International Squads for Nov International Break | Martial, Young get called up while Smalling axed

[cyberman]

Why would you drop Smalling who plays well in a back 3 and actually has an understanding with Jones?
That is fecking clueless. At least Jones won't have a chance to decapitate him in training

 

[Annihilate Now!]

It's not even like he has prime Rio Ferdinand's or Bonucci's waiting in reserve. Harry fecking Maguire and Gary Cahill are his other CBs. Real liberos in the modern game

Indeed. I mean, i don't know about you, but for me it goes Messi's dribbling, Ronaldo's finishing, Gary Cahill's visionary passing.

 

[KM]

Why would you drop Smalling who plays well in a back 3 and actually has an understanding with Jones?
That is fecking clueless. At least Jones won't have a chance to decapitate him in training

Agree with this. Surely with a back three, you don't particularly need everyone of your centerbacks to be good on ball.

 

[saivet]

Harsh on Smalling, but the othr CBs included are decent, so no real complaints.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

Smalling is brilliant as a defender IF you want to defend from crosses and have low possession, basically parking the bus. The ideal defender for Tony Pulis.

As for the comments from Southgate: what he said is not untrue, but if this was in a business setting where a manager said this in public about one of his employees: sacked/sued/big compensation.
Southgate may be as inept as Hodgson is. And clearly was not appointed on merit or managing skills.

If you do well in Russia(hopefully) thank Pochettino.

 

[Sied]

Harsh on Smalling but good news for us. Glad he'll get a rest.

 

[Ballache]

I love how Chris was getting called up when out of form and now when he's back to his best gets axed.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Smalling is brilliant as a defender IF you want to defend from crosses and have low possession, basically parking the bus. The ideal defender for Tony Pulis.

As for the comments from Southgate: what he said is not untrue, but if this was in a business setting where a manager said this in public about one of his employees: sacked/sued/big compensation.
Southgate may be as inept as Hodgson is. And clearly was not appointed on merit or managing skills.

If you do well in Russia(hopefully) thank Pochettino.

I don't know about that, his best form since now was when he was playing under Van Gaal.

 

[DWelbz19]

Smalling is brilliant as a defender IF you want to defend from crosses and have low possession, basically parking the bus. The ideal defender for Tony Pulis.

Bizarre comment. He has done and continues to hold his own in a side that are competing for major trophies, whilst directing contributing to said side managing one of the lowest goals and chances conceded for a few seasons now.

 

[KM]

I love how Chris was getting called up when out of form and now when he's back to his best gets axed.

 

[Minimalist]

The Smalling comment sums up Southgate. Something (lack of ability on the floor) most would agree on but Southgate lacks the nouse to avoid looking like a prick while making the decision.

The Ox is having a cracking season I see.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

Southgate drops Smalling for not being comfortable on the ball despite being fantastic recently. I'll laugh when he then plays the Xavi-Iniesta incarnate duo of Dier-Henderson in midfield for their ball playing ability.

Smalling's ball playing ability is certainly frustrating but he is still one of the best defenders England have, it's not like Cahill and Maguire are Baresi either

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Ax called up to the 21s, Laird, Greenwood & Garner to the 17s.

Hopefully this means Abraham will be with England permanently from now.

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He will probably make his decision at the end of the season in light of a world cup spot I would have thought.

@Damien

Pretty sure Jones will start at CB if he is available. Southgate was on record before last internationals saying that he is the best English CB currently.

 

[kotha]

How is Cahill doing nowadays?? Haven't watched much of Chelsea recently but remember reading that he was going through a rough patch..

Got to laugh at Oxalade Chamberlain.. Looks like Wenger got one over Klopp..

 

[Bwuk]

Regardless of whether or not Smalling should be in the squad, that was a really stupid comment to make by Southgate.

I'm not Smallings biggest fan, but when you consider there aren't many great English cb's it was a dumb comment.

 

[Sunny Jim]

Definitely. Also, Southgate basically confirming we're going to continue emulating Spurs' formation

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Can someone please name an English defender who is comfortable with a ball on his feet? I've been watching English football for 20 years and you had 1 such defender- Rio Ferdinand.

 

[Adisa]

Smalling comment is out of order imo.

 

[Steven Seagull]

Can someone please name an English defender who is comfortable with a ball on his feet? I've been watching English football for 20 years and you had 1 such defender- Rio Ferdinand.

Stones Jones and Maguire are all comfortable on the ball

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Can someone please name an English defender who is comfortable with a ball on his feet? I've been watching English football for 20 years and you had 1 such defender- Rio Ferdinand.

Jones, McGuire, Stones.

Stones actually has the highest pass completion rate of any player in Europe so far this season.

 

[Ballache]

Also why is Gareth acting like England play passing football? You have Dier and Henderson in midfield ffs...Behave Gareth.

 

[Canucantona20]

Smalling gets bashed on here for his use of the ball every week, but when Southgate says it apparently he's wrong.

 

[charlenefan]

Smalling has been our best CB this season, very strange he's been dropped (good for us though given how injury prone he is)

 

[Bwuk]

Smalling gets bashed on here for his use of the ball every week, but when Southgate says it apparently he's wrong.

Difference between posters on a online forum, and the manager of the England side saying it.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Good. Smalling has played a lot of football, so a week or so of him taking it easy is good for us.

Sad for him to be axed given his form, but if Southgate can't see how good he's been, then so be it. Smalling is no worse than Cahill on the ball and is twice the defender.


Didn't notice Jones was in the squad at first glance. I thought he was injured?

 

[prtk0811]

Just don't get injured or fatigued.

Happy for martial too.

 

[Dinghy]

Who the hell does Southgate think he is to comment on a Manchester United player like that. By all means, drop him, and explain to him in private why you did so, but to publicly ridicule a player like that is not on. What a W@nker.

Hope Mourinho tears a huge rip into his backside and the club lodges an official complaint about unprofessional conduct.

Lodging an official complaint for that would look a bit stupid...
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...urn-vs-everton-epl-table-latest-a7667216.html

 

[Camilo]

I'm not sure why he'd play 3 at the back at all to be honest. England's current 4 best players take up attacking positions (Kane, Alli, Sterling, Rashford) and we really don't have great centre backs, so why play 3 of them?

It's all well and good saying "Spurs do that and they're mainly English, so we'll do it too"... but all of their starting CB's (with Sanchez bieng the better option their then Dier in my eyes) aren't even bloody English.

To be fair, playing all their best players has been England's problem for years.

 

[Revan]

Can someone please name an English defender who is comfortable with a ball on his feet? I've been watching English football for 20 years and you had 1 such defender- Rio Ferdinand.

Stones is one of the bast ball playing center-defenders in the world, while all of McGuire, Jones and Cahill are decent at it.

Smalling had this coming IMO, it is quite inexcusable for a professional footballer who is 27 years old to be as bad with the ball at his feet as Smalling is. Southgate said what everyone says here all the time, and if he really plans to have CBs who can pass a ball, then it makes perfect sense to drop Smalling.

 

[prtk0811]

Now young had made one more statement to rashford who said he should just retire.

 

[red thru&thru]

I hate international games. One hand I get happy our players are called up, then on the other, it annoys me. Just pray for them to be injury free.

 

[Jazz]

Jeez I know Smalling isn't the greatest technically but Southgate could have been a bit more diplomatic about why he's dropped him. A little bit uncalled for.

Sounds like Southgate is trying to show how trendy he is by imitating the latest play style and tactics of other managers. He might be best served getting the basics right first.

 

[cyberman]

Cahill is terrible on the ball himself.
Good luck passing the ball out to Jordan Henderson...should be fun

 

[AndyJ1985]

What Southgate said is correct. Good on him for being honest. Footballers should be able to handle criticism anyway.

 

[Samid]

Southgate is spot on regarding Smalling but daft to make such comments in public.

 

[prtk0811]

I really find it funny that smalling can't pass the ball from the back.

 

[Scarecrow]

What Southgate said is correct. Good on him for being honest. Footballers should be able to handle criticism anyway.

What does anyone gain from criticizing him publicly, except a something for the media and fans to talk about? He could say that privately to the player and achieve the same effect without humiliating him.

 

[diarm]

If Van Gaal was still at United and still starting Rooney as his captain, Southgate would still be picking him for England. Just like he's still starting renowned "ball players" such as Jordan Henderson and Gary Cahill.

I've no issue with Smalling not making the squad. There are some good options in his position and he hasn't been playing well enough for long enough to warrant guaranteed selection.

But don't come out with some public nonsense about his ball playing ability when you're picking other limited ball players and take 100% of your scouting and tactical acumen from Sky Sports News and tabloid backpages.

I'm not sure I've ever seen such a fraud of a manager in such a high profile international seat.

 

[Zoo]

Also why is Gareth acting like England play passing football? You have Dier and Henderson in midfield ffs...Behave Gareth.

Yeah and Joe Hart in goal.

 

[automaticflare]

Smalling out because he can't play football yet Harry maguire in squad and Jordan Henderson also who is fecking cack
England have makings of a very good team here

----------------Butland----------------
-------Jones---Smalling----Cahill-----
Walker----------------------------Rose
------------Winks-------Dier-----------
-------------Alli--------Llalana---------
-------------------Kane----------------


Basically emulating Spurs current line up
6 of the 10 outfield players all played with each other last year
Llalana in eriksen role and more importantly everyone playing in the positions they have played for their club (granted dier flits between Cm and CB)

Can't see south gate picking that team tho I think he has a hard on for sterling and I think he will pick horrenderson aswell

 

[CM]

Passing up on Smalling for Harry Maguire is pretty comical but the whole squad looks fairly experimental. It seems very early for players like Joe Gomez and Tammy Abraham.