England Senior National Team General Discussion Thread

No Unai Simon is normally the first choice. Raya did play against Cyprus through.

 

Rice is the only 100m midfielder in the Premier League that is actually worth 100m.

 

Looks like Toney wants people thinking he will join Arsenal. Just praised Rice on Instagram stories. PL players never post about other matches on their stories (Sometimes in the comments they say well done to someone scoring.)

Arsenal fans through will get flashbacks to Mudryk doing a lot of positing about Arsenal then joining Chelsea.

 

Ref’s never protect players anymore.

 

Yes its bizarre. Fair enough if Raya was top tier but hes barely better than Ramsdale with feet and worse at shot stopping. But I doubt Arteta changes his mind now.

 

Next week in the CL Ramsdale should be playing as it’s a dead rubber. Yet like his error the other week any errors will generate way more discussion than errors most keepers make. The other week when he was playing the BBC headline for half a match was about a Ramsdale error that didn’t lead to a goal.

 

Raya is prone to errors. Ramsdale barely put a foot wrong for arsenal

 

Both look shaky imo but that’s on Arteta. Bringing in two number 1’s adds unnecessary pressure which probably wasn’t required as Ramsdale was pretty good last season where as now both keepers are on edge and nervous. On a side note there’s something about Arteta that irritates me, not sure what it is though. Maybe it comes from mocking a ref a few months back.

 

🚨The Phillips situation is almost the same as a few weeks ago, with Newcastle till in the lead (Tottenham interested too). The player would like to stay in the Premier League, also to be more visible to Southgate for the Euros.

[@_Morik92_] pic.twitter.com/Y5yxwO9HH2

— Bianconeri Zone (@BianconeriZone) December 6, 2023

 

‘Newcastle striker Callum Wilson speaks on the latest edition of the Footballers' Football podcast about the form of Anthony Gordon, who has scored in four consecutive home league games for the Magpies and will face his former club Everton on Thursday.

"Anthony is a top player and, more importantly he is a top guy," he said. "Some people get a perception of players, especially him because of the way he plays and the way he comes across on the pitch. He is one of those where if you didn't know him you might dislike him. When you actually get to know someone, especially him, he's a real nice guy.

"I am happy that he is doing well and, if that kind of form continues, then I am sure that the next step for him will be England." ‘

 

🚨England are concerned with Carlo Ancelotti’s lack of rotations with Jude Bellingham, with him playing so many minutes could lead to an exhaustion or a muscle injury.

England’s concerns will be there until Jude’s minutes are reduced. @TimesSport 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/Pce17PgO3I

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) December 6, 2023

 

Arteta has handled this spectacularly badly. It's one thing to replace Ramsdale with Raya, who did at least have an argument for being an upgrade and better suited to Arsenal's style, but to end up with two £20m+ keepers who both look nervy and are making silly mistakes is almost impressive.

The problem for Ramsdale is that winning his place back would make Arteta look pretty foolish, whereas Raya coming good would sweep away the criticism in no time. Arteta's bound to give Raya every possible chance to prove him right - his reputation and his ego are bound up in it.

 

⚪️ Postecoglou on Maddison recovery: “We should go with the medical staff and as far as I'm aware he's progressing as expected”. pic.twitter.com/lwgdI4Vdfh

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 6, 2023

 

🔴 Harry Maguire is the Premier League Player of the Month for November. pic.twitter.com/gV9VBGPAPN

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 6, 2023

 

I know what you mean about Arteta. For me, he doesn't come across as particularly authentic.

It still feels as if he's trying a little too hard to imitate his mentor, Pep. The histrionics on the touchline. The black turtle-necks. The ploy of widening the pitch as much as possible - and increasing bodies in the final third. The use of the inverted full back. And now the ditching of his English keeper for an exotic ball-playing latino.

He's making a fine fist of it, I'll give him that, but from a neutral's perspective, you just want to see the real Mikel Arteta stand up.

 

England’s Euro 2024 squad state of play: who goes, who misses out

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The first part of England’s potential path through Euro 2024 has been mapped out. Gareth Southgate’s side will have to make their way past Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia in Group C if they are to reach the knockout phase and then try to win a major international men’s tournament for the first time in 58 years.

Attentions will now turn to who travels on the plane to Germany. Will Southgate stick by most of the players who have served him well over the course of his seven years in the impossible job? Or will he twist and pick based purely on form?

We are all seasoned Southgate observers by now and so probably know the answer to that question already, although this tournament will be slightly different to those of the recent past.

At Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, Southgate and every other national team head coach had the benefit of being able to pick an expanded 26-man squad due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For Euro 2024, the 23-man limit has been restored. Southgate has said this will require “a different sort of thought process” compared to the last two tournaments and will inevitably mean more selection headaches.

Do you need two players for every position?
The conventional wisdom dictates that when picking a squad for a major tournament, you should try to cover all bases. This is often taken to mean a starter and a back-up in each spot — i.e. two outfield players for every position.

But is that really necessary? As a general rule, an extra attacking player will generally serve you better in tournament football than a second-choice left-back. Do you remember Stephen Warnock being part of England’s 2010 World Cup squad? Probably not, because he did not play a single minute.


Although there are obviously times to dig deep and soak up pressure, the nature of the beast and nagging threat of elimination means that, at some point or other, you are likely to need someone to come on and make an impact.

Versatility and the ability to change a game from the bench are key attributes in tournament football, and can allow you to be more adventurous than you would be when building a squad for a 38-game season.

Do you pick on form, reputation or tactical suitability?
Barely an England squad announcement passes by without some arguing against the exclusion of one in-form player or criticising the inclusion of another who has done little to justify their place of late.

Yet form is temporary and reputations are far from permanent. It is better to select players based on how they suit the tactical set-up they will actually play in and build towards a style of play rather than simply select those who are performing at club level.

Although roundly and regularly criticised for standing by his so-called favourites, the England manager has always picked players based on how they fit his system rather than plump for the flavour of the month. It has served him well enough so far.

Should you prioritise experience or bleed in young players?
Southgate will be selecting a squad to win seven games, give or take, over the space of a month. That arguably lends itself to short-term thinking and, while it is right that no international head coach should lose sight of the task at hand, is instant success always the be all and end all?

Giving valuable tournament experience to young players who could be the foundation for future success is important, so long as they are able to contribute if called upon.

Was Jude Bellingham ready to start for England at Euro 2020? Southgate clearly thought that the tournament still came a little too early for him but the three substitute appearances — totalling just over an hour’s worth of football — gave a shape and sense of England’s future.

Bellingham was one of the stand-out players in Qatar this time last year until England’s quarter-final elimination and will start his third major tournament at still just 20-years-old, with every chance of making it his own.

What are the major decisions Southgate has to make?
Goalkeepers

Assured of a place: Even during his most drastic dips of form, Jordan Pickfordhas been Southgate’s No 1. There is no reason to believe that will change between now and the summer, particularly as he has rarely if ever betrayed his manager’s trust.

In the balance: Although Southgate has stood by other players who have lost their place at club level, his recent comments about Aaron Ramsdale suggest the Arsenal goalkeeper will need to regain starting status to guarantee a place.

Nick Pope is Newcastle’s first-choice but his absence from recent squads also raises doubts over his inclusion. Sam Johnstone’s performances for Crystal Palace appear to have given him an edge in the pecking order.

Long shots: Fraser Forster earned a spot for the March internationals though would likely only be called upon in an emergency. Brighton’s Jason Steele and James Trafford of Burnley may hope regular Premier League action help them sneak into the third-choice spot.

Defenders

Assured of a place: Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire are part of England’s leadership group while Kieran Trippier has also worn the armband in the past and proved a loyal lieutenant. John Stones and Luke Shaw’s importance is undoubted and Marc Guehi appears to have become a Southgate favourite.

In the balance: Trent Alexander-Arnold’s versatility aids his cause but the debate over his suitability to Southgate’s system is not entirely a thing of the past. Reece James’ injury record counts against him, particularly after he turned down a November call-up to focus on getting back to his best with Chelsea.

Ben Chilwell, similarly, will have to prove his fitness but Rico Lewis’ ability to cover in midfield could count in his favour. Meanwhile in the middle, Levi Colwill and Lewis Dunk will hope to travel as one of Southgate’s centre-back options.

Long shots: Fikayo Tomori has never nailed down a spot and this tournament may come too soon in the fledgling international career of Ezri Konsa. Ben White has not been named in a squad since returning home early from the World Cup.

Midfielders

Assured of a place: Bellingham is arguably second only to the England captain in importance. Further back, Southgate has no genuine alternatives to Declan Rice, who is one of the best holding midfielders in Europe in any case.

In the balance: Conor Gallagher’s ever-presence for Chelsea stands him in good stead and James Maddison appears to have finally won Southgate around over the past year, but others have question marks hanging over them.

Mason Mount is not exactly a regular at the moment either, albeit while struggling with injury. Eberechi Eze’s breakthrough has also been disrupted by time spent on the treatment table. Jordan Henderson can probably be confident of a spot but his chances would be helped by playing a higher standard of football, while Kalvin Phillips needs to play some standard of football full stop.

Long shots: If England have a problem position, it is here as there is not much depth beyond Southgate’s favourites. Of the alternatives, James Ward-Prowse is forever the bridesmaid when it comes to these squads, while Morgan Gibbs-White is still waiting for a first call-up.


Forwards

Assured of a place: Harry Kane’s inclusion is a certainty. Out wide, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are all established squad members and while Marcus Rashford’s form will be a concern, Southgate needs little excuse to select one of his longest-serving players.

In the balance: There are three primary contenders to cover for Kane: Ollie Watkins leads the way, although Callum Wilson provides stiff competition. Whether Ivan Toney can do enough in the six months between his return to playing and the tournament remains to be seen. Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen and Cole Palmer may need to count on one of Southgate’s first-choices wingers to be unavailable.

Long shots: Raheem Sterling was one of Southgate’s key men only a year ago but his continued absence since the World Cup raises serious questions over his international future.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs a strong, injury-free season to put himself back in the picture. Eddie Nketiah won his first cap against Australia last month but, without a steady supply of first-team minutes, his hopes are slim.

Comment section also mentions Gomes, Garner, Madueke, Branthwaite, Livramento, Loftus - Cheek, Longstaff,

 

Gibbs-White dropped from Forest tonight

 

Rashford dropped to the Man United bench.

 

Colwill Captain for Chelsea.

 

Ten Hag drops loads of players for man Utd tonight. If he loses tonight he could gone.

 

Not sure because Sir Jim legally can’t make the decision over a successor yet.

 

Stones and Lewis starting for Man City ( Foden and Walker as well.)

 

Wonder how Sterling feels about that.