The England Thread

[DJS]

Hoddle would really suit the 4-2-3-1 system I reckon, shame wasn’t used in his playing days.

 

[Marty]

We have a good squad no doubt about it. I would think we would have to be among the favourites for Euro 2020

England won't win anything with the midfield talent currently available. All respect to Winks but with Rice, Delph, Mount, Barkley, Henderson, Milner, Lingard, etc., England will always fight a losing battle in midfield against the other elite sides.

There isn't anyone there who can dominate a midfield and the only real hope of victory would be to defend solidly and counter-attack blisteringly. Otherwise there will be a lot more quarter and semi final defeats.

 

[nailsy]

He was unappreciated back then, England had this fixation with 4-4-2 and he never really fit into a playing style or a formation. He was called lazy and was seen as a luxury player/maverick because people didn't know what no10's were.

Also I remember he got called up to England B and saw it as an insult and subsequently got black listed by the FA for turning it down.

I think it was Chris Sutton that refused the England B call up. Le Tissier played the game and scored a hatrick, but was still overlooked in the main squad.

He was an incredible player. If he was Brazilian they'd have built the team around him. I might have to go and watch a Youtube video of his goals now.

 

[Gbspurs]

England won't win anything with the midfield talent currently available. All respect to Winks but with Rice, Delph, Mount, Barkley, Henderson, Milner, Lingard, etc., England will always fight a losing battle in midfield against the other elite sides.

There isn't anyone there who can dominate a midfield and the only real hope of victory would be to defend solidly and counter-attack blisteringly. Otherwise there will be a lot more quarter and semi final defeats.

2 of those midfielders won the CL and one was on the losing side. They may not be big names but they are talented players

 

[nailsy]

I didn't realize how different this squad was to the world cup squad - there's only eleven players left:

Pickford, Rose, Maguire, Lingard, Henderson, Kane, Sterling, Trippier, Rashford, Alexander Arnold & Pope.

The likes of Walker, Dier, Stones & Dele will definitely get back back in the squad, possibly Delph, Butland & Loftus Cheek too, but we've still cut quite a few players:

Vardy
Welbeck
Cahill
Jones
Young

You've got to give Southgate credit for evolving the squad and giving fresh talent a chance.

 

[Marty]

2 of those midfielders won the CL and one was on the losing side. They may not be big names but they are talented players

Of course, but they're functional players who thrive in a system with better players around them. I wouldn't trust any combination of those players to form a midfield that beats France or Spain when the going gets tough in a major tournament.

 

[Gbspurs]

Of course, but they're functional players who thrive in a system with better players around them. I wouldn't trust any combination of those players to form a midfield that beats France or Spain when the going gets tough in a major tournament.

Better players like Kane, Sterling and Sancho?

I'm being pedantic but I think we have enough top level players and a few decent water carriers to pose a threat. I suspect time will be the test of this statement!

 

[DogsOfWar]

Better players like Kane, Sterling and Sancho?

I'm being pedantic but I think we have enough top level players and a few decent water carriers to pose a threat. I suspect time will be the test of this statement!

Over the next few years we'll see the likes of Maddison, Winks, Foden, Mount etc all start to feature and help solve any footballing CM issues.
I'd actually cap the current squads age at 26 (with the exception of Henderson and the reserve keepers) and focus purely on making our new generation tournament ready for 2020, 2022, and 2024.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

England won't win anything with the midfield talent currently available. All respect to Winks but with Rice, Delph, Mount, Barkley, Henderson, Milner, Lingard, etc., England will always fight a losing battle in midfield against the other elite sides.

There isn't anyone there who can dominate a midfield and the only real hope of victory would be to defend solidly and counter-attack blisteringly. Otherwise there will be a lot more quarter and semi final defeats.

We are waiting for one player. He is Phil Foden. He will be straight in the team when he starts getting more game time for city. Can do it all. Prefer Mount to Maddison . Maddison is a bit of a poser.

 

[nailsy]

Over the next few years we'll see the likes of Maddison, Winks, Foden, Mount etc all start to feature and help solve any footballing CM issues.
I'd actually cap the current squads age at 26 (with the exception of Henderson and the reserve keepers) and focus purely on making our new generation tournament ready for 2020, 2022, and 2024.

We've got a decent chance of winning the Euros with the players we've got now. I wouldn't waste that chance by concentrating on future tournaments. With the exception of France most of the other international teams are beatable these days. Who knows how good they'll be in a few years.

 

[DogsOfWar]

We've got a decent chance of winning the Euros with the players we've got now. I wouldn't waste that chance by concentrating on future tournaments. With the exception of France most of the other international teams are beatable these days. Who knows how good they'll be in a few years.

It doesn't really effect the players we have now as it's only Rose, Trippier, and Wilson (outside of the ones I mentioned) who are over 26.

It's just if we are down on a player I'd rather bring in a younger player than an old journeyman.
For example, with this squad I'd rather have Abraham in it than Wilson (or a Vardy).

 

[teok]

15:43
Team news
England v Bulgaria (17:00 BST)
Atletico Madrid's Kieran Trippier is preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Marcus Rashford starts on the wing instead of Jadon Sancho. Harry Kane captains the team.
Uncapped Tyrone Mings, Mason Mount and James Maddison are all on the bench,
England XI: Pickford, Trippier, Rose, Keane, Maguire, Rice, Henderson, Barkley, Sterling, Rashford, Kane.
There is nothing resembling a household name in the Bulgaria side. Naturalised Brazilian midfielder Wanderson makes his international debut at the age of 31.
Bulgaria XI: Iliev, S Popov, Bodurov, Marcelinho, Sarmov, Wanderson, I Popov, Nedyalkov, Bozhikov, Malinov, Ivanov




Wanderson is a great name.

 

[spursfan77]

Rashford over sancho is a big shout

Playing Rice is pointless too. Might as well get another attacker on the pitch.

 

[ajspurs]

Even just that sums Rashford up a bit for me, going for goal from a stupid angle when he could have played that across goal for Kane.

 

[hughy]

Did that twat seriously just try and balance the ball on his foot?

 

[kaz Hirai]

Trippier in a nutshell right there

 

[TheChosenOne]

Lot of England player's reputations in the firing line here this evening.

 

[kaz Hirai]

Feel like Kane is carrying way too much muscle

 

[nailsy]

I'm surprised Harry wandered offside there.

I thought the game kicked off at half five and only just switched on. Have I missed much?

 

[ajspurs]

Bit of a poor run there from Kane there in all honesty.

Watching this so far and Kane in general over the last few months for Spurs, is he starting to become a striker that almost only finishes well? I just mean he used to do so much more for the team in the general play. Even if he wasn't scoring you could say he contributed well but he seems to be doing less and less if it's not scoring that he's doing.

Had to criticise him after he scores ffs