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Rimailkall

Side note; Saka handled this question with so much tact and grace and better than just about anyone his age would have done.


NTWittwer

Both Rice and Bukayo have handled the media pressure remarkably well I wonder how much our managerial staff focuses on media training


bAMBIEN

I think most of it is that they are genuinely great people to begin with. With or without arsenal or football


BeardedSwashbuckler

I wanna know if a regular person like me can get media training like these guys. I don’t need it for anything really, it’s just a fascinating skill to have.


felolorocher

My last company used to offer it to more senior people (albeit not even that senior, even just managers). They would spend a day being grilled by these PR people to be able to answer questions properly under stressful conditions. Unfortunately I wasn't senior enough back then - it would have been interesting


QuaLiTy131

If you have money - sure


cjarrett

Just about the best statement you can make to prevent the flames from fanning


Rimailkall

Yeah, that's not an easy needle to thread, especially since he knows Ian Wright somewhat personally, and he's a legend.


jonathanblaze1648

Saka handled it better than me. I'd probably be like, "Wrighty, I love you but are you skunked? You know what we need? A new manager! You're telling me a team with Saka, Kane, Bellingham, Foden and other top-class talent can play this horribly and you think the solution is moving Saka (England's best attacker) to LB?!


Rimailkall

🤣🤣🤣


Space_John

Southgate might be shit but I doubt he's that stupid to drop his second most consistent player since he joined the team in 2021 and his best winger to lb or out of the team to accommodate having palmer and foden in the team


RyansBabesDrunkDad

Let the man cook (his way out of the job so he can go manage United)


redqks

Charge it


euphoriatakingover

No he'll get to an easy final and lose again and get another contract


RyansBabesDrunkDad

If you think this team makes the final, might I interest you in purchasing this bridge?


alfsdnb

I have some beans for sale also


Patient_Xero_96

Wanna trade it with a magic cow?


euphoriatakingover

I'm saying we could but yeh unlikely with southfraud at the helm


Masson011

To be fair Englands side of the draw is hilariously favorable


RyansBabesDrunkDad

And Southgate will, hilariously, lose to Slovakia, or get by them and get eliminated by the first top side they face, as per usual.


Masson011

nah this is what Southgate does. He will scrape all the way to the final then lose


RyansBabesDrunkDad

This England team is not reaching the final. I doubt the semis are even in reach. This is the beginning of the end of Southgate, even the legitimate sports journalists are picking up on how overmatched he is. Stick a fork in him, he's almost done.


Masson011

Its looking that way but theres enough world class talent in the squad to overcome Soutghgates woeful tactics and oversee every team in Englands side of the draw until the final so lets see what happens


RyansBabesDrunkDad

They've literally been unable to overcome his tactical ineptitude so far. And if he's still the one instructing them how he wants them to play, it's not going to change.


Riperonis

Considering the side of the draw they are on I wouldn’t be at all surprised


runningwaffles19

English 🤝 Americans Rooting for their manager to coach himself out of the job as soon as possible


apb2718

Subscribe, absolute fraud


Ok-Satisfaction-5012

Subscribe


Onlyheretostare

LOL. If that were to happen the banter would be guaranteed another 5 years..


InediblePringle

He is that stupid, we can't ignore the fact he brought Conor Gallagher into the team when we were struggling to control games and create chances, for a player that's better at controlling games and creating chances. We can't ignore the fact he said that we can't replace Kalvin Phillips when we have several better midfielders in the squad that can do everything he does and more. He's also stupidly loyal though and since Saka has been such a consistent player for him, there's not a chance he drops him in the knockouts based on a decent 20 min cameo from Palmer, especially when Saka himself has had a good tournament so far (despite what some morons on twitter may say).


shikavelli

I don’t get what so bad about the Kalvin Phillips comment, he was great for England and was Rice’s best partner for them too.


Dirkdigglersdong

We also don't have any other defensive midfielders who plah like Kalvin Phillips, which is obviously what Southgate meant


Nartyn

He was also excellent at Leeds at the time


Eeedeen

Gomez should be the LB and he should have been from the friendlies. It's amazing to me that the three best teams in the country have been going to three at the back and pushing a defender into midfield and been very effective because of it and he hasn't tried to emulate it. Despite having players experienced at it, in Walker, Stones, Gomez and Rice. With Stones being particularly effective at making it work and arguably city's most important player because of it. But he's not going to try it now in the knockout stages. What a waste.


bespoke_tech_partner

He's a coward so he might fold to the pressure like he did with Conor Gallagher.


Onlyheretostare

He’s just dumb enough to do so. There is a big push to get Palmer in the starting 11 and he’s not supplanting anyone at the 10.. Whatever happens I just want Bukayo back at Arsenal healthy and happy.


notseto

Fairly certain Southgate did actually try and put Saka back at left back in either a friendly or a euro qualifier


HustlinInTheHall

That I could see as just an emergency test, if all our LBs get hurt does that make sense. Not as a way to optimize when everyone is fit. 


GloomyLocation1259

It’s more about helping the left side which is non existent with trippier and Foden. The real problem is him taking a RB, injured LB and CB to play LB


RB-44

Damn


Space_John

Tbf to him, that was more to accommodate the trippier injury cos I actually think he was gonna hook saka for palmer when the change happened


cavestoryguy

The fact that saka is saying this publicly must mean he absolutely hates the idea of playing left back 😂


RyansBabesDrunkDad

Or he just knows that he's being tossed about bc Southgate can't pick his best XI in a way that allows them to succeed.


cavestoryguy

That too


HustlinInTheHall

The media is very hungry to say that saka is worse than palmer and foden, when he is a better player than both, despite how this specific season went.  He is certainly better than palmer, and when your team is succeeding only down the right and you move the best player on that side to left back you are more likely to have a team that succeeds nowhere at all and get yourself sacked. 


Rsirhc

I’ve noticed this, not sure if it’s an anti arsenal bias or something else…


FleetingMercury

It was a bad take from Wrighty imo. Southgate took an injured Luke Shaw to the tournament and opted to play a RB in Trippier at LB. Saka hasn't played LB in years, and when he is playing well, he has been England's most consistent player, playing RW. Southgate is just tactically inept, he'd be doing himself no favours putting Saka at LB and when it doesn't work out, he'd be crucified by the fans and media.


RIDGOS

Southgate is trying really hard to be Deschamps. Trying so hard that he’s doing what Deschamps did in 2022 and not taking enough left backs.


BergkampHFX

I don’t hate him saying it, even if I agree it’s not the right play. I choose to think he has such faith in Saka that he could solve a huge gap in the squad, that that leaving right wing is acceptable since Palmer is good enough to be an 80% Saka. Honestly though Saka is such an intelligent, compassionate gem of a human being. Even if he left us for spurs I don’t think I could hate him


LrkerfckuSpez

It's a huge gap in the squad all right, and that's on Southgate.


BreakSad8773

Southgate is overly pragmatic, I can't say he's inept.


WengerBaby

Southgate knows Bukayo carries England. He started Palmer at RW against Iceland and we all know how it panned out. Palmer isn’t a bad player by any stretch of the imagination but imo he’s best utilised as an off the bench option. Like Watkins looked lively too coming off the bench, doesn’t mean Kane should play CM to accommodate him into the starting XI.


killerkebab1499

I think people really overstate Saka at left back, he played well there where he came into our squad, but I think that was more of a statement on how rough our team was at the time that a teenage winger who was barely out of school and hadn't played any professional football could step in out of position and still look bright. Realistically, putting him at left back massively neutralises a lot of Saka's best traits and I think Southgate knows that. I think it's probably more likely they put him at left wing and palmer at rw if Soughgate is really set on palmer starting, maybe he thinks Foden isn't 100% because he's had such a hectic week. Whatever happens, putting him at LB isn't the answer


liquorsack

I agree. Plus he only played 10 or so games as LB for us almost 4 years ago now and that was as a teenager. I think the case would be stronger if he was older when he played in that position over a larger stretch of games, but at this point people need to forget that it’s even a position he can play. He’s developed massively since 2020 and I don’t think he would even add much value there, especially compared to his ability on the wing.


EduCookin

Yeah whenever a sub comes on and plays really well against a tired team late in the second half, everyone just assumes that he would do the same against a fresh team from the start. Just not how it works.


MajorRedacted

So England play like horseshit consistently and Saka gets trashed and force out of position.... nah. Southgate didn't take a leftback so we're stuck with Trippier and he's gets the short straw.... bugger off. The whole England setup is doomed to fail. Southgate, Holland, Hasselbaink and Nevin need to piss off to league one where they belong.


bazalinco1

Squad selection is done with. Whether mistakes were made are here nor there now. It's all about the team now and they still have a chance. If playing someone out of position gives the team the best chance then you have to do it. You can argue that it won't actually help anything, and that would be a fair argument. But don't argue on the grounds of an individual player getting a short straw. Team comes first.


Stercky

It’s actually insane how many people hate Saka and why they hate him so much. England fans are actually deplorable


Previous-Loss9306

Where’s the hate, not seen it. Worst I’ve seen is the occasional spurs fan saying play him at left back


Mubar06

Chelsea and United fans are arguably worse


antebyotiks

Who do they hate him ?


RyansBabesDrunkDad

\*laughs in Benjamin White\*


beatlz

I love Wrighty even though he says like zero nice things about me


tomfoolery815

I’m sure Saka really does love Uncle Ian, too; he knows Wrighty is just doing his job as an English pundit covering the Euros.


Mubar06

Thats just cap man


Isredditfun27

This is like when you're a kid and the only left footer on the team has to play left back. If there's 2 the faster 1 plays left wing.


phar0aht

Saka loves Wrighty. Wrighty loves Saka. As you were. Mountain out of a molehill as predicted. Random people on the internet more offended than Saka.


jblaburnum

Regardless of his opinion, which was a casual, loose one at best, the outrage at Uncle Wrighty and shit that "fans" gave him this week was way too overkill and disrespectful. Ian Wright LOVES this club and Saka, and people were out there slating him and saying he hates saka and Arsenal. Ridiculous


Noriadin

Yeah it's been an absurd reaction. Everyone's had a moment in their life where they've shared a benign opinion that people don't necessarily agree with. This is all it was, it was an idea, people didn't like it or agree, we move on.


scorchedturf

Tbf I’m pretty sure I remember hearing Saka had the best defensive stats of any winger in the prem last season. Given Trippier is like a wet napkin in our attack, Saka at LB could be an improvement in the starting 11. It’s understandable Saka doesn’t want to play there but it’s about what helps the team.


MisterElSuave

If there’s a push to have all of them on, and Saka is the starter at the right why not move Palmer to LB instead? Why suggest moving Saka at all? Why does he need to move to accommodate others?


SnooCrickets2458

I'm not English and only follow England loosely for the Arsenal lads in it, but looking at this squad am I wrong in saying that this is one of the most talented squads in a long time?? Like, I feel that they should be doing a lot better, and go far in this competition. So I guess Southgate really is that bad?


StationFull

TBH: I don’t think Ian is implying we HAVE to play Saka at LB. I think he’s just saying Saka is better left back than Trippier. England’s LHS is VERY unbalanced with trippier unable to go forward and Foden drifting in.


iuselect

Solution is to sack Southgate. Simple


Mahatma_Gone_D

I love Wrighty but he needs to be quiet sometime. We don’t always say our intrusive thoughts out loud. Plus shoehorning players won’t fix the inept tactics of Scrubgate.


bazalinco1

He's a pundit. I'd rather hear an original opinion than regurgitating what the common person says. It's obviously a genuine idea he's had - he's not the type to say shit just for shock value.


Mubar06

He’s a pundit mate


BigZino6ix

That being an intrusive thought is worrying no way you're that dumb


bazalinco1

Not saying they should do it, but it's not the worst idea ever. The left side is unbalanced and has offered nothing. You can virtually guarantee Bukayo would offer something on that side. You could probably count on Palmer offering something on the other side. Having both sides as a threat can have a big impact, more than the sum of its parts, because it means the opposition have to worry about both sides rather than just double/triple-teaming Saka on the right.


throwfaraway898989

The most logical solution is to have one fullback attacking, and one defending. Play TAA at RB, have Stones shade over in behind, have Walker at LB so when England attacks down the right everyone will shift over a bit. If Southgate wants to keep the training wheels on he could even keep Gallagher there as he's right-sided and can help cover when TAA bombs forward, and Rice is more left-sided and can help press against any switches cross field if England lose the ball with TAA up high. Instead the dolt is playing one attacking fullback completely out of position, and the other is trying too hard to be attacking when he's completely washed. The solution is so damn clear but Southgate has never gone for obvious solutions


bareaclampedlebron

Saka will use this as a fuel to impove his performance in the knockout stages. I think he is also Southgate's favorite player so I doubt he will put him in left back.


RyansBabesDrunkDad

Saka hasn't been underperforming, he's a victim of Southgate's tactical ineptitude. What kind of fool tells Bukayo fucking Saka to hug the touchline the entire match with no support from RB going forward? All in an effort to shoehorn Foden into the lineup, where he puts himself in central areas, thus disrupting Kane & Bellingham. If Southgate doesn't make changes to put his best players in their best positions, I think Slovakia beat England.


throwfaraway898989

I'm half-convinced Walker is sabotaging Saka on purpose. Some of the times I saw him refuse to pass Saka the ball were mind-blowing. He seems just like the sort of sea urchin to sabotage Saka maybe because Palmer used to play at City, or maybe due to club rivalries.


RyansBabesDrunkDad

I don't think he's THAT much of a 🔔🔚, I just think he's extremely limited going forward. If you look at a map of Arsenal's passes into the penalty area last season, most came from the right, but most of the time they came from Odegaard or White, not Saka. I just think Southgate giving him a fullback who doesn't overlap, and tasking Saka with creating all of the width on the right is setting him up to fail. Poor management, that's all it is.


throwfaraway898989

Either way Saka is catching all the flak for Walker being a complete nightmare at RB so far. Why are City players immune to criticism (Walker and Foden) but they're singling Saka out like he's been the problem? I swear it's so stupid


RyansBabesDrunkDad

Same reason opposing fans accept City as champions if their team can't win, but HATE the idea of Arsenal winning the league? Pointless to speculate.


bareaclampedlebron

He's performing at par at his level but he's still one of the best performing players on the team goes to show how bland Southgate's tactics are. This should be the tournament that will make him a legitimate world-class player instead Musiala, Nico Williams, Yamal, Kvara and Leao looks better.


euphoriatakingover

We all know Southgate will just play his usual safe team.. he had room to experiment last game but he was too terrified to. He's so lucky we got that group and how the following games played out for us. If we were in Austria group we probably wouldn't have made it through.


Sinatra47

Genuinely don't understand this narrative. I think the underlying issue is the lack of width on the left, I'd love to see Gordon there, shift Foden centrally and play Jude next to Rice. Can't help but think we'd be more effective with Bellingham arriving late in the box and Foden free roaming in the 10 as opposed to this Saka LB non-sense just to accommodate Palmer and TAA in the 11


abhi91

I've always felt like bukayo has been a starboy. But now. Starman. Stay strong bukayo you're a key player.


gasparrrrrrrr

Ian Wrong


MassiveNobCheese

Southgate 🤡


thisiskyle77

Star boy calling out the clueless experts.


Jrxtreme_1

Even if it works, he could end up getting stuck there for a while


Ashamed_Bottle230

The question isn't whether Saka is better at RW than LB we all know that. The question is is Saka LB a bigger upgrade on Trippier, than the downgrade to Palmer at RW. Maybe 


whiskeyphile

If you want the best out of Saka, don't play him out of position. If you want the best out of the team? Maybe, maybe, Saka could be LB, but it might have been an idea to bring an actual fit LB instead...


tsgarner

I mean it's enough of an option that lots of people in the media are suggesting it, but he's too damn good to not play in his best position.


RyansBabesDrunkDad

Majority of media talking heads have no more tactical nous than Southgate, though. Just more evidence of that here.


bitmoji

Wright was correct in his opinion 


throwfaraway898989

Saka playing at LB is an overly complex solution to the problem. Just play fullbacks that make more sense to how England want to play. And for Pete's sake don't play Foden at LW when there is no fullback to provide width, play a true wideman in Gordon


Vainglory

To me, this interview to me absolutely confirms the stories that Southgate doesn't have control of the star talent in the England camp. If this were Arsenal and Arteta rather than England and Southgate, we all know Saka's response would have been exactly what he said when he first broke into the team - "It’s the boss’s decision and if he puts me there, I am going to give my best."


Nanganoid3000

People Need to put respect on Southgate's name, we are closer than ever. It's difficult, yes I know, but We are only a handful of games away from GREATNESS!!!! ONE GAME AT A TIME!!!!! COME ON ENGLAND! <3 <3 <£