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The England Thread

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Ray Wilkins on Talksport this week said Loftus Cheek is just as good as Dele Alli, he just hasn't been given enough time on the pitch at Chelsea to show it

It's probably true, Chelsea have some serious talent but don't give their young players a chance to showcase it.
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,770
99,331
Would love to see Southgate be brave:

Pickford

Dier
Stones
Maguire

Trippier
Loftus Cheek
Winks
Rose

Dele
Sterling

Kane


Henderson, Cahill et al, just no, please no.

He'll go for Walker, but the understanding Trippier has with Kane is immense.
 

Hoddle&Waddle

Well-Known Member
Nov 25, 2012
8,337
17,565
Pickford
Walker dier stones jones rose
Loftus-cheek winks dele
Rashford Kane

That team would be perfect to play on the counter attack similar to us vs lpool and Madrid + good options off the bench like Barkley,vardy,sterling and lallana
I'd prefer a Dier Winks midfield, Loftus-Cheek as a good all rounder to bring on from the bench.
 

@Bobby__Lucky

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,933
3,982
Actually watched this intrnational and was pleased I did. England friendliest are notoriously boring. This was refreshing and it's clear he gives the players confidence. Livermore even had a skill moment on the ball that I never thought was in his locker. I thought Southgate was a dull appointment, however I hold my hands up. Got rid of Rooney, giving debuts to players who I think are worth it, mainly RLC whom I think is an outstanding prospect. Maybe the injuries forced his hand, but with a team with a high number of debutants, RLC and the Liverpool defender, I can't remember his name who only have a few EPL matches to their name.

More of same please Gareth.
 

@Bobby__Lucky

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,933
3,982
Don’t understand why Southgate would pick Livermore over Carroll in a format (CM3) like this, would give England a much more metronomic and adventurous presence in that midfield.

I did think whilst watching the game whether Tom should of got a chance in this call up. Apparently he's been doing good at Swansea?
 

Spurs 1961

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
6,665
8,739
A poor game. Most of the crowd were consumed by the challenge of getting paper aeroplanes to land on the pitch and very few actually watched the game much. The Germans started well but then seemed to not bother too much. All in all a pretty tame affair.

Our guys did OK. Dier looks very good at the moment and Trippier had a decent game. Danny Rose got better as the game progressed but as said is still getting match fit. Pickford was the standout player for England with Stones looking classy and after a poor start Loftus Cheek looked decent. Livermore was, well he was Livermore and probably not the only player who should never be near an international side
 
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Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
I did think whilst watching the game whether Tom should of got a chance in this call up. Apparently he's been doing good at Swansea?

He's doing OK, I know he has his limitations, he's bit lightweight without the ball for sure, but he's a shit load more metronomic and progressive in his thinking with the ball than the likes of Livermore, and in a 3cm system there's the insurance in numbers there to cover his defensive deficiencies. It's this kind of ambition and risk aversion that has been a problem for England for decades. Always take the/a safe option, even when there's fuck all at stake.

I give Southgate some credit for playing people like Loftus Cheek and Abraham and generally being a bit more youth orientated, but to be honest I don't really see he has much choice, the more senior options aren't there anyway and he was promoted from U21 boss as well.

The problem is that as U21 boss he did exactly the same, as soon as games or one result didn't go his way he reverted to the risk averse strategy, dropped "flair" or "ball playing" players and picked the biggest lads or the ones from the biggest clubs who were "safer". There was no sticking to a tactical ethos win or lose. Saying "this is how we will play come helming or high water, and as a result we got the kind of wishy washy crap we got for the last 45 minutes tonight, once a team decides "lads it's England" it's all over, retreat to the 18 yard line and pray for break.

The U21's under Boothroyd are exactly the same. The come out every game (and often every second half) fired up no doubt by a rousing speech/bollocking from Boothroyd, all bright eyed and bushy tailed, but as soon as any decent opposition start putting into practice a coached methodology it's shrinkage for England, back to passive aggressive bollocks, back to the 20 yard line, standing off until the ball gets given back to them and they break. Germany's second string U21's completely outplayed England U21's off the park last summer, despite on paper being a very strong side. The biggest difference was they had absolutely no tactical plan to fall back on. No clue how to impose themselves on a game for longer than for 10 minute spells against teams that actually do have some tactical plan.

The only reason the U20's and U17's are so bloody good is the bilk of them come from Chelsea and ManC - with the odd others from Spurs, Everton, Liverpool, Arsenal - academies that are teaching kids a decent brand of coached tactical football.
 

spurs9

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
11,840
34,012
Would love to see Southgate be brave:

Pickford

Dier
Stones
Maguire

Trippier
Loftus Cheek
Winks
Rose

Dele
Sterling

Kane


Henderson, Cahill et al, just no, please no.

He'll go for Walker, but the understanding Trippier has with Kane is immense.
If Lallana comes back as the same player before injury, I would swap him for Sterling, but that would be a good team.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
Would love to see Southgate be brave:

Pickford

Dier
Stones
Maguire

Trippier
Loftus Cheek
Winks
Rose

Dele
Sterling

Kane


Henderson, Cahill et al, just no, please no.

He'll go for Walker, but the understanding Trippier has with Kane is immense.

I think he likes Dier in midfield s having him there allows the centre backs to bring the ball out as he can slot in and cover for them.

Trippier might just get the nod over Walker because of his set pieces.

As @spurs9 says above Lalana Will probably come back into the equation if he can get near his previous form again.
 

SugarRay

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2011
7,984
11,110
I wasn’t happy with Southgate appointment but I’m pleased with how he approached this game and how he’s going about things. Decent performance from what could have been argued was closer to a third team than a second team before the game started.
Loftus-Cheek played well. Nice to see a player of his size with a bit of talent and the ability to have a look. Over here, if you’re over 6’2 it seemed you were cast as a donkey centre half or a lumbering centre forward for eternity! Dier, RLC, Dele and the likes are throwbacks
 

kmk

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2014
4,145
27,498
How did Rose do?

He and Kimmich cancelled each other out. He didn't forward much but didn't do much wrong.

As he's short of full match fitness, it's understandable that he isn't at his best. However he's still the best left back in England.
 

Spurs 1961

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
6,665
8,739
England really need all players fit then a front four of Kane, Dele, Lallana and Rashford would be great to see. I would have Dier and Winks in the central midfield roles
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
I don’t understand really why players like Cook, Onomah and even TOB or McEchran shouldn’t be given a game as reward for winning world cups. Clearly all are more talented and more likely to be the future than Livermore.

How can the FA criticise clubs for not giving the recent WC winning players a pathway when for decades England managers haven’t.

Best player out there last night for England was the youngest.
 
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