How Sam Allardyce Would've Setup England.

[@piersonjamesa]

The note on the centerbacks vs lone forward at 7:00 seems like pretty good insight that i don't think i ever really considered before.

[@itsdat_j3]

In African leagues in the southern part a lot of teams do this and it's infuriating for the opposition striker cause he not only he has to beat the one centerback marking him but has to hope the second centerback is not ready to clean up all the work you did to beat the first one

[@samd4015]

Bloody hell Flavs had a rough Christmas

[@Rodders0223]

This is detox flav blud

[@evocative4856]

That's a year of veganism

[@24KWills]

Was going to say he’s had a glow up

[@blakenewton9536]

I thought it was flavs grandad

[@autisticusretardius101]

Flav allerdyce

[@ajames8]

Grandad at Xmas talking to only family member that will listen to him

[@EvilMammal]

💀 just waiting for the "back in my day"

[@bareroots4738]

😂

[@Exostars77-A]

I know the feeling, lol. Give a shout out for Grandads!

[@brettworrallo395]

100 percent record still

[@RB-hz2bf]

Looooool

[@ladams3684]

When dad gets drunk at Christmas and sits you down for some serious footie chat

[@AlexYoung1995]

People think of Big Sam as being a dinosaur these days. But he was the first manager to heavily use data analysis and 4-3-3. He took risks as a manager and is somehow only thought of as an old English, 4-4-2, long ball manager

[@ditokelio7860]

I have heard good things from players about him too. Some even saying how when players listened he was amazing. POMO with Matt Jarvis was one i remember vividly lol would have loved to see what he could do with england

[@MrBoboiscool]

Thing is, his bolton team was revolutionary, data and tactically. However, in most of his jobs since, he hasnt been given time, he has been a short term emergency hire, he can obviousyl do this, but it really puts you into a box as a simple manager (because this is what you need to do being parachuted in, simplify and empower players) and paints public perception on what you want to do.

[@DJMorley18]

I wish more people knew this. I learned this about 15 years ago and stuck in my mind, he’s a great footballing mind.

[@AlexYoung1995]

@@DJMorley18 I remember getting roasted for agreeing when he said he should be managing at Real Madrid and not relegation threatened sides 😂 He's always been so good at stopping trans from going down because he actually adapts and knows what works. He unfortunately just ended up being wrongfully typecast. He's always been more expansive and free flowing than José Mourinho, but I bet most would say Big Sam was the more defense minded coach 🤣

[@kemuse1]

As a Palace fan when he took over we played some of the best football I've seen since, ironically, Roy came back for his second stint. Allardyce didn't have tier 1 attacking talent of Olise and Eze either.

[@FPL_worm]

What a crazy collab!

[@KHID-JR]

EXACTLY.👍.

[@SheWasOnly6Muhammed]

Always nice to see James making videos with his dad

[@makskauzny3794]

Whaaaat that's crazy, congrats on the collab

[@1F.C.P]

Big Sam and Big James W collab

[@JakeT89]

Never felt he gets the respect he deserves for the job he did with us (West Ham) Such an underrated manager.

[@IggyGoesPop666]

WHAT ... don't tell me that you like the miserable gaslighter as well

[@JakeT89]

@@IggyGoesPop666 Played some of the best football I've seen at West Ham in his last season before our board did him dirty. Top 4 at turn of the year, Ravel playing a false 9, Downing a 10 playing so well he was back in the England team. Nobes and Nolan in midfield, signed Cresswell for about £1.3M up front. People have too much of a short memory.

[@IggyGoesPop666]

@@JakeT89 A short memory .... sorry but you are cherry picking the best bits when the bad stuff way, way, WAY out weighed it .... whilst Big Sam constantly upset the fans .... so maybe you are the one with the short memory

[@JakeT89]

​@@IggyGoesPop666I know plenty people with the same opinion. For starters the people liking my comment. All opinions though.

[@IggyGoesPop666]

@@JakeT89 People liked Pol Pot ... Stalin .... Brian May of Queen even though ALL of them are wrong'uns 🤣🤣🤣

[@archiemarshall4368]

This is such a fascinating insight into a managers mind! Unreal content as always from Jimbo!

[@Ben_B02]

Nice to see a new guest on JAFFN this week!

[@DYL2020]

100% record big Sam! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@jamienoden5226]

Palmer on the left is a wasted Palmer. You can see it for Chelsea this year with Maresca playing him in the LHS relative to the RHS and even RW, you're better off playing Gordon if you're going to play Palmer on the left.

[@JohnHolywell]

Wdym by LHS and RHS. Also how would you set up an England squad with Kane - Saka - Foden - Palmer - Bellingham - Rice? Would you play 4-2-3-1 with Rice and Bellingham holding, Palmer in the 10, Foden left and Saka right?

[@jamienoden5226]

@ left half space, right half space. It’s the area between where you’d expect a 10 to be and where you’d expect a winger to be. If I was the set up an England team with a back 4 right now It’d be what you’ve listed but Gordon on the left, and then Foden would be brought on when needed.

[@JohnHolywell]

@ Sure I understand right now. I wouldn't start Foden either. Just based on form at the moment. However, what about 2026? Will players like Luke Shaw and Reece James be fit and firing? Will players like Ben Chilwell, Phil Foden or Jack Grealish who are out of form now have a resurgence etc. And will new players like Madueke, Gibbs White, Morgan Rogers, Angel Gomes step up another level!

[@JohnHolywell]

@ I personally would go for a back 5 if I was Tuchel as he had success with that at Chelsea and would play Pickford - Hall (LWB) - Colwill (LCB) - Guehi (CB) - Stones (RCB) - Trent (RWB) - Bellingham (LCM) - Rice (RCM) - Saka (LW) - Palmer (RW) - Kane (ST) because I want to find a way to fit both Palmer and Saka in as I rate them over Gordon or Bowen but they are both best on the right.

[@Abc123ert56]

​@@JohnHolywell Personally: GK: Pickford RB: Trent LB: Hall (or perhaps Lewis-Skelly) LCB: Colwill RCB: Guehi CDM: Rice LCM: Mainoo RCM: Palmer RW: Saka LW: Rashford ST: Bellingham

[@snookerstones]

It’s good big Sam does videos like this

[@sylvesterrobson963]

This is top quality content. Imagine a series like this with managers. If you could get that done it would be amazing.

[@geribenkougeki]

Gotta love how he speaks over hik multiple times really sells the "im too old now" kind of vibe i was getting "Yeah so whats your midfield 3" "Well well trippier could be on the right and walker could"

[@OhTylerB]

Has to be the pace of Gordon or Rogers on the left for me. Palmer looks shoe-horned in playing from the left. Would also replace Foden with another central midfielder, either Jones or GIbbs-White. Both would bring better balance to the midfield and allow Bellingham to roam. Foden is a brilliant player in the right system, when confident, but has never produced for England under Southgate. Great player to bring on for Bellingham though when he starts to tire.

[@sukhdevr3489]

Foden was unbearable to watch at the euros, he stank the tournament out yet never got dropped.

[@bri12345ification]

Maybe a bit biased but I don't get how so many people still overlook Jones being the 3rd midfielder alongside Bellingham and RIce, it was never about him being more talented than Foden Palmer or Mainoo it's about balance

[@Beckzyy]

@@sukhdevr3489 foden is our best player, this is insane. he didnt 'stink the tournament up', he was decent but didnt hit his best form because he was constantly played out of position by a shit manager that didnt know his players at all. i mean, southgate said foden was a winger and that hed never seen him play in the middle, and then not even a day later foden was in an interview saying that he loved playing centrally and it was his favorite position. he also didnt play palmer at all and was so insistent that jude and kane play that he detrimented everyone else at their expense. out of everyone to blame for the euros, foden was the absolute furthest thing from a reason why.

[@Beckzyy]

thats because southgate had zero idea what he was doing and played players in positions that seemed to only be justified via a roll of a dice. an absolute lunatic that threw shit at the wall and hoped it would stick. he shoehorned kane and bellingham in at every opportunity and forced other players into positions theyd never played before just so he could play a faulty system. palmer on the left, foden on the right, trent in midfield, it was an absolute shitshow. bellingham and rice with foden ahead in the middle, saka on the right, gordon on the left with kane/watkins upfront.

[@aarondoesyt3194]

Elliot Anderson has to be in conversation I think.

[@ilyaasmesias5399]

Unreal mate, been watching you for three years, this is sensational

[@jackkelley3875]

Loved this!!

[@Deano_]

Very interesting video. Great to hear Big Sam's insight

[@Nemophilist850]

Solanke was very prolific at club and international youth level. He's a pure striker, it just took him a while to find his level in senior football as it does with a lot of second tier forwards.

[@alfiebeavon9472]

Class video James mate

[@Z33Nwa]

What a way to start the year 🎉 this is class mate, living the dream

[@grrpoozi]

What a collab, great video

[@jackoconnor3812]

Everyone talking shit about big sam has absolutely no idea how much of an influence he is on english football. He is an absolute GEEZER. Shame on you.

[@enrobsokcaj]

He's class. Hope you took him out for a nice big pint of wine to say thank you.

[@penguinthreehundred]

We saw it in last year's EUROS that it was a problem for them consistently when trying to attack down the left-hand side when trippier is right-footed...

[@Currymunch]

it's a madness! Great stuff

[@leousher-murray6408]

What an AWESOME video 🙌🏻

[@Daniel-mo2xi]

always loved Big Sam

[@CG_CPFC]

Never expected this collab

[@17fire91]

Great point about the pressing from Sam

[@liaxx7669]

Great Video Love to see you collab with an experienced Manager Like Sam Was Just Wondering what the website/app is called that you used?

[@MrClemdogs]

This was fucking ace 👌 well done Jimbob

[@17fire91]

Probably my favourite ever tactics video

[@alexrogers1855]

Fascinating watch brilliant

[@DidYaServe]

Sam's hypothetical 2026 team is actually extremely attacking. I reckon Liam Delap might be the obvious Kane replacement by then.

[@PhilBoggild]

Awesome video, Jim. it's only just 2025 and the content has leveled up already.

[@LordSeth-hf8ew]

watched on spotify, Sam gets a bit of a rep as being a dinosaur tactically, i just think hes tired of seeing stupid goals being conceded from overplaying at the back/not maximising the squads effectiveness for a "Prettier" approach to the game, he obviously has great insight and i still have wonderful memories of ricardo vaz te or ravel morrison ripping it up for us

[@seanhack628]

Antonio on the RW and Zaha on the left wouldve been legendary!

[@dannybhoy9936]

He never would have played trippier at LB 😂😂

[@heldinahtmlhell]

Why not? He probably would have for his set pieces.

[@sukhdevr3489]

@@heldinahtmlhell Because there are many many english left footed defenders or left backs in all of world football

[@heldinahtmlhell]

@@sukhdevr3489 There really aren't. That's why Trippier played LB at one of the tournaments.

[@jackoconnor3812]

Wtf are you talking about? Clearly you have no ball knowledge

[@jackoconnor3812]

​@@sukhdevr3489oh yeah? Name me 2, other than Luke Shaw.

[@frozen_furnace]

Big fan of the new guest! Hope no scandal happens to stop this all-timer lineup from being just a one-off and ending up with that Flav back again…

[@adaldi_]

What a start to 2025 for James, congratulations on your collab!

[@Tom_murray89]

A great collab

[@simonoliver3605]

2 legends. Anyone notice sammys love of big kev?

[@papanoel3999]

BIG SAM...LOVE HIM. This should be a corker of a vid ..

[@ItlsWhatltls]

The amount of insights from this man is incredible, one of my favourite people in football, Allardyce was decent as well.

[@tkcom]

Mr. 100%

[@HJDUNSDEN]

Please try do more vids with ex manager’s, love hearing them give their insight. (Preferably slightly more tactically minded 😂)

[@jackoconnor3812]

Big Sam was the first manager to implement 4 3 3 and use data? What an earth are you talking about boy? You clearly do not have a single clue. How about, you give your great tactical insight bud

[@matthewlarkin5049]

brilliant video more like

[@ianporter-nelson35]

Love it, what jumper are you wearing ??

[@jarvismarvis8900]

Ivan campo not heard that name in a wile

[@djbowen76]

What app is used to display the pitch?

[@declangaming24]

Big Sams lineup in the 2018 world cup if he was boss GK Pickford defence Cahill,maguire ,tripper, walker ,midfield Jordan Henderson,Fabian Delph ,Rashford, Sterling Attack Harry kane

[@elingles3708]

Bloody hell, make the font on the formations bigger. I need a flippin magnifying glass to read it

[@AlexandriaTheSecond]

What are you? 80??

[@elingles3708]

@AlexandriaTheSecond 86

[@edwardbaker9657]

Jim actually looks up at Sam like he's his dad

[@EliasCPFC]

Spot on re Zaha / moaning at refs. Always perceived to have an attitude problem and he obviously does a bit, but getting constantly booted and half the time he'd get booked for diving despite it being a blatant foul

[@SandDune11]

In all my years of watching wilf I never saw him dive once

[@MrBoboiscool]

Comparing bellingham to kevin nolan is peak hilarious and actually so true, he is very much the better player, levels upon levels above, but the archetype is the same.

[@vickona970]

In terms of England. They always looked good on paper. But that’s abt it though. They never converted the talent to reality. This was plain to see in the Croatia and Italy games ( 2 of Southgate biggest failures). The opponent always seemed one step ahead. England should have at least had 1 one major trophy in that period

[@sukhdevr3489]

433 with Gerrard, Lampard and Carrick/ Barry back in the day would've made sense.

[@Beckzyy]

its because southgate had a system in mind, and played nigh every player out of position at some point or another to try and get it to work. he'd shoehorn kane and bellingham in every time even if it wasnt right, and it would force the other 4 players around them to constantly play out of position.

[@izanudin]

My favorite Sam Allardyce team was Bolton with Okocha, Djorkaeff, Nolan, Davies and Jaaskeleinen. Overperformed? Perhaps. But so entertaining.

[@robertofacchiano9624]

“Is bellingham your Kevin Nolan?” 😂

[@carloperkins6719]

When you asked him about pressing 🤣🤣

[@Sp1NNN023]

he would put Harry Kane at corner kicks we already know his tactics.

[@kylestevens6544]

Sam, as a fellow yam yam, you weren't just acussed of boring football you made Villa vs Bolton one of the most boring games I ever sat thru. The special one got away with it because they always scored and had the best defensive record. You have to score to win, not keep a clean sheet

[@penguinthreehundred]

With that midfield he picked for the 2018 squad, I doubt England is going to even make the semis 😂

[@ThisAlbino]

Sam would love the England job, think of all the young lads he could introduce to new agents!

[@jaisonharrison7812]

Feels a lot like you’re the young hot shot assistant manager for Sam here 😂

[@FrankTScout]

NOW THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SEE

[@toadftm]

Best manager we never had

[@richardfothergill8090]

I was gutted when they sacked Sam. He’d have been the perfect tournament manager.

[@B_Urban]

Massive video

[@spooked2104]

LETS GO BIG SAM

[@leeroy3573]

Anyone who watched an Allardyce team knows there's fuck all chance he plays Hall and Trent wing backs, plus Bellingham and Foden midfield. Not saying he was only ever a 100% defensive manager but no way he plays a side that attacking. He would have someone with Rice, Bellingham is wasted playing that deep role whilst Foden has never justified his spot for England in any role

[@KitCalder]

With a pint of wine to hand, presumably

[@IVIichaeeel]

came for big sam stayed for Allcott

[@josepha8415]

Goated. Big Sam has better managerial instincts than Southgate.

[@AlexandriaTheSecond]

Even my nan would had a better instincts than southgate

[@blakenewton9536]

Ripple effect if big sam stayed at England he would of been knighted instead of Gareth Southgate.

[@aayushrai8881]

This video is giving Nihat Kahveci Darko Kovacevic vibes

[@Abhi_810-s9b]

GOated mnager alongside Sam allardayce 😆

[@Dosser]

What do you think about pressing 👀😂

[@radicalgambino2959]

It's all gravy

[@Do27gg]

Would have done better than Southgate

[@christopher1956]

If only he’d been given the opportunity ………..

[@BJJBOURN]

Congratulations James, another great achievement. Elite tier content, now with white tier guests 🎉

[@saelaird]

He knows his ball, that's for sure. But he'd have set them up to lose 1-0, with a word in a few ears and six figures on 1-0 at the bookies, let's be serious.

[@_caseyjames]

They don’t make them like Big Sam anymore’

[@Tariqh21]

Hate Forrest and gibs white but he deserves a call up

[@connahbourton5097]

Oh don’t you worry big Sam already set England up once

[@rickster5120]

Is Sam setting up to win or get the bung

[@Simon-sr3cn]

Damn is that Sam allardyce

[@bthermidorl]

Do we learn nothing? Get Foden outta there ffs! It's ridiculous 😂

[@IggyGoesPop666]

Poor James is being groomed here 😜

[@Beattie755]

Just dropped in without watching to say: Nobody cares what Sam allardyce would have done.

[@JermaineWilliams-t7j]

You guys realise we got to 2 finals with Southgate?

[@Beckzyy]

both of which, we had the best squad and shouldve won. incredibly easy run in 18 and multiple fluke misses from opponents in 22 that shouldve knocked us out. its like saying "you do realise france got to 2 finals right" after seeing them lose a world cup final to senegal 4-0, and lose a euros final to morocco 5-1. they are games they should be winning with confidence, and if that was to happen in some alternate reality, you wouldnt be saying "yeah well at least they got to the final", youd be saying "wow, they lost against those teams with the squad they have? thats embarassing". its exactly the same here. we have the strongest team by an absolute landslide, and if we had even a remotely competent manager that knew the players even the slightest bit, we wouldve won at least something. i mean, for fuck sakes, he said that hed never seen foden play centrally and that his best is definitely on the right (somewhere he'd ONLY ever played for england under southgate). later the next day in an interview, foden said that he loves playing centrally and that it's his favorite position. he had zero fucking clue about what he was doing, playing palmer on the left, trent in midfield, leaving rice alone in the midfield etc. its a suprise he took us past columbia let alone the semis. we had to beat columbia on penalties. columbia. penalties. stop making excuses for him. if i beat a professional darts player at a game of darts where i have the perfect darts and he has the heaviest, bluntest darts in the world, that doesnt make me a good darts player. same goes for southgate. had all the gear and no idea. he couldve said "fuck it lads, go out there and score for me" and he probably wouldve done just as good as he did because the players he had were just that good. he was a detriment. this excuse that 'HE' got us to two finals is outlandish, nonsensical and ridiculous. the PLAYERS got us there (by the skin of their teeth) DESPITE his poor management. NOT the other way around

[@JermaineWilliams-t7j]

@@Beckzyy no. Ridiculous. the same way if we would have won a 50/50 penalty shoot out against Italy. We’d have a euros. If Kane would have scored that penalty vs France we’d possibly have a World Cup. football is a game of chance and we came closer than we ever have since 66 under Southgate. we need to stop being spoilt brats and appreciate that he actually did a good job. in 2020 I remember knowbody thought we would stand a chance and he got us to a final.

[@jackoconnor3812]

Bro. If we didn't get to a final on both occasions it would have been a shambles. We had the easiest run, probably the easiest we will ever get. That will never happen again. Losing to Croatia on a semi final too? Get out of here mate

[@jackoconnor3812]

​@@JermaineWilliams-t7jalso, there is nothing to be spoilt about. We are a joke

[@braythesmall4131]

so hed set up the england squad like half the people in england would of. nice to know

[@vicvinegar4540]

Palmer on the left 😂

[@tobiasmatthewcoaching]

Bits.

[@petesincock5162]

Maybe I'm getting old but struggled with couple of the names on the background and smaller font especially with the way Sam just spoke in particular with Palmer and Foden. Not sure if maybe you could make font bigger or repeat the actual names discussed at the time. Other than interesting podcast, had alot of time for Sam, managed one of my favourite premier league teams to watch as a neutral in his Bolton days

[@matthewp3542]

Instant click to watch