That's exactly the point for me though. It's highly likely that Kane wont be fully fit throughout an entire summer tournament. So we should have done a lot more preparing for that possibility.
Of course the other players that are available also has an impact. Again, preparing options is the way forward here. Not playing the same fucking team for five years straight.
I'm going Tuesday night. Am worried Toney is going to play. To avoid it kicking off I'll have to just boo him and call him a wanker in my head I guess.
I didn't watch the game so this is the only replay I've seen of the goal, and it's only a friendly so it doesn't matter, but how is this not about a yard offside?
They drew the lines on TV here - it wasn't.
Player in the middle initially got the ball so, somehow, player on the right, who scored the goal, doesn’t count.
Because when he actually kicked it, Rice was playing Vini Jr on, but it was very tight.
Matz Sels saved a penalty for Belgium taken by overrated Brighton teenager Evan Ferguson
Whilst I’m not sure that I agree that it is “highly likely” Kane won’t be fully fit throughout an entire tournament*, I do agree we need plans B and C. Watkins may have pressed well and did not receive much service but he didn’t shine. Toney is a prat but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t play.
The exam question to my mind is “what sort of striker do you need if you have Saka/Foden/Bellingham as your attacking midfield?” That is the generational strength of this England side (particularly with Maddison, Grealish, Palmer, Gordon, Rashford etc. as back ups). I don’t know the answer because I don’t think Southgate has set out to address this mainly due to the fact that Harry Kane is the “first name on the team sheet” and we play to his, not the team’s, strengths. That’s the English way. (Strange because Arsenal are the currently the PL’S top scorers but without a main striker.) As he’s not getting dropped, perhaps he needs to focus on adapting his game a bit more?
Whilst Kane may, or may not, be the best striker on the planet, it’s of interest that many of the recent World Cup winners have not had the most fearsome striker. Arguably not since 2002.
(*based on previous tournaments, admittedly he’s getting older and is currently carrying an injury)
Quite so. For me it's all about style of play, over an individuals numbers. The obvious example of this is Olivier Giroud's 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia. Giroud played in all seven matches, failed to register a shot on target from 13 shots, and ended up a world cup winner as France's number 9. (he played more in the style of Toney, than that of Kane, creating space and opportunity for the quality players around him)
Belgium's second goal was a thing of beauty. The sort of diving header that every 12 year old who's ever kicked a ball dreams of scoring.
It was. Phil Foden is also one of the most technically-gifted English footballers I've ever seen. Absolute joy to watch.
If we had a decent manager this England squad would be unstoppable.
Ollie Watkins did brilliantly to get that ball back for Maddison to find Bellingham. Looked for all the world like the defender would see it out for a goal kick.
I've been watching the Wales qualifier rather than a meaningless England game. Neco Williams really is turning into a lovely player.
I've tuned into that for ET.
Most importantly, Sels looked pretty good in goal.
