Wouldnt be surprised to see Senegal qualify, Poland are seemingly well fancied along with Colombia but Senegal have Mane and Keita Balde in attack, Koulibaly and Salif Sane in defence, and well known Prem players like Idrissa Gueye and Kouyate in midfield. Spain are right up there, they have plenty of crucial experience but in Asensio, Vazquez, Isco, Saul, Thiago, Nacho, Rodrigo and Koke there is plenty in the way of youth alongside it.

In the Premier League, Raheem Sterling got 18 goals and 15 assists last season (23 and 17 in all competitions), and Dele Alli 9 goals and 11 assists (14 and 17 in all competitions). As much as you disregard statistics and admittedly they can be manipulated, for 2 young players, neither of whom are strikers, they both show a level of consistency far surpassing what you are implying.

I think it was an 8 year contract!

The problem with Pardew is not that he is not young, its that hes proven to be shit.

The guy doesnt know what hes talking about, hence his need to cover every position to cover all bases, best to ignore him. That article is a waste of time really on the official website, half of it is cryptic nothingness that can be taken as good or bad dependent on your frame of mind, and the rest is blowing smoke up the owners arse. That said, its filling the website for 3 months, and I wouldnt want him to say the budget. It wouldnt surprise me if he had nothing to spend, but I dont care for words, I always judge on actions.

Its irrelevant what he says, its what he does that matters.

For me, Belgium lead up the second group of teams at the World Cup, the quartet of Spain, Germany, Brazil and France look difficult to seperate and I think the winner is amongst them teams; they all have very little in the way of weaknesses and ridiculous depth. The squads theyve announced are all superb. Belgium, Argentina, Portugal, ourselves and maybe Uruguay, all to varying degrees can be fairly optimistic but all have weaknesses and also lack depth.

Mowbray cant afford to only look at players within a specific age range, he needs to be more open minded than that. That said, I dont think he will be so narrow minded, his first signing was Peter Whittingham, he also signed Paul Caddis and he is desperate to offer Danny Graham and Craig Conway (wrongly) new contracts. James Collins isnt a realistic signing anyway, and agreed on Mulgrew being a centre back, not a midfielder.

Surely not realistic, having played a big part in a promoted Cardiff, surely he will sign a new deal.

Hasnt he been transfer listed by Peterborough after a poor season? Need much better than that. To be fair, it was relying on experience at a crucial time, it was vindicated both in results and by the form of Bennett overlapping at right back and Evans who was probably our best player in the last month of the season.

Not sure hes once said otherwise, "lad." "Seems daft not to just go and buy a right back - or simply play Travis is the position where he played very successfully season - barring a game at Ewood (which we lost!)."

With their squad, survival.

All 4 are in need of some regular football further down the pyramid, none are ready to suddenly become regulars, nor do they need a season too many stagnating in the under 23s. Get them loaned out, as its not as if our current team or the signings he seems to be aiming to sign are over the hill, and then hopefully they can come back and be much closer to the first team. Travis wont benefit being a 3rd/4th choice in a position hes barely played all season in the under 23s (as per @Stuart who regularly watches him I believe) when in a lower League 1 or League 2 side he can really get some proper game time, like Lenihan did at Burton.

Yeah, doesnt look the best job, not a good squad, dont think theyve spent much money recently, can see them being near the bottom and with him in charge I wouldnt be surprised to see them go down. Holloway is not a good manager, bar his time at Blackpool hes never impressed me really, popular more for his personality I think, that said I dont think he did that bad last season, maybe a harsh sacking even if he isnt the best manager to begin with.

No surprise, but a terrible appointment nonetheless.

I think it would make sense to look to loan out the like of Travis, Nuttall, Tomlinson and Wharton out to League 1 and League 2 clubs, or at least some of them. Even before signing new players, none of them would be close to being a regular first team player, get them a season of regular game time elsewhere. I would also like to think that although Mowbray mentioned a certain age bracket of signing, 22-24 was it, hed be foolish to not consider players outside of that.

Certainly not in form, hes not played much. Id take him personally, was just pointing out the hypocrisy of chaddys statement.

Would they? Hobbs is constantly on the injury table, hence him being released from a poor Forest squad. Sacko is being let go by Leeds due to a total inability to put in a final ball. We have to aim for better than them 2.

My main point was that you praised examples of out of form/injury prone players being ignored, yet didnt criticise out of form/injury prone players that were selected. Why? We all know that you think Southgate is a good manager, but until you show more balance in terms of not just only mentioning the positives, then il struggle to take your points seriously.

And my choice, Jack Wilshire has played 40 games in the same season in the actual position that Delph has been picked ahead of him! Also, Jonjo Shelvey has played 33 times and arguably been in the best form of the 3 of them! My point was more aimed at the hypocrisy of praising Southgate for in your opinion bravely dropping out of form or injury prone players, yet not then criticising him for the out of form or injury prone players that he HAS selected! Youre issue is you never can see any potential criticism. For example, I think Gareth Southgates CV proves that he shouldnt be anywhere near the England job. However, I can commend him on his choices of goalkeeper, I think hes got them choices spot on. I also agree on Young over Bertrand, now I may be wrong but im sure you said that youd have picked Bertrand, now hes been dropped for Young, you havent said a word. I am also happy that Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling are becoming key players for example, I can praise him for that. But I will also say that the squad needs another central midfielder, and cant fathom why Wlshire has been left at home, even behind Livermore on the standby list.

Injury prone players left at home like Delph and Welbeck? Out of form players left at home like Cahill, Welbeck, Rose, Stones, Rashford and Dier? A bit of balance please in your posts chaddy.

You are allowed to disagree with individual decisions without then going on to excuse the manager for making them decisions.

The squads really unbalanced, 3 central midfielders including one whose played left back this season and its a massive concern. Surely leave out Cahill or Alexander Arnold and put Wilshire in, or for whatever reason if he cant, theres Shelvey or even at a push Cook.

To be fair, we have Kane, Sterling, Alli, Lingard, Vardy, Lallana and Rashford in attacking positions anyway.

One that requires good ball retention? Seemingly not a priority to Southgate.