World class possession at the end in the best England performance of total dominance at times. Superb. Best team by far won. Walker world class. Shaw world class. Southgate world class. Fans world class.
Right Im off to add Champagne to my Tesco delivery. Come on England.
I see all the Sterling haters are on Twitter. He was world class tonight. They all were though thankfully Pickford didn't produce the clanger he looked like at times.
I see all the Sterling haters are on Twitter. He was world class tonight. They all were though thankfully Pickford didn't produce the clanger he looked like at times.
Blimey, what a strange night, for a start, I cannot remember agreeing with you ever before.
Sterling really does get taken for granted, in a few games he has switched wings to accommodate subs, without any drama or loss of effectiveness.
And yes, Pickford seemed over-excited on occasions. In contrast, Kaspar was immense, but hey-ho them's the breaks...!
PS. Forward thinking of the town to have come up with "Southgate Playing Fields" back in the fifties.
I am 45 and like many in my age bracket, this is the first time England have reached a major final in my lifetime. My son is only 9 - I am so pleased for him and youngsters his age (the next generation of footie fans) that they have not had to wait as long as so many of us. Hopefully for them, England reaching a major final will come along a bit more regulary than 55 years.
As for the match another box ticked in terms of how we would react to going behind. Fully agree with Thad about Schmeichel - he was man of the match in my eyes - shows you how good England were. For me there are 2 reasons why England are doing so well in this tournament. 1. No injuries (remember the hype about Rooney's metatarsul.....) and 2. No one has mentioned this at all but I cannot recall seeing ANYTHING in the papers/on the news/social media about WAGS! which must help no end. Definately have the 2 best teams in the final and we will all go through many different emotions for a least a couple of hours Sunday evening.
Last Edit: Jul 8, 2021 9:57:47 GMT by WestStandMan: Spelling mistake
Deserved win by England. Sterling has been brilliant this tournament, easily our best player. Kane now hit a bit of form. Will be a very tough test against a very strong Italy team. Feel that Pickford has a clanger in him. I’d switch him out for the sub keeper- very erratic. Need to get hold of the midfield against Italy. During the first half Denmark outnumbered and outfought us in the middle, but fortunately we wrestled back control of the game abd the midfield in the second half and they tired towards the end. Feel the midfield will be key against Italy. I’d maybe put an extra body in there with Henderson alongside Rice and Phillips. We can’t let Italy play their fluid high intensity game. Our team pace and trickery in attack with Sterling and the others could be key against a very good, but old Italian central defensive partnership. They could defend in their own half all day and you’d struggle to score against them, but if we can get in behind them we will get joy. Big game on Sunday- could go either way!
For me there are 2 reasons why England are doing so well in this tournament. 1. No injuries (remember the hype about Rooney's metatarsul.....) and 2. No one has mentioned this at all but I cannot recall seeing ANYTHING in the papers/on the news/social media about WAGS! which must help no end.
Fully agree - the lack of a scandal in one of the tabloids around 2 weeks before the start of the event concerning either the manager of one of the players has been remarkable.
My son is only 9 - I am so pleased for him and youngsters his age (the next generation of footie fans) that they have not had to wait as long as so many of us. Hopefully for them, England reaching a major final will come along a bit more regulary than 55 years.
I was 9 when England won the World Cup. I simply assumed that was normal. We had a crappy little old black and white telly that my father slated because he thought it was a tool of Satan. It didn't stop us watching the final though. We always had to turn it on a bit early for the valves to warm up (not close enough to hell's fire). Youngsters will think I'm joking about that, but other old farts can put them straight. I'm not certain but think we might have had British Relay by then - and North Sea gas.
Those were the days - buy a TV set and have to fit your own plug. Reminds me of the Monty Python 'Yorkshiremen' sketch.
I was 12 when we won the World Cup, on holiday at Pontins Christchurch at the time. Their was a small tv in one of the chalets I do not remember the whole match, just popping into the chalet every few minutes to check the score. I did not appreciate fully the victory until I watched the film Goal at the cinema. What really attracted my attention at the time was Pickles. (Let’s see who else remembers)
I have spoken today with clients in Portugal, Italy and Germany. Know one believes that it has been 54 years since we have appeared in a major championship final.
I was 12 when we won the World Cup, on holiday at Pontins Christchurch at the time. Their was a small tv in one of the chalets I do not remember the whole match, just popping into the chalet every few minutes to check the score. I did not appreciate fully the victory until I watched the film Goal at the cinema. What really attracted my attention at the time was Pickles. (Let’s see who else remembers)
I have spoken today with clients in Portugal, Italy and Germany. Know one believes that it has been 54 years since we have appeared in a major championship final.
I loved that film 'Goal'. Me and a couple of friends sat all day watching that in the old Embassy cinema. You could get away with that then - I think we watched it four times, and you could get away with it usually because it was so large in there before they converted to three screens.
I checked and the swap started in 1967 but I remember being converted in 1970 when I (a mere sprig of a lad) was living in Essex.
I dont remember the world Cup final. My first TV football memory comes from 1967 when I saw a West Ham player punch the ball into the net in a European final at Wembley. The 3rd of the 3 big Wembley finals that West Ham won.
Need to get hold of the midfield against Italy. During the first half Denmark outnumbered and outfought us in the middle, but fortunately we wrestled back control of the game abd the midfield in the second half and they tired towards the end. Feel the midfield will be key against Italy. I’d maybe put an extra body in there with Henderson alongside Rice and Phillips. We can’t let Italy play their fluid high intensity game.
It is a thought... but trouble is an extra body in midfield would be at the expense of a Saka or Sancho who fill the 3rd attacker role.
The England starting midfield has followed the "Klopp blueprint", basically less emphasis on creating chances, but more on providing a foundation to enable either the three attackers to do it amongst themselves or the wingbacks to get into dangerous areas.
The use of replacements has been very good too, with a more creative or defensive type introduced as the match demands.
Southgate seems to pick his teams to do a job on the day. Be brave to change anything now, but you cannot rule it out.
Thad, I think the extra body in midfield conundrum could be why Saka is playing instead of Sancho/Foden. Saka's ability to playe as a full back means he is much more able to help out the midfield (defensively) than the other two.
My issue with this side is their habit of wanting to play keep ball among the defenders. Italy will punish us for that because we aint very good at it. Funnily enough. When we play keep ball among the midfielders and attackers we are one of the best at doing it in the tournament.
The modern parlance is playing vertically. I'm old and just say pass it forwards unless you can't. Then sidewards, then back. Then scream at the midfield and forwards for not showing for the ball.
I'm English, I have no faith in us to win but I will be so happy if we do.
Thad, I think the extra body in midfield conundrum could be why Saka is playing instead of Sancho/Foden. Saka's ability to playe as a full back means he is much more able to help out the midfield (defensively) than the other two.
Definitely Jim, a pragmatic choice who most would have placed behind Foden, Sancho & Grealish in the pecking order, but has genuinely excelled wherever he has found himself on the pitch.
Both wingbacks are not the most reliable defensively, which is likely why Trippier also started in a position where we could quickly move to four in the middle or even five at the back.