The Football Thread 2021/22: England thrown to Hungary lions

[Photek]

United fannying about trying to convince De Jong to join for mega money when there's a player as good as Bissouma, in a position they actually need quality, going for a comparable pittance - the mind boggles.

Your manager and De Jong are both dutch.... not that mind boggling...

My point is that United are absolutely gagging for a CDM and have been for years, so when one with PL-proven quality was available for a low cost they don't even enter the bidding. Too busy chasing marquee signings as usual. It's Moyes's 2013 summer all over again

De Jong is a great player, yes Bissouma is the better option for price etc. From the outside looking in, the major problem with Manu signing seems SEEMS to be that they take AGES!

[Preezy]

United fannying about trying to convince De Jong to join for mega money when there's a player as good as Bissouma, in a position they actually need quality, going for a comparable pittance - the mind boggles.

Your manager and De Jong are both dutch.... not that mind boggling...

My point is that United are absolutely gagging for a CDM and have been for years, so when one with PL-proven quality was available for a low cost they don't even enter the bidding. Too busy chasing marquee signings as usual. It's Moyes's 2013 summer all over again

De Jong is a great player, yes Bissouma is the better option for price etc. From the outside looking in, the major problem with Manu signing seems SEEMS to be that they take AGES!

De Jong would be more like a replacement for Pogba and yeah I'd love to have him at the club (so long as he actually wants to be there). Bissouma should have been chased at the same time though. Perhaps they were a bit wary given the allegations and what the club is dealing with re: Greenwood.

You're spot on though, it seems like when United want a player it takes the whole window to get them. I get that selling clubs probably slap another 10-20m onto the price tag but it's very frustrating as a fan to see your club seemingly drag their heels whilst rival clubs get their business done early.

[Memento Mori]

United fannying about trying to convince De Jong to join for mega money when there's a player as good as Bissouma, in a position they actually need quality, going for a comparable pittance - the mind boggles.

Your manager and De Jong are both dutch.... not that mind boggling...

My point is that United are absolutely gagging for a CDM and have been for years, so when one with PL-proven quality was available for a low cost they don't even enter the bidding. Too busy chasing marquee signings as usual. It's Moyes's 2013 summer all over again

Does United need another player accused of sexual assault in the starting XI?

[Preezy]

Matic has joined Roma to be reunited with Jose, truly a Redknapp/Kranjčar love story for the modern era

[Monkey Man]

twitter.com/lfc/status/1536770296643997697

[Sprouty]

Liverpool trying to buy the league again!

[Curls]

He looks like Van Dijk but much greener. Like Van Dijk before his dad up and left and took the family dog with him.

[Drumstick]

Apparently £25m fee agreed between Tottenham and Brighton for Bissouma! Great signing if comes through.

You are getting an absolute beast who is a CL quality player. Enjoy.

[Ploiper]

just been reminded on twitter that Brighton was trying to sign Nunez before he went to Benfica.

[KK]

England have been pants this whole tournament.

And this match has been the worst Southgate England performance I can remember.

[KingK]

England

Bye bye Gareth surely after that? 0-4!!

[Ploiper]

not even surprised england lost 4-0. the way southgate has them play, that result was coming eventually. what will be surprising is england managing to get out of the world cup group stage. just sack him tonight, go get Potter.

[more heat than light]

There is no way Southgate is getting sacked before the World Cup.

[KK]

I can’t see them firing Southgate with only two games left until the World Cup. This will definitely be his last stand though. I can’t see him sticking around even if the unthinkable happens and we reach another semi/final.

[Ecno]

I used to be a Southgate detractor, I thought his tactics amd team selection were dire, but then he followed up a WC semifinal with a Euros final, and I was like, it's a results business he's got the best tournament results of my lifetime, he must be doing something right.

I'm now not a militant Southgate outer based on the above, but after losing to Hungary 4 nil at home, I don't think he should stay. (I also think losing 4 nil is worse than 5-1 despite the stat they gave)

[KK]

Ashley Cole saying they’re all “off it” makes it sound like they’ve all been on a massive bender.

[Psychic]

I have some sympathy for Southgate with the circumstances of when and how the matches recently have been played, it's ridiculous how little the organising bodies care about the well-being of players. That being said, nothing we've seen in these recent games has been that unusual in terms of how England have played in the managers tenure. The whole gameplan has mostly been keeping it tight and looking to pinch a goal at a setpiece, with slow buildup play being favoured to try and maintain some sense of control.

The main issue for me is how devoid of any other ideas we looked. While it was nominally a 4-3-3 tonight, there was little sense of that structure in the midfield, allowing Hungary to easily block the passing lanes into midfield or stop Phillips from being able to play a pass, while at the back Walker effectively seemed to be tucked in as that third centre half like in the 3-5-2, again cutting off a potential way of moving upfield.

Obviously losing 4-0 is never good, but you learn more from losses than you do wins. If Southgate doesn't and persists with the same systems that led to this, at least we'll be viewing the next tournament campaign through more hopeful eyes, potentially with a more tactically astute boss.

[Albert]

Appreciate i am in the minority, but the sooner england get rid of Southgate the better.

Always felt we got to the final despite him, rather than because of him. He's made some bonkers decisions, but has been blessed with an amazing squad.

[Parksey]

Sacking a manager after a Nation's League game would be ludicrous. If they weren't glorified friendlies before, then the players will certainly be treating them as those when it's off the back.of a gruelling season and stopping them from having a break.

If this was in a tournament, he'd gone, but it's not. It's the equivalent of sacking a manager in a WC warm up friendly. We have two games left as well, for any new manager who was coming in.

His past two tournament performances (despite him or not) have earned him the shot at the next one. He's on shaky ground though, as I think expectations have gone up somewhat, so a quarter final exit won't appease fans now.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

Appreciate i am in the minority, but the sooner england get rid of Southgate the better.

Always felt we got to the final despite him, rather than because of him. He's made some bonkers decisions, but has been blessed with an amazing squad.

Agree wholeheartedly.