The Lemon Fool

'mon then!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66729198


Scotland v England in 1937 (Daily Telegraph)

Scotland v England in 1937....https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam ... mwidth=960

When I was a small boy, on Sundays you could only drink in a hotel. Our nearest hotel (after our local got shut down for under age drinking) was a good car journey away, and this time it was my turn to drive. There was none of today's namby pamby about drinking and driving, though I was quite responsible so had only had a couple. On the way home we decided some chips were required. We knew a chip shop that opened on a Sunday which was a few miles out of our way. So off we went, loaded up, then as we left I drove off sharply, doing a big U-turn, and turning my headlights on half way though the sweep. My now illuminated lights slid across the police car coming in the opposite direction.

Just in case, I quickly took a left and rather than the housing estate I had expected, found myself rolling into the massive, empty, pitch dark, car park for Hampden Park (see photo, upper right). Sadly the police car rolled to a stop behind me...

DM (passed the breathalyser fortunately, but my chips were cold)

Thought Englands played well with flashes of excellence. It was marred, IMO, by the incessant side and back passing. When you have players of the level England have it seems pointless to me. Sure the constant possession could upset the opposition but it's a poor spectacle. Indeed if they mess about in their own box as they did last night they'll be punished by better teams then Scotland.

Leothebear wrote:Thought Englands played well with flashes of excellence. It was marred, IMO, by the incessant side and back passing. When you have players of the level England have it seems pointless to me. Sure the constant possession could upset the opposition but it's a poor spectacle. Indeed if they mess about in their own box as they did last night they'll be punished by better teams then Scotland.

Both Scotland and Ukraine are decent sides. It's naive to think you can just waltz through well organised defences, even with World-class players like Saka and Bellingham. Maintaining possession is important - remember the bad old days of hoof it up the pitch only to give the ball back to the opposition and then chase shadows? Even Spain in their heyday spent a lot of time knocking the ball around before finding an opening. Patience is important.

BoE

Bubblesofearth wrote:

Leothebear wrote:Thought Englands played well with flashes of excellence. It was marred, IMO, by the incessant side and back passing. When you have players of the level England have it seems pointless to me. Sure the constant possession could upset the opposition but it's a poor spectacle. Indeed if they mess about in their own box as they did last night they'll be punished by better teams then Scotland.

Both Scotland and Ukraine are decent sides. It's naive to think you can just waltz through well organised defences, even with World-class players like Saka and Bellingham. Maintaining possession is important - remember the bad old days of hoof it up the pitch only to give the ball back to the opposition and then chase shadows? Even Spain in their heyday spent a lot of time knocking the ball around before finding an opening. Patience is important.

BoE

I take your point, I just think England overdo it.
Leo

so as someone that doesnt follow football, but occasionally cannot miss headlines etc ... what's the beef about MacGuire?

didds wrote:so as someone that doesnt follow football, but occasionally cannot miss headlines etc ... what's the beef about MacGuire?

I haven't seen the headlines but he scored Scotland's only goal so could be that I guess.

Perhaps...

Harry Maguire has been given a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days after being found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and repeated attempts of bribery.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... nd-bribery

Tedx wrote:Perhaps...

Harry Maguire has been given a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days after being found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and repeated attempts of bribery.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... nd-bribery

Hmm...possibly but on balance I'd say because he scored Scotland's only goal

didds wrote:so as someone that doesnt follow football, but occasionally cannot miss headlines etc ... what's the beef about MacGuire?

He's not been playing regularly at Man Utd, reportedly because his form has been poor. He had the opportunity to go to West Ham this summer but turned it down/turned his nose up at it. He cost Man Utd a lot so fans have been getting on his back.

Despite this, Southgate has continued to pick him for England. I gather there is a bit of a shortage of available English centre backs at the moment - Stones is injured, and Dier is well out of favour at Tottenham - and Southgate has gone for loyalty and experience in Maguire rather than some of the alternatives. Maguire's unpopularity with his own fans has seeped through into the wider England fan base.

DM

my own lack of knowledge here so bear with etc

So Man Utd's manager doesn't pick Macquire
But the Man Utd fans are cross with Macquire for not being picked?

didds wrote:my own lack of knowledge here so bear with etc

So Man Utd's manager doesn't pick Macquire
But the Man Utd fans are cross with Macquire for not being picked?

It is actually Maguire ("Harry").

It is not that unusual for an England player to not get into one of the top premier league teams. Sometimes they field 11 foreigners. So a player who may well be the best the nation has in a given position may still not get into a "top six" premier league team.

And if they are not getting regular game time for their club, then it is hard for an England manager to pick them as they may lack match fitness and the focus that comes with playing regularly at the top level.

Throw in the fact that Maguire is a bit of a fat immobile lump of lard, and that Man U. aren't doing very well with or without him at the moment and, well, what you see.

apologies for the typo!

im still at a (genuine!) loss as to why fans are angry at HM for not playing when its the MU manager that doesnt pick him ?/

didds wrote:my own lack of knowledge here so bear with etc

So Man Utd's manager doesn't pick Macquire
But the Man Utd fans are cross with Macquire for not being picked?

You misunderstand. The MU fans hate him. He's not very good. GS thinks he is good. So he still plays for England and gets a fine own goal. GS will still think he's good.

Sorry, a bit late on this, but only just seen the thread.

dionaeamuscipula wrote:
I gather there is a bit of a shortage of available English centre backs at the moment - Stones is injured, and Dier is well out of favour at Tottenham - and Southgate has gone for loyalty and experience in Maguire rather than some of the alternatives.

DM

I'm surprised that Southgate has omitted [expletive deleted]'s Ben White from his squad. He can play equally well at full back or central defence and, on current form, would be a vast improvement on Maguire.

Alan

garfsuncle wrote:Sorry, a bit late on this, but only just seen the thread.

dionaeamuscipula wrote:
I gather there is a bit of a shortage of available English centre backs at the moment - Stones is injured, and Dier is well out of favour at Tottenham - and Southgate has gone for loyalty and experience in Maguire rather than some of the alternatives.

DM

I'm surprised that Southgate has omitted [expletive deleted]'s Ben White from his squad. He can play equally well at full back or central defence and, on current form, would be a vast improvement on Maguire.

Alan

Can I not refer to A***nal on here?

garfsuncle wrote:Sorry, a bit late on this, but only just seen the thread.

dionaeamuscipula wrote:
I gather there is a bit of a shortage of available English centre backs at the moment - Stones is injured, and Dier is well out of favour at Tottenham - and Southgate has gone for loyalty and experience in Maguire rather than some of the alternatives.

DM

I'm surprised that Southgate has omitted [expletive deleted]'s Ben White from his squad. He can play equally well at full back or central defence and, on current form, would be a vast improvement on Maguire.

Alan

I have it on good authority he rubbed other members of the England squad up the wrong way and even at his club he’s consider a bit of a knob, Didn’t he get sent home from the Wirkd Cup despite not being injured?

garfsuncle wrote:I'm surprised that Southgate has omitted [expletive deleted]'s Ben White from his squad. He can play equally well at full back or central defence and, on current form, would be a vast improvement on Maguire.

Alan

Can I not refer to A***nal on here?

No. There are way and means if you want to, but the PTB have declined to white list it.

On White, there are rumours of bust ups and failure to integrate into the squad. Suspect Southgate is waiting for him to show an extra dose of maturity before bringing him back.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... p-28689778

DM