Yeah sure Merson took the third penalty in the most protected position out of the five. He was a very good player, but he's spent large parts of his life addling his brain. Of course that doesn't equal 48 out of 49 across a long career. You have to be desperate even to argue the case.
As far I can see Southgate is getting praise from almost the whole country apart from HibeeJim and me. He was almost a protected species during the competition. I like the man, but if he took over the management of Chesterfield now I wouldn't be confident we'd win The National League. And I mean that.
If there has been a more insignificant international competition than the Nations League I missed it - The Inter Toto Cup of international football.
The trouble is Wakey you weaken a reasonable case with pitiable sources. If Merson's argument holds water why does anyone practice anything? Every top athlete has to reproduce what he hones on the training ground in a frenzied stadium full of roaring spectators. He has to be confident in his technique. Our one absolutely confident penalty-taker surprised the xxxx out of me - Harry Maguire. Don't know whether a lot or a little practice gave him that mindset, but it was the right one for him.
The real trouble with very conservative thinking is that when it is pushed up against a wall it has a tendency to hit random select. How else could you come up with a 19 year-old, with no penalty experience as the man who has to score to save you or win the game? Southgate loves Bukayo's ability, so do I, but he should have looked after both him and Jadon.
You win the discussion for me. In three separate competitions Southgate's sensible safe approach has got us close, but we haven't won. Doing the same things over and over and expecting to get a different result is a sign of madness. If there weren't weaknesses we'd have won, because we had more good players than Italy available. But there were weaknesses, there always are, we're human beings. If we want to win I think we need to address them, otherwise we'll be having the same discussion again after the World Cup, where we'll be playing in very unfavourable conditions despite the air-conditioning. There's nothing wrong with tapping into available brain-power. Top managers in other spheres openly do it. Otherwise sure as eggs is eggs nice Mr Southgate will come up against some unpleasant man who'll out-think him in the Semis or the Final and I think the talent we have deserves more than that. He needs BETTER help and as a footballing nation we need to trust our most creative players. Unlike HibeeJim when the World Cup comes round I think we will have the best squad of players on paper, because all our players, except perhaps Trippier and Pickford, are still improving.
As far I can see Southgate is getting praise from almost the whole country apart from HibeeJim and me. He was almost a protected species during the competition. I like the man, but if he took over the management of Chesterfield now I wouldn't be confident we'd win The National League. And I mean that.
If there has been a more insignificant international competition than the Nations League I missed it - The Inter Toto Cup of international football.
The trouble is Wakey you weaken a reasonable case with pitiable sources. If Merson's argument holds water why does anyone practice anything? Every top athlete has to reproduce what he hones on the training ground in a frenzied stadium full of roaring spectators. He has to be confident in his technique. Our one absolutely confident penalty-taker surprised the xxxx out of me - Harry Maguire. Don't know whether a lot or a little practice gave him that mindset, but it was the right one for him.
The real trouble with very conservative thinking is that when it is pushed up against a wall it has a tendency to hit random select. How else could you come up with a 19 year-old, with no penalty experience as the man who has to score to save you or win the game? Southgate loves Bukayo's ability, so do I, but he should have looked after both him and Jadon.
You win the discussion for me. In three separate competitions Southgate's sensible safe approach has got us close, but we haven't won. Doing the same things over and over and expecting to get a different result is a sign of madness. If there weren't weaknesses we'd have won, because we had more good players than Italy available. But there were weaknesses, there always are, we're human beings. If we want to win I think we need to address them, otherwise we'll be having the same discussion again after the World Cup, where we'll be playing in very unfavourable conditions despite the air-conditioning. There's nothing wrong with tapping into available brain-power. Top managers in other spheres openly do it. Otherwise sure as eggs is eggs nice Mr Southgate will come up against some unpleasant man who'll out-think him in the Semis or the Final and I think the talent we have deserves more than that. He needs BETTER help and as a footballing nation we need to trust our most creative players. Unlike HibeeJim when the World Cup comes round I think we will have the best squad of players on paper, because all our players, except perhaps Trippier and Pickford, are still improving.