I really like the look of TAA in midfield. For me Rice, TAA with Bellingham at 10 is the best England midfield 3 currently.
England Discussion
- Thread starter Samid
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Euros squads are back down to 23 players aren't they? So Southgate will be leaving out a couple of inform players if he just decides to pick all of Rashford, Maguire, Phillips and Henderson.
Can probably add Grealish to that list given how bit part he's become at Man. City this season.
Can probably add Grealish to that list given how bit part he's become at Man. City this season.
Like who? Specifically for the bolded names.
Konsa is playing every single week very well for a top 4 team in two different positions. He got a call up for the last squad but was the only outfield player unused for the two matches which was really poor of Southgate.
I also thought Dunk did well in the recent games he's played for England. Here's a guy who's been a premier league defender for about 7 years now and has developed very nicely, now getting good european experience.
Maguire had that run of games in October-November but let's be honest Varane and Martinez stay fit (big IF of course) and he'll be going into yet another tournament with 3-4 months of bench warming.
Southgate could get away with it due to the November world cup but in the summer he'll be effectively starting a player who's started less than 20 prem games since start of 2022 season.
I'd be interested to see West Ham's regular midfield when Alvarez and Paqueta are fully fit again. Could have scenario where Ward-Prowse is keeping Phillips out of the West Ham team but Southgate is calling up Phillips over JWP instead still.
For what it's worth he seems like a very good fit with our talented but very inexperienced team.
It's always the mild mannered ones you need to keep an eye on!
Obviously I'm on the Mainoo train in terms of who I want to partner Rice and Bellingham, but my 2nd favourite option is Dan Neil from Sunderland. Another press resistant player we've produced. I think it's only a matter of time before a PL club comes in for him if Sunderland fail to get promoted soon.
It's a disgrace this man will ruin England's very valid chance of winning the Euros.
Delimiting the talent at his disposal and playing the worst brand of football this squad is capable of, with the blessing of the FA. Shambles.
Delimiting the talent at his disposal and playing the worst brand of football this squad is capable of, with the blessing of the FA. Shambles.
I know Bellingham has been outstanding for Madrid in the 10 position I still think he is best carrying the ball forward running at defence. If we are dominant he will spend time in this position anyway and I think it’ll allow us to play a more traditional number 10, especially against teams we think we should be beating.
Nominated Eze for the 10 role in his thread.
Nominated Eze for the 10 role in his thread.
Bet southgate watched the game today to see how phillips was doing
Would make sense. He's the only backup for Rice, a DM
Why is this idiot flying to Holland to watch Henderson when there are more players to watch in England?
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So he can avoid watching how bad Phillips is and can still pick him for the squad.
Still somehow riding on the coatails of Euro 2020 where he had the benefit of playing every game bar one at home.
WC2022 was probably were the limit of his abilities actually are. Better manager probably would have done better
Yes man, won feck all and never will.
He’ll be bringing Mount back in next
Scenes when Gareth starts Phillips or Henderson in midfield this summer.
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Southgate is open for a contract extension
If he doesn't win the european championships then he should leave the country for many months.
If he doesn't win the european championships then he should leave the country for many months.
The FA will probably do that thing where they give a contract extension before the tournament, so that the manager doesn't feel under pressure (to perform) at the tournament.Southgate is open for a contract extension
If he doesn't win the european championships then he should leave the country for many months.
At this point he could win the euros and y'all'd be complaining he never faced Napoleon in battle
He'll be there in September barring a catastrophic Euros. He's an clean cut FA Yes man which suits them down to the ground
Could he?
Well no, we wouldn't, as his criticism is literally he's not good enough to win. If he somehow won, there'd be no complaining.
A better manager wins euro 2020 I'll die on that hill.
I don't know anyone who doesn't agree with that given both the draw England got and the start made in the final. But to be fair, England and Southgate have improved since then; I felt they were actually better at the world cup than they were at the Euros and were desperately unlucky against France. If they perform in Germany like they did in Qatar, I think England can win the tournament.
Sure. He has Bellingham now. Just got to make sure not to depend on Harry Fail when it matters
If we don't win the Euros he needs to be gone, please 
so much talent, I want to see what another manager can do.
so much talent, I want to see what another manager can do.If England fail to bring home the main prize, it would have to be something insanely special to have knocked them out for it not to be seen as the manager’s incompetence.
Something insanely special like...going out to France? Maybe with a missed penalty?
Extend him I say.
Wha'???
I still find it mental that some think Southgate is hard done by. Our three exists were purely down to him.
First, against Croatia. We start on top and take the lead then park the bus for the rest of the game, inviting relentless pressure on ourselves until we crumble. Okay, we gave Southgate a pass here because we reached a semi final, our team wasn't that good that year, and improvements were evident.
Then he does the exact same thing against Italy. Start on top, score first, then park the bus until we crumble. This is worse than Croatia because not only does it show Southgate didn't learn his lesson, but we were better than Italy unlike with Croatia. He should've been sacked then.
Against France, it was a different self inflicted wound. He just refused to play our in form player, who was our top goalscorer of the tournament in Rashford who'd then go on to have an amazing season for us. He brought on Mount and Sterling (who was in no fit state to play ahead of him as he had just had to fly back home due to his house being burgled) ahead of him (and Grealish) who were then brought on with like 5 minutes left to play.
He definitely shouldn't be in charge going into this tournament, but he is and we have to make do. If he wins the thing he'll be praised out the wazoo, but the pessimism we have with him is totally justified.
He wont win anything, he cant do it when the pressures on against the big boys.
Exactly right. He's done a good job on some levels as England manager - deals with the press well, brought through some new young players while tactfully shunting some out of the door - but he's no tactician and his in game management is awful. I'd love to see what another coach could do with this group of players. Even someone like Howe would be a significant upgrade.
Don't say stuffs and not follow up on it.
Several months later: Plays 5 defenders and 1 DM for safety.
Well one part of that sentence is unrealistic.
Bellingham, Foden, Rice easiest decision one can make. He'll manage to go with something else.
Not nearly as unrealistic as the stark raving insanity that seems to grip the collective mind of the english people everytime their NT puts 3 world class players together
You're right. There are definitely positives, and he's played his part in turning our national team from a hellzone to an actual team, but he's not the one to get us to take that next step forwards. I don't think, anyway.
His biggest fans on here are the people who hate England for a reason
Nope. Still more unrealistic.
Kane missed a penalty. Harry bloody Kane! John Stones also forgot the basics of marking. Those are the only objective and actual reasons England went out vs France. Everything else is just driven by speculations all based on people's personal biases and disdain for Southgate as a coach.