[Football] England World Cup Squad

[FatSuperman]

I don't really have an opinion on Harry Maguire as a person, or player. I don't watch him unless we are playing against him.

But I would very much like him to have an absolute brilliant tournament. The bloke looks like he needs some serious confidence boost, and if he does well then hopefully that means England do too. It's not his fault that Gareth Southgate has picked him.

 

[Is it PotG?]

I don't really have an opinion on Harry Maguire as a person, or player. I don't watch him unless we are playing against him.

But I would very much like him to have an absolute brilliant tournament. The bloke looks like he needs some serious confidence boost, and if he does well then hopefully that means England do too. It's not his fault that Gareth Southgate has picked him.

We're not in this to give him a confidence boost, were going in order to play our best XI and try to win it.

Man Ure don't pick him for a reason.

 

[Luke93]

Don’t understand why Maguire is selected given his current form.

As per Dunk not making it, I can only assume the factors playing against him are international experience (which GS has stolen from him), pace (which doesn’t justify Maguire and Coady) and his occasional mistakes (which doesn’t justify Dire).

I wish England all the best, but that defence and central midfield don’t fill me with confidence.

 

[ManOfSussex]

But you have to look at the teams we went out to in those years… Brazil and Germany, who I think both went on to win it?

Southgate got the worlds easiest draw in the last World Cup, with us going out to the first vaguely competent team we faced in Croatia, who themselves got dicked by France in the final.

It’s not really about where in the tournament you draw these teams, it’s how you do against them. Sven had terrible luck and despite that we pushed Brazil and Germany far… Southgate has gone out with a wimper to lesser sides, albeit further into tournaments (as I say, through lucky draws not ability).

Southgate is a very lucky manager, not a very good one - the 3 qualfying groups he's had have been easy as anything. Break down his record in the 2 tournaments he's been to:

World cup - We were 1-1 in stopagge time against Tunisia before Kane got us out of the soup. Panama were a pub team, a squad XI lost to a Belgain squad X1. We couldn't close it out against Colombia in the second round, then finally won a penalty shoot out. Sweden as a quarter final opponent was a dream come true yet our keeper was MOTM. Then came Croatia. 1-0 up at half time and he just sat there and let the invetibale happen. That the was the first England game since Saint Etienne in '98 a substitution wasnt made in 90 minutes. A world cup draw like that, any England team in history would have got to the semi final.

Euros - Laboured 1-0 wins at home to Croatia and the Czech Republic sandwiched between not being able to beat Scotland. We then beat the worst German side since Euro2004 at home in the 2nd round, a result that would have been different had Muller scored as he would do 99 times out of a 100. We fly to Rome to beat Ukraine who had flown all over Europe all tournament, then needed extra time and a rebound from a penalty to beat Denmark at home in the semi. The came the final against Italy - he makes the first substitution after Italy invetiably equalised, doesn't bring Grealish on until the 99th minute and he doesn't take a penalty, then brings on Sancho and Rashford on 120 minutes to miss theirs...........

Sweden and Ukraine as quarter final opponents are a bit different to Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Italy, who along with Cameroon have been the other England quarter final opponets in my lifetime. Southgate only got the job because of Big Sams big mouth anyway.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Are Esso doing the coins this time?

 

[Stato]

An utterly conservative selection of players who he's relied heavily on in the past, quite a few of whom are past their best. Who'd have thought?

Kalvin Phillips' last full ninety minutes was in England's 4-0 loss to Hungary. His only full ninety minutes since the end of May. Henderson has managed 90 minutes in only three games this season. They are both selected because Southgate will be continuing to play the double pivot of unambitious central midfield workhorses that has caused the goal drought. A more ambitious coach would pick Foden to partner Rice. He is naturally a central midfielder who plays on the left or right for City because they have De Bruyne and Silva in the centre. England don't. However, Southgate needs his own Fred and McTominay for the same reason that Man U persisted with it for far too long: The need to provide cover for the positionally lacking Maguire. Ten Hag has resolved the problem with the most obvious solution: replace Maguire. Southgate won't, so we will continue to rely on less talented, less creative, but more conservative midfielders.

Imagine how exciting England could be playing similarly to how De Zerbi sets up. Two reliably solid ball playing, but aerially dominant centre halves (Perm any two from about eight) with TAA & Trippier (or, when fit James and Chillwell) either side of them, Foden and Rice in the Mac Allister and Caicedo roles and any three of Maddison, Saka, Grealish, Mount, Gallagher, Sterling, Rashford etc. playing behind Kane.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Southgate is a very lucky manager, not a very good one - the 3 qualfying groups he's had have been easy as anything. Break down his record in the 2 tournaments he's been to:

World cup - We were 1-1 in stopagge time against Tunisia before Kane got us out of the soup. Panama were a pub team, a squad XI lost to a Belgain squad X1. We couldn't close it out against Colombia in the second round, then finally won a penalty shoot out. Sweden as a quarter final opponent was a dream come true yet our keeper was MOTM. Then came Croatia. 1-0 up at half time and he just sat there and let the invetibale happen. That the was the first England game since Saint Etienne in '98 a substitution wasnt made in 90 minutes. A world cup draw like that, any England team in history would have got to the semi final.

Euros - Laboured 1-0 wins at home to Croatia and the Czech Republic sandwiched between not being able to beat Scotland. We then beat the worst German side since Euro2004 at home in the 2nd round, a result that would have different had Muller scored as he would do 99 times out of a 100. We fly to Rome to beat Ukraine who had flown all over Europe all tournament, then needed extra time and a rebound from a penalty to beat Denmark at home in the semi. The came the final against Italy - he makes the first substitution after Italy invetiably equalised, doesn't bring Grealish on until the 99th minute and he take a penalty, then brings on Sancho and Rashford on 120 minutes to miss theirs...........

Sweden and Ukraine as quarter final opponents are a bit different to Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Italy, who along with Cameroon have been the other England quarter final opponets in my lifetime. Southgate only got the job because of Big Sams big mouth anyway.

Your post is perfectly spot on. One I could have written myself (probably not so well) if I could be bothered but Southgate sucks any interest I have out of our national team.

 

[Pevenseagull]

The scintillating form of Kalvin Phillips this season makes him indispensable.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lens]

An utterly conservative selection of players who he's relied heavily on in the past, quite a few of whom are past their best. Who'd have thought?

Kalvin Phillips' last full ninety minutes was in England's 4-0 loss to Hungary. His only full ninety minutes since the end of May. Henderson has managed 90 minutes in only three games this season. They are both selected because Southgate will be continuing to play the double pivot of unambitious central midfield workhorses that has caused the goal drought. A more ambitious coach would pick Foden to partner Rice. He is naturally a central midfielder who plays on the left or right for City because they have De Bruyne and Silva in the centre. England don't. However, Southgate needs his own Fred and McTominay for the same reason that Man U persisted with it for far too long: The need to provide cover for the positionally lacking Maguire. Ten Hag has resolved the problem with the most obvious solution: replace Maguire. Southgate won't, so we will continue to rely on less talented, less creative, but more conservative midfielders.

Imagine how exciting England could be playing similarly to how De Zerbi sets up. Two reliably solid ball playing, but aerially dominant centre halves (Perm any two from about eight) with TAA & Trippier (or, when fit James and Chillwell) either side of them, Foden and Rice in the Mac Allister and Caicedo roles and any three of Maddison, Saka, Grealish, Mount, Gallagher, Sterling, Rashford etc. playing behind Kane.

This nails it for me. I had no expectation that any BHA players would get anywhere near, but the impact of including Maguire goes beyond his personal form right now, the need to cover and be risk averse. "not losing" does not get you over the line in tournament football. Flexing according to opponents and match situations does. GS has consistently failed to do that and does not have the belief or ability that he can create a way of playing that will suit the best players that he has available to him. This also suggests that he hasn't really taken the opportunity in recent fixtures to really explore and test others (or himself), maybe 'cos in his mind he is stepping down after the tournament regardless.. he has been hoping all along that the band of 2020 would get back together unless injuries have intervened. To the point that he would rather have a right-footed left back than take a genuine left-footed player to cover Luke Shaw..

 

[Simster]

Loving "Andy" on the BBC feed:

"Andy: Never thought I’d see the day when Brighton had 3 English centre backs available that I’d rather have play for us, than 3 that have been chosen for an England World Cup squad. Amazing times."

 

[jcdenton08]

My England team for the World Cup

Select your England XI for the World Cup

team-picker.files.bbci.co.uk

 

[Swansman]

My England team for the World Cup

Select your England XI for the World Cup

team-picker.files.bbci.co.uk

Looking like a good one except I wouldn't let Luke Shaw anywhere near the pitch.

 

[jcdenton08]

Looking like a good one except I wouldn't let Luke Shaw anywhere near the pitch.

Really struggled at left back. What would you go for?

 

[GT49er]

We're not in this to give him a confidence boost, were going in order to play our best XI and try to win it.

Man Ure don't pick him for a reason.

Lately, until they picked up a few injuries, they don't pick him.

 

[Swansman]

Really struggled at left back. What would you go for?

Not easy but either Trippier (who is intelligent enough to play anywhere) or Saka (bit adventurous but he has some experience from the role). In the first solution I would probably go with Walker as right back. If Saka would play there I'd have Rashford or Mount replace him on the wing.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

I can live with the rest of the squad - but Maguire? He was pretty poor at the peak of his form, but now? Just how?

 

[herecomesaregular]

I think Shaw is underrated, purely as he's one of the few players in this squad who can put in a decent cross from a deep wide position. We so desperately lack any creativity (please don't give me Grealish, he really does feck all of any substance just all short socks and haircut).

 

[WATFORD zero]

Are Esso doing the coins this time?

I've still got my full 1970 collection. One of these days Rodney, one of these days

 

[Randy McNob]

But you have to look at the teams we went out to in those years… Brazil and Germany, who I think both went on to win it?

Southgate got the worlds easiest draw in the last World Cup, with us going out to the first vaguely competent team we faced in Croatia, who themselves got dicked by France in the final.

It’s not really about where in the tournament you draw these teams, it’s how you do against them. Sven had terrible luck and despite that we pushed Brazil and Germany far… Southgate has gone out with a wimper to lesser sides, albeit further into tournaments (as I say, through lucky draws not ability).

Sorry but you are wrong here, you make your own luck. Sven made glaring errors as England manager, which could have made the difference, for example: picked Theo Walcott who never kicked a ball in the premiership and never played him anyway, picked an injured Michael Owen in 2006 (I think) who then got injured again which ruined his career. In the 2006 semi, subbed on Carragher to take a penalty (?) in the shootout who duly missed, constantly shoe-horned Beckham into the side who resorted to hoofing the ball 60 yards all the time, even to the point where the more classier Paul Scholes was pushed onto the left wing and ended up retiring early. I believe the only teams we beat in a knockout stage were Denmark and Ecuador? Worse England manager ever

 

[Randy McNob]

No Mings but Maddison and White in on the positive front.

On the negative, Philips really shouldn't be going. Kane and Wilson are our only No 9's

Central defence looks weak.

The squad needs balance. If Rice gets injured Phillips can cover that position