The England Team - all the news, views…

[roversfan99]

Walker is past it now, and our attacking players might thrive more with Watkins up front compared to Kane in 2 years. Which is what its all about, these games prior (including qualifiers I imagine such is the ease of qualifying for ever increasing tournaments) are just a means to an end.

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, Mercer said:

Yep, I saw the game and given how poor ROI were and how much possession we had, it would have been absurd not to see Rice in a more offensive role as for Mainoo, he too was similar to Rice but merely a poorer version.

As for your 'dream midfield three' of Bellingham, Rice and Foden it wouldn't work!  Bellingham and Foden are really number 10's and I think some folk need to accept it may be a struggle to successfully accommodate both in the same team (same Lampard and Gerrard issue).  Sir Alf Ramsey once said to Jack Charlton when Jack strangely queried his selection for the 1966 World Cup, 'it's my job to put the best team out on the field and not the best players' !!!!!!!!!!!! - so, so very true and Sir Alf remains the only England manager to have lifted the Jules Rimet. 

It's painfully obvious we need a midfielder in there who can 'knit the team together' and Wharton's your man.  I am absolutely baffled by your apparent indifference to Wharton.

Of course it would work Mercer cos you are playing Bellingham as 8 next to Rice who would be sitting in front of the back 4 with Foden as the 10. 

Foden, Rice and Bellingham are best centre midfielders/Forward thinking midfielders we got. 

              Pickford

TAA Stones Guehi Davis

               Rice

    Bellingham Foden

Palmer   Kane   Gordon

[speeeeeeedie]

36 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I'd say playing 4231 like this would be ideal for England

-                      Pickford

Walker      Stones     Guehi     ????

                Rice       Wharton

      Saka      Bellingham    Palmer

                        Kane

We have a lot of good players, but we need to settle on a first choice XI and bench and really really work on getting them to play as a unit - play the same players give or take every game. Our issue will be if piss around chopping and changing every game over the next two years and rock up at the world cup still without a clear idea of what our best team is and not knowing how to play together.

To lead is to decide... 

I agree with your sentiment that playing a settled side now will help for 2026. Yet, that usually proves to be difficult due to injuries and dips in form. 

I think Walker has run his race. As good as he has been he'll be 36 in 2026. He's already thought about quitting twice, now may be the time for him. England has plenty of decent right backs too. 

Maguire was a strange recall. He's another over 30. If Carsley wants experience he still has Stones who is a better player than Maguire. Colwill could be a natural replacement on the left side partnering Guehi (who seems to have played his way into the starting 11) but he plays for Chelsea so who knows how settled he will be.

Left back is a puzzle. It should be Luke Shaw's to lose but he may only have 1 tournament left. Rico Lewis perhaps? 

As for Kane, he's a match winner who was off the pace at the Euro's yet scored 3. Could Bellingham play as a number 9?

[chaddyrovers]

14 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Left back is a puzzle. It should be Luke Shaw's to lose but he may only have 1 tournament left. Rico Lewis perhaps? 

Davis from Ipswich, Mitchell from Palace, 

[roversfan99]

If they are the standard of left backs we have then thats going to be a massive problem looking into the next tournament.

I have no idea why Maguire has managed to get back into the side. Hopefully when he inevitably struggles for game time behind De Ligt and Martinez, he wont linger like a bad smell in the England set up. We still have Stones but there is also Guehi, Konsa and when back, Branthwaite.

There should be a natural trimming of fat between each tournament and Walker, Trippier and Maguire should be left behind. Stones might struggle for game time at City in which case his England career should depend accordingly and Kane should also not be as integral as his body seems to be starting to catch up on him.

[philipl]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Of course it would work Mercer cos you are playing Bellingham as 8 next to Rice who would be sitting in front of the back 4 with Foden as the 10. 

Foden, Rice and Bellingham are best centre midfielders/Forward thinking midfielders we got. 

              Pickford

TAA Stones Guehi Davis

               Rice

    Bellingham Foden

Palmer   Kane   Gordon

Disgusting 

[joey_big_nose]

59 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I agree with your sentiment that playing a settled side now will help for 2026. Yet, that usually proves to be difficult due to injuries and dips in form. 

I think Walker has run his race. As good as he has been he'll be 36 in 2026. He's already thought about quitting twice, now may be the time for him. England has plenty of decent right backs too. 

Maguire was a strange recall. He's another over 30. If Carsley wants experience he still has Stones who is a better player than Maguire. Colwill could be a natural replacement on the left side partnering Guehi (who seems to have played his way into the starting 11) but he plays for Chelsea so who knows how settled he will be.

Left back is a puzzle. It should be Luke Shaw's to lose but he may only have 1 tournament left. Rico Lewis perhaps? 

As for Kane, he's a match winner who was off the pace at the Euro's yet scored 3. Could Bellingham play as a number 9?

Kane's definitely going to start for England next world cup, so we should run with it and figure out a way to make the most of him. Didn't realise Walker was 34, probably not going to make it. But that he is still so fast at this age maybe means he has got a Ronaldo like extra long career on the cards? I know we've got a lot of right backs but none have really nailed down the role. 

Anyway I'd be happy whoever we pick at full back either side as long as they are decent and we stick with them. 

To put a bit more flesh on it - I'd say we can have the next six months to experiment a bit, give some of the new lads a go etc, but come the spring it really has to be "this is our best XI" and work hard on finding the right way to play. Spain went from being a competitive to brilliant side this year by finding the right balance across the team.

[roverandout]

I have two. English and Irish 

[roverandout]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Davis from Ipswich, Mitchell from Palace, 

Lewis hall is another great prospect at left back 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

5 hours ago, Ianrally said:

I had two British passports in the 80’s. If you had a South African stamp in your passport you weren’t allowed into many Middle Eastern countries, hence the need for another. 
 

On the upcoming Finland game, a good Finnish friend once told me that Finland is very good at individual sports but no good at team sports. He said the Finland football team would be great if they had 11 balls. 

That was my pal’s story,  only the other country was Israel. He was in the RAF and he travelled all over the Middle East. If you had an Israeli stamp in your passport you would have trouble getting into an Arab country.

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

If they are the standard of left backs we have then thats going to be a massive problem looking into the next tournament

Well who else is there? Give some names? 

[roversfan99]

20 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Well who else is there? Give some names? 

I dont have any, thats my point. We are very short at left back, unless Shaw suddenly becomes robust in the next 2 years then its going to again be a problem position as we dont have anyone even close to a top standard.

@roverandout doesnt Hall struggle to make the Newcastle side?

@joey_big_nose I think that we need to look at phasing Kane out of being a guaranteed starter. In the Euros he was a big hindrance and summed up lethargic and sluggish displays across our front line. Watkins isnt a top level striker but his running in behind may open up space for our other players, many of whom like to get on the ball rather than running beyond it.

Walker like Trippier and Maguire should all be excluded going forward, obviously Trippier has now retired.

[roversfan99]

@J*B is there an issue with multiquotes at the moment? It wont let me press the plus button to quote someone on my phone.

[chaddyrovers]

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I dont have any, thats my point. We are very short at left back, unless Shaw suddenly becomes robust in the next 2 years then its going to again be a problem position as we dont have anyone even close to a top standard.

So pick either Colwill at left back given how we play or pick Davis or Mitchell and see how they perform 

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

@joey_big_nose I think that we need to look at phasing Kane out of being a guaranteed starter. In the Euros he was a big hindrance and summed up lethargic and sluggish displays across our front line. Watkins isnt a top level striker but his running in behind may open up space for our other players, many of whom like to get on the ball rather than running beyond it.

Kane is only 31 years old and still a top striker 

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Walker and Maguire should all be excluded going forward

Should they? If they are playing well and performing, pick them

[J*B]

11 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

@J*B is there an issue with multiquotes at the moment? It wont let me press the plus button to quote someone on my phone.

Not to my knowledge, Chaddy is doing it fine above!

[Oldgregg86]

On 05/09/2024 at 21:38, chaddyrovers said:

Its a good job that I don't have BT given that Amazon Prime have some games and others on TNT sports with highlights on BBC 1 on Wednesday night

Its called the Champions League for a reason but its a load of bollocks and its all about making loads of money for UEFA and the bigger clubs within Europe whilst teams who won their domestic league have to missed out for 4th place team in the PL cos its created more money and keeps these clubs happy 

Is that right. Champions league highlights are now on Wednesday night , match of the day style on the bbc ?

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Is that right. Champions league highlights are now on Wednesday night , match of the day style on the bbc ?

correct

Champions League: BBC to show highlights from 2024-25 season - BBC Sport

[Oldgregg86]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

correct

Champions League: BBC to show highlights from 2024-25 season - BBC Sport

Nice one

[Mercer]

13 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

Kane is only 31 years old and still a top striker 

Should they? If they are playing well and performing, pick them

Think it's clear from Euros and even Saturday in Dublin, Kane's body is creaking and vastly reduced his mobility and whatever pace he had.

Walker will be 36 at World Cup and for a full back expected to get up and down........

As for McGuire, never rated him at his 'peak' and he's on the slippery slope down.  If he can't hold a place down in the United team, he shouldn't even be under consideration.

The new England coach needs to be ruthless and focused on the World Cup in 2 years' time.

Think only Kane should come into consideration and ONLY as a bench player should we need a goal.

There's no room in football for sentiment.

Edited September 10 by Mercer

[roverandout]

14 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I dont have any, thats my point. We are very short at left back, unless Shaw suddenly becomes robust in the next 2 years then its going to again be a problem position as we dont have anyone even close to a top standard.

@roverandout doesnt Hall struggle to make the Newcastle side?

@joey_big_nose I think that we need to look at phasing Kane out of being a guaranteed starter. In the Euros he was a big hindrance and summed up lethargic and sluggish displays across our front line. Watkins isnt a top level striker but his running in behind may open up space for our other players, many of whom like to get on the ball rather than running beyond it.

Walker like Trippier and Maguire should all be excluded going forward, obviously Trippier has now retired.

He's been playing lately and was outstanding last night for the under 21s

[joey_big_nose]

53 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Think it's clear from Euros and even Saturday in Dublin, Kane's body is creaking and vastly reduced his mobility and whatever pace he had.

Walker will be 36 at World Cup and for a full back expected to get up and down........

As for McGuire, never rated him at his 'peak' and he's on the slippery slope down.  If he can't hold a place down in the United team, he shouldn't even be under consideration.

The new England coach needs to be ruthless and focused on the World Cup in 2 years' time.

Think only Kane should come into consideration and ONLY as a bench player should we need a goal.

There's no room in football for sentiment.

Kane remains the most prolific striker in Europe.... England shouldn't bench him. They should figure out how to use him as effectively as Bayern Munich do - which is about getting the wide player ahead of him. Signs are that Carsley is looking to do this which is good.

[roversfan99]

1 minute ago, roverandout said:

He's been playing lately and was outstanding last night for the under 21s

He started the first game for Newcastle and then was sub for the following 2, even though Dan Burn who is often played at left back for Newcastle was needed at centre back due to them not signing a centre back and with Schar out. Not sure we can read much into a game v Austria under 21s.

He may well be a talent and he may in time alleviate concerns in that positions, who knows. But specifically with the next World Cup in mind, left back seems to be a definite problem position in the near future. A right back will likely play there tonight and a centre back played there v Ireland.

[islander200]

22 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Kane remains the most prolific striker in Europe.... England shouldn't bench him. They should figure out how to use him as effectively as Bayern Munich do - which is about getting the wide player ahead of him. Signs are that Carsley is looking to do this which is good.

How do you get Bellingham and Foden into the team then ?

I agree that kane is a top striker and its hard to see him dropped but for me he has to adapt his game rather than England if he wants to continue to start 

With Foden,Bellingham and Palmer etc the team doesn't need Kane dropping into the 10 position 

[chaddyrovers]

12 minutes ago, islander200 said:

How do you get Bellingham and Foden into the team then ?

I agree that kane is a top striker and its hard to see him dropped but for me he has to adapt his game rather than England if he wants to continue to start 

With Foden,Bellingham and Palmer etc the team doesn't need Kane dropping into the 10 position 

Bellingham 8,.Foden 10, Rice has the 6 then Palmer wide right and Gordon left. Kane has the 9

[joey_big_nose]

19 minutes ago, islander200 said:

How do you get Bellingham and Foden into the team then ?

I agree that kane is a top striker and its hard to see him dropped but for me he has to adapt his game rather than England if he wants to continue to start 

With Foden,Bellingham and Palmer etc the team doesn't need Kane dropping into the 10 position 

Personally I would not start Foden with Kane... think you get more out of playing someone wide who gets beyond Kane than Foden coming inside all the time and clogging up the number 10 area. 

I think that's a better decision than dropping Kane for say Watkins and keeping Foden on the left. Kane has done a lot more for England than Foden ever has... And the way football is these days you just have Watkins and Foden on the bench and bring them on 60 minutes together for Kane and Gordon and change it up. You have both options.

I think if we properly focus on it we can figure out these combinations, and commit to a core of 18 players who can play together fluidly in different setups.