saintant

Senegal ranked below Iran yet the Netherlands are struggling and it's still 0-0.

Superb display from England. Shows what we can do when the players are already tuned up due to being part way through a season rather than trying to get up and running after the end of a tough season. We looked like strong contenders today and Iran can't be that bad if they're ranked in the top 20 in the world. Well played lads.

Hypocrisy of the highest order - taking the knee while partaking in a tournament in a country like Qatar. You couldn't make it up yet they fail to see how ridiculous they make themselves look.

I think our U18s would beat them.

Exactly right

Bodes well for us under Nathan Jones 🙂

Surely they'll become the first home nation ever to lose the opening game.

Sorry to have to spell it out for you but I meant in the actual games.

So the corruption and cheating begins.

Yes, I am impressed by him so far and it seemed his half time words to the team made a difference at Liverpool which is encouraging. Let's hope, once he's had this period with the squad, he can get the team playing on the front foot from the first whistle. Aside from anything else I think we'd become very stale under Ralph so let's see if Nathan Jones can refresh and rejuvenate the players. We certainly need to get some wins and good performances under our belt sooner rather than later if we are to climb out of trouble.

You make fair points and, I guess the proof will be in the pudding. I'm sure Nathan Jones will give us an appraisal of how he feels the period until the Lincoln/Brighton games has been used and how happy he is so let's see the results when we take to the field in those and subsequent crucial games.

I'm slightly surprised that the players have apparently been given the last two weeks off even if they have been allocated certain 'tasks' to complete. Time is precious so I would have expected Nathan Jones and the two new coaches to be eager to spend every last minute possible with the squad. They need to get to know each other and Jones should be getting his ideas across and drilling what is clearly a disjointed group of players. I get that other teams may be doing the same thing but, if we'd bucked the trend, it might have given us the chance to steal a march on our rivals. It is only 5 weeks or so until we face Brighton so why waste these two weeks? The planned trip to America I kind of get as there will be a chance for more bonding although again we'll be losing two days travelling plus any jet lag issues. With a new manager and coaches to integrate I just think this down time due to the World Cup could have been better spent so that we are fit and ready to hit the ground running come the Lincoln game and then Brighton on Boxing Day. Just my take and I am sure others will disagree.

I expect Nathan Jones to be having a few words in Aribo's ear. He will want him to up his output and do a lot more running and work if he wants to be a regular starter. Jones doesn't strike me as one who will accept any passengers in his teams and that can only be a good thing. I don't imagine he will be adverse to hauling off anyone who isn't putting a shift in during games.

Nathan Jones is obviously an unknown quantity at this stage. We all hope he can rejuvenate the team but will have to wait and see. For myself and, I suspect, many others, the negativity stems from our record going back to the last third of last season and the few number of wins we've managed coupled with the poorness of performances in the main. I doubt anyone believes we are anything close to being cut adrift at this stage, it's more a case of we've been very poor and can Nathan Jones jump-start our season?

You mean he didn't have to pay us compensation!

As at the majority of clubs in the land wholehearted support from the crowd is not something you can magic up. At most stadiums the fans feed off the team's performance so Nathan Jones needs to get this side firing and showing 100% commitment sooner rather than later. If he can manage to do that, the crowd will be vociferous and supportive, they will feed off the positivity. It's very hard for the average fan to ignite the team when they've been fed, in the main, such limp performances for so long. Come Boxing Day, if the team cross that white line and show guts, effort and tenacity along with some decent football, the crowd will be right with them.

Nathan Jones has his work cut out because currently we are easily one of the worst three teams in the mix. It's not helped by the likes of Fulham and Brentford performing far better than most would have expected and even Bmuff are picking up fairly regular wins. The wins are vital as every 3 point haul is like gold dust. We haven't put together a decent run where we pick up wins for a long time and Jones will certainly need to rectify this if we are to stand any chance of avoiding the drop. I fear for us unless he can perform major miracles plus we must add a goal scorer and creative midfielder in early January. I like what I'm hearing from our new manager but he has a huge task ahead of him. If he fails but shows he knows what he's doing then he'll be a decent guy to have at the helm to mount a challenge to get back up.

Don't think we should take any comfort from Fulham losing to a late goal. They are a very good side and will finish mid table.

Do these pundits actually watch the game...Jamie Redknapp "he played a 1-2 with Eriksen" Jeez!

By two strikers lined up already I'm assuming you mean we have identified who we want not that a future deal has been agreed. No side is going to agree to sell anyone without first seeing who else might be interested. Unless, of course, they are current Luton players 🙂

Rather our players are at home working with Nathan Jones and the new coaches than wasting their time at this farce of a world cup.

Are you suggesting not a single Championship striker could ever step up and score goals in the Premier League?

Looks a talent.

Iliman Ndiaye of Sheffield Utd looks worth a punt. Strong, quick, bags of tricks/skill and a good finisher. However, he's not a tall guy so wouldn't be much of a target man.

Did nobody think to ask if he can get Adam Armstrong scoring? From what I've seen we bought him then proceeded to play in a system that would never get the best out of him and, not surprisingly, his confidence is shot. Unless Nathan Jones and his coaches study videos of his goals for Blackburn and decide they can adjust our style of play so that he gets himself in more of those scoring positions then we might as well cut our losses and sell him for what we can get. He can score goals but not in a team employing the tactics we did under Ralph. Personally I feel quite sorry for the guy because he's fed off scraps since the first game he played - when, of course, he scored a cracking goal against Everton.