15 Jul 2026 22:21:08
Tommy T got that so wrong, no wonder the sporting directors sacked him, in fact, I think PSG sacked him as well. So clueless. To drop deep like that! The manager cost England tonight so well done blue. co for sacking him.
15 Jul 2026 22:34:30
Rpd, he got it wrong from the outset with his squad selection. What was the point of bringing Toney and Henderson: two spaces wasted. Gordon did okay, but the rest of the wide players were atrocious.
Morgan Rogers, £100 +, you have got to be kidding. Looks like Reece is giving us a preview of next season: 70 minutes, off, and probably unavailable for the next game.
15 Jul 2026 22:51:10
Rice apparently needs back surgery, and Saka is now rumoured to be out for ten weeks. (Note, Saliba is out until October).
I am not sure Saka was fit enough to take to a WC, but I am only guessing. I agree, the Henderson and Toney selections looked strange.
A manager takes the plaudits, and generally takes the blame.
16 Jul 2026 08:03:26
This is what I hate about internationals. Players who are not fit make their injuries worse, and who suffers? It's the club and their fans.
Reece should have had a long summer chilling, but no, he is run into the ground, and who knows how this will affect him this season.
Arsenal are going to suffer now with Saliba, Rice and Saka.
I know TT got tactics all wrong, but my goodness, our defenders could not defend a balloon coming into the area.
I lost count. Was it seven or eight at the back? Most times the ball came over, an Argentinian head to the ball, our best defender was the woodwork.
16 Jul 2026 08:17:51
Bill, I think players coming back from the World Cup will probably be given extra time off anyway.
I would rather James be given longer off now, particularly as we now seem to have some quality cover.
I know the pundits have raved about Bellingham and Kane, but my English player of the tournament was Anderson.
16 Jul 2026 09:33:59
Tom
That squad was never, ever going to win the tournament. If we played the Spanish in the final, goodness knows what the score would have been.
Tt and his boring tactics were never the right choice, and don't get me started on the squad selection.
16 Jul 2026 10:13:54
We would probably have been beaten by Spain in the final, but last night's game could easily have been won. TT did get tactics very wrong after we went a goal ahead. We had to have an outball to a pacey attacker or two, and should have kept Gordon on unless injured or completely knackered, in which case perhaps Rashford needed to come on to replace him. Also, absolutely crazy not to have been pressing the likes of Messi and Fernandez, rather than allowing them and the rest of the Argentinian team so much space and time to pick their passes and crosses and take long shots.
Yes, and why were we so feeble in the air in the box and at marking them?
EF may not be that likeable, especially when in an Argentinian shirt, but he would be a colossal loss to CFC if he leaves this summer. As already is Cucurella, and both will of course feature in the WC final. Selling one of them is bad enough, but both....?!
16 Jul 2026 10:27:18
JBS, I don't think the issue is selling EF, the question is: is he committed to Chelsea? If he is, I wouldn't sell him, but if he isn't, I'd rather he went.
16 Jul 2026 11:11:29
Fair points, Jimbo. Let's hope Alonso's conversation with him, reported in his press conference, was positive. Don't think we are likely to replace him with equal quality, and if not, we are in danger of confirming worst fears that the 'project' was about buying them young and selling the best ones when they have demonstrated that they are consistently good enough, over time, for 'bigger' teams to want to buy them off us.
Brighton have done pretty well, financially and in mid-table solidity, with this model, but surely we want more than this? Alonso's appointment has, for me as for others, been one reason for hoping so.