England Senior Team General Discussion Thread

So would that mean back for the Romania game?

So I think we could be missing something like this for the Austria game:

Walker
Stones
Foden
Sterling
Chilwell
Mount
James
Shaw
Maguire
Rashford
Greenwood
Henderson
Saka ( depending if Arsenal advance )

So that could be something like 13 players missing. Maybe Southgate will have to name a bigger squad just for these friendlies otherwise it’s going to leave us very bare.

 

I could see someone like Maddison getting called up

 

If you call someone up they have to be going to the Euros if you called me up just to make up the numbers you’d find I suddenly had a back injury...

If you were on stand by then that’s different

 

I'm pretty sure there'll be a reserve/standby list given he can swap out injured players.

 

It'll be good for the team in the long run, but I don't think it'll do the team any favours this year having so many players in the final with so little preparation time!

Still, from the semi-finalists in 2018 out the starting eleven we had only Henderson who'd played in a CL final. This time round we could have as many as 8 with Walker, Henderson, Mount, Stones, Kane, Sterling, Foden, and Chilwell. Also potentially Reece James, and TAA in the squad with that experience.

As much as people give Southgate grief over the 2018 semi-final, and it wasn't faultless, we did play much better in the first half than Croatia. You have to think part the reason they came to dominate was the sheer big European game experience present in that Croatia side with the likes of Rakitic, Modric and Mandzukic, whereas England lacked any real big knock out game experience. One side the nerves showed, the other was full of players who'd been there and done that.

 

These are all young players too. There's plenty of time left for me big final experience

 

As u feared

https://www.skysports.com/football/...for-warm-up-games-due-to-european-club-finals

 

For players like saka and Greenwood this is very negative. These warm games could shape a players participation in the euros and should arsenal join united in the final both of them will miss out on what would be the ideal opportunity to show southgate what they can do

 

Southgate will have to name a extended squad or a Sqaud for the friendlies which is separate from the Squad for the Euro’s if that can be done. I’m really unsure how they will solve this but from an England point of view it’s not good.

Could end up with a starting eleven something like this:

Pickford
TAA
Tomori
Mings
Targett
Rice
Bellingham
Maddison
Sancho
Calvert-Lewin
Grealish ( Eze if he’s not fit enough )

 

Think you're more likely to see Trippier on the left than Targett, and Phillips would probably start. There are also a number of centre-backs who've been called up ahead of Tomori this season: Dier, Coady, and Keane.

In any event, it's not our best team but it's not a disaster, is it? The front three alone would make it an interesting watch.

 

Probably odoi rather than eze

 

Forgot hes with Chelsea

 

Yeah you’re probably right about Tomori, just wishful thinking on my part as don’t particularly rate our other options at centre back and would like to see more of Tomori. Forgot about about Phillips tbh and again you are probably right about Trippier playing left back as it’s a Southgate thing to do even if I wouldn’t as I would rather see a natural left back rather than a makeshift one but that’s just me.

 

Konsa?

 

So the Champions League final is Manchester City vs Chelsea.

Does this mean that Grealish has played at the highest level since he plays against these teams in the Premier League?

 

Forgot about him also but like Tomori, Southgate is unlikely to pick either of them.

 

It does seem strange that a guy who's going to appear in a CL final is still questioned as to whether he's a good player or not.

I mean, yeah, he's got someone alongside him who's a good player but then, that's the case with ALL good CB's... they work well as part of a unit. Not just on their own.

Having Fernandinho in front of them also makes them look better.

In terms of England I just hope Gareth picks someone who compliments him.

 

It would be good to bring in some mre standout U21s if needs be for the friendlies rather than bring in a load of England B standard players who'll never get near the squad again. 4D chess from Boothroyd to get them the summer off.

 

Been reading through the thread and I keep hearing Shaw being pencilled in at LB because he'll probably be 'playing in a European club final', but, that's also true of Chilwell and, strictly speaking, in the one with more prestige.

If you've got a CL final with Kyle Walker as RB for one team and Ben Chilwell as LB for the other, it would seem a bit odd to choose someone else to be a fullback, wouldn't it?

I mean, I get that it's not as simple as that and what the players are like is the important thing. I'm just questioning the assumption that it must be Luke Shaw that people seem to be making.

Y'know... why?

Having said that I've been a big fan of Shaw for a long time so if Gareth picks him to start I won't complain

 

Either Shaw or chilwell would be extremely positive. Samw with walker trippier james or trent. Strength at fullback is probably the strongest we've ever had

 

Nice to think that one of Foden or Mount will be Champions League winners (and final starters) so early in their career. Grealish needs to get himself to a top team ASAP.

 

I think I’m one of those that has said Shaw over Chillwell mate

I get what your saying but thinks it’s just about personal preferences and for me I just think Shaw is a more rounded left back overall and also another reason is because he’s familiar playing with Maguire and quicker to get that understanding on that side of the defence, same scenario with Walker and Stones. Saying that I still think he’s good and wouldn’t be disappointed if he starts as Southgates first choice. Two very good, solid options at left back.

 

Also his understanding with rashford

 

I wouldn’t take saka tbh. His form hasn't been great and he's too much of a hot and cold player. Maybe he will do something to change my mind