England Discussion

Quelle Surprise naming Maguire. He really is one of his favourites then. No wonder he wasn't too pushed about a move (money or no money).


Henderson as well despite playing in Saudi :wenger: :lol:
 
TAA is a midfielder apparently
 
Maguire was always going to get called up.

Who were people expecting to get called up ahead of him exactly?

Pickford
Walker - Maguire - Colwill - Chilwell
Trent - Rice - Bellingham
Saka - Kane - Rashford​

I imagine that'll be the side.
Arguments could be made for Ben White, Konsa, Webster and Kilman. Not strong options but they would be okay for this break. Ben White should definitely be starting ahead of Maguire but think there is something going on behind the scenes for him not be in the squad again. Given it's a friendly and just one qualifier against Ukraine, he could have used this international break to prove a point.

Would say the same applies to Phillips and Henderson.
 
Arguments could be made for Ben White, Konsa, Webster and Kilman. Not strong options but they would be okay for this break. Given it's a friendly and just one qualifier against Ukraine, he could have used this international break to prove a point.

Would say the same applies to Phillips and Henderson.

White I doubt ever gets back in the squad after whatever happened at the Tournament and he left due to personal reasons.

It's not an arguement to be had. No-one is crying out for Konsa, Webster or Kilman. Maguire will always be ahead of them.
 
I think the best way to sum up Southgate's decisions is in the Euro 2020 final when Saka looked overrawed by the occasion he not just kept him on but gave him the last penalty yet in the world cup vs France when he was causing them all sorts of problems he hauled him off.
 
But England aren't going to play a 3.

I could understand the outrage if he was keeping someone really good out the squad, but he's not. Englands CB options are average.

So there’s no need for Maguire. 1. He’s old and hasn’t played this season. 2. Dunk is better. 3. England would play a two.

Dunk and Colwill is better as an option.

it just makes no sense when he leaves someone out like Sterling who has started the season well but persists with Maguire.
 
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TAA is a midfielder apparently

Makes sense for England. Rice will play deepest, so it's Bellingham +1, and Trent played really well in CM last time around.

I'm surprised Liverpool haven't done it yet.
 
White I doubt ever gets back in the squad after whatever happened at the Tournament and he left due to personal reasons.

It's not an arguement to be had. No-one is crying out for Konsa, Webster or Kilman. Maguire will always be ahead of them.
Agree on White but in 2023 Maguire has started 5 games in the PL (one of them being a dead rubber), 3 FA Cup Games (1 vs a lower league team) and 1 EFL cup games vs Charlton. If our injury crisis doesn't get worse then he'll see similar minutes, maybe less depending how the cup competitions go.

It's far from ideal to be having a guy in the squad that is low on confidence and has hardly played for over a year to the Euros next year and you have to ask the question, at what point does Maguire slip behind any of them, even temporarily? It looks like the only feasible way he doesn't make the squad (even without playing) would have been if Stones, Guehi, Tomori, Mings and Colwill are fit and in form.

For what it's worth I do see why Maguire has been picked given the situation of Stones, Dier and Mings - he's just very lucky.
 
Haha what a joke picking Maguire, Henderson and Phillips. National football level is so poor.
 
So there’s no need for Maguire. 1. He’s old and hasn’t played this season. 2. Dunk is better. 3. England would play a two.

Dunk and Colwill is better as an option.

it just makes no sense when he leaves someone out like Sterling who has started the season well but persists with Maguire.

I don't understand either why James Ward-Prowse is not picked.
 
The Kalvin Phillips inclusion is much more absurd, he hasn't played much football since 2021.
 
yeah, unless injured it makes no sense that he is behind Phillips.

I don't understand what Phillips role is in the England team but as much as I like JWP (wanted him at United) he has several midfielders ahead of him better at everything except set-pieces

Does England really have no alternative for the DLP other than Phillips?
 
England will squander another generation of great talent (winning World youth cup etc) with this Middle Manager Mediocrity in charge of the national team. He's like Phil Neville in charge of the Women's team...out of his depth but a friendly face to the FA suits and the Media.

If we did what the Women's team did and replaced him with a competent manager with experience of WINNING things then England might actually progress to getting some silverware
 
I don't understand either why James Ward-Prowse is not picked.
Probably should be in ahead of Henderson. Southgate has pointed to Rice being the only English no.6 starting in the PL as a reason to still pick Phillips.
I don't understand what Phillips role is in the England team but as much as I like JWP (wanted him at United) he has several midfielders ahead of him better at everything except set-pieces

Does England really have no alternative for the DLP other than Phillips?
No and it's a real problem, hence why I think Phillips will likely continue making squads without playing and Henderson in Saudi probably will too. Skipp is the only option out there and he's not even a regular for Spurs. Not sure about younger players but you've got Mainoo at United, who might be an option in future years.

Suppose the other left field option is Angel Gomes who played as the deepest midfielder for England U21s but as far as profiles go, he's probably too radically different to Rice and Phillips to be considered a viable alternative for Southgate.
 
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Ben White being ostracised from the national squad like this is a major major red flag of Southgate's management style. The fact he's seemingly been excluded because of a squabble at the last world cup, whilst Henderson, Maguire and Phillips all make it is absurd.
 
Ben White being ostracised from the national squad like this is a major major red flag of Southgate's management style. The fact he's seemingly been excluded because of a squabble at the last world cup, whilst Henderson, Maguire and Phillips all make it is absurd.
Rumours are that he doesn't fit well into the squad and he's a bit of a difficult character who would rather be a home than than be sat on the bench. Not sure what the issues were with Laporte but he was one that didn't play for France largely due to personal/character issues rather than ability. As much as Southgate is criticised, the England squad generally seems to be a happy camp, where players enjoy going, even if they aren't regulars and it seems like White is someone that upsets the balance for whatever reason.
 
He fecking loves giving out new caps. What the feck has Eddie Nketiah actually done? Scorers a couple of goals and he’s in. Phillips and Maguire hardly feature and they are in. Henderson over JWP? What a clown.
 
He fecking loves giving out new caps. What the feck has Eddie Nketiah actually done? Scorers a couple of goals and he’s in. Phillips and Maguire hardly feature and they are in. Henderson over JWP? What a clown.

Nketiah has been pretty good whenever he's been given a chance, and he's started the season probably being Arsenal's best attacker so far. That's not a crazy call up. Maguire, Philips and Henderson though, I mean it's just getting stupid at this point.
 
Did he?

Southgate should have told Maguire straight up that if he doesn't play football he's not going to be picked. That way he might have fecked off.
Well, he did boost Maguire's value. It's on the club, really, to sell him off well before this announcement.
 
Said he can't consider Greenwood as he isn't playing football, not a bad answer.

Proceeds to pick Maguire & Phillips who also seemingly don't play football...
 
Rumours are that he doesn't fit well into the squad and he's a bit of a difficult character who would rather be a home than than be sat on the bench. Not sure what the issues were with Laporte but he was one that didn't play for France largely due to personal/character issues rather than ability. As much as Southgate is criticised, the England squad generally seems to be a happy camp, where players enjoy going, even if they aren't regulars and it seems like White is someone that upsets the balance for whatever reason.

If the falling out was over having to sit behind Maguire then he is kind of justified tbh. It really feels like Southgate needs to start moulding White and Stone as our centre back partnership going forward as they are easily our two best centre backs, but clearly that is not going to happen.
 
Said he can't consider Greenwood as he isn't playing football, not a bad answer.

Proceeds to pick Maguire & Phillips who also seemingly don't play football...
This makes no sense to me. Surely there are better defenders AND midfielders actually playing. I get that they are trusted players, but if they are not actually playing football why are they being picked?
 
Imagine picking Kalvin Phillips, what a moron.

Southgate probably just enjoys being in the company of someone so famous.

I can't imagine anyone turning down the chance to hang out with the star of 'Kalvin Phillips: the road to City'.
 
Southgate had better hope England win these games convincingly. I have sympathy for him picking players he feels work well with him and his systems and it can't be easy choosing a squad to come together sporadically over a season and perform well together in the same way players do for clubs so in that way I get his reticence. However, as has already been mentioned, choosing players like Maguire and Phillips who will have serious limitations in terms of fitness when there are other options and neither of these games are high stakes seems absurd.
 
Absolute shite of a manager.

How is he still in a job?

Dire selection. Harry probably has nudes of him or something.
 
Southgate had better hope England win these games convincingly. I have sympathy for him picking players he feels work well with him and his systems and it can't be easy choosing a squad to come together sporadically over a season and perform well together in the same way players do for clubs so in that way I get his reticence. However, as has already been mentioned, choosing players like Maguire and Phillips who will have serious limitations in terms of fitness when there are other options and neither of these games are high stakes seems absurd.

There is a more then decent chance we lose to Scotland.
 
I do think people just criticise for the sake of it. He’s not really left out anyone that will matter. He’s clearly not going to drop Maguire and right so considering he’s been our best CB for 5/6 years now easily. Id love that not to be the case, but it’s just such a weak position. If anything I think this selection shows how overrated that England squad is. It’s pretty fecking average bar one/two players.
 
I do think people just criticise for the sake of it. He’s not really left out anyone that will matter. He’s clearly not going to drop Maguire and right so considering he’s been our best CB for 5/6 years now easily. Id love that not to be the case, but it’s just such a weak position. If anything I think this selection shows how overrated that England squad is. It’s pretty fecking average bar one/two players.

Apart from he stated "I'm going to pick players based on form, not their status" or something similar when he got the job.

Obviously Maguire and Phillips are both in amazing form. Henderson too.