[Football] Arsenal’s Ben White

[Badger Boy]

Many hours have passed, but I'm still unhappy Ward-Prowse is being taken. I'm not impressed there are 4 right backs either, but Ward-Prowse not making a 26 man squad is ludicrous. I think Southgate's on borrowed time now and when he's fired after this tournament, everyone will look back at these squad decisions as being the reason he lost his job.

He is wholly reliant on Kane scoring goals to mask how poor his team is, again.

 

[Stato]

I really don't think Walker has had a good season at all so there was an opportunity there, but Mr Safety First has decided he needs a combination right back / RCB which Tariq definitely is not.

My worry is that previous matches for England have proven that Walker is definitely not a centre back either. His positioning and concentration are poor and he relies on his speed to make up for this. It doesn't make up for his lack of aerial prowess. Having him at centre back is like having a shorter version of Mings. Unbelievable that, in a squad that allows three extra players, we are going to a tournament with three fit centre backs and a plan to play three at the back. An injury for one against Croatia will have us playing midfielders or full backs out of position whilst waiting for a player we took despite him being injured to regain fitness, something that past experience has proven, always goes wrong.

Anyone claiming that Rice, Walker, James or Phillips can play there needs to be asking whether any of them would be better than any one of the experienced centre backs he could have taken. If Harry Maguire was Virgil Van Dyke, you could understand taking the risk, but he's not, he's Harry Maguire. Even his biggest fans have to admit that, although he's brave, good in the air and can play with his feet, he can also be very bad in terms of positional awareness and covering for his partner. The second half of Man U's season shows that a fit Maguire is justified over his peers. The difference is in no way great enough to justify taking him when he's not fit.

Southgate is going to this tournament with four players who play in a position where he can select one player and three fit players in a position where he plans to pick at least two, possibly three. The stupidity is quite unparalleled from any previous England Manager. It's a decision made because he was too weak to reject one of the right backs. TAA to play wing back and his preference of one of the others to play in a four would have been fine. A third filling up one of the extra squad places would have been fine. Not being able to drop one of them shows him to be too scared of the press/public reaction or too scared to disappoint one of his favourites, to do his job properly.

 

[Sheebo]

Of course I’m serious, the guy is an idiot, a failed club manager who goes back totally on his word. As always England will get knocked out by the first decent team they play.

If the sports scientists have such an influence perhaps they should be telling the **** not to pick injured players in the squad when there’s just as good players not even picked for the first squad.

Ah the first decent team they play line So disrespectful to all teams basically. Like that crap Spanish side we beat away or those crap Belgians in competitive games recently. The fact you called England ‘they’ tells me all I need to know and not having this conversation. If you’re not supporting England, no need to go so deep into the ‘failings’ before they’ve even happened. No substance in your reply to your ludicrous post about the champions league final players not playing in friendlies, so not worth discussing. Move onto Germany for your rant now as you’re neutral and know best

The excuses are already rife and the knives out with criticism before a ball has been kicked - left here ready to pick up when we lose a game - I’m just going to enjoy the tourno personally and support my country as always - I am English and like football a lot you see

 

[Sid in the Sharknado]

So, England play 3 at the back sometimes but have only picked 3 fit players who naturally play in that position - 2 of which are bang average at best - as well as 4 right backs.

Sterling has been awful for months and gets in. People who whined about TAA missing out last time clearly haven't watched him much this season. He has been as poor this year as he was good last.

Even with Brighton bias, that squad is mental. Anyone who thinks England will win with that lot needs their head examined. We will need to score 4 goals a game to win them.

To be fair to TAA, I gather from various match reports that while he struggled in the first half or so of the season and was probably rightly left out, he was significantly better in the latter part (which is the part that matters in this case).

Picking 4 right backs is still bonkers, though I guess you could reasonably shove him further forward if you really wanted to.

 

[Stato]

Many hours have passed, but I'm still unhappy Ward-Prowse is being taken. I'm not impressed there are 4 right backs either, but Ward-Prowse not making a 26 man squad is ludicrous. I think Southgate's on borrowed time now and when he's fired after this tournament, everyone will look back at these squad decisions as being the reason he lost his job.

He is wholly reliant on Kane scoring goals to mask how poor his team is, again.

Ward Prowse has been unlucky because of competition in his position. Southgate obviously thought that he only needed one bang average one trick pony who adds nothing and he decided upon Kalvin Phillips.

Before people start talking about set pieces, it should be noted that, in the last World Cup finals, eight of our twelve goals came from set pieces. More set piece goals than any other team. Providing they keep Kane on penalties, but off free kicks, it's not a weakness in this squad.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

To be fair to TAA, I gather from various match reports that while he struggled in the first half or so of the season and was probably rightly left out, he was significantly better in the latter part (which is the part that matters in this case).

Picking 4 right backs is still bonkers, though I guess you could reasonably shove him further forward if you really wanted to.

I wouldn't disagree. From what I've seen - and I don't watch them religiously - he was improved in the 2nd half of the season but he was on the verge of abject in the early part of the season. The clamour for his inclusion was all very odd. There is an argument to perm any 2 of the 4, possibly one for 3 of the 4 but I can't see it for 4 of 4 when you only have 3 fit Central defenders. Someone might pipe up that Walker can play CD but I'd argue that is very much like saying it is worth taking Dunk as he can also play in goal.

How anyone can price England up as favourites is beyond me. If he plays Mings - Stones - Coady as his 3, I'd be backing San Marino to score against us let alone Croatia.

 

[Mellotron]

Ignore *duplicate post*

 

[Mellotron]

I don't think the 4 RBs is that bonkers, given you'd normally take 2/3 and we have an extra 3 slots. Walkers HAS played for England at CB and might well end up doing so if Maguire isn't fully fit, did fine there in 2018 overall.

Alexander-Arnold also gives a genuinely different option to the others and there's every chance we could see ourselves an hour into a game that was crying out for TAA to come on.

I think the media is desperate to find some drama and something newsworthy and there really isn't much there.

Absolutely buzzing for the 13th.

 

[Berty23]

Did Walker do well at centre back though? I seem to recall him getting caught under crosses quite often. I just don’t see him as a viable option there. How many times has James played centre back?

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Did Walker do well at centre back though? I seem to recall him getting caught under crosses quite often. I just don’t see him as a viable option there. How many times has James played centre back?

I remember him giving away a pen against Tunisia. It was all forgotten after Kanes late winner. I remember getting irate about his positioning as a whole during the 2018 WC.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Just to make the neigh sayers heads explode a little more:

Southgate has mentioned that TAA can play in midfield.

My Man Utd supporting friends have said that Shaw can play left side in a back three.

So, we could have Chillwell LWB, Shaw, Stones, Walker as the CBs, Trippier or James as the RWB and TAA in midifeld. Then you wouldn't be saying it was crazy to take so many full backs...

Anyway, we all thought that 2018 would be a disaster to match 2010/2014(I certainly did). It turned out pretty good - only the most obstinate refused to have any fun. Hopefully this tournament will be similar. We have the potential to play good football and maybe go fairly deep. Surely after the past 15-18 months we should all be looking forward to a festival of fun for a month rather than being miserable pricks?

 

[Horses Arse]

haha

last tournament we were expected to do nothing. What happened was a bunch of likeable players united a nation behind them and made the semis. What a great summer.

Since then they got to the final of that noddy uefa cup thing.

Next test - The Euros.

Soutgate may turn out to be a dud but he's done ok so far and seems to have some decent likeable players playing for the cause.

Things have moved on from Roy.

I think we'll have a good tournament and give the country a lift. Up to you if you want to twist it negatively

Whats more predictable is people like you being England knockers. Suits me but just all a bit sheepish when things have actually evolved and changed




Looking back on when we first met ............

The progression has been moving on the old guard. That's it. I guess plaudits could be given for that but it is far from enough as far as I'm concerned.

There's little interest in the national team for me anymore, actually there's little interest in this country given what has happened to it over the last 40 years. I keep thinking it can't fall any further but then we find a UK Trump to put in power.

 

[GT49er]

Where would a 35+ games Lamptey & March have fitted in to this England squad? 5 right backs? Genuine left sided LB/wing back cover?

Lamptey would only get in as he's probably still considered half Chelsea by the likes of Southgate. Seriously though, as a RB/RWB there's some fearfull competition ahead of him, and I don't think he'd genuinely be in the top RB/RWB four anyway..

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I just watched the Croatia goals back from 2018 to refresh my memory as I distinctly remember referring to him as Kyle ****ing walker at the time. Done in the air for 1st and ball watching the 2nd.

Shirt number 2

https://youtu.be/gi_2GELMwfY

 

[Dick Swiveller]

I have always had a real irrational dislike of Southgate and this has made it worse. I don't think he is a good manager anyway and seemingly picking Trent (Officially like Prince or Madonna now) just so he doesn't get a bit sad is ridiculous. And a "Have a look at what you could have won" game for Lingard? How many more tournaments can he have as preparation for future ones?

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Just to make the neigh sayers heads explode a little more:

Southgate has mentioned that TAA can play in midfield.

My Man Utd supporting friends have said that Shaw can play left side in a back three.

So, we could have Chillwell LWB, Shaw, Stones, Walker as the CBs, Trippier or James as the RWB and TAA in midifeld. Then you wouldn't be saying it was crazy to take so many full backs...

Anyway, we all thought that 2018 would be a disaster to match 2010/2014(I certainly did). It turned out pretty good - only the most obstinate refused to have any fun. Hopefully this tournament will be similar. We have the potential to play good football and maybe go fairly deep. Surely after the past 15-18 months we should all be looking forward to a festival of fun for a month rather than being miserable pricks?

I'll enjoy it whilst it's on. As someone who lives in the Midlands with no Brighton fans to speak of, I enjoy watching England games with other fans. My annoyance is that we seem to ticking every shit thing we've done before tournaments previously.

- Taking injured players that won't perform
- Picking "the best" players to play in wrong positions
- Big club bias
- Picking out of form players

I'm sure we will complete the set by going out on penalties.

 

[vagabond]

This guy knows where it’s at. It’s a Gareth ting [emoji106]

[tweet]1399904554985078785[/tweet]

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'll enjoy it whilst it's on. As someone who lives in the Midlands with no Brighton fans to speak of, I enjoy watching England games with other fans. My annoyance is that we seem to ticking every shit thing we've done before tournaments previously.

- Taking injured players that won't perform
- Picking "the best" players to play in wrong positions
- Big club bias
- Picking out of form players

I'm sure we will complete the set by going out on penalties.

It wouldn't be a major tournament without taking some key injured players. Not sure if its a good or bad thing that this time the player we're 'sweating' on is Maguire. Seems a come down form the good old days of worrying about Beckham, Owen or Rooney.

The squad is made up of players from 14 different teams, 12 of which are from the premier league. I'm not sure how that compares to previous squads but it seems fairly representative.

There is no justification for Mings over anyone. No idea why he feels it necessary for four right backs but other than that I don't see too much to complain about. The extra three players mitigates taking Maguire.

As for penalties Southgate's England is actually two for two on them. They beat Columbia in the world cup and then Switzerland in the nations league. So on that count...it's the hope that's going to get us!

All in all, the squads been made, the tournament is less than two weeks away so I'm going to put my Southgate bashing on the back burner and look forward to what will hopefully be a great summer of football, added to by several Brighton players playing in it.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I've probably seen more England games than most (first WC I travelled to was Spain 82) so I'm certainly not one of those on here who want England to fail - I really, really want England to win this - but my loathing of Southgate grows by the day.

He's completely bottled the big decision regarding RB / RWB by selecting all four and takes two players which almost certainly won't play in the hardest group game against Croatia.

If he insists of taking the two injured players (I get that we will need those two later - hopefully) he should have taken just two RBs that would have freed up spots for anther midfielder and specialist CB

Don't even get me started on Mings.

He got lucky in the WC with the draw - the first decent team we played we lost to.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm just gonna leave this here:-

[tweet]1399775660969758724[/tweet]