Feeling a bit deflated ..

It all feels, in the cold light a bit too much like the last WC. I'm not sure whether it's the players we have (or don't have) but Southgate's instinct is to seek victory through solidity & resilience rather than domination - plus he doesn't seem able to influence games that are being taken away from us. To my (man in pub) mind, a player like Grealish gives you control over the ball, and therefore more chance of scoring, but importantly also less chance of letting goals in ... whereas Southgate seems to think of him as someone to bring on in the last 15 but only when you're desperate and the o/s are exhausted. After about the first 20 last night, you could just see it all unfolding, but nothing was done, or even attempted. No way could we play as we did for an hour or more and not let a goal in - it was suicidal really. And then when it was too late, a reaction, trying to turn the tide. I suspect Mancini was hugely relieved that his defence didn't face much of Grealish, Rashford or Sancho at some earlier point. We made it too easy for them. I'm not sure Southgate is capable of more - hard to know. a thoroughly decent man, a good man manager, a good leader in many ways, but I wasn't convinced at the outset, and I'm still not, in terms of his football management abilities. He's in the mould of Hughton - also v competent indeed - but would you want him back?

Posted By: paulg, Jul 12, 09:40:29