England Senior Team General Discussion Thread

Drinkwater was in the last squad and he then makes it to the CL quarters. Then the England squad comes around and he's dropped for Jake Livermore. I'm not even a big Drinkwater fan but I just can't get my head around what Southgate is trying to do full stop.

 

I will roll back my complaints because Southgate is now saying Drinkwater is out

🗣 "It's a great reward for him – he's battled back from some personal difficulties. I'm sure he'll be delighted." https://t.co/3dAeKRw1eF

— England (@England) March 16, 2017

Albeit this type of talk above worries me long term looking towards Russia. Same problems we had under Hodgson playing holding midfielder/Defensive midfielders that simply don't offer enough on the ball. This system didn't even work in our recent group games

 

We've been speaking to #SaintsFC's @Prowsey16 about his pride at a first senior call-up for the #ThreeLions: https://t.co/prHJSIQ915

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 16, 2017

 

It is odd if he's now playing at the weekend. Southgate isn't really going into much detail either on it.

 

He talks well doesn't he? That seems to be why they gave him the job.
Reading that whole piece again and look what is being pointed out? It's the same things McClaren was going on about over 10 years ago.

Little about overall team tactics or any type of approach. He's going on about playing number 1o's but do we even have the squad to be able to play a number 10 and get the best out of it? I don't think we do.

He always seems first to drop technical options quite quickly so far even when overall options are slim. But he goes on about this highlight reel stuff? His type of 'holding player' and how he's set up his teams so far isn't going to help highlight reel football come tournament time.

I want to be convinced but from what I see I can't help but be negative.

‘Listen, these are the realities.’” He says. One reality he's missing is likely the biggest issue with regards to our current predicament. We severely lack coaches of international quality. Coaches that are adaptable and tactically astute. Even coaches that can identify the specific technical qualities required for roles in the team.

 

On Theo -

“I don’t think he transferred his early-season form into the matches we had in October and November with England,” Southgate said.

“He’s a player I still like. I’ve said to him that I’m not ruling him out but, in terms of just having him as a squad player, I think it’s a better opportunity for me to look at one or two others. With our wide players – the way we’re playing at the moment we like to get the players between the lines slightly differently. Theo is more a player who runs in behind defences.”

Is this not a case of not only blaming a player for flaws in your own created system but also not recognising the specific qualities of an individual player?