Gotta say I'm really looking forward to this tournament. My team has had an awful season, so really just hoping we can get through the next two weeks without any injuries and have a go at this.
4 weeks today. Can hardly believe it. Im really positive this summer. I think semi finals is realistic
Really looking forward to the Euro's this year. - So, probably means we will have a nightmare & go out at the group stages. Hoping for a positive & attacking England. Not expecting (but still hoping) anything beyond that.
Looking forward to seeing how we play with the gifted playmakers and attackers we have sadly, our centre halves leave something to be desired. The midfield combination has to work for us to suceed
I don't think our centrehalves are as bad as people make out. Stones and maguire (if fit) are a good combo. Mings is pretty poor but Keane is decent. Coady has always stepped up. Tomori konsa could easily do well.
There's enough depth there, there's just no top quality players. Stones is always liable to a mistake and Maguire is as fast as a snail (but our most reliable performer there). Our backups are about a similar standard, all fairly average. I'd like to see the likes of Godfrey, Konsa and Tomori in but they won't make it, hopefully they'll be fast tracked for the World Cup in 2022 as I think they will all reach a high level if they keep developing and playing week in week out. If Gomez comes back from injury with no issues then there are four players there all 23 years old with the potential to play for England. I also think the GK situation is similar, three goalkeepers all of a similar level but no standouts. In DM I rate Rice very highly but don't think Phillips should be starting and would much prefer if Southgate played one holding midfielder (Rice) and two more attack minded players alongside him. Hopefully Grealish is now fit and can play 90 minutes a couple of times before the season ends, if so he goes over Lingard 100%. For me TAA doesn't just go but starts, but as much as I want it to happen it's quite likely it won't. This is our strongest team imo: GK Henderson RB TAA CB Stones CB Maguire LB Shaw DM Rice CM Mount CM Foden LW Grealish RW Sterling ST Kane Subs GK Pickford GK Pope RB James/Trippier/Walker CB Keane CB Coady/Mings LB Chilwell DM Phillips CM Ward Prowse CM Bellingham LW Rashford LW Saka RW Greenwood RW Sancho ST Calvert Lewin ST Watkins/Ings However, while I think that squad is fairly close to being accurate (though I think he'll take 2 of Walker, James and Trippier and probably leave out one of the attacking players), I don't think that will be the team. I think he'll play Rice and Phillips, won't play TAA and possibly won't even take him, and only play 3 attack minded players. Hope I'm wrong though.
The issue we have is you need a high line with creative midfielders as you probe for openings. The biggest issue with our cbs is pace. That’s why I like tomori if we stick to that 343 then you can play plodders
I would go with pickford Shaw maguire (?) Stones walker. Rice Bellingham mount rashford kane grealish
So you leave out Foden? Bellingham isn’t ready for starting games for us just yet in my opinion. Pickford Walker Shaw Stones Maguire Rice Mount Foden Grealish Kane Rashford/Sancho
Do we have any faith in southgate naming the right squad? What i mean is will he shock us by leaving out grealish for example? Or not including someone like Greenwood. Or not bringing sancho back? Will taa get recalled? I have a feeling there will be some disappointment in his selections
There is bound to be controversial decisions, it’s basically impossible for Southgate to please everyone. For example, the right back options are bound to be questioned as he can’t pick all of them. Also the attacking midfield options and wide players and forwards, hell even centre back options. There’s going to be a lot of disappointed Club fans whatever the outcome.
Welbeck again, classy finish! Won’t get selected but just saying but his all round game is very good at the moment! We could do a lot worse.
I go back and forth on this. Obviously it's a risk to start a 17-year-old, especially alongside two 22-year-olds in Rice and Mount... but when the likely alternatives are Ward-Prowse and a slightly out-of-position Phillips, is Bellingham not the best performing player of the three? I have little doubt that he's the most talented.
Yeah, I do too, I get excited about the way he played against City in those two games in the Champions League and then when I watch him pretty much week in week out in the Bundesliga he’s great a lot of the time but he does have games when he’s not that consistent. This might be tame and I hope I’m wrong but I just worry about his tackling as I think he’s a red card waiting to happen even though he’s already been sent off. I just think once he matures his talent will undoubtably come through but just at the moment I would worry about it. I think that’s the reason he got subbed at halftime in the German Cup final.
I think the attacking midfield options and forwards should be cut and dried. Grealish Greenwood foden sancho kane sterling mount rashford dcl.
I don't think the dynamism that Bellingham has makes up for his lack of experience and maturity just yet. In a must-win game I would still play Phillips ahead of him.
Thats true but there are games when I wince at his tackles, kind of reminds me of Rooney when he was a kid. Still, the consistency needs to be better with his performances in my opinion but that’s completely understandable for his age. Don’t get me wrong, top talent though and will be an England International for years to come but just not sure at present.
Interesting listening to Martin Samuel on the Mail football podcast, recorded yesterday. He still doesn't expect TAA to be in the squad. And even more interesting, says : "Sancho is the one. There's a difference between what you hear and what you can write. But people are hearing he could be the one to miss out"