So what's the squad?

Devongone · 21-03-2018, 19:49

So, you'll all pretend you're bored as hell with it to sound like proper footie fans. Then you'll all be rooting for Costa Rica or Uruguay or somebody who got knocked out in qualifying. And Lionel Messi will either be crap, or finally come through and win the thing heroically for Argentina. Germany will be smug, the French will look like winners and fall apart and Harry Kane will sound increasingly like Andy Murray.

But how close can you get to picking England's final 23 for the tournament. Picking three goalies out of none is hard enough. Maybe we should get Scottish advice - they've never had one ............. I definitely did not write that! (Bob Wilson wasn't bad and he went to our school!)

Anyway choose what you think the final squad will be. Add views, comments and even the squad you'd pick if Southgate suddenly resigned and the FA surprisingly turned to you.

Maybe waiting until after these two idiot friendlies would be a good idea. Doh

Devongone · 14-05-2018, 15:55

Well my squad won't be the one selected .........

Pickford
Pope
Hart
Dier
Walker
Cahill
Stones
Jones
Trippier
Lascelles
Alexander-Arnold
Lallana
Sessegnon
Lingard
Alli
Loftus-Cheek
Henderson
Sterling
Rashford
Kane
Vardy
Abraham
Grealish

My only regrets in the squad are not including Jadon Sancho ........ and including Jordan Henderson.

Joe Hart gets his place because Butland is pants. Fabian Delph got considered, but not picked, Ashley Young, well you could make a case for him or Shaw or Chambers, but I'd rather see Sessegnon coming on as sub. Tammy Abraham has hardly had a season, but I can't get over the feeling that had Swansea gone with him they'd be a Premiership club next season. And in general the youngsters are there because they balance the squad. Slightly more experienced players will look after them and the youngsters themselves will bring enthusiasm.

Can't think what Southgate will pick. He tends to be inventive, but public pressure might force him to be conservative.

If Chalobah had been fit all season ..... or even half of it, I'd have picked him and dropped Henderson .... but what do I know? Can't stand Henderson's tight muscular shirt and his pretence at vision.

**St Charles Owl** · 14-05-2018, 23:40

Can't see too much wrong with who you have picked from my point of view. I wouldn't go anywhere near Grealish, would prefer to see Shelvy included. I would also take Harry Maguire instead of Trippier or Alenander-Arnold, we don't need 3 RBs. One the other side of defence your squad only has one LB, Sessignon, and he attacks more than defends!! I would bring in Bertrand as well, probably instead of one of the RBs. Abraham has done no where near enough this season to be considered imo, you will probably crucify me for this but I would take Welbeck instead, his England goal scoring record is excellent and he would be a capable back-up to Kane and Vardy/Rashford.

turkeydinner · 15-05-2018, 14:48

Pickford/Butland/Pope
Walker/Trent Arnold
Shaw/Sessegnon
Stones/Maguire/Jones/Lascelles
Dier/Alli/Henderson/Cork
Sterling/Lingard/Sancho
Rashford/Kane/Vardy/Carroll

Will be nothing like that but it`s my choice

Devongone · (This post was last modified: 16-05-2018, 18:09 by Devongone.)

(14-05-2018, 23:40)St Charles Owl Wrote: Can't see too much wrong with who you have picked from my point of view. I wouldn't go anywhere near Grealish, would prefer to see Shelvy included. I would also take Harry Maguire instead of Trippier or Alenander-Arnold, we don't need 3 RBs. One the other side of defence your squad only has one LB, Sessignon, and he attacks more than defends!! I would bring in Bertrand as well, probably instead of one of the RBs. Abraham has done no where near enough this season to be considered imo, you will probably crucify me for this but I would take Welbeck instead, his England goal scoring record is excellent and he would be a capable back-up to Kane and Vardy/Rashford.

I like Welbeck, like his ball-pinching ability up front and his speed off the mark, but he isn't going to get a game in an attack based on Kane (who I don't like that much!)

I was deliberately not selecting full backs because I'd be playing three at the back. All those could go forward in a five-man midfield. An' I'm not a believer in confining players to left or right. I'd prefer a right-footed left back and a left-footed right back anyway. A right-footed left-winger will also get you far more goals than a left-footed one imo.
Had he been fit I'd have been selecting Antonio from West Ham too. I like players who can play a variety of positions, so Sessegnon fits my bill. I don't think we can win this World Cup, but if we could reach the Quarters or better our younger players would have real tournament experience. Abraham is there cos he's fit, needs games and would be excited enough by the unexpected opportunity we'd see what he can really do - otherwise Cheslsea will ruin him with random loans.

Oh yeah, Grealish - cocky little sod but he's potentially magic. Sometimes players just happen, they become good all on their own. Sometimes you have to make them happen. Grealish comes out way in front if you stick him in the B stream, stick im in the A stream and see what happens, make a real star, or let him be a Championship show pony.

turkeydinner · 16-05-2018, 17:44

There we go:

GK: Butland, Pickford, Pope; DF: Alexander-Arnold, Cahill, Jones, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier, Rose, Young
MF: Dier, Alli, Lingard, Henderson, Delph, Loftus-Cheek; FW: Vardy, Rashford, Sterling, Welbeck, Kane
Standby: Lallana, Heaton, Tarkowski, Cook, Livermore

**St Charles Owl** · 16-05-2018, 18:09

That squad looks like we will go 352, with AA and Rose as wingbacks rather than FBs, and Alli behind the front two. I would expect only one of Dier and Henderson to start in the first two games and add Lingard alongside Alli supporting the front two. I think the front two will be Kane and Strling with Rashford and Vardy on the bench.

Devongone · 16-05-2018, 18:24

I'd rather have my squad, and if Butland turns out to be first choice keeper, wait for a Rob Green. We should have taken Hart for his experience even if he'd remained 3rd choice throughout, thank you David Moyes.

We have Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Stones, Walker, Trippier, Rose, Young, Dier and Delph all capable of playing full back, which seems strange especially as we experiment with three at the back.

Then we list five forwards when we'll probably start Kane as a lone front man and leave out Lallana entirely, who is one of our best chances of opening up defences for Kane ..............

It isn't that Southgate's squad is terrible, it's just that I don't think the 23 will bear any relation to the 11 he wants to put out there. He's picking the players who he thinks deserve it rather than the ones we'll need. If Dele Alli gets injured it'll put a lot of pressure on Sterling to make chances.

turkeydinner · 16-05-2018, 18:56

I think far too much is made of "We need a player who can open up a defence" which naturally leads to the furious calls for Jack Wilshere and Ross Barkley
This is the country that had Beckham, J Cole, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes etc and still didn't know what to do with them!

A huge Gary Strodder punt up field could open a defence for Kane or Vardy let alone a Pavel Nedved splitting pass, it`s not a tactic I like and even when we had a Manager who truly under stood about playing that way we let the press turn everyone against him

Vardy and Kane can feed easily on scraps and win games, Vardy and Rashford scare the life of of defences , for me there is plenty of talent and culture to thread a pass, run at defences, knock a long ball, hit a cross whatever, I dont however see a lot of steel to win the ball back as we have a great habit of not being able to pass 5 yards at major tournaments

0762 · (This post was last modified: 16-05-2018, 20:31 by 0762.)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44138600
Southgate finally announces his 23 man squad and I think his biggest concern is piecing together a group of players who can last a full footie tournament such as this one in Russia. The demands of a Premiership season are gruelling and IMO a lotta players seriously wanna 'hit the beaches' and 'chill' - let their bodies, muscles relax for a decent period. The sudden resurrection of a demanding footie tourney really will not be perfect for many of these players and that will be evident on the pitch. Playing a one off game of footie at a high level is fine but consistently doing it is a far bigger challenge than many people realise and esp in very hot conditions.