[Football] Your England XI vs Croatia

[Robinjakarta]

With England's match against Croatia rapidly approaching, which 10 lesser mortals would you pick to accompany our Ben on Sunday?

I'm enjoying the fact that Sky haven't yet found the time to ask the work experience kid in the graphics to give Ben a 3 Lions badge

Not much in it for either wingback berth for me and Bellingham can count himself unlucky not to squeeze in. I found it harder than I thought (it would be easier with the choice of Dunk & Webby at the back of course).

If you pulled on Southgate's magic waistcoat, who would start for YOU?!

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/19692/12316693/pick-your-england-xi-for-opening-euro-game

I'd go with that.

 

[vagabond]

How to prove you haven’t been watching recent England games:

[tweet]1402575826756018181[/tweet]

 

[Lethargic]

Pickford
James Stones White Chillwell
Phillips Rice
Foden Mount Grealish
Kane

Limited by the squad selection - Phillips would not be my first choice but little opposition with Henderson not fit enough to play and the central defenders almost picked by default. I don't think he will drop Rashford and Sterling but I simply do not see how we cannot play Foden Mount Grealish.

 

[Seasidesage]

4-2-3-1

Pickford

Walker White Stones Chilwell

Mount Rice

Sterling Foden Grealish

Kane

See no reason to play 2 out and out holding midfielders or 3 at the back against a Croatia who are past their best. This for me is about setting out our stall from the off to attack and try and build some momentum. We can adapt if we play better teams later in the tournament.

 

[SockMonster]

Delighted to be wrong but i cant see BW starting if use a back 4. However if we go for a three with wing backs then he has a real chance of starting on the right of a three. Even then Walker or James could get in ahead of him in a three.

 

[brighton_tom]

Play to our strengths, go with an attacking formation!

Henderson

Walker White Stones Chilwell

Bellingham Rice

Foden Mount Grealish

Kane

Something like this for me. Although Shaw, Trippier, or James are all decent & could quite easily replace one of full backs. Or Sterling in for one of the attacking mids.

 

[Mellotron]

**** me. It’s Gerrard Lampard Scholes all over again. We never, ever, ever learn.

 

[MJsGhost]

Everyone keeps picking Foden, Mount and Grealish. Never going to happen, especially with Kane's propensity to drop deep - it would be a disaster. 3 number 10s all stepping on each other's toes, with a striker also in their way.

You need pace running in behind, so one of Sterling, Rashford or Sancho has to start.

I would probably go Sterling - criminally underrated in an England shirt, has a very good understanding with Kane. The good thing is we have such depth of quality attacking options that we can freshen it up in practically every game.

Pickford

James
White
Stone
Chilwell

Rice
Bellingham

Sterling
Mount
Foden

Kane

With Grealish and Sancho/Rashford to come on if needed. Then Grealish probably to start the next game in Mount's spot, etc and so on.

**** me. It’s Gerrard Lampard Scholes all over again. We never, ever, ever learn.

I'm not sure your point that Foden, Mount and Grealish are all no 10s is completely accurate.

He might be capable of playing at no 10, but Foden (to my eye, but also backed up here: https://www.footballcritic.com/phil-foden/player-positions/140410) is more of a left-sided attacker, whether on the left of a front 3 or left midfield/winger. He's got pace and can use it to get in behind (see his goal at the Amex for example).

Seeing as you were happy to have 2 of the 3 in your team, I don't quite see your big issue with all 3, given that Foden can fulfill the "pace running in behind" brief you deem essential (which I agree with FWIW). The biggest issue I see with selecting all three is that none of them play on the right (much) for their clubs. Mount is more central, with Foden usually on the left and Grealish central or on the left too. Given that Sterling is usually on the left too, if anyone had to come in for balance I'd say Sancho over Sterling anyway.

I've re-thought my original selection. I'd just gone with a back 3 seeing as we do so well with it, but reckon with the personnel available and the opposition in mind, a back 4 is the better option. IMO Shaw is a better option at LB (with Chilwell a better LWB), hence the change there. Bellingham comes in for Coady:

 

[saafend_seagull]

Grealish HAS to start. The rest couldn’t really care about. Best natural player we’ve had since Gazza.

There is no one else in the same position in the whole tournament on his level.


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[Seagull58]

Grealish HAS to start. The rest couldn’t really care about. Best natural player we’ve had since Gazza.

There is no one else in the same position in the whole tournament on his level.


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Just a pity that his level is horizontal on the ground most of the time.

 

[jakarta]

Don't give a flying **** about England unless it is Cricket...

 

[brighton_tom]

Gareth, I beg you, anyone but Mings...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOabUxQCTlk

 

[bhafc99]

Southgate’s selection:

Mings

Mings Mings Mings

Mings Mings Mings Mings Mings

Mings Kane

 

[Blue3]

Johnstone

Walker White Stones Trippier

Bellingham Mount Henderson

Grealish Foden

Kane

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

According to the Guardian the rumoured team is:

Pickford
Walker
Stones
Mings
Trippier
Rice
Phillips
Foden
Mount
Sterling
Kane

Mings to start and a right back at left back. Not a great look on paper but **** it, COME ON ENGLAND!

 

[Guinness Boy]

According to the Guardian the rumoured team is:

Pickford
Walker
Stones
Mings
Trippier
Rice
Phillips
Foden
Mount
Sterling
Kane

Mings to start and a right back at left back. Not a great look on paper but **** it, COME ON ENGLAND!

That would be typical Southgate. All the favourites in, a predictable 4-2-3-1 with the relatively useless Pickford, Mings and Stones having to be protected by two CDMs.

EDIT - in fact this is EXACTLY how predictable Southgate is. Croatia can't have lost much sleep predicting this one....

The problem with the squad we have is that we have to select a 4-1-5 to make it work

For me, getting Ben in and playing the two Chelsea WBs would be interesting. And I HATE Pickford. Something like:

Johnstone
White Stones Codey
James Rice Bellingham Chilwell
Mount Kane Foden

I suspect Waistcoat will pick something like

Pickford
Walker Stones Mings Trippier
Phillips Rice
Foden Mount Sterling
Kane

 

[HastingsSeagull]

……………Sanchez
………White Stones Dunk
Trippier ………….,.,,.,,,,.Chillwell
………………Phillips
……….Mount ……… Foden
………………Grealish
……………….. Kane

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

That would be typical Southgate. All the favourites in, a predictable 4-2-3-1 with the relatively useless Pickford, Mings and Stones having to be protected by two CDMs.

EDIT - in fact this is EXACTLY how predictable Southgate is. Croatia can't have lost much sleep predicting this one....

If only [MENTION=23795]Hugo Rune[/MENTION] was doing Select Southgate's Side!

It's not going to stop me desperately screaming the team on but that selection doesn't fill you with confidence does it?

 

[Guinness Boy]

If only [MENTION=23795]Hugo Rune[/MENTION] was doing Select Southgate's Side!

It's not going to stop me desperately screaming the team on but that selection doesn't fill you with confidence does it?

Exactly this. Come on England but, at the same time,

 

[GT49er]

According to the Guardian the rumoured team is:

Pickford
Walker
Stones
Mings
Trippier
Rice
Phillips
Foden
Mount
Sterling
Kane

Mings to start and a right back at left back. Not a great look on paper but **** it, COME ON ENGLAND!

This line up strongly tipped on SSN too.