Cybereagles

After all that noise – the joy, the triumphalism, the entitlement, the schadenfreude, the self-loathing – England had the best record of any team in the group stage at Qatar 2022. It shows how far they have come under Gareth Southgate that seven points and nine goals, the latter a record for England at a major tournament, was not enough to please Twitter’s finest.

Even in the hysterical world of the England national team, it’s hard to remember the last time that the balance between on-field achievement and off-field angst was so far out of whack, and that is unlikely to change unless England win handsomely against Senegal tonight. After a semi-final in 2018 and a final last year, the louder elements of the media, traditional and social, have come to a near unanimous conclusion: Southgate is holding England back.

The received wisdom is that England have an embarrassment of riches in attacking areas. Fine players though they are, we might be confusing the excellence of the Premier League with that of the national team. Since England became good again in 2018, a total of 10,158 voting points have been available at the Ballon d’Or. (Bear with us, this isn’t as boring as it sounds.) Premier League players picked up 3,431 of them, or 33.78%. But English players received only 86, or 0.85%. That’s less than Eden Hazard, and he has barely played in the last three years. For all his imperfections, most obviously his indecisive in-game management, Southgate has significantly overachieved with a squad that is not as talented as the “golden generation” of the mid-2000s.

Senegal, who they face tonight, have been filed under “awkward opponent but one England should beat”. England have never lost to an African team, a statistic that has been cited frequently in the buildup. Despite 30 years of watching players as stylistically diverse as Nwankwo Kanu, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Jay-Jay Okocha and Yaya Touré in the Premier League, there is a perceived homogeneity to African football that doesn’t reflect well on English football’s subconscious.

King Futcha wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:18 pm I think young Pape Sarr may be the one to replace Gana. I for one, would love to see him start.

txj wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:26 pm My concern for Senegal is that their football is not always balanced and key players can lose focus in surprising moments.

Not every opening is an opportunity.

When they attack, they tend to leave territory unaccounted for, and their defensive transitions suffer from the aforementioned focus...

I expect England to follow the Dutch script...

YUJAM wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:27 pm

King Futcha wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:18 pm I think young Pape Sarr may be the one to replace Gana. I for one, would love to see him start.

Seen Internet speculation that Diatta will start in his place.

Also Foden and Saka will start on the wings for England.

airwolex wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:48 pm I am a bit less optimistic with the way the favourites have been dispatching less fancied teams. Plus Gueye's absence is huge.

King Futcha wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:53 pm

airwolex wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:48 pm I am a bit less optimistic with the way the favourites have been dispatching less fancied teams. Plus Gueye's absence is huge.

those teams were elite this team, i'm not gonna put them at their level.

airwolex wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:02 pm

King Futcha wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:53 pm

airwolex wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:48 pm I am a bit less optimistic with the way the favourites have been dispatching less fancied teams. Plus Gueye's absence is huge.

those teams were elite this team, i'm not gonna put them at their level.

I hope so

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:02 pm Will England finally lose to an African team at the WC? Game on shortly ...

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 5:29 pm The Dutch players have been spending a lot of time on the squat rack. Jeeesus!!

felarey wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:12 pm

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:02 pm Will England finally lose to an African team at the WC? Game on shortly ...

Scipio (she/him) I just stumbled on this your post.

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 5:29 pm The Dutch players have been spending a lot of time on the squat rack. Jeeesus!!

I see you were appreciating the glutes I.e yansh of the Dutch players. Thot you should complete your transition before coming out. Now is it only the flying Dutchmen or this is why you watch football?

YUJAM wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:44 pm Fair point. At the ANC, they got better game after game and as the tourney progressed, we saw less mistakes from them. We seem to be seeing the same pattern here.

txj wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:26 pm My concern for Senegal is that their football is not always balanced and key players can lose focus in surprising moments.

Not every opening is an opportunity.

When they attack, they tend to leave territory unaccounted for, and their defensive transitions suffer from the aforementioned focus...

I expect England to follow the Dutch script...

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:28 pm

felarey wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:12 pm

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:02 pm Will England finally lose to an African team at the WC? Game on shortly ...

Scipio (she/him) I just stumbled on this your post.

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 5:29 pm The Dutch players have been spending a lot of time on the squat rack. Jeeesus!!

I see you were appreciating the glutes I.e yansh of the Dutch players. Thot you should complete your transition before coming out. Now is it only the flying Dutchmen or this is why you watch football?

Squats build calf and quad muscles. I no sabi from wia you find yansh carry am put for convo.

Everybodi take note of who mention yansh first o! Na Felarey. Typical closeted Republican