And once again, knowing you are wrong, yet again, you attempt to move the goalposts.

Sorry TH but this is going nowhere. I do not know I’m wrong and I’m not - ‘yet again’ - moving the goalposts.

Read the posts again. It’s clear as day!

England got “spanked”, and are managed by a donkey who “everyone” knows cannot take England forward. I rest my case.

Out of the mouths of babes. We agree.

Thank you TH. Night night.

Evidence that you have been spanked, donkey!

In your world, perhaps.

What you are effectively saying is that anything less than a final appearance or trophy win is a failure by Southgate? Given England's history, that is some benchmark because competitively he has already taken England further in tournaments than anybody since Alf. Yes there is a case to say that the style of play under him is at times cautious, but that is overstated. Anyway the pragmatists often win more than the entertainers in international football because these are not beauty competitions. Italy are a case in point - World Cup winners five times yet how many of those victories excited the neutral?

First time I got to see the American team. They have gotten better. We are lacking a big classic center forward. Rashford would do well on the American team. Pulisic is a great player and but needs a better big man. Wright is listed as the CF, good size but we need better. Still, they did well.

Sometimes you just gotta ignore some obsessive folks. Sounds like this guy.

Agreed. It starts with a very low energy performance from Kane ... and not a lot more from the rest of the starting front 4. Saka had a poor game and Mount and Sterling are not in any sort of form.

And the yanks were good. The press was good, and when they were going forward, in contrast to the English, they managed to find space and carry the ball well. Every single one of their players looked impressive last night.

England may have gone into the match thinking a draw would be fine, but I reckon the caution approach was partly because of how well the Americans played.

I agree OMOH. It wasn't a great performance from England, but it was solid. And solid is what you need in these tournaments.

There’s a good argument thatEngland should be playing White at RB and Rashford Left wing.
Then you get club pairings of White/Saka and Shaw/Rashford. You have to try to replicate what your best players do for their clubs.

I saw how Saka was pressing on the inside last night and there was an easy out ball to their left-back because Trippier wasn’t backing up the press high on his side. Kane doesn’t really know how to press effectively and it’s also not helped by the back 4 sitting too deep - probably a symptom of Maguire not wanting loads of space behind him.

Finally there has to be a place for Foden in this team. I’m not sure what Mason Mount brings

Indeed. If you are playing with Maguire and Kane you are going to get games like that. Let alone out of form Chelsea players. Kane is worth it because he is probably going to get you a goal, but Maguire?

England looked a lot better when Grealish came on.

I also wonder about Pickford. His unwillingness to come for crosses was on display, and why you have to have lump like Maguire.

Wales is a potential Banana skin, for sure.

Not much chance of that decaf. We've been poor for a few games now; Bale, Allen and Ramsey not 100% fit and getting slow, and too much inexperience in the rest. Second tier players in the main; we've done ever so well to qualify to be fair.

I just pray it's not a battering.

Wales have looked bad and are lucky that the yanks let them back into the game, and of course England should beat them.

But ... if England play like they did against the US and its 0-0 deep into the game, anything can happen.

True Gooners.

Great penalty save by Wozzer for the Poles and the follow up too

Awesome penalty save by Szczesny. Conned the penalty taker. Shaped to go one way and then reversed immediately to make the save. And saved the follow up too.

As you say.

Remarkable double save Well done Ches

Really enjoyable game, Lewandowski wraps it up for Poland but the Saudi's have been decent. Really pleased for the Poles, have good friends there and have visited many times. Lovely country and people.

Giroud breaking the national scoring record for France is weird.

He sits above so many class players. He always had his strengths but my god Frances greatest goal scorer. Plain weird

Btw Southgate should play Ben white instead of Trippier. Trippier has no connection with saka and they aren’t on the same wavelength. Kyle walker might be different.

He won’t do it because for some reason trippier is a favourite but it’s clear they aren’t a fluid right hand side

It turned out this afternoon that I was watching a young Arsenal player in action.

Pretty damn good too. https://www.arsenal.com/ovie-ejeheri-jo ... -term-loan


Ovie has joined on loan from Premier League side Arsenal until January 2023. Ejeheri, 19, signed his professional contract with the Gunners in August 2021 after playing for their Under 18s side, and then progressed last season into the Under 23s, making 8 appearances in the Premier League 2. He appeared in the FA Youth Cup for Arsenal in the 2020-21 season, playing 4 matches as they made the quarterfinals. Last season he played for Arsenal U23s in the Papa John’s Trophy, with Ejeheri playing against Wigan Athletic, Ipswich Town, Newport County and Swindon Town.

This is supposedly an English vs Wales fans melee. I have no idea, but their fighting skills are lacking.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/566437668 ... tid=6AJuK9

Out of nothing Messi flicked the switch and revived a lacklustre Argentina. The greats can do that.

Loads of hammerings in European qualifying groups these days and more games than previous generations since the break up of the soviet block. Memphis Depay has more international goals than Patrick Kluivert and Marco Van Basten.

Kane will double Shearer's England tally. He sure isn't twice the player.

Awful game and he scored the type of goal he has done so many times. One touch, very little blacklift and early strike into the bottom corner. Lightning fast execution. You could feel the relief. Huge pressure lifted.

And while everyone is fretting over whether England can make the final and win it, I am really happy that Australia, won a game and has still a chance of making the round of 16. It not often we even win a game at the WC. Its all relative.

Tomiyasu could be turning into another Rosicky unfortunately.

https://www.justarsenal.com/arsenal-man ... cup/324464

The other half is Polish so I am following them. Gonna be tight it that group.

Henry does it again.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ARMsgGS6Fhw

This hurts.

Brilliant technique - reminded me of one he got against United in the ECL.

Uncertain how serious the injury is - hopefully not very. The Japanese just lost to Costa Rica, surprisingly. Hopefully the Spanish beat them too and knock them out, so Tomiyasu can get back to us.

This would be a massive boost for the club heading into the 2nd half of the season. He’s precisely what we need

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... l-28590212

I hope they get through and if so I'll toast them with a shot or two of the bison grass wódka

Morocco deservedly ahead again Belgium. They look very decent.

It’s more that it seems to be an ongoing recurring situation, just like Rosicky.