England squad

[SpiderSpurs]

Lallana is a surprise for me - has he played at all this season?

No. Perhaps Southgate caught wind of a petition, don't need the bad publicity from the Liverpool Echo.

 

[Spursidol]

Might be easier to appraise the squad in this kind of format.

GK
Jordan Pickford (Everton),
Jack Butland (Stoke City),
Alex McCarthy (Southampton)

CB
Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Harry Maguire (Leicester City),
John Stones (Manchester City),
James Tarkowski (Burnley),

FB
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool),
Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur),
Luke Shaw (Manchester United),
Kyle Walker (Manchester City), (also CB)
Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur),

CM
Fabian Delph (Manchester City),
Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur),
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool),
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea),

AM
Dele (Tottenham Hotspur),
Adam Lallana (Liverpool),
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City),

Striker
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur),
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United),,
Danny Welbeck (Woolwich).

Really not sure what Southgate will learn from the limited changes he's made

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Lallana is a surprise for me - has he played at all this season?

I understand why he's selected, I would have called him up. He's certainly got the creativity that we lack and was a mainstay before his injury.

But as others have said RLC hasn't done anything when selected and even more so Rashford who has been shite for both club and Country, at 20yrs he's still time to get back his place but he really should be dropped down into U23's to get some meaningful (let him boss a few games and gain some confidence) minutes.

The other baffling choice is Dat Cunt Welbzzzzzz. What has this lump done in the past 5yrs to warrant a selection? Can only hazard a guess that Southgate is handing him some rope that he will hang himself with another diabolical 10mins off the bench.

 

[Spursidol]

For me Lallana, Delph & Welbeck should be nowhere near this squad. For me Sancho, Foden & Winks should be there instead. A bit harsh on Lewis Cook & Callum Wilson after their starts to the season as well. Was James Maddison worth a place as well? Maybe too soon for some of them but what are you gaining from Delph & Welbeck in your squad? Bit cowardly if you ask me

I would certainly have gone for Lewis Cook, Callum Wilson and James Maddison.

Winks I half understand as he's only played a few minutes for months, Foden has only played a few minutes so whilst I can see him being a top player its probably too soon and maybe whilst Sancho had a great start at Dortmund I hear a new manager means he will not be an automatic starter - so there's some logic to those not being in this squad.

Other than CM where we are very light, Vardy disappearing from the strikers is a real problem as he scored goals - Rashford's scoring rate is not high (although tbf it may improve with age) , so surely time to blood another striker and see what happens. And the only option there is Calum Wilson that I can see.

We also need decent goalscoring AM's, and Sterling and Lallana are not prolific for England, so trying out Maddison would certainly have been a step forward

 

[Park Lane Mark Twain]

I'd rather see it look a bit like this whilst the wind is in everyone's sails after the WC:

GK
Jordan Pickford (Everton),
Jack Butland (Stoke City),
Alex McCarthy (Southampton)

CB
Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Harry Maguire (Leicester City),
John Stones (Manchester City),
Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur),

FB
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool),
Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur),
Luke Shaw (Manchester United),
Kyle Walker (Manchester City), (also CB)
Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur),

CM
Phil Foden (Manchester City),
Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur),
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool),
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea),

AM
Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur),
Jadon Sancho (Leicester),
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City),

Striker
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur),
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United),,
Callum Wilson (Bournemouth).

I'd be putting calls into James Maddison &a Lewis Cook to tell them their time will come if they keep stepping up this season as well. Grealish miles off seeing as he ain't playing top tier football.

Really not sure what Southgate will learn from the limited changes he's made, I'm slightly concerned he's in a bit of a World Cup bubble when the only team we played whilst at full strength that were good were Croatia. He should have used this to keep his core &I give fresh solutions to fringe areas to improve the weaknesses demonstrated across certain stages of the summer

 

[Spursidol]

I'd rather see it look a bi like this whilst the wind is in everyone's sails after the WC:

GK
Jordan Pickford (Everton),
Jack Butland (Stoke City),
Alex McCarthy (Southampton)

CB
Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Harry Maguire (Leicester City),
John Stones (Manchester City),
Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur),

FB
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool),
Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur),
Luke Shaw (Manchester United),
Kyle Walker (Manchester City), (also CB)
Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur),

CM
Phil Foden (Manchester City),
Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur),
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool),
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea),

AM
Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur),
Jadon Sancho (Leicester),
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City),

Striker
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur),
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United),,
Callum Wilson (Bournemouth).

I'd be putting calls into James Maddison &a Lewis Cook to tell them their time will come if they keep stepping up this season as well. Grealish miles off seeing as he ain't playing top tier football.

Really not sure what Southgate will learn from the limited changes he's made, I'm slightly concerned he's in a bit of a World Cup bubble when the only team we played whilst at full strength that were good were Croatia. He should have used this to keep his core &I give fresh solutions to fringe areas to improve the weaknesses demonstrated across certain stages of the summer

I'm sure he's in a bubble based upon getting through to the semi finals - despite as you say, us playing well (tbf we didn't actually play badly, but it was quite clear the squad was limited as to what was possible) or beating the better sides we met.

Only hope now is that when another squad is announced in a couple of months that he has the balls to make the kind of changes we've discussed in this thread.

 

[Spursidol]

I understand why he's selected, I would have called him up. He's certainly got the creativity that we lack and was a mainstay before his injury.

But as others have said RLC hasn't done anything when selected and even more so Rashford who has been shite for both club and Country, at 20yrs he's still time to get back his place but he really should be dropped down into U23's to get some meaningful (let him boss a few games and gain some confidence) minutes.

The other baffling choice is Dat Cunt Welbzzzzzz. What has this lump done in the past 5yrs to warrant a selection? Can only hazard a guess that Southgate is handing him some rope that he will hang himself with another diabolical 10mins off the bench.

Think the only reason Rashford is there is that Southgate can't think of any others to try - and Welbeck is not the answer either.

Rashford's time will come of course - providing of course he's not ruined by Mourhinio - but he does need to find a way to score on a more frequent basis for England

 

[Park Lane Mark Twain]

I'm sure he's in a bubble based upon getting through to the semi finals - despite as you say, us playing well (tbf we didn't actually play badly, but it was quite clear the squad was limited as to what was possible) or beating the better sides we met.

Only hope now is that when another squad is announced in a couple of months that he has the balls to make the kind of changes we've discussed in this thread.

My concerns with Southgate started when he tried sitting back on a 1-0 against Colombia only to do exactly the same against Croatia. It's too negative a mindset to have you need to stay on the front foot until at least the 75th minute & try to play. Before his press conference today he was reflecting on a hugely successful tournament this summer &a I don't like that. We had a pretty easy route and I get a little bothered that he & the squad feel they did enough when it's probably the easiest route any team has had to a semi final. They did great, they really did but it's done, keep the confidence it comes with but don't sit back on the squad without making a few genuine tweaks & possible improvements in order to evolve. A bit ropey if you ask me

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

My concerns with Southgate started when he tried sitting back on a 1-0 against Colombia only to do exactly the same against Croatia. It's too negative a mindset to have you need to stay on the front foot until at least the 75th minute & try to play. Before his press conference today he was reflecting on a hugely successful tournament this summer &a I don't like that. We had a pretty easy route and I get a little bothered that he & the squad feel they did enough when it's probably the easiest route any team has had to a semi final. They did great, they really did but it's done, keep the confidence it comes with but don't sit back on the squad without making a few genuine tweaks & possible improvements in order to evolve. A bit ropey if you ask me

Can't blame him for anything done at the World Cup, we've always been shite at Tournaments often one of the first teams to fly back home and this includes playing sides that are shite too. We weren't as good as Croatia, simple as that and the players available to him to "improve" just were not there.

As for this selection who else are you expecting him to bring in that adds quality? Who's this wonder player that he hasn't selected?

 

[Jenny Talia]

Can't blame him for anything done at the World Cup, we've always been shite at Tournaments often one of the first teams to fly back home and this includes playing sides that are shite too. We weren't as good as Croatia, simple as that and the players available to him to "improve" just were not there.

As for this selection who else are you expecting him to bring in that adds quality? Who's this wonder player that he hasn't selected?

Craig Bellamy suggested using these games to look at Grealish and Sancho. Not bad shouts in my opinion.

 

[Park Lane Mark Twain]

Can't blame him for anything done at the World Cup, we've always been shite at Tournaments often one of the first teams to fly back home and this includes playing sides that are shite too. We weren't as good as Croatia, simple as that and the players available to him to "improve" just were not there.

As for this selection who else are you expecting him to bring in that adds quality? Who's this wonder player that he hasn't selected?

Even though we done so well to get to the semis as as semi final in the World Cup is a semi final in a World Cup but I do blame him for the mentality demonstrated in both the Colombia & Croatia 2nd halfs. We sat back, hoofed the ball and tried clinging on like a team I'd expect him to do when he managed Middlesbrough in all honesty. I don't mind losing games but I think the mindset didn't help us in the latter stages of both matches personally, I wanted more guts &a to not be afraid of making mistakes etc from a coaching point of view.

As for players to come in that add quality, it's not about the quality to hit the ground running it's about options & getting a bit of a look at them in place of players that I don't think add any value already. Personally the one I'm really excited about is Foden, I think he's going to be a genuine star and I'd have liked to see Southgate bring him into the group as it was clear to me during the summer a creative outlet in the middle of the park is something we were lacking. It's no big deal as it's only a couple of friendliest but I think Foden & Sancho would have been good shouts instead of Delph & Welbeck. It would give Gareth a real chance to get to know them more than he gets just watching a few games

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Craig Bellamy suggested using these games to look at Grealish and Sancho. Not bad shouts in my opinion.

Yep, like that. Both playing and excelling for their Clubs. Must be seen to reward performance when talking about the young players. I don't know if Southgate has the U23's train with the senior squad, or even if this is possible given timetables etc. but if the U23 squad and Snr squad are brought closer together then it should push competition for places and also not be too much of a confidence blow if someone is dropped back into U23's.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Even though we done so well to get to the semis as as semi final in the World Cup is a semi final in a World Cup but I do blame him for the mentality demonstrated in both the Colombia & Croatia 2nd halfs. We sat back, hoofed the ball and tried clinging on like a team I'd expect him to do when he managed Middlesbrough in all honesty. I don't mind losing games but I think the mindset didn't help us in the latter stages of both matches personally, I wanted more guts &a to not be afraid of making mistakes etc from a coaching point of view.

As for players to come in that add quality, it's not about the quality to hit the ground running it's about options & getting a bit of a look at them in place of players that I don't think add any value already. Personally the one I'm really excited about is Foden, I think he's going to be a genuine star and I'd have liked to see Southgate bring him into the group as it was clear to me during the summer a creative outlet in the middle of the park is something we were lacking. It's no big deal as it's only a couple of friendliest but I think Foden & Sancho would have been good shouts instead of Delph & Welbeck. It would give Gareth a real chance to get to know them more than he gets just watching a few games

Sancho I get but not Foden, he's played 8mins of football for City!! Delph gets selected ahead of Foden for City (yes different positions but Delph also covered at LB for City last year too).

I think our mentality was just fine at the World Cup, we were beaten by a better team. I felt this was the case before the game and wasn't surprised with the result or the performance. In fact against Croatia we played better than I was expecting in the first half. Still think given who he has available to him we couldn't have played in any other way than the way we did. When your options off the bench are RLC and Rashford you are kinda fucked. The main player that we missed was Lallana. (Would have been nice to have Winks available but he still has it all to prove).

 

[r-u-s-x]

Yep, like that. Both playing and excelling for their Clubs. Must be seen to reward performance when talking about the young players. I don't know if Southgate has the U23's train with the senior squad, or even if this is possible given timetables etc. but if the U23 squad and Snr squad are brought closer together then it should push competition for places and also not be too much of a confidence blow if someone is dropped back into U23's.

Sancho isn't getting very many minutes and they may think calling him up to early may be detrimental to his development (pressure) - Greilish maybe and perhaps Barkley if he sees a future for him.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Sancho isn't getting very many minutes and they may think calling him up to early may be detrimental to his development (pressure) - Greilish maybe and perhaps Barkley if he sees a future for him.

I haven't been paying any attention to what Sancho has been doing with my own eyes, just seen loads of stuff about him and his performances in the media and they all seemed to be glowing, so made assumptions there, so cheers for correction.

Had completely forgotten about Barkley, with my English hat on, under Sarri he might develop well, big year for him.

 

[Park Lane Mark Twain]

Sancho I get but not Foden, he's played 8mins of football for City!! Delph gets selected ahead of Foden for City (yes different positions but Delph also covered at LB for City last year too).

I think our mentality was just fine at the World Cup, we were beaten by a better team. I felt this was the case before the game and wasn't surprised with the result or the performance. In fact against Croatia we played better than I was expecting in the first half. Still think given who he has available to him we couldn't have played in any other way than the way we did. When your options off the bench are RLC and Rashford you are kinda fucked. The main player that we missed was Lallana. (Would have been nice to have Winks available but he still has it all to prove).

I get what you're saying about Foden, it could well be too soon for him but I struggle to see why players like Welbeck are in this squad. For me there's 2-3 players in this squad that take up places that the likes of Maddison, Wilson, Barkley, Grealish etc could have been given to mix things up. It's just a little disappointing that he's gone for a couple that I don't see adding any genuine value long term or at least going into the next major tournament. If it was a qualifier fair enough but it's a couple of friendly matches that would have added value to certain players based on the experience they would have got mixing it in training with the senior boys

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

I get what you're saying about Foden, it could well be too soon for him but I struggle to see why players like Welbeck are in this squad. For me there's 2-3 players in this squad that take up places that the likes of Maddison, Wilson, Barkley, Grealish etc could have been given to mix things up. It's just a little disappointing that he's gone for a couple that I don't see adding any genuine value long term or at least going into the next major tournament. If it was a qualifier fair enough but it's a couple of friendly matches that would have added value to certain players based on the experience they would have got mixing it in training with the senior boys

I get that but the first team is really young and inexperienced and another very young player with little to no minutes of Snr football is a possible detriment of the team. There is also plenty of time for him and other to gain selection.

I'm hoping that Welbeck's inclusion is for him to show how far he is behind, Poch played Paulinho and Stambouli when it was clear they were shit (more likely getting some kind of stats up to get them sold or some such shit) but think he will play shit and just not get another call up, thus saying "I gave you the chance but you didn't take it, bye".

 

[Clynelish]

Euro 2020 something like:

Pickford;
Walker, Stones, Maguire;
Trippier, Maddison, Henderson, Dele, Sessegnon;
Sterling, Kane.

?

 

[r-u-s-x]

I haven't been paying any attention to what Sancho has been doing with my own eyes, just seen loads of stuff about him and his performances in the media and they all seemed to be glowing, so made assumptions there, so cheers for correction.

Had completely forgotten about Barkley, with my English hat on, under Sarri he might develop well, big year for him.

Just listen to podcasts and most saying Sancho has been good he has had 7 starts and 6 subs since he moved there.

Barkely has been starting for Chelsea first two games but Sub against Newcastle, I like him as a player but I think he will be overtaken by better players younger than him - the injury made him miss his chance to cement a place and make that harder. Would probably have him in this squad though.

 

[r-u-s-x]

I'm hoping that Welbeck's inclusion is for him to show how far he is behind, Poch played Paulinho and Stambouli when it was clear they were shit (more likely getting some kind of stats up to get them sold or some such shit) but think he will play shit and just not get another call up, thus saying "I gave you the chance but you didn't take it, bye".

Everyone knows how far behind he is - there would be no one arguing he should get more playing time. I reckon he is good at giving out the bibs.