England Squad Wednesday

[And Its Smith]

Any thoughts on who you would take or who Southgate would take?  I would take a few gambles and players that seem to fit international football

Butland, McCarthy, Pope, 
Alexander-Arnold, Walker, Rose, Sessegnon, Smalling, Stones, Maguire, Jones, Dier, Henderson, Davies, Winks, Loftus-Cheek, Alli, Lingard, Sterling, Lallana, Kane, Vardy, Rashford

I think Southgate will take Pickford, Hart, Trippier, Tarkowski, Bertrand and Welbeck instead of McCarthy, Pope, Davies, Smalling, Sessegnon and Lallana

McCarthy has been the best English keeper over the last three months. Davies had a good season and brings energy. Smalling is good enough with the ball but Southgate disagrees. Sessegnon better than Bertrand but no way will he be picked. Lallana been injured but so good worth a risk. 

[Super]

Shelvey should be in over Winks.

[The Batman]

I'd take Sessegnon all day. If you're good enough, you're old enough.

Would i put him at left back in a 4-4-2? probably not.

Would i put him at left wing back in a 3-5-2? Absolutely. I think Southgate will stick with his 3 at the back formation he was using in the last few games.

Never really rated Lallana to be honest and with his injury record this year, i'd leave him out of it.

With the players you've mentioned, the only out and out strikers there are Kane and Vardy. You can argue Rashford, but he spends most of his time (when on the pitch) in that attacking left winger roll. Sterling i know can play there but he'd be more effective on a wing.

Take Tammy instead of Lallana.  

[Charlie BCFC]

This is what I would go

Butland

Pickford

Pope

 

Walker

Trippier

Stones

Tarkowski

Rose

Maguire

Young

Jones

 

Dier

Henderson

Wilshere

Alli

Lingard

Delph

Lallana

Loftus-Cheek

 

Sterling

Kane

Vardy

Rashford

I know there are a few players you may disagree with but for me Delph has been great for Man City and is also very versatile which could be handy, Lallana if fully fit has to go as I feel he brings a different option to other people in the squad, Young been great for Man United at LB and one of the best in the league this season and would fit the wing back role very well and Loftus-Cheek has hit form with Palace at the right time playing very well recently.

[ZiderEyed]

No matter who goes we're gonna get spaffed on, and it'll be unbelievably embarrassing no matter what, so we might as well gamble and see how Sessegnon, Alexander-Arnold, McCarthy, Cook etc. do.

[Phileas Fogg]

36 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

No matter who goes we're gonna get spaffed on, and it'll be unbelievably embarrassing no matter what, so we might as well gamble and see how Sessegnon, Alexander-Arnold, McCarthy, Cook etc. do.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we do a bit better than people seem to think. I don’t expect us to win or anything, but Quarter finals or Semi finals wouldn’t be a terrible effort.

I don’t know about the squad aside from the obvious, would really like to see Sessegnon go as a bit of a surprise.

[Carey 6]

Not a chance I'd take Sessegnon. Not ready yet, only got 1 U21 cap.

I'd go

Pickford, Butland, Pope

Walker, Trippier, Stones, Maguire, Tarkowski, Jones, Rose, Delph, Alexander Arnold.

Wilshere, Henderson, Dier, Shelvey, Alli, Lingard

Kane, Vardy, Rashford, Sterling, Calvert Lewin

What I think Southgate will do

Pickford, Butland, Hart

Walker, Trippier, Stones, Maguire, Jones, Tarkowski, Rose, Bertrand

Wilshere, Henderson, Dier, Lingard, Alli, Young, Lallana

Kane, Vardy, Rashford, Sterling, Welbeck

I said it previously on here, but I think our 11 is actually pretty strong, just the depth isn't that great. 

Part of me would want Milner to come out of retirement for it, but part of me thinks **** him, shouldn't retire from your country. 

[Phileas Fogg]

Had a go..

Admittedly a bit more who I'd like to see..  

Kept changing my mind about left back which is why Betrand is at the end

[ZiderEyed]

24 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if we do a bit better than people seem to think. I don’t expect us to win or anything, but Quarter finals or Semi finals wouldn’t be a terrible effort.

I don’t know about the squad aside from the obvious, would really like to see Sessegnon go as a bit of a surprise.

Semi finals would be fantastic. On paper we've a balanced squad of old, experienced players and talented youngsters that need blooding. But this is England. We're gonna lose to Panama.

[Phileas Fogg]

4 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

Semi finals would be fantastic. On paper we've a balanced squad of old, experienced players and talented youngsters that need blooding. But this is England. We're gonna lose to Panama.

Yeah, that's why I quite like the idea of bringing someone like Defoe or Baines. 

Not exactly spoilt for choice these days..

My favourite recent England squad was 2004 where I actually thought (and still think!) we should've won. Apart from City goalkeeping legend David James it was a seriously strong side.

[ZiderEyed]

2 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Yeah, that's why I quite like the idea of bringing someone like Defoe or Baines. 

Not exactly spoilt for choice these days..

My favourite recent England squad was 2004 where I actually thought (and still think!) we should've won. Apart from City goalkeeping legend David James it was a seriously strong side.

What a side that was.

Was saying on here about a month ago that England had a potential midfield of Cole - Lampard - Scholes - Gerrard - Beckham, we should've/could've been the best team in the world.

Campbell and Terry at the back as well. Proper hard footballers by modern standards.

[BobBobSuperBob]

1 hour ago, Super said:

Shelvey should be in 

Simplified it for ya

[LondonBristolian]

My picks (with who I think will go in reality in bracket):

Goalkeepers - Pickford, Butland, Pope (I expect Hart for Pope)

Full-backs - Walker, Trippier, Bertrand, Sessengnon (I expect Young to go for Sessengnon)

Centre-backs - Stones, Maguire, Smalling (I expect Jones), Cahill (I expect Tarkowski)

Centre Midfielders - Dier, Henderson, Loftus-Cheek, Alli , Delph and Shelvey (I expect Wilshire for Shevley)

Forwards and strikers- Sterling, Lingaard, Welbeck (if Lallana not fit because I can't think of anyone else), Rashford, Vardy, Kane

 

[The Gasbuster]

37 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

What a side that was.

Was saying on here about a month ago that England had a potential midfield of Cole - Lampard - Scholes - Gerrard - Beckham, we should've/could've been the best team in the world.

Campbell and Terry at the back as well. Proper hard footballers by modern standards.

Definitely.

The midfield we have now is not even half as good as that side.

[ZiderEyed]

2 minutes ago, The Gasbuster said:

Definitely.

The midfield we have now is not even half as good as that side.

Henderson and Dier couldn't lace their boots.

How the mighty have fallen. Spoiled for choice with the 3 best centre mids of a generation, now we're arguing if Jonjo ******* Shelvey gets in our side. It's surreal.

[Chairman Mao]

Any chance we can play Kane and Vardy in the same lineup? 

Pope, Young, Jones, Maguire, Walker, Henderson, Dier, Alli, Sterling, Vardy and Kane perhaps. (4-3-3 with Vardy tucking inside from the left?).

Otherwise I'd like to see Milner out of retirement and playing at left back with Rashford wide instead of Vardy. 

[Super]

1 minute ago, Chairman Mao said:

Any chance we can play Kane and Vardy in the same lineup? 

Pope, Young, Jones, Maguire, Walker, Henderson, Dier, Alli, Sterling, Vardy and Kane perhaps. (4-3-3 with Vardy tucking inside from the left?).

Otherwise I'd like to see Milner out of retirement and playing at left back with Rashford wide instead of Vardy. 

I would def play with those 2 up front. Lets go and attack and not stink the place out like we usually do.

[Lew-T]

I would seriously consider Shelvey. Think he has done well and more than some other names mentioned. He had a very good game against Chelsea yesterday too

[The Batman]

I will add one more thing. Looking at the last few months, i'd have Lingaard over Alli in the "number 10" role behind Kane I know Kane & Alli play together, but Alli has not been in the best form and Lingaard seemed to be playing very good football for Man Utd when Mourinho takes the reins off him.

4-2-3-1

Butland

Walker, Jones, Maguire, Rose

Henderson, Dier

Sterling, Lingaard, Loftus-Cheek

Kane

That is what I would play based on what I have seen this season.

I do think though, adding to my earlier point, that Southgate will play the 3-4-3 formation which will look something like this.

Pope

Walker, Jones, Maguire

TA-A (or Trippier), Henderson, Dier, Rose

Ali, Kane, Sterling

[InCyder]

I quite like the look of our attacking options. Something like the below as a front 4 in a 4-2-3-1 would be pretty exciting: 

Sterling          Alli/Lingard         Rashford

                             Kane

As for the squad itself and particularly the fringe players, I'd like to see Sessegnon, Shelvey and Alexander-Arnold included.

The Lallana situation bugs me a bit, if he was pivotal to the squad like a Gerrard/Rooney/Beckham of the recent past, I'd understand the concern about getting him fit in time. I really struggle to see how a case can be made for him to be on the plane. He shows some quality at times, but he's only featured 11 times this season. He'll almost certainly still be included though.

[BobBobSuperBob]

43 minutes ago, Lew-T said:

I would seriously consider Shelvey. Think he has done well and more than some other names mentioned. He had a very good game against Chelsea yesterday too

Best passer of a ball we have

has a strike on him too 

Genuine talent 

Only doubt is his tempremant , but to win tournaments you need to get your talent on the pitch

[Carey 6]

16 minutes ago, The Batman said:

I will add one more thing. Looking at the last few months, i'd have Lingaard over Alli in the "number 10" role behind Kane I know Kane & Alli play together, but Alli has not been in the best form and Lingaard seemed to be playing very good football for Man Utd when Mourinho takes the reins off him.

A lot of people mention this now. Alli has got 8 goals and 10 assists this season. 

I guess he's a victim of his own success from last season because he's not been able to follow it up as well. But neither have the rest of the Spurs squad.

Lingard was doing well, and around about March time he probably did look the sharper of the two. But since that international break he's been a bit off the pace, and I think Alli has been a bit better.

Hoping we don't play with a 10 though personally. I don't think we will either, gone 3-4-3 more recently under Southgate. 

Walker and Rose providing the width & Sterling & Rashford/Vardy either side of Kane tucked in.

[The Batman]

7 minutes ago, Carey 6 said:

A lot of people mention this now. Alli has got 8 goals and 10 assists this season. 

I guess he's a victim of his own success from last season because he's not been able to follow it up as well. But neither have the rest of the Spurs squad.

Lingard was doing well, and around about March time he probably did look the sharper of the two. But since that international break he's been a bit off the pace, and I think Alli has been a bit better.

Hoping we don't play with a 10 though personally. I don't think we will either, gone 3-4-3 more recently under Southgate. 

Walker and Rose providing the width & Sterling & Rashford/Vardy either side of Kane tucked in.

It's a wonderful problem to have. I'd rather it was a decision as to who was better rather than who was less worse.

I've based it on the last few months as opposed to the whole season as you want players who are in form going in to the World Cup. All well and good playing well last October, but if a player has done nothing since Christmas, they wont be much use.

I too agree that it'll be the 3-4-3 that he will go with, unless something disastrous happens in the build up.

[bengalcub]

Most frustrating thing is he will isolate Kane by over complicating the formation 

4-4-2 bang Kane and vardy up top and have a real go 

[Son of Fred]

1 hour ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Best passer of a ball we have

has a strike on him too 

Genuine talent 

Only doubt is his tempremant , but to win tournaments you need to get your talent on the pitch

Naaa-Engerland won't choose Shelvey,he gets his chin up and passes the ball forwards!

[CotswoldRed]

2 hours ago, ZiderEyed said:

Henderson and Dier couldn't lace their boots.

How the mighty have fallen. Spoiled for choice with the 3 best centre mids of a generation, now we're arguing if Jonjo ******* Shelvey gets in our side. It's surreal.

Exactly. If we're arguing for Shelvey we're seriously sh**. 

[JamesBCFC]

4 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if we do a bit better than people seem to think. I don’t expect us to win or anything, but Quarter finals or Semi finals wouldn’t be a terrible effort.

I don’t know about the squad aside from the obvious, would really like to see Sessegnon go as a bit of a surprise.

I will attend a Rovers game in the home end if England get as far as the semis.

[Super]

13 minutes ago, JamesBCFC said:

I will attend a Rovers game in the home end if England get as far as the semis.

Tranmere?

[JamesBCFC]

Just now, Super said:

Tranmere?

Forest Green.

They're a little closer.

[123456789000]

Everyone suggesting a formation with 4 at the back can forget it and clearly didn't watch the Netherlands & Italy friendlies. I know it's not saying much and there isn't much competition, but the Netherlands game is the most entertained I've been watching England for a long time.

People have been crying out for England to have a defined system and style of play for years and that's what GS is trying to do with his 3 at the back. 
I fully expect him to stick with that fluid 3-5-2 formation going forward. As such, the squad will be picked choosing players that can best utilise the positions in that formation. Expect to see very few wingers.

I predict the starting line up for the first game will be:

                                      Pickford

                 Walker          Stones*         Maguire

   Trippier                                                                Young / Rose

                                    Henderson

                    Lingard                        Wilshere**

 

                             Sterling           Kane      

 

* most likely candidate but could also be Jones in here. Personally would love to see Lascelles play there but it won't happen.
** real shame that the Ox got injured because this was his spot. Wilshere probably the next best fit as Alli isn't disciplined enough to fill the role. RLC could be a contender and I think he'd do a great job here.

Alli, Vardy and Rashford are the biggest omissions and I expect them to be impact players in the big games (Belgium + knockouts), and possibly start the 'easier' games.
Shelvey looks to be this years potential wildcard pick and he might get a game over Henderson against someone like Panama.