England v Scotland

[DiV]

Yawn fest, too many bang average players down the spine of the team. Mings is never international standard, Rice & Phillips are are also average and offer no creativity. Still can’t see what Southgate offers as a manager, everything is safe, slow and one dimensional and this was typical of him in every high pressure game where he gets found out and is unable to change the game.

We’ve been overhyped as usual but excluding a few decent attacking players we aren’t anything special.

‘International standard’ isn’t even a thing.

For example let’s say Mings isn’t international standard. Name me an English centre back you would have in the squad ahead of him.

International standard is all relative to what’s available. How many English centre backs are there - that are actually better than Mings?


If anything the lack of quality was displays at the top end of the pitch - so Kane, Mount, Sterling and Foden

[Flashheart]

If anything the lack of quality was displays at the top end of the pitch - so Kane, Mount, Sterling and Foden

I agree they weren't great, but by the time they got the ball, Scotland had all of their defenders back. It was Williams-esque at times.

On the odd occasion we did get the ball forward quickly we looked as though we might do something.

[Nemo]

Probably worth a reminder that Portugal drew with Iceland, Austria and Hungary in the group stages of Euro 2016. Playing against defensive sides is a totally different skill to play against ones that are trying to win the game.

It may well be that we're shit at both, but don't really think this game proves anything either way.

[Stef Troll]

‘International standard’ isn’t even a thing.

For example let’s say Mings isn’t international standard. Name me an English centre back you would have in the squad ahead of him.

International standard is all relative to what’s available. How many English centre backs are there - that are actually better than Mings?


If anything the lack of quality was displays at the top end of the pitch - so Kane, Mount, Sterling and Foden

Just because your the best defender for your country it doesn’t mean your international standard. That’s like saying the best San Marino striker is international standard as he’s the best striker for his country.

[theakston2k]

‘International standard’ isn’t even a thing.

For example let’s say Mings isn’t international standard. Name me an English centre back you would have in the squad ahead of him.

International standard is all relative to what’s available. How many English centre backs are there - that are actually better than Mings?


If anything the lack of quality was displays at the top end of the pitch - so Kane, Mount, Sterling and Foden

Again there’s no one else as we lack as a team in central defence and in midfield, I said the same in the squad thread. We are left needing to play relatively mid level Premier League players like Mings, Rice etc and with international football being closer to European football it’s a double whammy as with them not being good enough to play for the top clubs they don’t have experience in these kind of matches.

[Moss]

Game was crying out for Danny Ings. A guy who creates goals for nothing in a struggling team but we leave him at home and take 15 defenders.

[DiV]

Just because your the best defender for your country it doesn’t mean your international standard. That’s like saying the best San Marino striker is international standard as he’s the best striker for his country.

Yeah that is exactly it.

The best San Marino striker is the international standard for San Marino.

That’s how international football works. You are limited to selecting player from that country. The players available set the international standard for that nation.

If England didn’t pick any player who didn’t meet this mythical worldwide international standard then we wouldn’t even have a squad.

Otherwise, certainly in the Euros Italy and France are the only international standard teams & everyone else is just making up the numbers.

[Red Frog]

Is it completely fanciful to think that might have been intentional?

[Panda Paws]

Loads of over-reaction tonight. We forget that game tomorrow. They remember it for the rest of their days.

[Flashheart]

Is it completely fanciful to think that might have been intentional?

Do you mean deliberately avoiding winning the group to avoid better teams in the knockout stages?

It's not 'completely fanciful', but I don't feel it was controlled enough for that to be the case.

[Red Frog]

Do you mean deliberately avoiding winning the group to avoid better teams in the knockout stages?

It's not 'completely fanciful', but I don't feel it was controlled enough for that to be the case.

Well to put it another way, the motivation to avoid defeat may have dictated the pattern of play more than the motivation to win.

[Abrahammer]

England over the years are better when they are the underdog.

What?

We haven’t beaten a top side in the knockouts of a major tournament in my viewing lifetime (WC ‘90 being my first memory of England)

[Matchworn Shirts]

Do you mean deliberately avoiding winning the group to avoid better teams in the knockout stages?

It's not 'completely fanciful', but I don't feel it was controlled enough for that to be the case.

But doesn't 2nd place face the possibly of facing France next? Think it would be better to win the group, where a theoretically 'easier' opponent lies in wait

[Costanza]

It was a slack performance against our oldest/biggest rivals who were up for it and, yet, rarely threatened themselves.

It happens.

Reaction post-match from both sides was insane. I understand the Scottish joy as they've not been at one of these for decades but still 1 points and 0 goals in two games...

England have the opportunity to fix the issue. If there isn't an improvement against the Czechs then the heat will be crazy.

[Jimmy HaveHave]

What's worrying us we don't appear to have a manager that can adapt and motivate the talented players we're supposed to have