For next season… Hope is a terrible strategy. We know fully well what we have and what we lack in form of Ole’s limits as a manager. But we keep “hoping” for more from him when he has nothing left to offer. Sad!
Just a question for everyone. What do you think of the England squad and your thoughts on the performance so far in the tournament?
I get a sense that Southgate's moment has passed him by, he seems bereft of new ideas. Our play is the most predictable of any of the sides in the tournament and some of his selection/substitute choices seem very odd given the talent that he has at his disposal. I can see us getting out of the group stages but no further.
Now please don't take this as a dig, but what you've just described and I agree with, is exactly how I feel about Ole and United. This isn't to start another round of arguments, but genuinely I watched England's last two displays (Croatia and Scotland) and the lack of imagination in our football, the clear indication that we were playing not to lose, within ourselves against those two nations, the weird team selections (playing two holding midfielders against Scotland ffs) and even weirder substituions, the pedestrian attempt to move the ball forward only to pass it sideways and back - all of it, mirrors how I've felt watching United for large parts last season. My reason for asking the question and raising this is because I'd like some of those who disagree with me to get some sense of that frustration by watching England under Southgate.
I'm an Ole fan, but I don't have endless patience and if next season we don't show signs of sustained improvement (given the signings it looks like we're set to make - Sancho, poss Varane etc) then Ole will have to be replaced - as should Southgate if this is how he's going to set us up to play.