England should show Chelsea-style ruthlessness to axe Southgate. Bielsa is free…

Southgate’s not the one
What in the ***k was that?! I’m starting to get exceptionally concerned with our ability to get out of the group in Qatar.

I’m berating Southgate exclusively here. Not a single team in the premier league would look at him as a candidate for manager out with relegation-fodder Forrest or Bournemouth. Meek changes when looking for a goal against a team who has had our number consistently over the past 2 years shows that he isn’t learning and is tactically inept. Shaw is out of favour at Man U, is renowned for not staying ‘professional athlete fit’ when he isn’t playing regularly and yet Southgate deems him to be fit enough to change the direction of a competitive international match.

As a nation we need a little more of the Chelsea attitude towards bad performances, ruthlessness at the FA is frustratingly lacking.

Of the Italy team that played against us tonight I would suggest that outside of Donnarumma (yes, I did have to google the spelling) no one else would make it into our starting 11 and yet they kept us at arm’s length for an entire evening. Say what you will but I would absolutely rather go to the World Cup with Tuchel et al in charge, throw bags of cash at it, in the hope that someone would have the ability to change a games direction or at least nullify a nations strengths than the absolute Yes Man that is Southgate. Minging! Yes he’s coincidentally been in charge for a couple of good tourney runs but my God, he won’t win us the World Cup. He’s been annoyingly fortunate up to this point and he’s now being found out in a particularly bright spotlight.

Southgate out if we want it to ever come home again.
Ibby – Geordie waiting for all the yellow card fines I’ve paid to the FA to finally get us Zidane

…England were boring, terrible and totally devoid of ideas against Italy. A cure for insomnia. The same old tactics, players and ideas which have admittedly worked in two tournaments but have been made to look rubbish in the last five nations league games and don’t look fixable in one game.

The question is, what do the FA do?

1. Keep Southgate. He’s done well in tournaments, seems to be popular and is a good manager who has united the various rival camps. He’s given chances to players but is sensible and defensive minded (which is good or bad depending on your take).

2. Appoint someone else. Who else is out there? I would have said Graham Potter but he’s gone to Chelsea. There’s a few good managers available on the market who would be an upgrade tactically but for various reasons wouldn’t likely want the job, wouldn’t be suitable or would risk breaking the harmony that has been created. The best candidates are not English which wouldn’t fly.

Overall, Southgate has earned the time but the FA must surely be looking past the world cup to get a successor, especially if we don’t do well (which looks likely on recent form).

The problem is that Southgate won’t change his ways now and I think we have peaked by reaching a final (admittedly better than most nations and the best men’s result since 1966).

We will still see the same drab football and predictable selection which stifles Foden and Grealish, plays two holding midfielders regardless of the opposition and picks poor defensive players who better managers don’t select for their clubs (Maguire, Shaw). It’s too late for TAA and Madison to get a chance I feel and some decent players who offer something different (Jack Harrison springs to mind given his start to the season) will always be miles away.

So in summary I want England to do well but don’t think Southgate can take us further. Let’s have Bielsa and play a 4-1-4-1 formation with five attackers, tactical flexibility, lots of fun and lots and goals at either end. Wouldn’t be dull and you could all experience the thrill ride we had at Leeds.
Tom

…England continue to show zero attacking fluidity under Southgate. What a waste of a talented squad. Don’t give me this International football is a slower tactical game bullshit. Its slow because England can string two or three passes together In a forward direction.

Any success England recently is despite of Southgate rather than because of him.