England

[RodneyCisse]

I actually hate that hendo is getting picked, it’s like proper mental.

[Jaqen]

Think Bellingham has to play as the 10 to get the best out of him. He's wasted playing deep in that system and we've lacked that runner from midfield getting into the box with how much Kane likes to drop deep too. 

[Miggys First Goal]

Henderson, man. Bloke will have retired from club football and still get a fucking call-up. Must have some dirt on Southgate. 

[Kid Icarus]

He's obviously a fantastic influence and leader within a group that's still young, but you'd think that baton should have been passed by now.

[The College Dropout]

17 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Don't think that's true; he was an important player as recently as the last Euros. 

 

There's limited really quality options for that out-and-out CM role after Rice. With any international experience at all you're choosing from Henderson, Philips, Gallagher, Skipp, Ward-Prowse, Skipp. Curtis Jones and Lewis Cook have had some involvement previously. Beyond that it's players who've barely featured in the England set-up. Willock, Mainoo.

 

It's a huge shame for England that Philips has lost his way. 

Henderson didn't even start games. He came off the bench in crucial games late.

 

Philips and Rice played 90% of minutes at the Euros.

 

Again, Henderson has never been impressive for England. He's had more stinkers in important moments than good games.

[The College Dropout]

8 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

He's obviously a fantastic influence and leader within a group that's still young, but you'd think that baton should have been passed by now.

Exactly. Declan Rice is 25 years old with almost 50 caps. He's experiened.

[Yorkie]

9 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Henderson didn't even start games. He came off the bench in crucial games late.

 

Philips and Rice played 90% of minutes at the Euros.

 

Again, Henderson has never been impressive for England. He's had more stinkers in important moments than good games.

 

So we agree...

[leffe186]

27 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

He's obviously a fantastic influence and leader within a group that's still young, but you'd think that baton should have been passed by now.

Yeah, that’s clearly the reason why he‘s still there, which is a pity. Make him a coach or something

 

Goalkeepers…whatever, not inspiring but nothing better out there.

Defenders bit thin but presume Tomori is still injured. Don’t particularly rate Gomez but he’s probably partly in because of versatility. Konsa didn’t look great against us either but isn’t he versatile too? Happy to see Branthwaite but would love to see a proper fullback out there - Livramento?

 

Midfield - feels like we’re missing someone here even allowing for giving a mascot a place in the squad. Henderson is presumably just in there as a leader. We feel like we’re one “holding” midfielder short.

 

Forwards…and one too many here. I suppose Foden and Palmer could be included as midfielders. I do think Rashford can do a job as an impact sub though.

 

Overall fair enough I guess. 

[St1pe]

1 hour ago, SUPERTOON said:

Henderson isn’t a holding midfielder is he ?

Nah, but he plays that type of siting role in Southgate’s system. Him

and Rice rarely venture forward too far. I can’t think of too many other English players that play that role well. 

[The College Dropout]

2 hours ago, Yorkie said:

 

So we agree...

No I don't.

 

You called him an important player at the Euros. He wasn't. 

[RodneyCisse]

5 hours ago, leffe186 said:

Yeah, that’s clearly the reason why he‘s still there, which is a pity. Make him a coach or something

 

Goalkeepers…whatever, not inspiring but nothing better out there.

Defenders bit thin but presume Tomori is still injured. Don’t particularly rate Gomez but he’s probably partly in because of versatility. Konsa didn’t look great against us either but isn’t he versatile too? Happy to see Branthwaite but would love to see a proper fullback out there - Livramento?

 

Midfield - feels like we’re missing someone here even allowing for giving a mascot a place in the squad. Henderson is presumably just in there as a leader. We feel like we’re one “holding” midfielder short.

 

Forwards…and one too many here. I suppose Foden and Palmer could be included as midfielders. I do think Rashford can do a job as an impact sub though.

 

Overall fair enough I guess. 

Aye just take him as a coach, proper waste of a place.

[mighty__mag]

When you look at the line up, I fully agree with every forward selected, bar Rashford. Maybe Solanke is unfortunate on his own form.

 

Midfield, I find unusual he selects Henderson/Gallagher, it's blatantly obvious Phillips was only selected based on playing for Man City, he's now  out of the picture, I do wonder why Harvey Elliott is overlooked, Gibbs-White, and Eze.

 

Defence, Braithwaite, Maguire, and Chilwell, I think Kilman/Quansah and Livramento deserve as much chance as those above.

 

 

[Holmesy]

There’s no reason Bottlejob couldn’t have sacrificed one of 9 forwards ie. Rashford to give Mainoo a deserved cap. 
5 central midfielders, including Henderson is bullshit. The balance of the squad suggests he’s going to favour an attack-minded approach but he won’t. It’s not in his nature. Swap one of the attacking players we know he won’t play for Mainoo and let Hendo have his influence in the dressing room.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2024 by Holmesy

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Quite funny that Philips has been dropped when he was picked while not playing at all. 

[The College Dropout]

When I think about an international squad, I always think about potential pen takers.

 

We have:
Kane

Palmer

Toney

Saka

 

-- al main PK takers fro their club.

 

Gordon

Foden

Maguire (? seem to remember him scoring a few)

Maddison

Rashford

 

All pretty lethal from the spot.

 

Although I feel like Rashford takes the same penalty every time. He opens his body so wide to indicate he's going to his right, then he turns his foot sharply to aim for that unstoppable bottom left corner.

[gbandit]

I always think Rashford’s going to miss but I think the same about anyone who does the next-level stutter approach technique. Those top four are very dependable, I know Saka missed crucially in a previous tournament but he was a kid then and anyway, one miss doesn’t mean you’re a bad penalty taker. Of that second group I’d probably go Maddison over the others. Could see Declan skying one although his pen the other day was class. Doesn’t Walker sometimes get a pen in shootouts? Trent would surely be a good penalty taker

 

[Nobody]

Trippier has taken a few for us, hasn't he? 

[Ronaldo]

15 minutes ago, Nobody said:

Trippier has taken a few for us, hasn't he? 

When? In shootouts?

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, Nobody said:

Trippier has taken a few for us, hasn't he? 

Missed the only one I can think of - vs Chelsea in a shootout

[NSG]

The new Euro 2024 kits are lovely, but at £85 a pop they’ll be doing wonders for DH Gate’s business.

[RodneyCisse]

4 hours ago, NSG said:

The new Euro 2024 kits are lovely, but at £85 a pop they’ll be doing wonders for DH Gate’s business.

James Milner alert but I’m interested to see which way we go with numbers colour.

[Astroblack]

Been watching Quansah over the last few weeks and he's absolute quality. Between him, Colwil, Branthwaite and Stones for experience, we're sorted at CB for the next 10 years. Fullbacks stacked. The midfield looks nice with Rice, Bellingham and Mainoo. Forward line is a little sticky as far as a #9 goes but we've got plenty of wide forwards like Gordon, Palmer, Saka and Foden. Future's bright. 

[LFEE]

Mainoo called up to senior squad.

[The College Dropout]

35 minutes ago, Astroblack said:

Been watching Quansah over the last few weeks and he's absolute quality. Between him, Colwil, Branthwaite and Stones for experience, we're sorted at CB for the next 10 years. Fullbacks stacked. The midfield looks nice with Rice, Bellingham and Mainoo. Forward line is a little sticky as far as a #9 goes but we've got plenty of wide forwards like Gordon, Palmer, Saka and Foden. Future's bright. 

People always say things like this but players fall off all the time. And many never reach their potential. People sued to talk of Phil Jones in this way.

[tgarve]

43 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Mainoo called up to senior squad.

Very good decision