Simon Rowntree is a bona fide legend, as is his employer Forest Echo News.

to me England looked like they are trying to keep their powder dry for the later stages.

USA are a half-decent side. It was a pretty even game but i’m sure England could have switched tactics and stepped the intensity right up if they’d went behind. I think Southgate’s philosophy, rightly or wrongly, is that you want to play your way into the tournament and make sure your best performances - and most exciting players, apparently - are saved for later.

That’s my take on it anyway. I could be totally wrong of course. Maybe that was England and Southgate giving their very maximum for the 3 points, but my gut instinct is that it wasn’t.

    C_J yeah, I’m inclined to agree but will reserve judgement until we crash out on penalties again and i can call them all useless cunts. Again.

      Mad_Cyril if by the phrase “coming home” you mean being pipped in the final on penalties by an inferior side resulting in a maelstrom of racial hatred - then yes, it’s coming home all right.

          C_J
          Woot woot 🎉

          Can’t beat a festive tear-up, swinging clumsy haymakers whilst wearing Santa hats at jaunty angles.

          Rule Britannia 👊

            C_J Maguire gets the most hate and he was our best player. Illogical.

              C_J totally disagree - remember after finding ourselves in the same scenario vs Scotland last year in the euros, they scraped through against Denmark in the semis… and should have beaten Italy in the final if it wasn’t for Southgate’s over-caution…same will happen here… don’t delude yourself - this is the man who always chooses a defensive choice over an attacking one and can’t make a positive in-game decision.. and who took middlesborough down.. there’s no evidence whatsoever that he has a clue when it comes to tactics

                  Lol.Pull your heads in fellas England have fucking no chance of winning the thing.

                    Jules72 an interesting argument. you seem to be presenting England’s run to the final of the Euros - where they should have won, in your own words - as evidence that england are tactically inept and are not trying to keep their best performances for the latter stages of the tournament?

                    hmmm. will need to think that one over and see if i can get my head around it.

                        If Jules is saying England being the best team at the most recent Euros is evidence of their tactical ineptitude, one can only conclude that - in his mind - tactical nous means … what ….. being pumped out of the competition at the group stages? not even qualifying, like Italy?

                        genuinely stumped by that. help me out someone.

                          strummer Lol.Pull your heads in fellas England have fucking no chance of winning the thing.

                          Jules is such a quintessential English humourist, I call him P.G. Chodehouse.

                            C_J I think he wants the players to do a few more lollipops and little eyebrows at the back stick.