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The England World Cup Thread

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
The silly selection is the three right backs, completely unnecessary and smacks of a poorly thought out flavour of the month choice that England managers tend to do at tournaments. If they wanted to select TAA it should have been instead of Trippier, not take all of them.

If Walker is selected at centre back, you can always have Young in contention on the right hand side, whilst Delph (who I think has been selected as a midfielder) still offers cover at left back, so two options on either flank as well as Walker. To then have a further RB in the squad is just such a total waste of a squad space.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
Bizarrely, I think with a bit of luck in running, this England team could actually do ok.

I mean, the midfield is lacking quality, but it’s solid and round the periphery there are some decent options.

I think this is the first team for a long time that isn’t about accommodating overrated star players like Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, Beckham into I’ll judged systems, but a bunch of young players who are all quite hard working and are coached pretty well at club level.

I don’t know why he’s taken three RB’s, especially as Young can play both sides.

It’s a real shame KWP and Winks didn’t get more football this season.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
Even if you don't agree with the squad it makes a change for us to have a manager who isn't afraid to make a difficult decision and drop a player. He's seen off Rooney, Hart and Wilshere during his time in charge. I thought he might take more young players, but I guess, Loftus Cheek, Dele, Rashford & Alexandar Arnold are all young and we've probably got one of the most inexperienced squads around anyway.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
The silly selection is the three right backs, completely unnecessary and smacks of a poorly thought out flavour of the month choice that England managers tend to do at tournaments. If they wanted to select TAA it should have been instead of Trippier, not take all of them.

If Walker is selected at centre back, you can always have Young in contention on the right hand side, whilst Delph (who I think has been selected as a midfielder) still offers cover at left back, so two options on either flank as well as Walker. To then have a further RB in the squad is just such a total waste of a squad space.

Young plays on the left doesn't he? The two RB's are Trips and AA if Walker plays as a CB. Not sure why it's an issue.
 

Black

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2007
4,807
4,872
The fact that Gareth Southgate is taking England to the world cup is
mjlol.png



Looking at that midfield
francis.png
Ali is possibly the only creative player to play in there. I feel like this a wasted world cup.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
Young plays on the left doesn't he? The two RB's are Trips and AA if Walker plays as a CB. Not sure why it's an issue.

Young has played RB as well before, and is also right footed. In an emergency he could shift across and cover RB, with Delph doing the same at LB to keep the two options on either flank. Not to mention I don't see why we would play a back three in all games, and so Walker will probably end up playing RB at some point in the tournament. I think it's such a waste of a spot.
 

tototoner

Staying Alert
Mar 21, 2004
29,389
34,061
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.

Dier and Henderson may be too similar and defensive for some, maybe replace one of them with Loftus-Cheek

Personally i would have had Shelvey in the squad
 

Coyboy

The Double of 1961 is still The Double
Dec 3, 2004
15,506
5,032
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?

What act like a gobshite and then get carried off?

No one. That's kind of why he wasn't picked.
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
26,946
61,828
I'm surprised Smalling didn't get in but also really disappointed Southgate hasn't managed to find a decent midfielder for us.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
Young has played RB as well before, and is also right footed. In an emergency he could shift across and cover RB, with Delph doing the same at LB to keep the two options on either flank. Not to mention I don't see why we would play a back three in all games, and so Walker will probably end up playing RB at some point in the tournament. I think it's such a waste of a spot.

So if Walker was playing CB and Trippier had to go off you'd be happy playing Young there as he's done a job there before? I thought half of our problems have come from fielding players in the wrong position? Southgate wants to take a RB so that he doesn't have to play a LB at RB in an emergency. He may also see AA as the future at that position and want to give him some tournament experience.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
I'm surprised Smalling didn't get in but also really disappointed Southgate hasn't managed to find a decent midfielder for us.

Southgate ruled him out months ago because he doesn't think he can play the ball out from the back.
 

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
Thinking about it, i'd have rather Southgate had picked Foden. Probably too early for him, but we are desperately lacking creativity.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
I mentioned this in the podcast thread, but I'll throw it in here as well:

https://www.gimletmedia.com/we-came...world-cup-saved-english-soccer#episode-player

It's a really good episode all about England at the 1990 world cup, but it doesn't just look at the matches, it goes into events like the Hillsborough disaster and also the hooliganism that followed football at that time before focusing on Gazza and the semi final against Germany. It's well worth a listen before the world cup kicks off.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
So if Walker was playing CB and Trippier had to go off you'd be happy playing Young there as he's done a job there before? I thought half of our problems have come from fielding players in the wrong position? Southgate wants to take a RB so that he doesn't have to play a LB at RB in an emergency. He may also see AA as the future at that position and want to give him some tournament experience.

No I'd just move Walker to RB, and then if Young was needed after that then yes I'd be content with it. I still cant think of a scenario where three right backs is necessary.
 

hughy

I'm SUPER cereal.
Nov 18, 2007
31,842
56,935
I have a problem with Lallana being on the stand-by list.

On his day he's one of England's best players. So Southgate is basically saying that he's only going to be fit enough to travel if someone else pulls out? It's illogical. If he's fit enough, he gets on the plane. If he's not, he doesn't get in the 28. What are we going to do, get someone to go full Roy Keane on Welbeck in training so he can't travel if Lallana is fit enough come decision day?!

Don't get it.
 
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