He has not had much experience managing at the top level in club football.

Compare his club management experience with that of managers of some of the top nations before they were appointed to their current job.
Deschamps was a manager for some 11 years before taking the France job, managing clubs like Monaco,Juventus and Marseille.
Low won leagues and cups and had about 11 years experience before being appointed manager of Germany.
Mancini had been a manager for 17 years with PL and Serie A clubs, winning leagues and cups.

And Matt Le Tissier had how many?
Far from mediocre.
Southgate was no more than average, but his face fit and was a good steady pro, hence the amount of caps.

Each to their own, but it’s the third group game where you can consider that sort of tactics once you have the points tucked away. There is no way they were trying to be clever against Scotland.
I’ve worked with a lot of players (albeit at a lower level) and the one thing they all have in common is the absolute desire to win - not the desire to draw, take it easy etc.

It’s harder, causes more fatigue and risks more injuries trying to get good attacking players to play as Southgate wants them to, rather than play their natural game. Zaha, for example, is more likely to get injured/frustrated/carded trying to defend.

If you play silly games in match 2 - trying to be clever etc, you can get caught out and then you have to really go for it in game 3 and that’s where you’ll get the injuries, risk the cards etc as you’ll need to play your best team to ensure qualification. Too much pressure, too much hype and that causes angst, panic and ultimately aggression as the clock counts down. If they were Southgates tactics he’s a lot more inept than I game him credit for and I didn’t think that was possible.

Edited by Helmet46 (20 Jun 2021 5.25pm)

We’ll, because as I explained, that’s the strength of the squad. We have so many attacking threats we should be out scoring our opposition not trying to out defend them. Defensive tactics breeds such negativity and turns fans and media against them. Playing both Rice and Phillips with Grealish on the bench pretty much sums it up.

If we had quality defenders and crap strikers, I’d agree with you.

Not sure I subscribe to the idea of trying to finish second to get in the easiest side of the draw. It always bites you in the arse.

You’ve got to beat the best to be the best and I’d rather we took momentum and confidence into round two rather than limping over the line. We have enough depth in every position to go 100% in every game.

I don't quite think it's the only negative. There were plenty of others, so glaringly obvious I can't even be bothered to mention them.

Red and Blue Army!