Albeit Goretzka and Kroos offer more offensively
England have only ever won one knockout match at the Euros which was on penalties.
So do the full backs. Neither Kroos nor Goretzka would be classed as holding. Declan Rice is almost another centre back.
Changing to a back 5 after not conceding any goals is pure and utter madness
Both Goretzka & Kroos are a lot more offensive than Rice & Phillips. Rice does get forward a bit, but he’s a natural defensive midfielder & Phillips has a nice range of passing but likes to sit in for the most part.
Goretzka is a sensible move. Kroos and Gundo would have been overpowered. Fancied England but less convinced seeing those lineups.
