England

[roversfan99]

27 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I am not so bothered by this personally. The tournaments are only every 4 years each so having quite a big tournament where there is a fun group stage for a couple of weeks and then it gets serious in the knockouts is fine my me. Agree max that should get out of a group of four is two though. The 24 euros was fine. There were still a lot of fun games in the euros group. I think it should be similar at the 48 team world cup. 

In an ideal world as others have said there should just be a nations league over two year seasons that also covers the qualification for the major tournaments. No separate qualifiers, very few friendlies. You'd end up with the same amount of games, but many more played against higher quality opposition, and with something at stake.

 

But again at the 48 team world cup, you have most 3rd place teams qualifying so there is absolutely no jeopardy in the group stages. You win one game and are basically through.

[joey_big_nose]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

But again at the 48 team world cup, you have most 3rd place teams qualifying so there is absolutely no jeopardy in the group stages. You win one game and are basically through.

Yeah sorry - bit of a maths failure from me. 16 and 32 would be better. Or change the overall tournament to 40 teams in 8 groups of 5 teams with top 2 going through to round of 16. 

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Questioning why we need 3 number 10s then advocating 4.

I would suggest that Foden is more comfortable as a deeper midfielder out of the 2 although you wouldnt start either there.

But what you overlooked time after time is there can play 2 positions unlike Foden can. 

Is Foden going to be ahead of Bellingham and Palmer? if not I wouldn't take him. 

my starting 11 for the first game is 

                   Pickford

Livramento Stones Guehi Hall

                   Anderson

               Bellingham  Rice

Saka                                 Gordon

                      Kane

what would yours been please? 

 

[joey_big_nose]

31 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

But what you overlooked time after time is there can play 2 positions unlike Foden can. 

Is Foden going to be ahead of Bellingham and Palmer? if not I wouldn't take him. 

my starting 11 for the first game is 

                   Pickford

Livramento Stones Guehi Hall

                   Anderson

               Bellingham  Rice

Saka                                 Gordon

                      Kane

what would yours been please? 

 

I think having a player like Gordon out wide left is pretty crucial as Kane will drop deep and he will succeed only as much as other players get beyond him. Saka is brilliant but he is someone who is not going to get through the centre in the space Kane vacates. So the left needs a direct runner.

That said surely Rashford will do that job better than Gordon if he continues in the same vein at Barca? Plus obviously much stronger goal scoring record.

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

But what you overlooked time after time is there can play 2 positions unlike Foden can. 

Is Foden going to be ahead of Bellingham and Palmer? if not I wouldn't take him. 

my starting 11 for the first game is 

                   Pickford

Livramento Stones Guehi Hall

                   Anderson

               Bellingham  Rice

Saka                                 Gordon

                      Kane

what would yours been please? 

 

I dont see how Foden is less versatile than the other 2. Hes played wide probably more than the other 2 and none of the 3 youd particularly fancy deeper but if you was going to choose any, it would be Foden.

Regarding the starting 11 for the first game, how can we possibly say, its 9 months away? Hall has not even really established himself fully at Newcastle and he and Stones are constantly injured.

[chaddyrovers]

8 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I dont see how Foden is less versatile than the other 2. Hes played wide probably more than the other 2 and none of the 3 youd particularly fancy deeper but if you was going to choose any, it would be Foden.

Foden isn't a natural wide player and I never said Rogers should play wide. 

I have given you previously my 4 wide players and Foden is a number 10. 

8 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Regarding the starting 11 for the first game, how can we possibly say, its 9 months away? Hall has not even really established himself fully at Newcastle and he and Stones are constantly injured.

its was very simple question to answer. I try another way, if England first game in the world cup was tomorrow what would your starting line up be? 

[Mike E]

On 10/09/2025 at 11:37, Mattyblue said:

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

Oh I don’t know, I’ve seen them win the 2072 World Cup in some ‘San Marino Challenge’ Football Manager saves.

[roversfan99]

56 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Foden isn't a natural wide player and I never said Rogers should play wide. 

I have given you previously my 4 wide players and Foden is a number 10. 

its was very simple question to answer. I try another way, if England first game in the world cup was tomorrow what would your starting line up be? 

I dont know who would be at left back, a weak position. Not 100% sure at right back although James seems the strongest choice, but again, made of glass. We need a quick player wide left but not convinced by any option, Gordon is massively overrated and Rashford is not one youd want in the trenches with you. No one has proven at the top level that they are the stand out choice, I like Anderson but would still sway towards Wharton. And Stones would play if he could be relied upon but he cant, so if he isnt fit then Konsa.

Bellingham, Kane, Pickford, Guehi, Rice and Saka are clear guaranteed picks.

[chaddyrovers]

I thought it will a simple question to answer but clearly not. 

Gordon overrated? Really? Class player and shown his worth at Newcastle..

Rashford again get him on form, you have a really good player and I think the move to Barca was a smart one. 

[roversfan99]

It isnt a simple question. Its one 9 months in advance where in a number of positions, there is no clear stand out. 

Gordon's decision making often lets him down in the final third. Rashford will forever have ifs and buts surrounding him.

[chaddyrovers]

Great avoidance of answering the question. Maybe think about this when you called out others for not answering questions next time @roversfan99

[roversfan99]

Bit of a difference between being unsure on a few problem positions for an England team in 9 months time, whilst still giving opinions on the players in those positions for the sake of discussion.

And actively avoiding any issue that could potentially reflect bad on Rovers for fear of being critical.

I would probably say Pickford, James, Stones, Guehi, Livramento, Rice, Wharton, Saka, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane. But im not convinced that will be the case so far in advance.

[chaddyrovers]

I changed the question for you but seemingly didn't want to answer it. I get that we are 9 months out but you want to start your starting line up together now. As I said I only see 3 positions open which are left back, number 10 and left wing. The other 8 are done as far as I am concerned

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

18 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

It isnt a simple question. Its one 9 months in advance where in a number of positions, there is no clear stand out. 

Gordon's decision making often lets him down in the final third. Rashford will forever have ifs and buts surrounding him.

Not enough end product from Gordon for my liking. He runs across the field more than he runs down it. Top defenders will have his number.

[Upside Down]

12 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Great avoidance of answering the question. Maybe think about this when you called out others for not answering questions next time @roversfan99

Jesus Christ I have never seen such a lack of self awareness in my life.

[joey_big_nose]

I know its only Latvia but we do look really really good. I want to see us play a genuinely top team - not done that since the euros final, and with the next nationals league not until September 2026 we are only going to get a competitive game against a top nation at the world cup. Annoying.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, joey_big_nose said:

I know it’s only Latvia but we do look really really good. I want to see us play a genuinely top team - not done that since the euros final, and with the next nationals league not until September 2026 we are only going to get a competitive game against a top nation at the world cup. Annoying.

It’s really hard to judge against this quality of opposition.

[joey_big_nose]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

It’s really hard to judge against this quality of opposition.

Yeah agreed. Feels to me though we are a step up from the last euros. Really like what Anderson has brought into central midfield, made a massive difference. Also Tuchel getting the wide players ahead of Kane. It is all working a lot better.

But like you say hard to say for sure until you play against someone at your desired level.

[speeeeeeedie]

2 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Yeah agreed. Feels to me though we are a step up from the last euros. Really like what Anderson has brought into central midfield, made a massive difference. Also Tuchel getting the wide players ahead of Kane. It is all working a lot better.

But like you say hard to say for sure until you play against someone at your desired level.

England are making it look easy. It's a far cry from the 1-0 dirge fest against Andorra. 

What strikes me about the game, and the Wales one for that matter, is who isn't playing. James, TAA, Livramento, Wharton, Palmer, Bellingham, Foden, and Grealish, aren't even in the squad.

Tuchel has some thinking to do.

[Gav]

Best fans in the World Tuchel. It will do you good to remember that.

 

 

[roversfan99]

Yeah, its a total waste of time trying to judge against such dreadful opposition.

One thing I do think is that Tuchel seems happy to try and build the most balanced team, rather than the one with the best players.

England's best position is clearly number 10, with Bellingham, Foden and Palmer, and even beyond that, Eze and Rogers. All (or at least the first 4) are better than anyone we can muster up wide left. But Kane is slow and drops off, to get the best out of him we need a quick left winger who can go in behind so its either Gordon or Rashford. No sticking a Foden, a Palmer, even a Grealish there, the main thought is balance. He clearly wants 2 out and out wingers.

Same in midfield. Rice has often been wrongly used as a holding midfielder, now hes being balanced off with Anderson.

Its the right approach after decades of imbalanced teams but the question is, even if its balanced, how far can a team go with a number of players that are good but nothing special in it, complimenting the stand out players. Expectations in the past have been built on the idea of all of our stand out players on the pitch at the same time.

I do think he needs to get in one of our top class number 10s, probably Bellingham, and get Foden, Palmer and Wharton amongst it fighting for the first 11. Just not all of them playing at the same time.

[chaddyrovers]

Anderson has the 6 is working next to Rice is working and looks good overall partnership 

Tuchel is playing a balanced team with players playing in their correct position. No shoehorning of players to get them in. 

Looks a good overall team. 

Eze must go to.the world cup. Gives you different type of player in a couple of roles

[Mattyblue]

Not sure Tuchel has any issue with the away support, cracking fans, but Wembley is a morgue, who would argue with either statement?

[roversfan99]

Anderson as the number 6? Wouldnt fancy him at centre back.

[chaddyrovers]

12 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Anderson as the number 6? Wouldnt fancy him at centre back.

Tuchel didn’t hold back in his praise for Anderson. 

“He’s just a very, very good football player,” Tuchel said. “He has the physicality, he’s very mobile at No 6. He has the body, he loves to defend, he loves to put his body inside to duels. He loves passing, he loves to break the lines, he’s very mobile in this game. It was a pleasure to see

 

.l

Edited 3 hours ago by chaddyrovers