England

[superniko]

Pickford, James, Guehi, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane likely all start if fully fit, so about 4 spots up for grabs.

I did like the directness and pace that Gordon and Madueke brought, felt like a step away from boring Pep-Ball that hopefully stops getting adopted.

            Pickford

James - ??? - Guehi - ???

    Bellingham - Rice

Saka  -  Palmer  -  ???

              Kane

Maybe we shouldn't shoe-horn Bellingham and Palmer together, but it's tempting to. Obviously I'd love to see Wharton make the position his own next to Rice, but without a competitive cap yet I'm not sure we can expect it too soon.

This week I was unfortunate enough to go to the Andorra match rather than the Serbia one! 😁

[davulsukur]

A really good performance from England, first time in quite some time i've watched a game and been impressed by what we did.

Madueke was superb, a proper winger. Put in the type of performance we've been missing for years.

Thought Anderson was superb also, with performances like that, he'll be keeping Wharton waiting a bit longer for a place in the team. Rogers played well, a great option to have going forward.

Saka takes Gordon's place and you bring Bellingham back in and we're looking even better. 

We really need another striker. If Kane is injured/rested we're looking at Watkins, who's a good player but he's not top level and we'll struggle if we need to rely on him for any reasonable length of time.

I think Tuchel has to make us greater than the sum of our parts in the main and then use the likes of Kane/Bellingham to grab that vital goal/moment of magic ad we could be onto something.

It's 1 performance but it's been badly needed for sooo long.

 

Edited 10 hours ago by davulsukur

[DeeCee]

Still wondering why Jordan Henderson got on the pitch, surely he's not gonna be part of the World Cup squad?

[joey_big_nose]

16 minutes ago, ... said:

Part n parcel of being an England fan I guess. Everyone's the England manager always critical. I didn't mind Southgate but grew board of parking the bus. I think Tuchel is taking us to the the next level. 

With this selection of players we could beat anyone and that includes Spain. 

Looking forward to the world cup it's ours for the taking

Love the seesaw we all go through from being no hopers to it being there for the taking in 4 days.

Think we'll need to see how the games evolve over the next 9 months to really say one way or the other.

[Mattyblue]

The qualifiers are a waste of time and tell you very little, good or bad. Full of mismatches and 11 players camped in their own box.

Scrap them, sort out qualification through the Nations League and play offs and give the actual season some time back.

[superniko]

7 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

The qualifiers are a waste of time and tell you very little, good or bad. Full of mismatches and 11 players camped in their own box.

Scrap them, sort out qualification through the Nations League and play offs and give the actual season some time back.

Yeah, perhaps a shift towards a format like the new champions league would benefit all (essentially nations league). Fixtures next week of Bayern v Chelsea, Liverpool v Athletico. Albeit, it wouldn't be good for the stat-padding international strikers! 

This was our toughest match on paper, and maybe that's why we looked so much better than against the likes of Andorra.

Some proper strength in depth, and maybe this is the time we look for the best 'team' rather than the best 'individuals' - the likes of Anderson, Madueke, Rodgers looked very good.

[...]

27 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

The qualifiers are a waste of time and tell you very little, good or bad. Full of mismatches and 11 players camped in their own box.

Scrap them, sort out qualification through the Nations League and play offs and give the actual season some time back.

Perhaps an FA cup style entrance for higher seeds

[...]

41 minutes ago, superniko said:

Pickford, James, Guehi, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane likely all start if fully fit, so about 4 spots up for grabs.

I did like the directness and pace that Gordon and Madueke brought, felt like a step away from boring Pep-Ball that hopefully stops getting adopted.

            Pickford

James - ??? - Guehi - ???

    Bellingham - Rice

Saka  -  Palmer  -  ???

              Kane

Maybe we shouldn't shoe-horn Bellingham and Palmer together, but it's tempting to. Obviously I'd love to see Wharton make the position his own next to Rice, but without a competitive cap yet I'm not sure we can expect it too soon.

This week I was unfortunate enough to go to the Andorra match rather than the Serbia one! 😁

Isn't that the stuff we all wanted to see! When we come against teams who have that and we didn't play like that. Refreshing to see players being explosive and running on goal

[Mattyblue]

8 minutes ago, ... said:

Perhaps an FA cup style entrance for higher seeds

Exactly, there’s a reason Chorley and Liverpool don’t enter the FA Cup at the same stage.

[roverandout]

It would be cruel to discount the minnows like San Marino, Andorra, Scotland, Wales  (just kidding) the only way they improve is playing against the best teams

[roverandout]

28 minutes ago, superniko said:

Yeah, perhaps a shift towards a format like the new champions league would benefit all (essentially nations league). Fixtures next week of Bayern v Chelsea, Liverpool v Athletico. Albeit, it wouldn't be good for the stat-padding international strikers! 

This was our toughest match on paper, and maybe that's why we looked so much better than against the likes of Andorra.

Some proper strength in depth, and maybe this is the time we look for the best 'team' rather than the best 'individuals' - the likes of Anderson, Madueke, Rodgers looked very good.

Keane compares rogers to gazza, I know that's hyperbole but he's very similar.  His strength, technical ability 

[Mattyblue]

San Marino will never be anything but a mismatch, adds absolutely no value for them to be playing top tier nations again and again.

[K-Hod]

19 minutes ago, roverandout said:

It would be cruel to discount the minnows like San Marino, Andorra, Scotland, Wales  (just kidding) the only way they improve is playing against the best teams

They've been playing the best teams for years and been getting battered for years, to be fair.

[roverandout]

8 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

They've been playing the best teams for years and been getting battered for years, to be fair.

But the likes of Luxembourg Armenia have improved.  Who's to say the others won't get better at some point 

[Mattyblue]

And that’s fine as they would work their way up the Nations League groups accordingly.

However, open qualification groups are no longer fit for purpose post the proliferation of ‘new’ and micro-states as UEFA members these past twenty years or so.

[RevidgeBlue]

4 hours ago, roverandout said:

I know I gave tuchel alot of shit on Saturday but he's proven in big games he's got the tactical know how

Good job the FA didnt follow your advice or he'd be looking for a new job by now!

[RevidgeBlue]

Very good last night, as good as the weekend was bad.

I'm genuinely excited about going to a tournament under Tuchel as I feel we have a genuine chance of winning under him which wasn't something I ever felt like with Southgate in charge.

[joey_big_nose]

4 hours ago, superniko said:

Pickford, James, Guehi, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane likely all start if fully fit, so about 4 spots up for grabs.

I did like the directness and pace that Gordon and Madueke brought, felt like a step away from boring Pep-Ball that hopefully stops getting adopted.

            Pickford

James - ??? - Guehi - ???

    Bellingham - Rice

Saka  -  Palmer  -  ???

              Kane

Maybe we shouldn't shoe-horn Bellingham and Palmer together, but it's tempting to. Obviously I'd love to see Wharton make the position his own next to Rice, but without a competitive cap yet I'm not sure we can expect it too soon.

This week I was unfortunate enough to go to the Andorra match rather than the Serbia one! 😁

I dont think Belligham playing alongside Rice works. You need a player who will dictate play there, not be bombing on. Anderson or Wharton type.

We're in the same old problem of having too many similar players for the number 10 position. Tuchel will need to pick between Morgan, Bellingham, Palmer and leave two on the bench, and make sure we have a proper central midfielder alongside Rice. They're totally different positions with different skills.

What id like us to avoid is playing number 10s on the wing or deeper in midfield, just to fit them in. 

[roverandout]

31 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Very good last night, as good as the weekend was bad.

I'm genuinely excited about going to a tournament under Tuchel as I feel we have a genuine chance of winning under him which wasn't something I ever felt like with Southgate in charge.

I like how we press under him

[...]

3 hours ago, roverandout said:

Keane compares rogers to gazza, I know that's hyperbole but he's very similar.  His strength, technical ability 

I can see that in him too, wants to beat players, heads on a swivel seems to know where other players are and Very comfortable trying things

[superniko]

57 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I dont think Belligham playing alongside Rice works. You need a player who will dictate play there, not be bombing on. Anderson or Wharton type.

We're in the same old problem of having too many similar players for the number 10 position. Tuchel will need to pick between Morgan, Bellingham, Palmer and leave two on the bench, and make sure we have a proper central midfielder alongside Rice. They're totally different positions with different skills.

What id like us to avoid is playing number 10s on the wing or deeper in midfield, just to fit them in. 

yeah I tend to agree I think. In which case we'd probably set-up like this...

                      Pickford

James    -   ???   -   Guehi   -   ???

  Anderson or Wharton - Rice

Saka     -    Bellingham     -     ???

                      Kane

Wouldn't want a natural 10 shoe-horned onto the wing like you say, so probably Gordon / Madueke (although he's usually on the right) for that spot. Lewis-Skelly for LB and then either Stones / Konsa for CB depending on fitness and form.

Hoping we don't see Henderson, Gallagher, Jones, Gomes in that CM spot now. Anderson had an impact, and Wharton is worth a few goes when fit. Those two can both play forward passes which the 'Rice foil' has always struggled to do historically.

Edited 5 hours ago by superniko

[speeeeeeedie]

4 hours ago, superniko said:

Pickford, James, Guehi, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane likely all start if fully fit, so about 4 spots up for grabs.

I did like the directness and pace that Gordon and Madueke brought, felt like a step away from boring Pep-Ball that hopefully stops getting adopted.

            Pickford

James - ??? - Guehi - ???

    Bellingham - Rice

Saka  -  Palmer  -  ???

              Kane

Maybe we shouldn't shoe-horn Bellingham and Palmer together, but it's tempting to. Obviously I'd love to see Wharton make the position his own next to Rice, but without a competitive cap yet I'm not sure we can expect it too soon.

This week I was unfortunate enough to go to the Andorra match rather than the Serbia one! 😁

I agree with your certain to start list, it's how to fill the rest that will cause no end of debate.

In central defence Konsa is probably the favourite. He's always played well for England. Burn should be binned. Colwill won't be fit in time. Stones has been creaky but is a class act if fit. Chalobah? Another who Tuchel knows from his Chelsea days. Who else? 

Left back has options without any of them being at Ashley Cole's level. I'd prefer someone who is left footed so Hall, Lewis-Skelly, Tyrick Mitchell, and at a stretch Luke Shaw. Although he may not be a regular for a dodgy Man U team that plays a back 3.

Everyone on this board wants Adam Wharton in central midfield but his injury record is hurting him. Anderson did well but is new. Henderson may get a squad spot but isn't suited to a holding position. Angel Gomes has disappeared started games under Carsley. Gibbs-White, Rogers, Curtis Jones play further forward.

Left wing will be difficult. Rashford has so much talent but has had a wayward year or so. If he stars for Barcelona he has a shot. Grealish has a chance to be the man man at Everton. He's started well. Foden is probably on the outs. He is a bit of a John Barnes for England and has also had a disjointed 12 months. Eze will be playing champs league this year which will help him. Can Cole Palmer play there?

As I'm writing I realised that Arsenal have Saka, Madueke, Eze, Nwaneri, and now the young lad Dowman (who by all accounts is a star in the making). All of them could play on either flank.

[roverandout]

14 minutes ago, superniko said:

yeah I tend to agree I think. In which case we'd probably set-up like this...

                      Pickford

James    -   ???   -   Guehi   -   ???

  Anderson or Wharton - Rice

Saka     -    Bellingham     -     ???

                      Kane

Wouldn't want a natural 10 shoe-horned onto the wing like you say, so probably Gordon / Madueke (although he's usually on the right) for that spot. Lewis-Skelly for LB and then either Stones / Konsa for CB depending on fitness and form.

Hoping we don't see Henderson, Gallagher, Jones, Gomes in that CM spot now. Anderson had an impact, and Wharton is worth a few goes when fit. Those two can both play forward passes which the 'Rice foil' has always struggled to do historically.

Konsa has to keep his place.  Livramento looks the best left-back option.  He's very good defensively and got a good engine. On the left I'd like Grealish but the pace of Gordon is a good foil for kane. I think the shirt is anderson's to lose now though I think Wharton could easily do a good job. The great thing is we have bags of options

[joey_big_nose]

53 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Konsa has to keep his place.  Livramento looks the best left-back option.  He's very good defensively and got a good engine. On the left I'd like Grealish but the pace of Gordon is a good foil for kane. I think the shirt is anderson's to lose now though I think Wharton could easily do a good job. The great thing is we have bags of options

I just really hate wrong footed full backs. Can be great defensively, but the only one who ive seen who looked offensively good was Spinazzola for Italy, but he was incredibly unique.

[...]

Foil.

 

 

 

just wanted to say it too 😄