[Albion] Why is Dunk consistently overlooked by England?

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vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
Scandalous decision. But from scanning twitter and social media not many neutrals have noticed Dunk as being overlooked.

So are we wearing rose tinted specs?

Probably. A bit.

But taking away any possible bias he’s still a massively experienced PL cb. He’s captaining a team 8th in the PL, on merit.
He’s kept clean sheets, plays it out from the back in true Potter style, plays 3 at the back... even made a couple of beautiful assists this season.

Just looking at the facts above without bias it’s really a strange decision Gareth has made here. He’s arguably the in form English CB right now. Honestly doesn’t seem he’s picking the squad on merit at all.

So all I can think is, he must have not impressed Southgate in training. Whether that’s attitude or intelligence I don’t know. But I find it hard to accept that as Potter, Hughton and Tony Bloom are no mugs at all. They clearly believe in Lewis.

Very strange.
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,431
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Scandalous decision. But from scanning twitter and social media not many neutrals have noticed Dunk as being overlooked.

So are we wearing rose tinted specs?

Probably. A bit.


But taking away any possible bias he’s still a massively experienced PL cb. He’s captaining a team 8th in the PL, on merit.
He’s kept clean sheets, plays it out from the back in true Potter style, plays 3 at the back... even made a couple of beautiful assists this season.

Just looking at the facts above without bias it’s really a strange decision Gareth has made here. He’s arguably the in form English CB right now. Honestly doesn’t seem he’s picking the squad on merit at all.

So all I can think is, he must have not impressed Southgate in training. Whether that’s attitude or intelligence I don’t know. But I find it hard to accept that as Potter, Hughton and Tony Bloom are no mugs at all. They clearly believe in Lewis.

Very strange.

About 1% judging by everything you typed after.
 








dejavuatbtn

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
7,574
Henfield
I am not convinced that Southgate is producing a balanced side. All very well having a youthful look, but surely it needs some nous and experience. There are a number of players currently in his team that shouldn’t be there who will not make it. It can’t be all trial and error.
 


Iggle Piggle

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2010
5,967
Danny Rose has looked absolute pub when I've seen him play this year. Delph has been on the bench for an Everton team who look bottom 6 material. Mings is another who wouldn't be out of place in the xterminate rat poison league. Meanwhile, Kyle Walker doesn't get in. It's not just Dunk that baffles me about the squad selection.

Grealish I kind of get though. Yes, he is without doubt one of the top English midfielders I've seen this season and I'd certainly rather have him than say Rice in our team. That said, he does have bell end tendencies which probably does for him as much as football ability.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,730
The Fatherland
Yep. Keeps him relatively under the radar, too.

Given the Premier League is the most watched league in the world, which radar is he under?
 




Stato

Well-known member
Dec 21, 2011
7,374
I've just Googled 'Gareth Southgate' & 'Amex Stadium' and it would seem that his most recent visit to our ground was in 2015 as England's U21 manager. I can find no report of him ever coming to watch us play at home in the Premier League. Now we are not the most fertile ground for the England manager to be scouting, but it seems that he may not have bothered coming once despite close to 50 opportunities over the last two and a bit seasons.

He went to Huddersfield: https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/na...-looking-to-watch-bournemouth-striker-wilson/
He watched Newcastle, the other team we were promoted with: https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/04/...h-southgate-to-watch-newcastles-jonjo-shelve/
He went to Middlesbrough during their awful season in the PL: https://www.dreamteamfc.com/c/archives/news-gossip/137565/gareth-southgate-middlesbrough-vs-swansea/
He went to watch Villa in only their second game back in the PL: https://readastonvilla.com/2019/08/...to-watch-grealish-and-mings-villa-fans-react/. He watched them again against us, meaning he has watched at least 2 out of their 5 PL home games.
He has also already been to Sheffield United this year: https://www.sheffieldunited.news/ne...nitoring-sheffield-united-star-jack-oconnell/
He went to watch Derby last year in the Championship: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...ionship-instead-of-champions-league-67c268j0d.

He has actually watched Leeds Rhinos play at home more often than he has watched Lewis Dunk play at home: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...vs-huddersfield-england-manager-a7706901.html
 


Surrey Phil

Well-known member
Aug 3, 2010
1,531
Selfishly, as Trossard got injured on international duty recently, I’m quite happy Dunky is getting overlooked by England.
 


vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
I've just Googled 'Gareth Southgate' & 'Amex Stadium' and it would seem that his most recent visit to our ground was in 2015 as England's U21 manager. I can find no report of him ever coming to watch us play at home in the Premier League. Now we are not the most fertile ground for the England manager to be scouting, but it seems that he may not have bothered coming once despite close to 50 opportunities over the last two and a bit seasons.

He went to Huddersfield: https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/na...-looking-to-watch-bournemouth-striker-wilson/
He watched Newcastle, the other team we were promoted with: https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/04/...h-southgate-to-watch-newcastles-jonjo-shelve/
He went to Middlesbrough during their awful season in the PL: https://www.dreamteamfc.com/c/archives/news-gossip/137565/gareth-southgate-middlesbrough-vs-swansea/
He went to watch Villa in only their second game back in the PL: https://readastonvilla.com/2019/08/...to-watch-grealish-and-mings-villa-fans-react/. He watched them again against us, meaning he has watched at least 2 out of their 5 PL home games.
He has also already been to Sheffield United this year: https://www.sheffieldunited.news/ne...nitoring-sheffield-united-star-jack-oconnell/
He went to watch Derby last year in the Championship: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...ionship-instead-of-champions-league-67c268j0d.

He has actually watched Leeds Rhinos play at home more often than he has watched Lewis Dunk play at home: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...vs-huddersfield-england-manager-a7706901.html

It is a strange one.

Asides from the non bias facts I layed out above I can only think it’s an attitude Southgate doesn’t like, or a personality clash with him or with a senior player in the squad (was there more to that clash with Kane versus Spurs last month?). Because on pure bleeding merit, pure ability and experience Lewis should be in this current squad.

And again I come back to this. We have a lot of very sharp football men at our club who clearly believe in Lewis; Potter, Ashworth, Bloom, and before, Hughton.

What does Gaz Southgate see that these fine men don’t?
 






keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,972
That isn't really what is happening here though. Its not as if the squad is full of people like Dier, Cahill and Wellbeck, who need moving on.

Southgate is DESPERATE to be seen as progressive. So much so that age seems to be the number one consideration in almost all of his picks - certainly for all his outliers / new picks.

The younger the player is, the better their chances. If they are young AND played for Southgate within the age-groups then they are a shoo-in.

Thus Tomori who has played half a dozen PL games, and not been great, is in - all based on how good he could become, rather than what he has achieved to date, or the current level of his performances.

He's only just stopped picking Alli and Lingaard. Keane just got dropped but then Stones has gone straight back into the squad despite not really playing and being dreadful before he got injured.Delph and Rose are still in the squad despite poor form. I like Southgate but I think the idea he doesn't pick out of form/not playing/ not just big club players a bit over hyped
 


Stato

Well-known member
Dec 21, 2011
7,374
It is a strange one.

Asides from the non bias facts I layed out above I can only think it’s an attitude Southgate doesn’t like, or a personality clash with him or with a senior player in the squad (was there more to that clash with Kane versus Spurs last month?

Actually, I heard that he got on particularly well with the Spurs England cohort. Tottenham was mentioned to me as a possible destination for him in the summer.
 




Kaiser_Soze

Who is Kaiser Soze??
Apr 14, 2008
1,355
Darren Bent was on Talksport with Adrian Durham last night and they were discussing the latest England selection. They both focused on Dean Henderson at Sheff Utd. 5 clean sheets in 11 games, 6th in the table and can't get in the squad despite Jordan Pickford regularly making errors like he did with Gross' freekick. They also focused on Barkley being in the squad over Grealish, particularly bearing in mind the fact that Southgate watched Villas 3-2 victory over us and the fact that Barkley is hardly playing for Chelsea.

The overriding conclusion was that Southgate picks players he knows and trusts, particularly if he has worked with them before with the Under 21's. I do think Dunk will become a mainstay in the England squad but i think it will happen in the next 2-3 years, having proved himself in the PL for a few years. This won't necessarily be a bad thing for us.
 




Seasider78

Well-known member
Nov 14, 2004
6,011
Darren Bent was on Talksport with Adrian Durham last night and they were discussing the latest England selection. They both focused on Dean Henderson at Sheff Utd. 5 clean sheets in 11 games, 6th in the table and can't get in the squad despite Jordan Pickford regularly making errors like he did with Gross' freekick. They also focused on Barkley being in the squad over Grealish, particularly bearing in mind the fact that Southgate watched Villas 3-2 victory over us and the fact that Barkley is hardly playing for Chelsea.

The overriding conclusion was that Southgate picks players he knows and trusts, particularly if he has worked with them before with the Under 21's. I do think Dunk will become a mainstay in the England squad but i think it will happen in the next 2-3 years, having proved himself in the PL for a few years. This won't necessarily be a bad thing for us.

A good thing for us would be for him to get into the England team and the recognition he deserves now. Not only as fans can we then see and celebrate one of our own climb the ranks to represent our country regularly but it also won’t do his price tag any harm when he eventually leaves us for a bigger club (which can’t be far off now)

He has been a great servant to this club and is an amazing talent so for him I hope the tide turns and he stops being overlooked although sadly I think a move is the only thing that will see him get regular inclusion
 


vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
Darren Bent was on Talksport with Adrian Durham last night and they were discussing the latest England selection. They both focused on Dean Henderson at Sheff Utd. 5 clean sheets in 11 games, 6th in the table and can't get in the squad despite Jordan Pickford regularly making errors like he did with Gross' freekick. They also focused on Barkley being in the squad over Grealish, particularly bearing in mind the fact that Southgate watched Villas 3-2 victory over us and the fact that Barkley is hardly playing for Chelsea.

The overriding conclusion was that Southgate picks players he knows and trusts, particularly if he has worked with them before with the Under 21's. I do think Dunk will become a mainstay in the England squad but i think it will happen in the next 2-3 years, having proved himself in the PL for a few years. This won't necessarily be a bad thing for us.

Its not a bad theory, but how can the above earn Southgate’s trust if he doesn’t give them a chance?

And how does Ming already have his trust when he’s only played 8 matches in the PL.

Something doesn’t add up.
 






Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,694
Born In Shoreham
I said at the time of the Croatia semi final Southgate is clueless tactically, even CH possibly would of seen out that game with a narrow 1-0 victory, Croatia dominated the midfield second half and Southgate was clearly out of his depth.
 


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