England Senior Team General Discussion Thread

Yeah that is a strange one. I could understand if they'd played those two centre-backs so that Gomez was free to play at right-back, but why would you leave him on the bench? He's better than their whole back four at the moment.

 

Klopp said a few months back that he doesn't think Trent AA is physically ready to play two high intensity games in a week. I wouldn't be surprised if has similar thoughts about Gomez especially after his long injury recovery. Gomez played 155 minutes for England over the international break and Liverpool have a big(er) game against Sevilla in mid week. Join the dots and he's probably just being rested.

I don't think we'll see Gomez at CB for Liverpool until Clyne is back from his injury - relying on Trent AA to play every game at RB over the busy winter period doesn't sound like a good idea.

And it's outside of the scope of this thread but Moreno has been recalled to the Spain squad off the back of his performances for Liverpool this season ..it's not Klopp looking clueless on that one.

 

He returned from injury over a year ago. He's been "100% fit" for at least five months. You're stretching a point there.

 

Plenty of players would describe themselves as 100% fit, or fit enough to play, when a doctor would say otherwise. Look at Phil Jones being willing to play with six painkilling injections - that decision should have been taken out of his hands by a coach or a doctor. No surprise he's always getting reinjured.

Building up fitness levels and strengthening supporting muscles is an ongoing process both for young players and for players returning from a long term injury - Gomez is both of those things. He may have been back for a year but his lack of football last season and decision to bail out on England U21s suggests he was a long long way from fully fit during that period. He's never had a sustained period as a first team starter beyond 8 consecutive games for Charlton so his body has never experienced anything near the level of stress it would playing twice a week for Liverpool.

It's not stretching it in the slightest to suggest a manager would be cautious and rest him occasionally to preserve his fitness.

 

of all the things to complain about, Klopp not playing Gomez in one game is a weird one. He's played 12 games already this year.

 

Don't think it's wierd at all asking the question considering Liverpool have been awful in the Centre half positions, so is it so wierd to think Gomez might be given a chance there?

 

Probably he will have his chance there, but not before Clyne is back to full fitness.

 

I get that they're missing their first-choice right-back and the best reserve is young, but Gomez is just marking time there. He's shown absolutely no evidence of fitness issues this season, he's actually played two games in a week a few times already (including for England, and he was MOTM in the second), and as far as I'm aware Klopp hasn't made any comments about him lacking the ability to play regularly this season, whereas he has about TAA.

In any event, why are we talking as if he's the only other right-back they have? Flanagan's been frozen out, while Milner's just sitting on the bench. Either one of them could be rotated with TAA to enable Gomez to play in his proper position, but apparently starting Klavan is a better option?

 

Yeah, guess that's the only reason as the general consensus is that you can't play two kids in the Liverpool back line at the same time ( which I don't agree with ) and the only cover at right back is Flanagan who is probably now way down the pecking order.

 

he's so good that he can perform in this position, what a waste tho, should play CM

 

Such a talent

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...meg-me-it-helped-as-it-made-me-wary-0gq5sptjq

Vaguely interesting interview with Joe Gomez. Don't get distracted (as I did) trying to figure out how "repercussions for England" could have been a con of going to the under-21 Euros - they just got it the wrong way around. Anyway I'll copy it in for anyone who hasn't signed up.

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Joe Gomez interview: They said Neymar would nutmeg me. It helped as it made me wary

Liverpool’s emerging star tells the story of his brilliant shackling of the Brazilian

Paul Joyce
November 25 2017, 12:01am, The Times


Gomez is making strides at Liverpool having made his England debut against Germany DAVE THOMPSON/THE TIMES

The first thing that Joe Gomez did was write it all down. Every last bit there in black and white.

Under one heading, he scribbled the “pros” of going to the European Under-21 Championship with England last summer. There was the chance to chase glory, the exposure a major tournament would bring and the prospect of more football following a campaign in which he completed his return from a cruciate knee injury.

Next to that column came the “cons” of a month spent in Poland: a late return to pre-season training with Liverpool, slipping down the pecking order, a second successive summer without a break and, near the top, were the words “repercussions for England”.


Gomez starred for England against Brazil as he kept Neymar in check MATTHEW ASHTON/AMA/GETTY IMAGES

Gomez read those lists over and again before arranging a meeting with Aidy Boothroyd, the under-21s’ coach, at a venue in Liverpool city centre. He knew what he was going to say by the time they got together, that focusing on the first day of next season would serve him better than prolonging 2016-17, but there was still a sense of trepidation as to any lasting ramifications for his future international prospects.

“It was a nerve-racking experience for me,” the defender says. “Before going to see Aidy I looked at my reasons and said to myself, ‘Do I really believe in this?’

“The repercussions of not going were a massive concern. I thought, ‘Will I get picked for England again?’ Not just the under-21s, but in the future.

“I have played for England all the way through [from under-16s] and I would never try and miss out on a camp or not go. My decision was literally based on my career and thinking, ‘Can I progress by not going? Should I go?’ I spent a lot of time thinking about it. It ran deep for me.

“We had a chat, one on one, and went through everything. I have so much respect for Aidy from that. He did want me to go, he tried to convince me, but he heard me out and understood.


Gomez’s mother could not contain her joy when he made his England debut

“What I was asking, essentially, was to be left out because it was all about the bigger picture. At the time I was scared about what it might mean, but it gave me the chance to come back into pre-season on time and I got to play straight away in the games.”

The boldness of that thought process has proved the making of him. When, after forcing his way into Liverpool’s line-up, he made his senior England debut this month against Germany at Wembley, nullifying Neymar and Brazil a few days later, the very notion that his country might turn its back on him seemed ridiculous. Gomez has been vindicated for his decision not to go to Poland. The proof is irrefutable.

It is an episode that provides an insight into the 20-year-old’s strength of character as well as his focus, ambition and drive. Then there are also his values, instilled in him by his parents, Linda and Gus, which demanded that the Catford-born youngster sought out Boothroyd to explain himself rather than sending a cursory text message which is so often de rigueur these days.

Another story offers a further peek into Gomez’s attributes. This time it came after a summer spent winning with England at the Under-17 European Championship in Malta in 2014. He was anxious to push on with his boyhood club Charlton Athletic upon his return, having been voted defender of the tournament, and so, accompanied by his agent John Morris, held talks with the club’s manager Bob Peeters, a 6ft 5in Belgian.

“He is quite an intimidating guy,” Gomez says. “I don’t like causing trouble, or creating an issue, but at that time I knew this could be a turning point. I was young and wanted to get first-team football. I said: ‘I want to push on. What can I do? What do you want from me?’

“He said: ‘In pre-season come in and you will be with us. Then it is up to you.’

“If I didn’t get that chance I could have been in the under-23s system for a while and I probably wouldn’t be here now at Liverpool.”


Gomez has made a full and impressive recovery from a cruciate knee ligament injury PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS

Asking is one thing, yet central to Gomez’s rapid ascent has been his ability to seize the opportunity when it arrives. It was evident that season when he went on to make 24 first-team appearances, attracting interest from Arsenal and Manchester City as well as the Anfield chief scout Barry Hunter, who pushed for his £3.5 million signing.

It was also clear when he made his Liverpool debut aged 18 at left back on the opening day of the following campaign and in those sure-footed, recent performances under the arch.

Gomez says that he would not have been able to look at himself in the mirror had he, after pulling out of Boothroyd’s plans, escaped abroad for the entire summer and lived it up. He headed home to London instead.

Together with close friend Josh Umerah, who is on loan at Wycombe Wanderers from Charlton, they drew up a “very serious” training schedule. Some days were spent at the athletics track, some on the treadmill and others doing ball work.

“I wanted to make sure I was on point with everything,” Gomez says. “Everything. My girlfriend was making my food, weighing it, counting out the calories. I came back feeling fitter.”


Gomez has mainly been used at right back by Klopp DAVE THOMPSON/THE TIMES

Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, was the first to benefit and perhaps there should have been no real surprise when the England coach, Gareth Southgate, called up Gomez for those prestige friendly matches with the world champions and Brazil.

Southgate had worked with Gomez for the under-21s — it was in the game against Kazakhstan that the youngster suffered the knee injury that ruled him out for more than a year — and had the courage to turn to him when injury struck Phil Jones after 25 minutes against the Germans.

“When I saw Phil limping I thought either Keano [Michael Keane] or me is going to get the call to warm up, so my heart was racing a bit then,” Gomez says. “It was Keano, so I was like, ‘OK, it will be him’. Then Steve [Holland, the England assistant manager] said, ‘Joe, warm up’. I don’t think I even did a sprint before I was on. There wasn’t enough time to panic or get nervous.

“My family and friends were there and apparently my mum was screaming when she saw I was coming on. I didn’t expect to feature in the first game and then I thought, because I came on and played quite a lot, I wouldn’t play in the second game.”

His performance on the right of a three-man defence against Brazil proved a seamless step up in standard. Gomez has kept his first senior England jersey — he swapped a replica one with his Liverpool team-mate and Germany midfielder Emre Can — and plans to frame it on the wall of his home. However, a second souvenir, from his man-of-the-match display against Brazil, is no longer in his possession.

“The games were difficult because Germany and Brazil had so many runners,” he says. “There was so much movement that we had to keep a steady line and stay switched on.

“There was some banter before Brazil. Dom [Solanke] was bantering with me in the build-up, ‘Ah Joe’s going to get ’megged by Neymar. Don’t get’ megged’. Obviously in my head I am bantering back, but I was thinking, ‘This could be possible’. But that sort of helped me because I was wary going into the game, saying to myself, ‘Be defensive, be on your toes’.”

And his man-of-the-match champagne? There is a deep breath and a sheepish smile forms. “Because we were leaving straight after the game, I had my backpack, my suitcase, my bag with my boots, my wash bag and the bottle of champagne because it couldn’t fit in my backpack,” he said.

“At Wembley, there is a room where all the families are and as I was going through the door, it was kind of tight. I went to go sideways and the bottle started slipping. I tried to catch it but it smashed on the floor.

“It was in the worst place, right by the door and, as it has smashed, everyone in the room has turned to look at me. There were a few laughs.

“My family were sitting over at the back and didn’t see what happened. They were gutted. I have spoken to the liaison guy and I am going to get another one. I don’t drink, so it won’t be opened any time soon.”

Klopp has rotated Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back, keeping the youngsters guessing as much as today’s opponents, Chelsea. Gomez started the Champions League draw against Seville on Tuesday, when a 3-0 half-time lead was eased from Liverpool’s grasp, and knows the manner in which the result was achieved brings unwanted attention.

“Nothing has to be said to us. We know,” Gomez says. “Everyone was gutted. We were all asking, ‘How did we let that happen?’


Gomez admits he dreams of playing at next year’s World Cup BRADLEY ORMESHER/THE TIMES

“It is not like we don’t care. We want to fix it as much as anyone. During the game we were all trying to calm it down and play football, but their support was phenomenal and we couldn’t get hold of the game.

“We have conceded from set pieces, which we have had a lot of scrutiny for. We beat ourselves up as much as anyone.”

While Liverpool are the priority, the World Cup is now surely the aim. “It is a dream,” he corrects. “My main focus is the game at the weekend because, if you are not playing for your club, then it is irrelevant what you did in the last camp.”

That in itself shows how far Gomez has come from those days, not so long ago when he harboured only doubts.

 

Will Hughes with another goal.

 

https://streamable.com/3y9xj

 

Very well taken goal too. If he can add this to his game then he can be considered for the next level.

 

Loftus-Cheek on the scoresheet too now.

https://streamable.com/uqhpo

 

Pretty interesting short discussion between Ferdinand, Lampard, and Gerrard on why they feel their generation didn't do better at international tournaments:

 

It was the way the team was set up

U cannot play 2 attacking cms in a 442

There was a lot of options we could’ve used with that team but incompetent picking ruined us

Even scholes was shoved out wide

 

Owen Hargreaves suggests the same reasons for England’s failures as Ferdinand, gerrard and lampard, really interesting to hear the tribal club divisions in the England camp, a bit disappointed that they couldn’t put it to one side for the good of the team

 

Rio advocating the diamond as I suggested over s decade ago

 

Hart is hopeless..
clothes-lines Calvert-Lewin and actually protests the decision for a pen..
he has bad judgement and a not a smart player. Its worrying that Southgate still favours him. He will make mistakes in the big moments..

 

Sterling to the rescue for City again.

https://imgtc.com/w/9q7v4P3

 

Southgate surely has to find a system that compliments Sterling if we're going to get the best out of him and not try and play him in a number 10 position. Just not sure where he fits if Southgate continues with a 3-5-2 formation.

 

I'd be ok with him playing behind the striker as long as we've tried it out well before the finals. He did well there against Italy in 2014 (a long time ago, I know), and the big doubt that I might have had - about his ability to convert the chances that are likely to fall to him in that position - doesn't seem to be an issue this season.

Put it this way, if Alli is being considered as the second of the two up front, then I wouldn't worry about Sterling's ability to play the same role.