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England squad

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Those midfield options are so poor.

Fabian Delph hasn't started a single league game since 26th December.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek hasn't started a single league game since 2nd January.
Ross Barkley has started just 4 of the 9 games since 2nd January.

Henderson and Rice are really the only ones who get consistent game time and I am not sure you can really play those together. 3 left backs and 3 right backs in the squad too.

Though looking at it, you've missed out Dier in midfield, but even then he's started 1 game since the 8th December and much like Henderson and Rice is a bit on the defensive side. Should probably start looking to develop himself as a right sided centre back in Southgates three.

I think it might be the case where Dele may need to be dropped deeper in midfield. Put him and Rice in there together with Rashford, Sterling and Kane up top.

Refuse to believe there is no talent in the Championship that could be called up

Agreed the midfield options aren't great in this squad, partly because I think Winks is the only top CM England have who is creative, but I think Loftus Cheek is ok, although as you say Chelsea aren't playing him.

Barkley hasn't yet got back to his pre-injury form and I suspect his lack of playing time isn't helping him.

Lewis Cook (Bournemouth) is injured but might otherwise be in the squad, but again is more of a DM.

Ward-Prowse (Southampton) is an option, and a decent free kick taker, and I suspect at some stage one of Delph, Barkley and Loftus Cheek might drop out to accommodate him - might also trigger one or more of the three to move to a club where they are playing more regularly which would help.

James Maddison was dropped for this squad, but I think will be better next season having had a full PL season behind him.

In terms of Championship, the obvious candidate is Grealish, but the problem (other than he's just back from injury) I think is that the championship is a step down from PL and with it he's not used to playing with the higher quality players, which means he really needs to move to PL to play. There are examples of course in years gone past where players have even been picked from the 3rd tier - Peter Taylor was playing in the old Division 2 when picked for England - so maybe Grealish should be picked to train with England to see whether he's good enough to play for England.

I can see why Dele dropping back solves the cm problem - but personally I think the Kane/Dele combo is so good that I'd try not to do it.
 
Can't believe that someone like Ward-Prowse isn't getting a call up. At least he's getting regular minutes in a position where England are pretty light. Rather some benchwarmer who plays left back for City than a player who's getting regular game time in the Premier League. This is back to sending all the wrong signals to young English players. Thought Southgate wanted to pick players on merit. At this rate he might as well select Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham and Rooney.
 
Trippier instead of Wan-Bissaka, that's pretty disgraceful.

There are 3 RB's in the squad and 3 LB's in the squad, so with that number its not bad to have Wan-Bissaka actually playing in u21's rather than being on the bench. I think next season though he'll become an England regular as he'll be too old for u21's and also will have had a solid first full PL season behind him
 
Can't believe that someone like Ward-Prowse isn't getting a call up. At least he's getting regular minutes in a position where England are pretty light. Rather some benchwarmer who plays left back for City than a player who's getting regular game time in the Premier League. This is back to sending all the wrong signals to young English players. Thought Southgate wanted to pick players on merit. At this rate he might as well select Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham and Rooney.

I was worried Southgate might pick Rooney again after having him in the squad last time !
 
Agreed the midfield options aren't great in this squad, partly because I think Winks is the only top CM England have who is creative, but I think Loftus Cheek is ok, although as you say Chelsea aren't playing him.

Barkley hasn't yet got back to his pre-injury form and I suspect his lack of playing time isn't helping him.

Lewis Cook (Bournemouth) is injured but might otherwise be in the squad, but again is more of a DM.

Ward-Prowse (Southampton) is an option, and a decent free kick taker, and I suspect at some stage one of Delph, Barkley and Loftus Cheek might drop out to accommodate him - might also trigger one or more of the three to move to a club where they are playing more regularly which would help.

James Maddison was dropped for this squad, but I think will be better next season having had a full PL season behind him.

In terms of Championship, the obvious candidate is Grealish, but the problem (other than he's just back from injury) I think is that the championship is a step down from PL and with it he's not used to playing with the higher quality players, which means he really needs to move to PL to play. There are examples of course in years gone past where players have even been picked from the 3rd tier - Peter Taylor was playing in the old Division 2 when picked for England - so maybe Grealish should be picked to train with England to see whether he's good enough to play for England.

I can see why Dele dropping back solves the cm problem - but personally I think the Kane/Dele combo is so good that I'd try not to do it.

Sterling and Kane works perfectly enough.

Rashford - Kane - Sterling
Dele - Rice - Henderson
Chilwell - Maguire - Stones - Walker
Pickford
Would probably be my choice of starting 11 for whoever England are playing next week.

Mount was called up in one of the last England squads by the way and he plays Championship football. Though not sure if he's still playing at a consistent level or if he's fit enough.

Shame there's no Winks in that midfield above though, I think that's a pretty good midfield 3.
 
There are 3 RB's in the squad and 3 LB's in the squad, so with that number its not bad to have Wan-Bissaka actually playing in u21's rather than being on the bench. I think next season though he'll become an England regular as he'll be too old for u21's and also will have had a solid first full PL season behind him
I think he should've played at least one of those two fixtures as he is the best right-back in the country atm and certainly deserves a chance.
 
Sterling and Kane works perfectly enough.

Rashford - Kane - Sterling
Dele - Rice - Henderson
Chilwell - Maguire - Stones - Walker
Pickford
Would probably be my choice of starting 11 for whoever England are playing next week.

Mount was called up in one of the last England squads by the way and he plays Championship football. Though not sure if he's still playing at a consistent level or if he's fit enough.

Shame there's no Winks in that midfield above though, I think that's a pretty good midfield 3.

The problem with playing Mount, or any other Chelsea player on loan, is that within a year or two they will likely become the next Loftus-Cheek or Barkley - in the Chelsea squad but not playing.

IMO Southgate should not pick the Chelsea kids because of that and find perhaps a less talented player at a lesser club but who plays regularly. Might also persuade the Chelsea players to move clubs to one they will play at.

Incidentally I'm sure that the reason why Southgate is picking the likes of Loftus-Cheek, Barkley and Delph is at least partly because they play for a top 6 club - same as Sven Goran Eriksen used to try to only pick players playing CL football - even though of course none of the are regular starters at their clubs.
 
England U21s squad named for games with Poland and Germany on home soil

Goalkeepers: Freddie Woodman (Newcastle United), Angus Gunn (Southampton), Dean Henderson (Sheffield United, loan from Manchester United)

Defenders: Jake Clarke-Salter (Vitesse, loan from Chelsea), Jay Dasilva (Bristol City, loan from Chelsea), Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), Lloyd Kelly (Bristol City), Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), Ezri Konsa (Brentford), Fikayo Tomori (Derby County, loan from Chelsea), Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace)

Midfielders: Harvey Barnes (Leicester City), Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City), Tom Davies (Everton), Kieran Dowell (Sheffield United, loan from Everton), Phil Foden (Manchester City), James Maddison (Leicester City), Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)

Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Aston Villa, loan from Chelsea), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Demarai Gray (Leicester City), Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea), Ademola Lookman (Everton), Reiss Nelson (Hoffenheim, loan from Woolwich), Dominic Solanke (AFC Bournemouth)

Totti Totti

I'd suggest whilst the u21 squad looks decent at first glance, its weakness, like the England main team squad, is at CM as there are no outstanding creative CM's. Bad news for the main squad that unless one pops up out if the blue we might need to wait a couple of years.

Several of these players will step up to the main squad, but I worry that those at Chelsea and ManCity in particular will lack the opportunities at club level to step up. Better for England that those players join clubs where they will get opportunities, so those at the likes of Leicester, Everton and Crystal Palace more likely to step up in the future.
 
England U21s squad named for games with Poland and Germany on home soil

Goalkeepers: Freddie Woodman (Newcastle United), Angus Gunn (Southampton), Dean Henderson (Sheffield United, loan from Manchester United)

Defenders: Jake Clarke-Salter (Vitesse, loan from Chelsea), Jay Dasilva (Bristol City, loan from Chelsea), Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), Lloyd Kelly (Bristol City), Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), Ezri Konsa (Brentford), Fikayo Tomori (Derby County, loan from Chelsea), Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace)

Midfielders: Harvey Barnes (Leicester City), Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City), Tom Davies (Everton), Kieran Dowell (Sheffield United, loan from Everton), Phil Foden (Manchester City), James Maddison (Leicester City), Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)

Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Aston Villa, loan from Chelsea), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Demarai Gray (Leicester City), Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea), Ademola Lookman (Everton), Reiss Nelson (Hoffenheim, loan from Woolwich), Dominic Solanke (AFC Bournemouth)

Totti Totti

I'd suggest whilst the u21 squad looks decent at first glance, its weakness, like the England main team squad, is at CM as there are no outstanding creative CM's. Bad news for the main squad that unless one pops up out if the blue we might need to wait a couple of years.

Several of these players will step up to the main squad, but I worry that those at Chelsea and ManCity in particular will lack the opportunities at club level to step up. Better for England that those players join clubs where they will get opportunities, so those at the likes of Leicester, Everton and Crystal Palace more likely to step up in the future.

Think Foden could do a job in a midfield 3.
 
Goalkeepers: Brandon Austin (Tottenham Hotspur), Ellery Balcombe (Boreham Wood, loan from Brentford), Ryan Schofield (Notts County, loan from Huddersfield Town)

Defenders: Reece James (Wigan Athletic, loan from Chelsea), Trevoh Chalobah (Ipswich Town, loan from Chelsea), Tom Edwards (Stoke City), Adam Lewis (Liverpool), Tom Pearce (Scunthorpe United, loan from Leeds United), Easah Suliman (Aston Villa), Ben Wilmot (Udinese, loan from Watford)

Midfielders: Flynn Downes (Ipswich Town), Andre Dozzell (Ipswich Town), Elliott Embleton (Grimsby Town, loan from Sunderland), Sam Field (West Bromwich Albion), Ben Godfrey (Norwich City), Marcus Tavernier (Middlesbrough), Ronaldo Vieira (Sampdoria), Joe Willock (Woolwich)

Forwards: Eberechi Eze (Queens Park Rangers), Grady Diangana (West Ham United), George Hirst (OH Leuven), Dwight McNeil (Burnley), Eddie Nketiah (Woolwich).
Paul Simpson has picked his England U20s squad for games with Poland and Portugal

Good to see Brandon Austin (GK) called up for E u20's after a lot of good performances at u23 level this season.
 
Think Foden could do a job in a midfield 3.

Phil Foden | Football Stats | Manchester City | Age 18 | Soccer Base
On skill level agreed, but on experience level it's a brave experiment. Good news is he's made over appearances for ManCity this season, bad news most off the bench with no starts in PL.

If he continues developing at ManCity I think he'll get a decent number of starts next season, so definitely better positioned than at the start of this season, but IMO now might still be too early
 
England u18's
D1n_ZBCX0AAFdqs.jpg


Good to see Paris Maghoma and Luis Binks included - not sure why Maghoma listed as a defender though !

TJ Eyoma makes the E u19 squad too.
 
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