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The England World Cup Thread

gushayes11

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2007
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779492E1-24EA-42FC-A7B7-2AE527B114E4.jpeg
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
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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.

But then one injury means that two players are missing from the position that the manager wanted them in.
 

aliyid

Well-Known Member
Dec 28, 2004
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Looking at the lack of creativity in CM alongside the three RB I’d say it looks like we may be going for a back three with attacking wingbacks.

This makes the central area more workmanlike with creativity coming from the wings. Plenty of options to rotate down both wings while maintaining a solid core.

We have pace and creativity in the team as long as Southgate can convince the players that the team comes first rather than the normal issues with England teams being selfish and looking for individual glory
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
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It's a real shame the Ox got injured. I thought with him and Lingard bursting through the midfield we might be able to compensate for our lack of creativity with sheer pace. Without him and no decent creative options in midfield we're going to be relying an awful lot on Trips and Rose going forward.

I wonder if Southgate might drop Alli into the midfield 3. Provided he's not playing too wide, I think Alli is a decent option in deeper positions and has the vision and intelligence of passing to set us off on the break against better teams.
 

punkisback

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2004
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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.
They've technically selected 6 players who all play full back! Mental
 

C0YS

Just another member
Jul 9, 2007
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13,817
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.
I don't think any of those decisions were difficult. Maybe Rooney, but I think most managers would of dropped those players. I think more about timing than anything else.

Southgate has a lot to prove, performances under him have been uninspiring, and CV reads like a record of failure, but I hope he does well.


Also the idea of playing Walker as a centre back and playing the back three, why? I just dont see why one would think this is the right system to play, and maybe Walker can play well centre back but he is a much better right back. Surely you want your best players playing in there best position.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
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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.

Yeah was just having this discussion myself... I think the group stages could be turgid against smaller teams who sit deep, but beyond that if (a big if, I admit) we can remain solid then there is a considerable amount of pace there to counter attack teams and it's not beyond the wildest dreams to see that being very effective. We see it often enough at various levels of football after all.
 

VegasII

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2008
9,750
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Well Maradona always did like a Dinamo Breast.

So did Madonna for that matter.
 

belsunz

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2007
1,396
2,889
Don't know where else to post this and it does concern England given they are opponents, but Belgium in meltdown mode because of the fact that Martinez will not include Radja Nainggolan in his squad for WC. Fans not impressed to say the least...

Squad to be announced today noon time by the way.
 

ThorntonSpur

every away game is a home game
Jan 21, 2011
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it will come down to who scores more goals against Panama as to who progresses between England and Tunisia
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44275387

Burnley defender James Tarkowski has withdrawn from England's World Cup standby list because he needs a hernia operation.
The 25-year-old, who made his international debut in March, had been training with England last week.
A statement from his club said he had been managing an ongoing groin issue.
"Following assessment in recent days it has been been decided he requires surgery," it said. He is expected to be fit for pre-season training.
 

hughy

I'm SUPER cereal.
Nov 18, 2007
31,840
56,924
Tunisia got a draw in Portugal today. Not sure how strong the Portugal team was, but it proves a point that no team we are due to face should be underestimated.
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,679
104,956
Media up in arms about Sterling’s gun tattoo. At least we know he’ll be the scapegoat so at least our players should hopefully escape any blame.
 
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