saintant

Downes is only worth what any club is prepared to pay for him and it certainly aint 20 million. They'll want a realistic fee for him or he'll end up stuck on their wage bill.

Think bigger sides than us are looking at the Georgia 'keeper - Newcastle being one.

Bednarek did ok, his mates at the back were poor.

Not wishing to tempt fate but Bednarek has oozed class so far.

You forgetting we'd also need a new right back?

Southgate is clearly a negative, risk averse man. With all the elite footballers at his disposal rather than getting them playing on the front foot and attacking in numbers he'd rather go for the safe option. It's clear he's told the team that, when the opponents have the ball, they must immediately drop 20 yards back to protect our goal because, God forbid, we let one in. This means that if we get the ball back we are deep in our own half and every attempt at mounting an attack must start from there. It is a crazy tactic and one which should be saved for the countries with lesser talent available. The players must hate playing this way with the handbrake on and watching it is akin to sticking pins in your eye. How can players we watch every week demonstrating their outstanding talent be reduced to looking like none of them have ever seen a football and are gamely trying to make even a single accurate pass? It's a complete shit show and the blame rests with Southgate.

Sit Rice in front of the back 4 but with licence to go forward at opportune moments and leave the back 4 to defend which is their job. Give Bellingham and Foden floating roles behind a fluid front three of Bowen, Palmer and Watkins who should be encouraged to shift around to find pockets of space. These are very good footballers so don't curb their creativity. Everything we do under Southgate is risk averse, static and predictable. Trust the players and let them perform with freedom. Let's at least show what we are all about - if we fail at least we've done so by trying to play on the front foot rather than the sterile shit Southgate is presiding over.

Southgate won't like that.

It seems to me that Southgate is the only person in the country who believes we need two holding midfielders. This is one of the major things holding us back and stiffling us.

Fuck me.....he's Kalvin Phillps not Lionel Messi.

Said in the first half it was like watching a pub team.

He is a timid excuse of a manager. If he had anything about him he'd have made sure we put Italy to the sword after Luke Shaw's goal against them in the last final but instead of going for the jugular we did what all Southgate teams do - we went into our protective shell and tried to hold on to the one nil. Italy were a poor side and nothing to be afraid of unless you're Gareth Southgate of course.

For services to England's opponents presumably.

Had days of listening to politicians not answering the question posed to them and then along comes Southgate and trumps them all - and Lineker and Ferdinand have the cheek to say he was honest.

It was worse than that.

Southgate makes a simple game difficult - that's his main attribute.

Here's Kane with the age old cliche 'there's no easy games in tournament football' Change the record man.

Exactly, we spent most of the game retreating 20 yards en masse every time Denmark got the ball, it's abject fear - you can only imagine how we'll play against the likes of Germany, Portugal, France and Spain and what they will do to us. Southgate instils fear and takes away all the things England's best players are good at.

Roy Keane said before a ball was kicked that Trent would be found out in midfield and he was spot on.

Kyle Walker talking some absolute rubbish.

No point interviewing Southgate - there'll be nothing we haven't heard time and time again.

A pretty low bar.

The harshest criticism for me is that this performance has forced me to make Hjobjerg man of the match - that's a disgrace.

It's already here for all to see.

Southgate somehow contrives to turn great players into a very poor team.