Bit of a moan/thoughts
- First Ive ever really paid attention to Pickford, I like him. Has he got tourettes?
- Stones impressed me a great deal, he has grown a lot (and yes, I know he made a mistake)
- Ive liked Maguire since Hull, Im glad people are really appreciating him now
- Young is a fudging useless LWB
- Not a fan of Walker at CB, but he did ok considering its not his position. Would prefer a proper round peg/round hole player there
- Sterling is an enigma, pace, trickery, workrate, and fudge all to show for it
- Alli was magnificent, the brains in midfield, and had to be because
- Hendersen and Linguard are not intelligent players
- Trippier really came of age, if we play 3 at the back this season I can see him having a monster year
- The team does not suit Kane at all, its like they are on a completely different wavelength to him.
- Even so, Kane has been magnificent, working his socks off - making things happen and being the creative impetus so often needed.
Sterling suffered, fundamentally, from two things for me. 1) Young. Having nothing on the left meant all play was centre or right, he was getting no service from the left at all, no early balls, nothing in the channel that he thrives on. Trippier set him free a few times on the right - he needed that on the left. Southgate made a huge rooster up in not recognising it. 2) He just doesnt jive with Kane, and Kane was compromised as a result of accommodating Sterling. Unless he can learn to play with him this could become this generations Gerrard/Lampard fiasco.
For everyone clamouring for Rashford to come on in his place? Well that happened yesterday and Rashford was worse!
Linguard. Theres something charming about him. He works tirelessly, and has Kante levels of fitness, has pace, skill... And yet somehow seems a bit brick as well. Brainless. I dont know that he has much of a future in the team, but Ive learned some appreciation (and frustration) for him.
Hendersen. Plays for Liverpool, I dont rate him, these statements are unrelated. He did do better than I expected, but by and large reinforced the views I already had. He is a very limited player. Tries his best, works very very hard, but ultimately comes up short. Another I dont expect to really hold a place in the team. He did show a passing ability I didnt credit him for, played some absolute beauties over the tournament, so hands up I didnt see that coming.
Alli - I suspect will get a "6" in most ratings we'll see, but honestly I thought he was magnificent throughout. His work in CM was absolutely top notch IMHO. He played with the smarts to make a CM3 work alongside Hendersen and Linguard, both of which he had to make look good by taking the right positions for recieve the ball or cover runs etc. Im so glad he got a goal as well, thoroughly deserved.
Young - Ive said it all already. Retire him.
Kane - is this the year he became a man? Seems to have grown, stepped up, to my eye. I look forward to how he handles himself in the coming season.
Southgate - I have gratitude for him giving me my England back. I think the squad he picked was mostly the right one, with Wellbeck and Jones shaped exceptions (why no Tarkowski?). I think the team he picked was mostly the right one. I think sticking religiously to that team was not the right move, changes needed to be made and he either refused or failed to recognise, which is the major disappointment with him. I dont know if he just had a plan to play a settled side, or if he actually thought that was the best option. Time will tell on that one, but regardless he has created a great deal of hope and optimism, which successive managers have outright failed to come close to doing.