England Senior National Team General Discussion Thread

This is a massive game. Can't believe supposedly players are pulling out. Hope tuchel stamps down on fair weather players. If u can't be arsed turning up for these games don't expect to be involved at the world cup

 

Obviously we have to wait and see what happens regarding personnel available but the noises at the moment don’t sound good. If we end up in a situation where several are unavailable for this break only to go straight back into their club sides after then it will be very frustrating. This isn’t a dead rubber window, it’s very important that we get out of this sub standard league and back to the top tier for a whole host of reasons. It’s already embarrassing enough that we’re down here to begin with, god forbid we end up stuck here for another cycle.

 

Well it is the FA staff who ultimately do the medical assessments. If they won’t put the foot down sometimes then it’s them who are partly to blame as well.

At least it’s only friendlies for the U21’s so less important if they weakened by a few promotions.

 

Palmer is in the photos of some of the squad arriving along with Bellingham, Gallagher, Kane, Pickford, Watkins, Jones and Konsa. No pics of any of the others on the doubt list.

 

Burnley’s website suggesting James Trafford has been promoted to the seniors.
https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/november-international-break-call-ups-10-11-2024

 

Bukayo saka has arrived with England to be assessed ahead of being withdrawn from squad. Declan rice hasn’t travelled at all.

— Con Harrison (@ConMarbleHalls) November 11, 2024

 

What exactly are the negative consequences of not winning the group, other than missing promotion? Are there any?

 

‘Excl: Morgan Rogers earns 1st call-up to England squad for Nations League fixtures against Greece + Republic of Ireland. 22yo midfielder rewarded for superb form since joining Aston Villa & benefits from potential injury withdrawals.’

(David Ornstein)
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5915594/2024/11/11/morgan-rogers-england-squad/

Aaron Ramsdale has withdrawn due to a fractured finger. So James Trafford is surely in.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5915599/2024/11/11/england-ramsdale-injury-surgery/

 

Nice to see Rogers get a chance, probably had more of a case to be in over Gibbs-White in the first place. I don't really see him being a central option for England, but he could be interesting from wide left given the relative weakness there.

 

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers has received his first senior call up.

Jarrod Bowen and Jarrad Branthwaite along with the uncapped Tino Livramento and James Trafford have also been added to Lee Carsley’s squad.

This follows the loss of eight players ahead of this week’s UEFA Nations League fixtures.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer, Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are all unavailable.

A 23-man squad will now prepare for Thursday’s trip to Greece and Sunday’s match against Republic of Ireland at Wembley.



So Walker and Gordon are passed fit but eight in total. No idea why Colwill and Foden are not there.

 

Difficult to see us doing particularly well in Greece with that amount of players out. The defence and wide players in particularly looking weak.

Mind you, given how Carsley tried to cram all the names into the side for the last game against Greece, presumably we'll get a much more balanced line up without pressures or temptation to pick the big names.

Something like:

-------------------------------------------------------Pickford-------------------------------------------------------------
-----Walker-------------------------Konsa-----------------------Guehi--------------------------Hall-----------------
---------------------------------------Jones-------------Gomes--------------Bellingham-----------------------------
---------------------------------------Madueke---------Kane----------------Gordon-----------------------------------

Would seem to be our best 11, presuming no more drop outs.

 

If we get stuck in there too long it will affect our ranking and Euro 2028 qualifying hopes.

 

I imagine the line up might be Pickford/Henderson, Lewis or Hall at left back, Guehi and Konsa at centre back , Walker at right back, two of Gomes, Gallagher and Jones, Bellingham. Gordon (If fit), Kane and maybe Madueke?

I am not sure he will start anyone who wasn’t called up initially but he might be tempted with Branthwaite over Konsa.

Kane, Bellingham. Watkins and Walker the only players who have actually scored for the seniors in that line up.

Howe was convinced Gordon was withdrawing so that’s a suprise. .

 

So we have 8 who have withdrawn and added just the four players. I mean, I suppose we should be grateful that we got four called up but with others in the squad who are also probably on thin ice, fitness wise, I would probably have called up a few more knowing we will probably lose more between now and Ireland game.

 

Added five. So we have 23 for now but I suspect come Ireland we won’t have a full bench and with the U21’s in Spain they can’t be brought in.

We don’t have anyone sitting on a yellow through now Colwill, Rice and Saka have pulled out joining Mainoo as the only carded players.

 

Looking at the remaining under 21's it'd be difficult to say there's anyone left remotely close to a call up anyway. Maybe Gittens if Gordon does end up dropping out injured, even if he's been underwhelming for the u-21s.

 

Might be incorrect, but doesn’t Nations League performance affect seeding for qualifying and even groups at tournaments over the long run?

Also failing to get promoted means we are stuck playing mediocre/weak opposition for another NL cycle(though admittedly Greece made a mockery of this when they deservedly beat us) rather than the better development opportunities that playing top sides in league A would give us.

As a fan, I and am sure many others don’t want to be watching these unglamorous games as well for any longer than we have to.

Finally, I just find it embarrassing for a nation of our stature with this group of players to be wallowing away in this tier when literally all of the other big hitters are in League A. I also just feel it reflects poorly on a side when they pick and choose when to turn up. I want to win every game and feel that it’s that attitude which breeds the best mentality over the long run.

Unless you are just referring to not qualifying by topping the group and/or going up via a playoff as opposed to not getting promoted full stop

 

Does anyone more knowledgeable than me know how other nations are doing for players in this break? Obviously Mbappe is the big absentee in the France squad but just wondering out of interest for comparison purposes what the state of play is elsewhere. I know that player workload is the big talking point within football at the moment but I find it hard to imagine anyone else has had the same issues as us.

 

Chelsea pair Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer, Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, Manchester City midfielders Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Southampton's Aaron Ramsdale have all pulled out.

This is awful. Absolutely pathetic from the players and the clubs

 

Dropouts aren't ideal but there's still no excuse for not beating Greece. I'd like to see:

--------------------------------------------Pickford-------------------------------------------
-----Livramento--------------Konsa-----------------------Guehi----------------Hall-------
------------------------Gallagher-------------Gomes--------------Bellingham----------------------
---------------------------Madueke---------Kane----------------Gordon---------------------------

I think Gallagher should play this one. We were awful in our duels when we played these lot at Wembley and we also need players who can sweep up their counters. He should look a lot better with Gomes as the first receiver rather than Rice.

Perfect conditions for Kane too with two wingers who can hold width and run in behind. Very much expect a big performance from him here.

 

There has been a few others across the big European teams but not quite as many as that among the European nations. Ghana have had 8 withdrawal like us through. .

 

No other European side has anything like this amount of drop outs, though I think we're in a pretty unique situation with this being known as Carsley's last game, I think a few players who might otherwise be concerned about this reflecting badly on them with an actual manager are taking their chance.

No surprise almost all the drop outs are established squad members rather than people with a point to prove. I'd be amazed if at least 2/3's of them aren't starting the first post international game.

 

I hope arteta gets the England job one day and knows what it's like to put up with this shit