International Football

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Tue May 24, 2022 3:31 pm

Am I out of touch with football that badly that I don't see a left back here? Justin plays there for Leicester but is mostly a right back (4/5 in the squad seems mad). Is this the late 90's early 00's all over again where England have no-one on the left side?

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Coady (Wolves), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), James Justin (Leicester), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), John Stones (Man City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Man City), Ben White (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Conor Gallagher (Crystal Palace, on loan from Chelsea), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)

Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Roma), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Man City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Man City)

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue May 24, 2022 9:39 pm

Southgate is getting a bit silly with his left backs. Tripper will play there, no doubt.

Guessing Shaw is injured and Chilwell is recovering. Shame Mitchell has been cut from the squad, won't do anything for his confidence. If he's struggling for left backs, he ought to give the likes of Cresswell, Targett or Taylor a go. Guessing they don't fit the bracket having not come through the U21s first or played for a 'big' club!

Redknapp69 · Post by **Redknapp69** » Tue May 24, 2022 10:17 pm

That is weird

No Hendo but no surprised as he's going young and no bad thing for Pool he gets a break

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:57 am

England need to decide on a number 10. Rice and Ward-Prowse looks the ideal combo in midfield at 6 & 8.

Delighted with the win against Scotland. The past 3 game does highlight that whilst we are trying to play better football, will always be suspectible to teams that are better than us technically e.g. the Armenia game. Going to be a lot of emotion in the Ukraine game tomorrow evening.

UEFA/FIFA don't get many things right but the Nations League concept is actually very good.

Redknapp69 · Post by **Redknapp69** » Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:26 pm

Southgate needs to be getting more out of the attacking players he has but guess he can point to his record

Belter win for you Dermo

Agree Nations league is good as competitive games now between Nations and the "prize" of a playoff spot or qualification is very good

Just shite all these games are now after a long season, early start back and a WC

Wales trucking along nice enough - should have bagged a point v Dutch and could have beat Poland, never mind lost. Would like to see us staying in Group A but will have to go some to turn it around

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:55 pm

France are struggling badly. Deschamps picking really strange lineups. If they don't beat Austria next game they are into Group B

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 8:29 am

I like the nations league too, but you can definitely tell that the games are coming at the end of a long season.

Southgate just doesn't know, still, his best XI. Keeps chucking random players around the pitch.

Don't think Ward-Prowse did a lot against Italy, can see why Phillips would have that place nailed if he wasn't injury prone this year.

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 9:24 am

I thought that's why JWP worked well, he allowed Rice and Mount to do their thing. Phillips has a great engine when fit though

Alias47 · Post by **Alias47** » Wed Jun 15, 2022 7:17 pm

Aaron Ramsdale, huh?!

No, I'm not going to slate him too much as it would make me somewhat of a hypocrite because I never enjoyed people going after Pickford too much. Let's just call his recent England performance interesting.

Although you know damn well if it had been Pickford letting them 4 in there'd be kopites and Geordies meming it into oblivion, long after it had been remotely funny or interesting. T-Rex arms tee-hee, it's still as funny as it was in 2018.

Redknapp69 · Post by **Redknapp69** » Wed Jun 15, 2022 10:48 pm

Nothing is ever Pickford's fault though is it - he loves barking at defenders for any goal that goes in

Have to agree on Ramsdale though - good first half of season but then since all the plaudits came his way 2nd half of the season wasn't great IIRC

Find it bizarre they don't give Pope more of a run but then Pickford has done well enough for Southgate so I get why he sticks with him

Alias47 · Post by **Alias47** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 6:32 am

Redknapp69 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 15, 2022 10:48 pm Nothing is ever Pickford's fault though is it - he loves barking at defenders for any goal that goes in

Have to agree on Ramsdale though - good first half of season but then since all the plaudits came his way 2nd half of the season wasn't great IIRC

Find it bizarre they don't give Pope more of a run but then Pickford has done well enough for Southgate so I get why he sticks with him

My issue with the Pickford stuff is and always has been one of scapegoating. I've never claimed he is a perfect goalkeeper, but people have made their minds up about him to such an extent that nothing he ever does right seems to be good enough to earn him even so much as a modicum of respect = Scapegoating. We all know he went through a bad patch 3 or 4 years ago, the famous Origi goal at Anfield in 2018 being the start of it, but can anyone tell me his most recent blunder that led to a goal? Rhetorical, but I doubt they can. The reason is that he's been blunder-free for at least 2 seasons (slight mistakes here & there but not serious blunders that lead to goals) yet people would have you believe that he's dropping clangers week in, week out, which is just not true. In fact, many Everton fans would have him as their Player of the Year for last season, but neutrals have the scapegoating so ingrained or enjoy it so much that he's a meme to them and seemingly always will be.

I find the vitriol a little odd to be honest and that's why I've often been inclined to defend him ( a better defence than what's in front of him at Everton *badum-tiss*). I've written too much already, people know my stance on Pickford by now, but I can't help but feel you prove my point a little bit with the "barking" thing. Yes, he's vocal but since when has that been a rod to beat keepers with?! I don't remember too many keepers being criticised for this crime, perhaps Jens Lehmann was seen as a bit mouthy, but I don't recall Peter Schmeichel having this aspect of his game critiqued. With regards Pickford though, it's open season on being hyper-critical and that's where my bugbear lies.

Fodster · Post by **Fodster** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 11:40 am

Anyone playing for England will never do right, the whole nation has been behind them the last two tourneys and now they are not playing well in friendly matches and getting the stick and media coverage they are, typifies English media and English so called fans. Its disgusting to see to be honest!