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England Squad


WhiskeyJar
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The thing about England that annoys me is they are always in transition. It's always about the next tournament, not the one they are actually in. And no-one calls them out on it. It seems to be perfectly acceptable to forfeit the World Cup to blood in a new generation that never materialises. 

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The thing about England that annoys me is they are always in transition. It's always about the next tournament, not the one they are actually in. And no-one calls them out on it. It seems to be perfectly acceptable to forfeit the World Cup to blood in a new generation that never materialises.

Are you sure boss? For the past 15 years they played the same players and got absolutely slaughtered every time they got knocked out. The managers have picked the safe recognised names time and time again.

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Even though he is a tart you cant leave Kane out.

 

Vardy is statistically more clinical than Kane, has just scored 20 goals this season, many against the top 6 and is more useful for the style of football that England should practice if they want to be successful. There is a very good argument for Vardy starting ahead of Kane. 

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23-man squad and stand-by list has been announced.
 

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope

 

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gary Cahill, Fabian Delph, Phil Jones, Harry Maguire, Danny Rose, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Ashley Young

 

Midfielders: Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ruben Loftus-Cheek

 

Forwards: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Jamie Vardy, Danny Welbeck

 

Stand-by: Tom Heaton, James Tarkowski, Lewis Cook, Jake Livemore and Adam Lallana

 

 

Not sure why but it seems as though Southgate has picked 3 players who can play right back or right wing back, and 3 players who can play left back or left wing back, plus one midfielder who has played in central defence before.

 

There isn't single player in that squad who can dictate tempo, and when it comes to game management at club level, every single one of them plays for a club where someone else takes the lead in that role. If they reached the knockout stage (and with a group containing Tunisia and Panama, it would be ridiculous if they didn't), they could fall into the same trap of previous England squads where they let their opponents dictate the tempo while knackering themselves out chasing the ball, eventually dropping deeper and deeper and simply hoofing the ball upfield.

 

For this England squad, this World Cup would need to be like the one in 2002 where some of the established strong squads like Argentina, Italy and Portugal struggled while the likes of the weaker-on-paper South Korea, USA, Turkey and Japan did really well.

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No one player in world football dictates the tempo of a game. It’s a myth and an irritating one at that. Players get the ball and pass it to another player. Dier and Henderson play in the position they play in for their clubs that they will be asked to play in for England and both of their clubs have proved they’re quite good when they both play there.

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No one player in world football dictates the tempo of a game. It’s a myth and an irritating one at that. Players get the ball and pass it to another player. Dier and Henderson play in the position they play in for their clubs that they will be asked to play in for England and both of their clubs have proved they’re quite good when they both play there.

 

Every top team in the world has a far better understanding of this than England -- it has always been an issue.

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Every top team in the world has a far better understanding of this than England -- it has always been an issue.

Again Howie this is complete nonsense. The English game is full of foreigners. Managers, coaches and players. They all come here having played in these leagues. Capello took charge of England as having the reputation of being one of the greatest managers ever. He came and played 442 with Gerrard and Lampard in centre midfield.

 

There’s a lot of snooty football fans in England and the number is growing exponentially. They all seem to hold this view that foreigners are far more intelligent and better footballers and managers than they are here. It’s not only this though. It’s only themselves that realise this and nobody within the English game is aware of it or the impact if they just listened to these foreigners they might realise these things.

 

Sweeping statements like every top team in the world has a better understanding of something other than England and that has always been the issue is laughable. You’re becoming the parody Howie by thinking you’re clever by just repeating the same tired old cliches about English football.

 

England has been managed by all sorts of managers English and foreign. They’ve had every type of player over the years. They’ve under performed because of how laughably bad those managers decisions have been.

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Not arsed but this would be my team out of his choices:

 

Butland

 

Walker

McGuire

Cahill

Rose

 

Henderson

Dier

 

Sterling

Alli

Lallana/Rashford

 

Mong face

In a 4–4-2 diamond a la red men in 13/14

 

Butland

 

Trippier

Smalling

Maguire

Young

 

Delph

Hendo

Alli

Sterling

 

Kane

Vardy

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Are you sure boss? For the past 15 years they played the same players and got absolutely slaughtered every time they got knocked out. The managers have picked the safe recognised names time and time again.

 

It's a thankless task. Virtually impossible job. The players don't care about the national set up. The inter club rivalries are too ingrained which makes camaraderie impossible.

 

The press vilify the players and manager for every decision they make which means nobody can play without fear. One mistake and an effigy is being hung and simultaneously lit on fire with your face on it. You get photoshopped onto a root vegetable.

 

I mean, how can you succeed in that environment? 

 

The actual picking of the players is irrelevant because no matter what combination, they'll fail. If the experienced ones fail it'll be "should have played the kids". If the kids fail it'll be "should have played the experienced pros". 

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Again Howie this is complete nonsense. The English game is full of foreigners. Managers, coaches and players. They all come here having played in these leagues. Capello took charge of England as having the reputation of being one of the greatest managers ever. He came and played 442 with Gerrard and Lampard in centre midfield.

 

There’s a lot of snooty football fans in England and the number is growing exponentially. They all seem to hold this view that foreigners are far more intelligent and better footballers and managers than they are here. It’s not only this though. It’s only themselves that realise this and nobody within the English game is aware of it or the impact if they just listened to these foreigners they might realise these things.

 

Sweeping statements like every top team in the world has a better understanding of something other than England and that has always been the issue is laughable. You’re becoming the parody Howie by thinking you’re clever by just repeating the same tired old cliches about English football.

 

England has been managed by all sorts of managers English and foreign. They’ve had every type of player over the years. They’ve under performed because of how laughably bad those managers decisions have been.

 

 

OK - if you say so. There are small South American sides who can give England a lesson in this -- it is not just in midfield it is throughout the team where that skill is lacking. If you think there is an ounce of game management understanding in players like Walker, Cahill, Dier, Sterling, Kane etc you are the parody. Those fellas all play next to better non English players all season - there is not a single English player who I consider to be the best player in their club side - you may feel differently - if so elaborate. There is not an English Manager in the top 20 in the world - you may feel differently of course. To suggest the national teams impotence it is down to the manager, foreign or otherwise seems strange.

 

Lets just focus on the results of these superior players if you like. Click off those for me. 5-1  v Germany was two generations ago - Gazza is on his deathbed. England was dead last in a group that had Costa Rica in it last time around. That's comedy, not a parody. They finished behind the US the time before that. The manager right?

 

BTW - England will yearn for the days they had a midfield pairing of Lampard and Gerrard for the next few decades.

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That squad looks distinctly average. If I was choosing, I would have had Bertrand in there ahead of Ashley Young and i’d probably gamble on Lallana’s fitness considering the lack of creativity.

 

Starting XI based on the squad chosen (for games against Tunisia and Panama):

 

Pickford

Trippier

Walker

Cahill

Stones

Rose

Henderson

Alli

Sterling

Rashford

Kane

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English keeper, defence, and midfield very mediocre. Some quality in attack, to be fair.

 

I still think a good manager could achieve something with that squad. But the Pizza Hut guy?

 

We create ale house centre backs, hard working central midfielders, and attacking players that run fast.

 

The keepers are all shit, the defenders are all thick as fuck, the midfielders are completely incapable of controlling matches and adapting to the situation of a game changing, and there is very little creativity in attacking positions.

 

Someone made the point earlier that they might as well play like Leicester. Defend deep, concede possession, and try and hit teams on the break.

 

England will do what they usually do. Stumble through the group stage, and then get beaten by the first decent team they play against.

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Wow...

 

When you see it written down like that, it really hits you how piss poor England are.

 

No experienced goalkeeping option, shite centre backs, some extremely inexperienced talent at full back, and absolutely nothing creative in midfield with the exception of Delle Alli, who's coming off a pretty poor season.

 

Up front isn't too bad, but they're never going to see the ball.

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