The England World Cup Thread

[Guntz]

Such a shame Winks is injured.

He would be a nailed on starter in that midfield

 

[SpaggyBoy]

That has to be the worst England World Cup Squad ever. No guile, no creativity, not one player with an eye for a pass, a bunch of shit goalkeepers, no good centre halves, and a manager who is the dictionary definition of mediocrity. It will be like watching AVB era Spurs minus Gareth Bale, loads of dull, pointless possession with no end product.

I'll be amazed if we get out of the group.

 

[thinktank]

I know exactly what's gonna happen in the WC.

We'll look alright against top teams, playing on the counter but this team will look utterly clueless when we play someone who will sit back and soak it up.

3 CBs with Dier and Henderson in front. No tempo and no penetration.

Will get done by any team that's properly tactically savvy.

 

[tototoner]

https://team-picker.files.bbci.co.uk/england-xi-f6f584f630e01cfb362a704a683a07c9.html

My starting XI

-------------------------Pope-------------------

---------Walker-----Maguire----Stones---

Trippier----Henderson----Dier------Rose

------------------Sterling------Alli---------------

-------------------------Kane------------------------

 

[worcestersauce]

I know people will be smiling because Wilshire isn't in the squad, my question is this,
Whatever you think of him and however badly you think he does what he does, who is it in the squad that does what he does?

 

[WiganSpur]

If Panama and Tunisia have got any sense they should sit back and look to nick a goal late on. Doubt we'll have a clue how to break them down.

 

[hughy]

https://team-picker.files.bbci.co.uk/england-xi-f6f584f630e01cfb362a704a683a07c9.html

My starting XI

-------------------------Pope-------------------

---------Walker-----Maguire----Stones---

Trippier----Henderson----Dier------Rose

------------------Sterling------Alli---------------

-------------------------Kane------------------------

That team is horribly lacking in creativity. It's actually scary that we don't even have any options on the bench.


We'll beat Tunisia and Panama (well, I fucking hope so...), but it'll inevitably get frustrating when we come up against a half-decent defence.

 

[Shadydan]

I know people will be smiling because Wilshire isn't in the squad, my question is this,
Whatever you think of him and however badly you think he does what he does, who is it in the squad that does what he does?

No-one but the thing that he does isn't effective anymore, if anyone has watched Wilshere will know this season he hit peak in Jan/Feb but has since then gone downhill and has become just another average midfielder, doesn't influence games enough anymore and plays on the periphery of matches.

Plus he's not fit and hasn't been 100% fit for a long time.

 

[Shadydan]

That team is horribly lacking in creativity. It's actually scary that we don't even have any options on the bench.


We'll beat Tunisia and Panama (well, I fucking hope so...), but it'll inevitably get frustrating when we come up against a half-decent defence.

Reckon the plan is to let better teams have the ball and counter them at pace.

 

[hughy]

I know people will be smiling because Wilshire isn't in the squad, my question is this,
Whatever you think of him and however badly you think he does what he does, who is it in the squad that does what he does?

Shelvey would have been my choice.


No, seriously. When he has time and space, he can be majestic on the ball. He was pinging balls around like no ones business against us. Certainly would have him over Loftus-Cheek or Welbeck.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

I was very critical of Southgate getting the job but I think his picks are spot on

All the established managers would have picked the normal 'stars' that are either well out of form, injured or woefully short of game time

Yes we lack creativity and it looks a pretty dull bunch to watch so we are not expected to do anymore than struggle to get through the group

This lot could actually surprise us although I’m not holding my breath

 

[spursfan77]

Reckon the plan is to let better teams have the ball and counter them at pace.

The only better team we will probably play is Belgium though.

Its conceivable we won't get out the group again.

 

[worcestersauce]

No-one but the thing that he does isn't effective anymore, if anyone has watched Wilshere will know this season he hit peak in Jan/Feb but has since then gone downhill and has become just another average midfielder, doesn't influence games enough anymore and plays on the periphery of matches.

Plus he's not fit and hasn't been 100% fit for a long time.

I don't disagree and I'm not really arguing he should be in the squad, I just can't see the alternative, it seems to me that we have decided what he does isn't important.

Shelvey would have been my choice.

No, seriously. When he has time and space, he can be majestic on the ball. He was pinging balls around like no ones business against us. Certainly would have him over Loftus-Cheek or Welbeck.

On form I agree with you absolutely and I thought he would have at least have made this initial squad, especially with Vardy ready to make the runs ahead of him.

I must have missed the games where Delph proved himself the better player.

 

[WiganSpur]

I don't disagree and I'm not really arguing he should be in the squad, I just can't see the alternative, it seems to me that we have decided what he does isn't important.

On form I agree with you abso and I thought he would have at least have made this initial squad, especially with Vardy ready to make the runs ahead of him.

I must have missed the games where Delph proved himself the better player.

Delph is and should be in because he can play left back too. If only Southgate utilised this strength of his and dropped Rose or Young to make room for more creativity.

 

[worcestersauce]

Delph is and should be in because he can play left back too. If only Southgate utilised this strength of his and dropped Rose or Young to make room for more creativity.

So are you saying he should be in but not for the reasns Southgate seems to have put him in?

 

[WiganSpur]

So are you saying he should be in but not for the reasns Southgate seems to have put him in?

I don't know why he's been picked by Southgate but he'd be in my squad because he's a decent CM and he's a great option for back up left back. It would then mean only one of Rose and Young would need to be selected, making room for a useful extra player or a wildcard pick.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

I think Southgate would have recognised Shelveys form and ability but he wanted to go with solid players that he could trust to do a job

Shelvey has such a fragile mentality you never quite know what your going to get and I don’t think he’s shown a consistent enough run of maturity

Chances are he’d do very little and or get himself sent off so Southgate obviously came to the conclusion that he couldn’t trust him with one of the jerseys

Also squad dynamics on a pressurised World Cup away tour with different personalities

 

[worcestersauce]

I think Southgate would have recognised Shelveys form and ability but he wanted to go with solid players that he could trust to do a job

Shelvey has such a fragile mentality you never quite know what your going to get and I don’t think he’s shown a consistent enough run of maturity

Chances are he’d do very little and or get himself sent off so Southgate obviously came to the conclusion that he couldn’t trust him with one of the jerseys

Also squad dynamics on a pressurised World Cup away tour with different personalities

Sounds like you are saying he is the better player but Southgate is right not to pick him.

 

[nailsy]

Danny fucking Welbeck. We might as well not bother boarding the plane

15 league goals in four years at Arsenal! He's played well for England in the past, but he's very lucky to be included.

I don't agree with the defensive selections. Why do we need 3 Rbs? And 4 centre halves plus Dier?

I'd have taken out Cahill and brought in another midfielder, probably Wilshere. I'd have also gone for Sancho and Sessegnon over Welbeck and Young. Glad Loftus Cheek is in again.

Walker could play as a CB so taking an extra one makes sense. If we play a three man defence you need cover.

Wilshere surely. Especially with Lallana being a doubt.

Wilshere blew his chance when he pulled out of the last squad injured. Didn't he play for Arsenal days later as well?

 

[Shadydan]