Another clean sheet for Pickford in bore draw with Scotland

The QPR and Chelsea fans are at it already.

Ive had a go on red card shown in match.

Leapt like a bloody salmon!

Swear that's the way he rolls.

The English commentators really are shite.

England took the game to the Scots the first what, 15 minutes?

Then it was like back pass, back pass, back pass.

Southgate out!

Not starting Grealish is a poor decision as Mount and Phillips are creating nothing. He may need to bring him on as he will get you free kicks and then England can use the big men especially if DCL comes on as well but as it stands at the moment I see Scotland scoring first.

I thought Foden played really well first half. Sterling anonymous. James the same. Mount had a chance and missed.

But Foden looked really good in my opinion. He's the real deal. Great footballer.

3rd best pure striker in the world IMO.

New page, Live Forum open

TY Lyndon!

Kane looks done. And if Rashford is answer, I'd love to know what the fucking question is.

1 shot on target. Was Allardyce or Ancelotti managing them. Dire.

Kane is either injured or is scared of getting injured in case it scuppers his big payday. Scotland was the better side, organised, willing to go forward when the opportunity arose, and willing to tackle anything that moved. Unfortunately for them, I think that Croatia will galvanise themselves for Hampden, however, the Scots crowd will be well up for it, so they might just do it.

However, it was absolutely NOT brainless. In fact, objectively England were plenty clever in not over attacking. The following factors need to be taken into account:

1. The draw virtually guarantees qualification from the group. If England lose to the Czechs then they'll still probably go through, but they should be able to at least draw.

2. A draw is a much better result for England than Scotland. England have their win already, Scotland don't.

3. Scotland raised themselves to maximum. This was their final. For England it was just another group game that they didn't even need to win.

4. Like in Russia 2018, coming 2nd in the group could be better for England. Winning it gives us France, Portugal or Germany in round 2. 2nd place is probably Sweden or Slovakia.

5. England are set up to play better teams than Scotland. Our tactics, decisions and set up are not aimed at Scotland, they're aimed at the latter stages of the competition.

So yeah, I'd have brought on Grealish through the middle, not wide. I'd have asked James to cross the ball with Calvert-Lewin waiting in the middle. I'd have taken Phillips off and attacked more. I'd have done a few things differently and made more effort to force a win, but Gareth chose not to, and he's left England in a perfectly good position.

The TV pundits are over reacting massively, I imagine lots of fans are too.

Also there's lots of patronizing crap about brave battling Scotland. Truth is that while they may have been both, more importantly they looked pretty comfortable, good selection, tactics, very nice professional job. Nothing plucky about it just a good performance that easily deserved a point

I have to disagree on Sterling. About 30 minutes after we'd been passing about at the back he was held up on the halfway line sheltering the ball from two Scots. He looked about for help. Shaw positioned himself on the sideline behind one Scot, Rice, Phillips and Mings all fucked off back towards Pickford. You could see the annoyance on his face as he was thinking “fuck this you fucking Schneiderlin acting, Gomez paced Iwobi like bunch of sons of bitches I'll do it myself” Then he did a delightful turn and dribbled past several haggis men all the way into the box. It was one moment ultimately in vain but he was the one player (aside from Foden who seemed over excited and careless) to show any driving desire until Grealish came on.

I concede to your Sterling point. He did try to go forward. You're correct in that everyone else, sans Foden and Grealish, who actually attacked.

It's really a cardinal sin that England just stopped taking the game to them, clearly happy with a point.

I suppose a diehard England fan would argue a point is just fine, it gets them into the knock out, professional approach. But man, they should be getting 3 points.

And as an aside, I'm in the minority (shocker!), but I though Mings looked a damn good CB.

I thought Mings did a decent job too. Him and Stones are an odd pairing stylistically but as individuals I don't have issue with either one.

I think I was only one of several who were actually watching the football.

A dull match with a slightly better second half as it went a bit more end-to-end. Scotland showed good spirit, but Southgate's tactics were akin to what many complained about with Everton last season. Maybe his aim was to do enough to get through? Tournament football and group-stage management?

Stones unlucky with that majestic header, but then Scotland unlucky when denied by that fantastic save from Pickford.

On Jordan, not just these 2 England games, he really seems to have calmed down and matured in a short space of time. Credit to him and whoever has been coaching him, because managing that tendency to have a rush of blood should see his unquestioned talent develop accordingly.

On Mings Kieran. I've watched him a bit given the family Villa connections and thought he done well last night in the context of a very average game. But, does anyone more observant than me know if he has an issue with pace?? I noticed a few times where he was reluctant to stay higher and tight on the player. There was one instance in the first half in particular where he dropped very deep as Scotland gained possession. The Scottish midfielder or forward received the ball, turned and couldn't believe his luck at the pocket of space in front of him and drove forward at the invite.

All in all an almost inevitable damp squib as they say given the hype during the build up.

I'd play Grealish and Mount, either side of one holding midfield player, and play Foden, who could at times interchange positions with either of the two midfielders, and Rashford, out wider, and then hope that Harry Kane bursts into life, but I'm not sure Gareth Southgate, will be this brave.

That actually was like watching Everton as in if you have good players but the set up and balance is wrong you rely on the odd flash of brilliance.

Foden wasted hugging the touchline. Forward players too stretched. Southgate should be braver. Not playing the starters in the 2 warm up games such a bad call. Why do England always go into a major tournament not knowing the best 11. He thinks he can make it up the day before like he did at the World Cup.

2nd in the group would get an easier draw... doomed l tell ya

" If you have a manager who's scared to lose, you'll never win anything."

That was when Moyes was our manager, a very apt and truthful statement.

I tend to agree with Roy Keanes comments about not needing 2 sitting midfielders in Rice and Phillips. I said before the tournament that we don't have a replacement for Kane, Rashford is better out wide and DCL is just not international class. Southgate should have asked Vardy to come back just for this tournament, as besides Kane he is the best English striker out there.

I have been really impressed the way Mancini has got Italy playing fast attacking football, and they don't pass needlessly between their back 4 before they start to move forward, a real joy to watch. France another well coached side with some excellent individuals, Mbappe is a real talent soon to take over from Messi and Ronaldo, and although he hasnt had a great season with Barca Greizman is still a top player who has a great first touch and excellent vision and passing skills.

They are a very different Italy, but I'd wager that when they need to, they will easily be able to "go Italian". Up there, but still France for me.

Danny Murphy and Roy Keane having a pop over Calvert Lewin with Henderson (supposedly senior player) taking the penalty off him and missing. If Calvert Kewin wrestled the ball off him, can you imagine the shit storm?

Club bias reigns supreme as normal.