England Senior National Team General Discussion Thread

Arttu Hoskonen. I'd forgotten we even played Finland

 

I wonder how much of the improvement in performances is down to Elliot Anderson, he certainly adds a lot to our midfield compared to the other options. His numbers in the PL this season are hugely impressive, especially when you consider the turmoil his side have been in. I think it's a sign of a big mentality. One thing he's improved on a lot from last season is his passing.

https://fbref.com/en/players/de31038e/scout/12750/Elliot-Anderson-Scouting-Report

I think like Rice this could be one of our most important dual national battles to have won and like Rice it was a really close run thing. Losing the likes of Musiala, Lookman and Olise isn't good of course but we have a lot of excellent players in their positions. In the absence of Anderson this break we're playing the likes of RLC and Henderson!

 

Anderson backing himself to be good enough to play for England spoke volumes about his mentality and it’s showing on the pitch.

 

I'd fully agree with this. He's an absolutely huge find for the side, someone capable of taking the ball from the defence and playing through the lines, especially so often, was always the achilles heel for Southgates sides.

Also shows how to truly progress and be trusted, a move from your academy club is often necessary. I think central midfielder in particular is a position clubs will always be unwilling to bring players through in the premier.

 

I still think Wharton will put us on another level

 

He's very good at moving the ball forward but Anderson is a much more rounded and influential player in games right now. Andersons got an unusual ability to get on the ball relative to most midfielders we produce in recent years.

 

Yeah, I don't think Wharton gets in the XI if all are fit for the World Cup, my midfield and forward line would be:

---------------Kane----------------
Gordon----Bellingham---Saka
----Anderson----------Rice------

Hard to leave Palmer out but Saka has been brilliant for England, the left side is a bit of a ? I kind of like Grealish there too.

 

I'd like to see Anderson and Wharton paired for 2 games.

I'd also like to see Bellingham come back into the side, perhaps as a sub for Rogers for now.

 

I think Gordon is a shoo-in to start on the left. He has his problems but he provides a level of balance to the frontline that none of our other options can properly match imo.

I think it's pretty much vital that whoever plays there has to be a runner, but the added work that Gordon does in helping coordinate the press puts him ahead of anyone else I think. Given that's such a vital part of the style of play I can't see anyone else taking his spot.

 

Interesting that Rashford didn't start either game given his much better start to the season than Gordon.

 

I actually think it's Gordon, Madueke, Kane.

 

We just have to hope Forest being a mess at the moment doesn’t affect Anderson - it hasn’t so far but who knows what will happen there.

 

Italian club Inter Milan have entered the race to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi but Liverpool remain favourites for the signature of the 25-year-old England international. (Tuttosport - in Italian, external)

Manchester United have put Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton, 21, above Baleba on their list of transfer targets. (The I - subscription required)

 

I'd be surprised if Madueke started personally but you never know. I like what he brings to the team but Saka and Palmer just have too much quality in their final ball at the minute imo.

 

You're right about Rice, but I'd like to believe that in his absence Gallagher, Jones or Gomes would play and not Hendo or RLC.

 

Wharton and Anderson are different players with differing qualities (and a few similar) that the team badly needs. Anderson's ability to dominate the ball is definitely something we haven't had for a while but so is Wharton's quick-release passing. It's been a very long time since we had a midfielder who can do that to the standard that Wharton does.

Who starts should depend on the opponent and what we're trying to achieve in that specific game but they absolutely both have to be in the squad - that's the only really important thing.

Definitely team effects at play here but it's fun thinking about how Wharton would fit into an elite team when the tactical meta is increasingly shifting towards direct play and in particular accessing space behind m2m presses. pic.twitter.com/zAblcx5JAO

— Jon Mackenzie (@Jon_Mackenzie) October 13, 2025

 

I don't think any of these players are up to the standard required though.

It comes at a cost, Wharton is in the 14th percentile for pass completion this season. It would be interesting to see those stats with a pass completion factored in.

I think Wharton is quite a niche player, at least from what we've seen of him at the top level so far. Good if your side is compact, defensive and looking for quick breaks. I'd like to see him for England against decent opposition just to get an idea of what he's like in a side that wants to hold possession.

 

It all depends on what you want for each game imo. Wharton is also in the 99th percentile for expected assisted goals, the 94th percentile for expected assists and the 96th percentile for key passes amongst midfielders in other top five leagues in Europe. I don't think the cost of losing the ball more often is that great if a player is so creative from deep.

I think the argument for playing Wharton against a team like Spain is stronger (in theory) than it is for playing Anderson. If we're serious about challenging for the World Cup then we'll need to really lean into transitions at points.

 

What a performance 🔥@anthonygordon is your England Player of the Match connected by @EE! pic.twitter.com/A6D5oK6wCL

— England (@England) October 15, 2025

Gordon was voted player of the match.

 

Against Spain I agree, any game where we surrender possession and sit deep then he fits but if our line is high then it's much more of a risk. That said, we haven't seen him operate in a side with a high line that looks to control the game.

 

Wharton reminds me of Carrick in that but a way more mobile one. He has a play in mind before getting the ball.

Anderson have not seen him too much what is the hype about. Is he a deep mid or box to box?

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6715828/2025/10/15/england-world-cup-2026-squad-selection/

Athletic writers giving their squad.
Jack Pitt-Brooke (

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Goalkeepers: Pickford, Henderson, Trafford
Defenders: Stones, Guehi, Konsa, Chalobah, James, Spence, Lewis-Skelly, Livramento
Midfielders: Anderson, Rice, Henderson, Wharton, Gibbs-White, Bellingham, Rogers
Forwards: Kane, Watkins, Grealish, Rashford, Saka, Eze, Palmer, Madueke
Also mentions Pope, Trent, Burn, Dier, Gordon, Foden.

Oliver Kay

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Goalkeepers: Pickford, Henderson, Trafford
Defenders: Alexander-Arnold, James, Livramento, Stones, Branthwaite, Guehi, Colwill, Spence, Lewis-Skelly
Midfielders: Rice, Henderson, Wharton, Anderson, Bellingham, Rogers, Eze
Forwards: Palmer, Foden, Saka, Gordon, Kane, Rashford, Watkins
Also mentions Konsa, Hall, Jones, Mount, Gibbs-White, Madueke, Solanke and Bowen

Cerys Jones

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Goalkeepers: Pickford, Henderson, Trafford
Defenders: Lewis-Skelly, Spence, Guehi, Stones, Konsa, Maguire, James, Livramento
Midfielders: Wharton, Rice, Anderson, Palmer, Bellingham, Henderson, Eze, Grealish
Forwards: Gordon, Rashford, Saka, Madueke, Kane, Watkins, Bowen
Also mentions Pope, Burn, Foden and Gibbs-White

Mark Carey

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Goalkeepers: Pickford, Henderson, Trafford
Defenders: Spence, Guehi, Stones, Maguire, Burn, James, Alexander-Arnold, Lewis-Skelly
Midfielders: Rice, Anderson, Wharton, Palmer, Bellingham, Henderson, Eze, Rogers, Foden
Forwards: Gordon, Rashford, Saka, Madueke, Kane, Watkins
Also mentions Pope, Gibbs-White

Stuart James

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Goalkeepers: Pickford, Henderson, Trafford
Defenders: Guehi, Stones, Konsa, Burn, Alexander-Arnold, James, Lewis-Skelly, Livramento
Midfielders: Rice, Anderson, Wharton, Bellingham, Eze, Foden, Rogers
Forwards: Kane, Madueke, Watkins, Saka, Palmer, Grealish, Rashford, Bowen
Also mentions Maguire, J Henderson,

Jacob Whitehead

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Goalkeepers: Pickford, Henderson, Trafford
Defenders: Guehi, Stones, Konsa, Burn, Livramento, Alexander-Arnold, Shaw, Spence
Midfielders: Rice, Bellingham, Anderson, Wharton, Rogers, Palmer, Gallagher
Forwards: Saka, Kane, Eze, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Solanke, Rashford
Also mentions Pope, Ramsdale, James, Grealish, Foden, Toney

 

Meanwhile the Telegraph writers predict the big names to miss out.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...ers-thomas-tuchel-should-omit-2026-world-cup/
Jason Burt - Trent, Maguire, Toney, Walker, Gibbs-White
Matt Law - Walker, J Henderson, Foden, Gibbs-White, Rashford,
John Percy - Trent, Burn, J Henderson, Lewis-Skelly, Foden
Luke Edwards - Trafford, Wharton, Rashford, Loftus-Cheek, Foden
Sam Dean - Rashford, Bowen, Foden, Gibbs-White, J Henderson, Trent
Thom Gibbs - Foden, Grealish, Shaw, Walker, J Henderson
Chris Bascombe - Grealish, Walker, Mainoo, Rashford, J Henderson
Jim White - Trent, J Henderson, Maguire, Grealish, Loftus-Cheek
Oliver Brown - Trent, Mainoo, Foden, Wharton, Lewis-Skelly
Mike McGrath - Watkins. Lewis-Skelly, J Henderson, Burn, Walker

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...l-vs-jude-bellingham-becoming-circus-england/

Articles like this are ridiculous. Burt is trying to constantly assert that Tuchel is causing an issue by leaving Bellingham out, completely lacking in the self awareness that these things only become issues because the media, which he is part of, make them so.

He then continues to double down on it being Tuchel’s fault if it becomes problematic and exonerates himself and the media from any blame, as if we, and anyone else with half a brain are dumb enough to buy that.

“It’s almost inconceivable that England can do without Bellingham if they face one of the big nations in the knockout stages” Why is this or at least words similar to it such an unchallenged viewpoint?

The elephant in the room with the Bellingham debate is that we actually fared better in the two tournaments prior to him becoming an integral part of the squad, than we have done in the two he’s been a part of. We didn’t lose in 90 minutes in 2018 or 2021 and came within genuine fractions of a World Cup final and then a Euro trophy, whereas we were fairly comfortably beaten by France and Spain in the last two.

I’m not saying that Bellingham was the outright reason for this, nor am I saying that if he gets his head down and produces his best football he can’t be a big success. The issue I have is that people seem to act as if he has already elevated us in the time that he’s been a key part of the setup and act as if we owe him something, when this just isn’t the case, as per my evidence above.

The things we have been doing in the last two tournaments clearly haven’t worked, so I don’t see why trying out a different midfield setup is causing such controversy.