Stones a doubt for the Serbia game now.
Defence is an absolute mess atm. Wouldn't be shocked if Serbia win the opener.
Defence is an absolute mess atm. Wouldn't be shocked if Serbia win the opener.
England Euro 2024 Squad and Discussion
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Think you have a point there.
Easy three points for the three lions in the first game
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I’m not trying to be negative but I really don’t understand the media belief in our squad.
Take France or Portugal for example they’ve got depth, technically and physically able players and world class talent.
Even look at Spain and all they lack is a top goalscorer but arguably compete everywhere else.
Well also be facing strikers like, Vlahovic, Mitrovic, Højlund and Sesko all physically capable of hurting our back line.
We don’t have any pace in the squad or runners in behind beyond Watkins and maybe Gordon too.
I’m really concerned.
Take France or Portugal for example they’ve got depth, technically and physically able players and world class talent.
Even look at Spain and all they lack is a top goalscorer but arguably compete everywhere else.
Well also be facing strikers like, Vlahovic, Mitrovic, Højlund and Sesko all physically capable of hurting our back line.
We don’t have any pace in the squad or runners in behind beyond Watkins and maybe Gordon too.
I’m really concerned.
Is this an attempt to generate discussion or is that genuinely your view?
This is spains squad. Their center backs are Laporte, Nacho, Le Normand and Vivian. Their full backs are Grimaldo, Curcurella, Carvajal and Jesus bloody Navas.
The only top quality midfielder they have there is Rodri...and Pedri if he's fit. Their star forward is a Ferran Torres who barely makes the barca XI. Their striker is either Joselu or Morata ffs.
Come on, you cannot possibly look at this squad and think its anywhere close to England's.
How many of this team gets into England's XI? Maybe the goalkeeper? Laporte ahead of Guehi possibly, Grimaldo hasn't been proven able to play in a back 4 and I'd have walker over Carvajal any day, atleast in 2024.
Rodri will play. And that's about it.
So 2, at best 3, Spain players will make the England XI.
EDIT - Tbh I forgot that Laporte fecked off to Saudi Arabia so I'm not even sure I'd play Laporte ahead of Guehi.
Tuchel or Pochettino would be the dream choice as new foreign coach.
Just want someone who will make selection open to all players if you know what I mean
England will wallop the everloving piss out of that group. After that, once you start playing the good teams, they should allow for a more defensive approach
This is why we should have kept Branthwaite but no Southgate thought he could cope
Look like GS will start Trent with Rice in the first match. That no.8 position has so many competition, it would not be shocking if we don't see either Mainoo or Wharton in the whole tournament unless one of Rice/Gallagher/Trent get injured.
I still think that GS should drop Walker and play Trent as RB, while rotating Gallagher/Mainoo/Wharton depending on the opposition.
With these defensive injuries, I'd play Walker RCB. I know many will disagree but he's played there in a back 5 before, while playing it in a back 4 is different, he's certainly capable. He provides a great deal of experience, he's strong and quick. Shaw has done it well on the other side.
If he doesn't, you're left with 2 very inexperienced CBs at this level. It also allows Arnold at RB, while he's poor defensively, I'd want him on the with his attacking play set pieces, etc
If he doesn't, you're left with 2 very inexperienced CBs at this level. It also allows Arnold at RB, while he's poor defensively, I'd want him on the with his attacking play set pieces, etc
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Spain can field an XI that has options in terms of how it attacks and has experienced and top quality midfielders too.Is this an attempt to generate discussion or is that genuinely your view?
This is spains squad. Their center backs are Laporte, Nacho, Le Normand and Vivian. Their full backs are Grimaldo, Curcurella, Carvajal and Jesus bloody Navas.
The only top quality midfielder they have there is Rodri...and Pedri if he's fit. Their star forward is a Ferran Torres who barely makes the barca XI. Their striker is either Joselu or Morata ffs.
Come on, you cannot possibly look at this squad and think its anywhere close to England's.
How many of this team gets into England's XI? Maybe the goalkeeper? Laporte ahead of Guehi possibly, Grimaldo hasn't been proven able to play in a back 4 and I'd have walker over Carvajal any day, atleast in 2024.
Rodri will play. And that's about it.
So 2, at best 3, Spain players will make the England XI.
EDIT - Tbh I forgot that Laporte fecked off to Saudi Arabia so I'm not even sure I'd play Laporte ahead of Guehi.
Walker over Carvajal agree but he’s still Real Madrid’s first choice and multiple CL winner. Grimaldo agree back 4 questionable but he’s still coming off the back of a world class season.
Rodri having Zubimendi as an understudy is better than Rice and Wharton for example. Pedri and Baena with Fabian/Merino/Fermin is arguably more balanced and technically better than our likely line ups. The players regularly play their positions for their clubs.
I say that because I’d imagine we’ll have:
Pickford
Walker Stones Guehi Trippier
Trent/Gallagher Rice
Saka Bellingham Foden
Maybe with everyone fit you find a place for Shaw. But with the news of Stones’ bug we’ve got no top quality CB available who has tournament experience.
I also think we’re lacking in width and pace if we don’t play Gordon. Previously we’ve had Sterling and Rashford, two of the most threatening forwards in behind in recent history, and Sterling in particular was someone who did the business for England in major tournaments in terms of goals.
Maybe Spain is slightly weaker in attack but there is again a balance of Yamal, Morata and Williams that provides, 1v1 threat, creativity and pace that I’m not sure we have running through our attack.
Unquestionably we have top quality in Foden, Kane, Saka and Bellingham but I can see Kane getting into the spaces that Foden wants or Bellingham wants and there being very little space to operate in especially as we likely start Foden on the left meaning any natural width (with Trippier too) is dead.
I think we’re falling into the trap of looking at individual players rather than the squad composition and how the team actually fits together and plays. I think I agree with the comments from Rooney the other day, we attack too narrow, against teams that will drop back this will be an issue.
You might see hyperattacking lineups in the group stage honestly. 3men at the back with Walker-Stones-Guehi, with Gordon on the left, one of Trent/Mainoo/Wharton next to Rice, and Foden-Bellingham in the middle moving around Kane. If Saka isn't fit chances are it will be Trent wide right
At least that's what I'd do.
Better teams allow for different tactics, more defensive and looking to attack in transition, which is where England should shine
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Again though I don’t see the hyper attacking happening unless we are desperately chasing a goal. We don’t have the solidity to try it with so many defensive question marks.
I think part of the problem is that our LW in particular is incredibly unbalanced unless we get Shaw fully fit for the overlap.
Personally I’d like to see:
Pickford
Walker Stones* Guehi Trippier
Rice Bellingham
Saka Foden Gordon
Kane
Walker Stones* Guehi Trippier
Rice Bellingham
Saka Foden Gordon
Kane
If we’re going for a more offensive approach.
That's Trippier instead of a midfielder sitting next to Rice. That might actually be too attacking a lineup even against the likes of Serbia. Unless you rate Trippier's defence better than I do
I'm not sure what Trent you were watching this season, he was one of Liverpool's best players and back on form after a terrible 22/23 season.
I wouldn't be an advocate over playing him in midfield, but I'd play him at right back.
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Hmm good point. I do think Trippier is a well above average defender though.That's Trippier instead of a midfielder sitting next to Rice. That might actually be too attacking a lineup even against the likes of Serbia. Unless you rate Trippier's defence better than I do
This is the problem we have with defensive balance. You need Shaw.
I don't think it will matter much against your group and once you face better teams you should be able to go more defensive is my point
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For instance starting XI
Pickford
Walker Stones Guehi Shaw
Rice Bellingham
Saka Foden Gordon
Kane
In Possession:
Pickford
Walker Stones Guehi
Rice Shaw
Saka Foden Bellingham Gordon
Kane
Out of possession:
Pickford
Walker Stones Guehi Shaw
Saka Rice Bellingham Gordon
Kane Foden
Pickford
Walker Stones Guehi Shaw
Rice Bellingham
Saka Foden Gordon
Kane
In Possession:
Pickford
Walker Stones Guehi
Rice Shaw
Saka Foden Bellingham Gordon
Kane
Out of possession:
Pickford
Walker Stones Guehi Shaw
Saka Rice Bellingham Gordon
Kane Foden
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If Shaw is back yeah I agree with you actually.
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Can’t help but feel Branthwaite made so much sense to have in the squad in the above scenario though.
The big call that I'd make would be to drop Bellingham.
You'd play him over Walker at RB? Walker is one of the first names on the sheet for me. I didn't think TAA was particularly great this year personally though I'd have picked him in the squad.
With the caveat that I wouldn't just be throwing him straight in as first choice right back now and would have bedded him in before now.
Walker had a really error prone season for Man City that somehow went under the radar, and continued in recent England friendlies.
Fair enough. I don't think TAA is a good defender at all, decent enough as a wing back, but will get torn to shreds against any competent attacking unit as his positioning and appreciation of danger is severely limited - at least that is my opinion.
His positioning and appreciation of danger are poor yeah, and he definitely needs cover in place (whether that's Rice, a quick right sided CB, a hussling right sided midfielder or a combination) to cover for that. I think it's worth it though given how much he adds going forward over Walker, and secondly Walker has been found lacking a few times like that, even as recently as the Iceland goal...
Although I'd add with so much of England's mainstay defence having injury problems, I could understand the reluctance to move Walker too.
Stones trained today so he should be fine for Sunday.
Yeah apparently he had flexibility to play both sides
That is the spirit. Let's hope you are right about that.
Watered down beer 
Are we still trying to squeeze Rice, Bellingham and Foden into midfield? With our current defense we will get opened up against any decent side.
We shouldn't. Foden is better than Bellingham. We should play Foden central.
Yeah he is a totally different player when central
Think we should stop trying to cram everyone in. I'm not massive at all on Gordon, but I think having him in the team is the best fit for Kane. If we want to change it, we'll still have the option of bringing Bellingham on for Gordon and playing Foden wide.
I might have a cheeky bet on us not getting out of the group
Like I said, the wheels are going to come off and his reign will end in tears.
Like I said, the wheels are going to come off and his reign will end in tears.
Yeah a shite one (for England)
Mitrovic might prefer trying to bully Stones-Guehi to a big slow CB like Dunk. Unless Vlahovic is starting. I have no idea.
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