First a word to Hibeejim - is sclaffed a real word, whether or not it is a wonderful one! I'll use it forever.
I suspect we are going to find out later that Harry Kane has a serious injury or illness. I've never been his greatest fan, but he scored 44 goals for Bayern Munich in the season that just ended. Over seven England games I wouldn't have given him much more than a 5 out of 10 in any game. He was mostly hovering around a 3 crying out to be substituted. He just isn't that bad. He really gave Bellingham and Foden nowhere to go with the ball and their frustration showed on their faces. If I were a travelling England fan I'd be feeling a bitter loss deep in my pocket! Poor sods.
Spain were the best side in the tournament, arguably the ONLY side in the tournament apart from Georgia. But this tournament throws up some poor winners at times. Italy against England, Denmark won it, Greece won it! Spain have high quality wingers, but their enthusiastic centre forward is ready for replacement. They have Rodri (Pedri too when not crippled by Kroos, and a couple of other younger players not selected), and they have an aged but indomitable right back. BUT their keeper is ordinary, any of their three centre backs who played would struggle for more than a Lewis Dunk role if they were English and Cucurella did well throughout but his hair is better going forward than in defence. What made them was that they had a great team ethic, played the ball quickly and often first time and they had realised their own strengths, so they were genuinely aiming to SCORE, which was quite unusual within the tournament.
Southgate is an intelligent, decent man. Given very good players he is capable of taking them a long way. He will always win games and players will like him, but does he have that ruthless, clear-mindedness that makes a true decision-maker, that makes a real winner? My answer has always been no I'm afraid. And as usual we made too much of it, football's coming home is just a song, it's not a political philosophy, it won't change our lives. Spain made a better team than us with less to work on. We had a whole host of players who were top goal scorers for very good club sides, far more than any of our opponents, yet two goals in any one game almost became an improbable dream for us. With all our attacking strength John Stones was our best player last night. That stands as its own narrative.
I suspect we are going to find out later that Harry Kane has a serious injury or illness. I've never been his greatest fan, but he scored 44 goals for Bayern Munich in the season that just ended. Over seven England games I wouldn't have given him much more than a 5 out of 10 in any game. He was mostly hovering around a 3 crying out to be substituted. He just isn't that bad. He really gave Bellingham and Foden nowhere to go with the ball and their frustration showed on their faces. If I were a travelling England fan I'd be feeling a bitter loss deep in my pocket! Poor sods.
Spain were the best side in the tournament, arguably the ONLY side in the tournament apart from Georgia. But this tournament throws up some poor winners at times. Italy against England, Denmark won it, Greece won it! Spain have high quality wingers, but their enthusiastic centre forward is ready for replacement. They have Rodri (Pedri too when not crippled by Kroos, and a couple of other younger players not selected), and they have an aged but indomitable right back. BUT their keeper is ordinary, any of their three centre backs who played would struggle for more than a Lewis Dunk role if they were English and Cucurella did well throughout but his hair is better going forward than in defence. What made them was that they had a great team ethic, played the ball quickly and often first time and they had realised their own strengths, so they were genuinely aiming to SCORE, which was quite unusual within the tournament.
Southgate is an intelligent, decent man. Given very good players he is capable of taking them a long way. He will always win games and players will like him, but does he have that ruthless, clear-mindedness that makes a true decision-maker, that makes a real winner? My answer has always been no I'm afraid. And as usual we made too much of it, football's coming home is just a song, it's not a political philosophy, it won't change our lives. Spain made a better team than us with less to work on. We had a whole host of players who were top goal scorers for very good club sides, far more than any of our opponents, yet two goals in any one game almost became an improbable dream for us. With all our attacking strength John Stones was our best player last night. That stands as its own narrative.