England Senior National Team General Discussion Thread

I think Rashford would get less criticism for England if they wasn’t also the likelihood of Henderson and Phillips (And maybe even Dier) as well. The more unpopular players means the criticism gets harsher and the unpopular ones targeted even more.

Trippier’s form has come under a lot of criticism recently with many calls to bring back Ben White instead of him or Maguire.

 

Bowen has 2 LW appearances in the PL ever, and one of them was for Hull as a teenager! I can’t believe people are advocating him playing there for England, over the like of Grealish and Rashford for have actually performed in that position in the league and for England 100s of times.

 

Ben White is probably Englands best right back at the moment.

 

I feel like we go round in circles on this but you really need to stop paying attention to social media. It doesn't matter. There will never be a squad where the reaction from everyone is "good squad". A lot of the criticisms are shrouded in club and recency biases anyway (how many people would have said Bowen "has" to be in the England squad before yesterday), or players taking on perceived reputations which people just associate with the player regardless of anything they do on the pitch.

Take Rashford for example, ok he hasn't had a good season, but he's still probably had a better season than Grealish who's done nothing in a much better and more functional team. One has social media against them, the other has little being said for reasons largely unrelated to on pitch performance. There's not really any logic to it why one should be picked, and the other shouldn't.

Or Trippier, who by no means has had a bad season. He had one bad stint where he made mistakes in a few games in December but he's largely had a good season and is top of the assists list in the premier. If he was outside the squad you'd have people saying its a disgrace that the guy with the most assists - from right back! Wasn't in the squad. You will never please everyone and any manager who tries is doomed to failure.

 

Ward-prowse is a weird one. How can someone with such fantastic technique at dead ball situations be so mediocre from open play. Passing vision etc

 

I think Southgate should try and get both Saka and Foden starting through. Rashford and Grealish are both currently only worthy of being subs from the bench,

 

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland is in contention to be recalled by Gareth Southgate for England's upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 27, 2024

 

I'm not a Man U fan so haven't seen a lot of their games. But the games I have seen of Rashford. He has been that bad. What were these impressive performances as the narrative matches what I have seen.

The calls for JWP should die down as he is playing as AM for West Ham. Were he playing in the CM position that England needs and performing OK he would still be pushed forward. Longstaff has been injured. And has now a competitor in Curtis Jones.

I wish this forum was as critical of Trent as they are of Bowen. He has had 23 caps(19 starts). Bowen has had only 5(3 starts). I would agree he isn't up to it. But neither is Trent.

 

It amazes me that a lot of pundits and fans see Trent as a holding midfielder.

 

It’s because Trent can invert and play there but I get why people don’t like it

Bowen has been decent but is he international standard? Hes definitely not takins sakas place and is he better than palmer?

 

He's played well for weeks now:

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Fulham at the weekend was first genuinely bad game in a while and he's only had a handful of those this season. His poor form is being blown way out of proportion.

 

I find it more amazing that Southgate is willing to play him there yet won't call up a new midfielder.

 

Howes picked Dan Burn over Livramento again.

 

Smith, Cook and Scott start for Bournemouth. Tavernier and Kinsey - Wellings are on the bench,
Choudhury, Coady, Doyle, Raikhy, Albrighton and (Cannon) start for Leicester. Justin, Nelson, Thomas and Briggs are on the bench.

Pears, McFadzean, Wharton. Brittain, Buckley, Chrisene, Dolan and Gallagher start for Blackburn. Pickering, Markanday. Garrett and (Finneran) are on the bench.
Trippier, Lascelles, Burn, Longstaff, Willock, Murphy and Gordon start for Newcastle. Barnes, Hall, Livramento, (Anderson) and Miley are on the bench.

Mengi, Burke, Clark, Barkley, Doughty, Morris and Woodrow start for Luton. Shea, Osho, Berry, Townsend, Johnson, Nelson and Piesold are on the bench.
Walker, Stones and Grealish start for Man City. Foden and Lewis are on the bench.

On TalkSport they have just been talking about Stones and the fact for the Euros we need him fit or there is no real chance of winning.

 

Harry Maguire injured now.

🚨 Erik ten Hag confirms Harry Maguire will not be available for game vs Nottingham Forest.

“Raphaël Varane and Bruno Fernandes are doubts”, ten Hag also added.

Casemiro, regularly available. pic.twitter.com/k6kbaWajKN

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 27, 2024

No further details being given.

 

Mengi getting roasted by Haaland.

 

Grealish off injured. He looks distraught.

 

Worldie from Jordan Clark

 

Not that I think he should be starting for us, but the regularity with which 3 of our very steady back 4 have been injured is very concerning for our chances.

I particularly worry with Shaw out we might see a return to the ugly 3 at the back system, made even more likely if one of the centre backs is out.

 

Hope not.

Who should start instead of Maguire? Guehi?

 

Against Blackburn.

 

Clarke scores again

 

Looking forward to the TalkSport segment on whether Clark should be taken to the Euros.

 

Guehi has been the obvious third choice centre back for the last year but unless he comes back very quickly he's going to miss the next squad also.

I guess that would leave Lewis Dunk by default

 

Haaland scores his fourth