KB1862

If we utilised Scott more than we have done, he could prove good for us. He may not provide the same amount of goals as Langstaff but he's capable of doing a job for us. But on the flip side who knows, if he's utilised more because Langstaff goes he may be able to fill them boots and more. It's going to be interesting to see. We've all said it for a while now, there's bound to be clubs higher up keeping tabs on him and he'll eventually be sold because of how good he's been for us and I agree it needs to be the right time but during this window and the chance to get extra additions, which if he's being sold the owners would have gathered ideas of replacements, you could say it's an ideal time if they're willing to sell.

The only thing that was lacking in the game for England yesterday was it was still a bit slow and the tempo needed upping. But, despite that, it was still a much improved performance. It was a performance we've been crying out for. The thing that is left to ponder is was it the fact that the formation changed allowing more width and fitting Bellingham and Foden as both number 10s or was it that because we was playing a more challenging team? I think it was a combination of both but more the tactical side of things. Agreed, all the penalties taken were exceptionally good. They didn't look nervous and they dispatched everyone of them brilliantly. Again, I agree on the point of Saka had a blinder. When I saw him and Trippier switch over their sides I wasn't pleased with it but he soon changed my mind as the game went on. They just couldn't cope with him on that right hand side. I didn't think Kane had the best of games once again. Something about him doesn't look right. His pressing game wasn't exactly fast and he didn't look like he wanted to challenge for any of the long balls that come his way. He allowed every single long ball to be won by the defender. Even when balls were delivered into the box, he wasn't getting into the right positions to get on the end of any of them where he is normally clinical. Bellingham and Mainoo were both good driving with the ball creating attacking opportunities. I feel a bit sorry for Konsa because he had a solid game at the back but I suspect that when Guehi returns from suspension next game, he'll be out and Guehi will be put straight back in. Can't fault putting Guehi back in as he has also been solid at the back for us.

Obviously Macca is our main man up top but I think we have capable players in that area like Jatta and Scott. They might not be able to do much of the job or grab as many goals as Macca has done but I think they're capable of filling that role. When Macca and Scott first arrived, there was talk that Scott was the more prolific of the 2. Scott has always been second fiddle behind Macca at Notts so maybe if he's given the chance to fill Macca's boots, he might provide us with the goals needed. As for Jatta, he's shown he's more than capable of both providing and scoring goals so starting with us from the start of the season, he could also be a player to chip in with the goals.

100% agree with you on this one. I've said this for a number of games now. He doesn't seem quite right at the minute. Perhaps he's carrying a knock or isn't quite up to speed with things. I also feel that his dropping deep hinders the team a little. Many times, especially in yesterdays game, the likes of Bellingham, Foden, Mainoo were all bypassing him and running in behind him. There was also a few occasions in which Saka got the ball into the box but Kane was nowhere to be seen to attack it. There was also multiple times in which Shearer on commentary said Pickford goes long and players need to get around Kane to support him but Kane didn't seem to challenge for any of the aerial battles. He didn't even seem like he wanted to press either, while Bellingham and a couple others pressed, Kane seemed half hearted to do that. The formation that we played last night is something in which we need to keep going forward. It offers so much attacking threat.

I've heard that medical has been completed by Macca at Milwall with the fee as many have said on this thread to be around the £700k mark with add ons included and will be announced tomorrow at some point. It's obviously disappointing to see Macca depart, especially considering he was given the captaincy thought for sure he would have stayed given that responsibility. Maybe the whole giving him the captaincy was to run the price up but that wouldn't make sense considering the fee of £700k doing the rounds is lower than the £2million many of us were expecting to be the region.

@liampie I see your point and I agree with you that lower teams should be given good fees. Unfortunately bigger clubs, who have the money at their disposal, take advantage of lower league clubs need for money that's why they often get players cheaper than they perhaps should. They could always negotiate a deal and some clubs manage to secure this like I believe Birmingham got handed a fee due to Jude Bellingham winning the Champions League with Real Madrid. However, negotiating a deal could lead to a bigger club pulling out of the deal which means that money that was needed by the lower club they won't be able to get. Gary Lineker has told a story about his transfer to Everton many times on his podcasts. Clubs unable to agree a fee would have to go to a tribunal and each manager would have to make a case of what they believe is a fair value for a player. Howard Kendall, manager of Everton at the time, said that Lineker wasn't as good as they made out and he'd probably sit on the bench most of the time. Because of this Everton paid a lower price than it should have been. Afterwards Lineker started doubting his move to which Kendall reassured him that he was gonna be his main striker and he only said all that to pay a lower fee.

Offering a membership is a good incentive to get people to attend games on a more regular basis. As someone who isn't able to attend many games, the price doesn't put me off I think given how rising costs have gone elsewhere, it's still an OK price to pay considering I'll only at best be able to make a handful of games per season.

@BromPie Agree. The only tweets I believe as truths before official confirmation are those made by Fabrizio Ramano as he is well informed and what he's tweeted or mentioned get officially confirmed days or weeks later. I know that's slightly off topic from the Brooks situation. On the loan front you've mentioned, how many more loans can we send him out for before he's given a chance or it's time to sell up as he's constantly out on loan? He most definitely should be considered as a future asset.

Gutted if it is the case that he's departing Notts. Been saying for a couple years now that he deserved some sort of opportunity at Notts especially last season given our goalkeeping woes. Even if he doesn't play regular football and is used as a back up, it would still be useful to have for that just incase moment of a red card, injury or even replacing an out of form keeper.

I've been keeping a close eye on this "PSR deadline" situation that's been going on and honestly I don't see an issue with it. Clubs make a pure profit on selling their young players so if a club comes in to buy one of them and is willing to pay an inflated price then it's not the problem of the selling club. I think it's a good thing that clubs like Villa, Newcastle and Everton who are involved in this situation have managed to find this loophole. Newcastle and Aston Villa, despite making the Champions League (Newcastle last season, Villa this season), were told they must sell players to be able to sign players. It seems like a very unfairly flawed situation that clubs can achieve such things only to have to sell their best players to avoid breaking FFP rules. The Premier League has been so much for this whole Profit and Sustainability rulings so if this loophole clubs have found allows them to maintain financial security avoiding breaking rules and making losses then why should they be concerned with it and intervene? The fact that the Premier League have come out and said they will impose a block on transfers if they believe the fee is inflated is ridiculous. As I mentioned earlier in this post, if a club wants to pay an inflated price then that's down to them. It should be the decision of a club and it's owners not by the Premier League. It seems like the Premier League are starting to show their colours and favouring the "big 6" by investigating this. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx724w5v641o https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5111jg2r3yo https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cj7dk73p441o As well as that article @Piethagoram posted about, here's a few others.

Precisely this, we need to get out of the mentality of soaking up pressure when we go a goal ahead. Serbia and Denmark we became second best in both games after going 1-0 up, should be looking to build momentum and go for goals 2 and 3 secure the game. In the past this strategy has cost us. As for the other point about where the tactic come from, it has to be a Southgate instruction. Now I'm not saying this to blame Southgate as such but if it was a one off situation where England went 1 goal up and then dropped so deep to defend and soak up pressure than I'd say the players have taken it upon themselves to do that but considering it's happened on 3 occasions like the extra time against Slovakia you mentioned despite going ahead early in extra time, it has to be down to Southgate instructing this.

@Chris I've heard quite a few of the players mention Luke Shaw and reporters have all been asking the question about him. Agree we shouldn't be pinning all our hopes on him. Personally, I don't think we should be thinking about including him from the start considering he's not played since Feb and now we're at a Quarter final stage. If he had played 20 mins in previous games during this tournament, I'd see a case for it.

@Chris Yeah, I remember reading it and thinking he's wormed his way out of that one with an unconvincing lie. I still find it hard to believe how he could have gone his whole life without knowing exactly what that meant.

Before the tournament began if you had said England will play Switzerland in the Quarter final, I'd have said we'll take that. However, given how we've performed this tournament it's going to be a tougher game than expected. Given the players we have, if the team performs the way they can and issues of the previous games are rectified then we should be able to get through this game. Switzerland have shown that they will be no pushovers after their displays against both Germany and Italy but also got to remember that Scotland managed to hold them to a 1-1. I'm doubtful of Southgate making necessary changes but I hope I'm wrong about that. The golden generation had an issue with Sven not changing tactics and formation, it could be the same with this group. I would like to see him change up the formation and go 3 at the back. Guehi has been exceptional this tournament but with him now suspended, we may need to restructure. Pickford. Ever present, there's no faulting Pickford as England's number 1. Back 3 of Walker Stones and Konsa. Stones would be able to bring the ball out from defence as he'll have Walker as a recovery defender which is one of his strengths as he's shown in games gone by for England. Konsa is good option moving out left. Trent at Right Wing Back and Saka at Left Wing Back allowing for attacking threat down either side as Southgate mentioned after the Slovakia game about width and wing play. Trent is one of the best crossers and passers of the ball in this England squad so that would be a strength pushing up and Saka gives the balance of a left footed player on that side getting down the wing. Bellingham and Rice in the centre allowing Bellingham to make runs forward and Rice can cover the space needed. Foden playing in the 10 role to show what he can really do and how effective he can be in that position. Kane up top with Watkins or Toney. Preferably Watkins as with Kane dropping as deep as he does, he's capable of passing the ball in behind defences to which Watkins can do what he does and get in behind the defence. Kind of like an old fashioned big man little man strike partnership.

100% agree with this. Shouldn't be blown up as much as it has but I suspect with it being someone like Jude Bellingham, an English player making moves, that's played a part in making it as big as it is. Wayne Hennessey made a Nazi salute but got cleared because he didn't know what the salute was. There's plenty of political/provocative gestures during games in the past some go punished some get cleared. Hopefully Jude learns from this.

Save of the tournament. It's definitely up there and in the conversation for one of the greatest match saving saves of all time. It's remarkable how some people are now re-analysing it and downplaying just how good the save was in the importance of the occasion. As far as comparing it to Gordon Banks v Brazil, I see where people are coming from but wouldn't put it in the same category myself.

Austria v Turkey last night was quite possibly the best game of the tournament so far. Given how they have both played throughout the tournament I was expecting a lot from the match and it didn't disappoint. It was a highly energetic match that made for a great watch. Plenty of attacking football, both teams gave it their all and the referee helped the game by telling players to get on with it allowing for a flowing game. Gutted to see Austria go out as they've been a breath of fresh air in this tournament and have been really great to watch with their well organised high pressing displays. Ralf Ragnick and Austria certainly gained a lot of respect in this tournament.

Agreed with this. When I took my daughter to her first Notts game, the first thing she said when we left the stadium was "there's a lot of swearing at football".

It's a bit extreme to think about banning him. It doesn't look great when seeing the videos of the incident but it could well be a gesture made as an inside joke like he says it is. Unfortunately that's easier said after the condemnation of the gesture. He has to be cut a little bit of slack, he's still a young lad who had just scored a 95th minute equaliser to keep his nation in the Euros. Bellingham has a lot of arrogance but that's to be expected from a player as good as he is at a young age. While this arrogance can be a good thing at times, it will land him in hot water like this incident may have done but it's still a learning curve and maturity will come as he goes on. He had an incident against the Serbia game when he decided to barge a Serbian for no apparent reason. Experienced players round him will help him channel that arrogance in a positive way.

Walker Stones Konsa (Guehi when returned from suspension)

@Piethagoram Very good article to read. Highlights what Southgate is lacking in managerial terms and how the win was more fortunate than deserved. Slowly more pundits and journalists are starting to question his managerial ability when it comes to tactics, in game management and selections which has been a problem for a number of years now.

Portugal are a much better team without Ronaldo in their squad. Unfortunately, given his reputation and who he is he'll always remain a part of the squad for as long as he desires. Their last manager, if I'm right in thinking this, was sacked due to considering dropping Ronaldo.

I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again. There is no consistency with English weather. Last week, it was all t-shirt and shorts weather with windows wide open during the night, fans blowing and waking up at 5am to temperatures of 16 degrees. Then it all changes, rain falls weather drops and away with the shorts. There's still a warmness but not as much as there has been.