[Albion] England Squad announcement shortly

[Eric Youngs Contact Lens]

GS justifcation for taking Maguire et al (Those who are hopelessly out of form and not playing regularly) was that these matches were big occasions and he felt he needed players who he could trust to handle those situations - despite the fact that their employers don't trust them to do the job they need to. As it happens, I can understand his omission of Solly given the talent that is in front of him. BUT, the centre-back situation is simply bizarre. It demonstrates, to me at least, that he hasn't used the opportunities to try enough players - rather, as in the case of Lewis, one squad selection and that has apparently told him all he needs to know. There is no transition plan, simply a view of get the band back together for one last shot at glory - it wont work. I think we will get beaten in Italy.

 

[Shooting Star]

I've been a big Southgate fan ever since he took the job. He took a team that couldn't care less about playing for England and changed all of that. I've backed him all the way for that as he has undoubtedly done better than all managers since Bobby Robson.

However I really thought after the world cup he would take the opportunity to look at some fresh faces and start to move the team forward. Some kind of mini revolution. But this squad pick is just the same old nonsense.

Where is Ben White? What the hell are Dier and Maguire still doing in there. Phillips has hardly played a game all season. What the hell?!!

Ps) I'm still heading to Naples on Thursday. What a fool.

Almost 100% agree with you Giraffe and that's where I'm at, although I'm trying to cut Gareth a bit of slack and thinking he wants to stick with what he knows for undoubtedly the two hardest games (Italy and Ukraine) and will experiment more in June when it's Malta and North Macedonia.

 

[Stato]

Southgate - Solly March - we're aware of him. He's been very good. At the moment we just think he's behind Saka, Rashford, Foden and Grealish.

Rashford drops out of the squad through injury. 'No further replacements are planned.'

Looks like, in Southgate's eyes, Solly is also behind having absolutely nobody too.

Disingenuous snake.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

Southgate - Solly March - we're aware of him. He's been very good. At the moment we just think he's behind Saka, Rashford, Foden and Grealish.

Rashford drops out of the squad through injury. 'No further replacements are planned.'

Looks like, in Southgate's eyes, Solly is also behind having absolutely nobody too.

Disingenuous snake.

Surely with the space opened up with Rashford's departure it would have been a great opportunity to bring him in just to get a closer look at him, see how he fits in around the squad etc, he might not get any playing time but the experience could be invaluable later on, especially with potentially more injuries before the next round of internationals what with the ever growing backlog of games some of these players have.

 

[perthseagull]

Southgate - Solly March - we're aware of him. He's been very good. At the moment we just think he's behind Saka, Rashford, Foden and Grealish.

Rashford drops out of the squad through injury. 'No further replacements are planned.'

Looks like, in Southgate's eyes, Solly is also behind having absolutely nobody too.

Disingenuous snake.

I’d put Solly behind Saka, on a par with Foden and ahead of the show pony. No excuses - Southgate doesn’t have the balls to regenerate the squad, and do his job!

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Southgate - Solly March - we're aware of him. He's been very good. At the moment we just think he's behind Saka, Rashford, Foden and Grealish.

Rashford drops out of the squad through injury. 'No further replacements are planned.'

Looks like, in Southgate's eyes, Solly is also behind having absolutely nobody too.

Disingenuous snake.

The Palace twunt talks himself into corners trying to justify his squad selections

 

[Simster]

I’d put Solly behind Saka, on a par with Foden and ahead of the show pony. No excuses - Southgate doesn’t have the balls to regenerate the squad, and do his job!

Fair enough, but most people wouldn't. Regardless, there's no excuse for not involving him now that Rashford is out.

He needs to be asked the question why he never visits the Amex, but is seen happily wasting his time watching mid-table fodder at Stamford Bridge and Villa Park.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Kelvin Philips starting

 

[Is it PotG?]

Southgate really IS a ####ing clown.

Maguire and Phillips starting, really?

 

[Swansman]

No match thread says a fair bit about THE HYPE around this game

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Southgate really IS a ####ing clown.

Maguire and Phillips starting, really?

He really is a complete joke.

 

[Motogull]

No match thread says a fair bit about THE HYPE around this game

I'm watching a twee programme about the Isle of Wight with Alan Titmarsh. What has it come to?