England's best XI

dbs235

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Henderson
James Stones Maguire Shaw
Rice Mount
Grealish
Foden Kane Sterling

Is what I'd go for. It's incredibly hard when there's so many options. Kane is obviously the striker, you could have any 2 from Grealish/Foden/Sterling/Sancho/Rashford. It also depends on whether you want Foden and Grealish in midfield or on the wing. For me I've gone with Grealish at CAM to give him more of the ball without sacrificing a pacy direct winger - went for Sterling there but would be happy with any of the other options.
 

TheReligion

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So Neville and Carragher just picked their England XI v Croatia;

G Nev
Henderson
Walker
Maguire
Stones
Shaw
Mount
Rice
Philips
Rashford
Kane
Sterling

Carragher
Pickford
TAA
Maguire
Stones
Shaw
Rice
Henderson
Mount
Sterling
Kane
Grealish

Both picked their full squads too with Neville taking Ward-Prowse and Greenwood and Carragher picking Bellingham. Both believed England need two CMs though to go with Mount and classed Grealish and Foden as part of the forwards. Neither took Sancho.

Debate got a bit heated!
 

saivet

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I didn't watch, but Neville picking Greenwood over Sancho or Saka makes no sense and so does Carragher picking three right backs in the squad.
 

charlenefan

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I'm sure when the cameras go off it's all friendly but on camera Carragher just spends the time constantly baiting Neville which ends up being quite uncomfortable to watch
 

charlenefan

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I didn't watch, but Neville picking Greenwood over Sancho or Saka makes no sense and so does Carragher picking three right backs in the squad.
Reasons were

Greenwood is the best finisher after Kane

Neither picked Saka as versatility aside he isn't yet the best option in any position

Carragher wasn't really questioned as to why he chose so many defenders
 

Red00012

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I'm sure when the cameras go off it's all friendly but on camera Carragher just spends the time constantly baiting Neville which ends up being quite uncomfortable to watch
I think Neville backs up what he says with valid points while Carragher offers nothing only trying to mock Neville’s comments.
 

AgentSmith

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So Neville and Carragher just picked their England XI v Croatia;

G Nev
Henderson
Walker
Maguire
Stones
Shaw
Mount
Rice
Philips
Rashford
Kane
Sterling

Carragher
Pickford
TAA
Maguire
Stones
Shaw
Rice
Henderson
Mount
Sterling
Kane
Grealish

Both picked their full squads too with Neville taking Ward-Prowse and Greenwood and Carragher picking Bellingham.

Debate got a bit heated!
Prefer Carragher’s just because of the midfield choice.

It’s criminal to not include Grealish in the starting XI, should be the first name on the team sheet. Surprised Carragher didn’t spit in Neville’s face for it.
 

Liver_bird

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We really do have a ridiculous amount of talent. Saka Bellingham Sancho even Maddison all top players who are likely to miss out.
 

charlenefan

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I think Neville backs up what he says with valid points while Carragher offers nothing only trying to mock Neville’s comments.
Yep I didn't want to use the term bullying but like I said Carragher very seldom doesn't come across as a right twat in these debates the two have
 

simonhch

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Henderson

TAA
Maguire
Stones
Shaw

Rice
Henderson
Maddison

Grealish
Kane
Sterling

Would be my pick. Rashford on the bench just because he’s carrying an injury. Sancho in the squad for balance.
 

TheReligion

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Prefer Carragher’s just because of the midfield choice.

It’s criminal to not include Grealish in the starting XI, should be the first name on the team sheet. Surprised Carragher didn’t spit in Neville’s face for it.
Neville believes Phillips is the best we have at accepting the ball from the defence and moving it forward. Not sure I believe we really need that as much as in the past as both Stones and Maguire will step through into those areas themselves and play the ball.

Both said we need two CMs to play with Mount but again with the two CBs we have do we really? I'm not so sure that link needs emphasising as much.
 

saivet

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Reasons were

Greenwood is the best finisher after Kane

Neither picked Saka as versatility aside he isn't yet the best option in any position

Carragher wasn't really questioned as to why he chose so many defenders
I don't really by that Greenwood argument, especially after the season he's had. If I'm honest, he doesn't have any business being in the squad.

It's a fair argument for Saka though, I probably wouldn't have him in my squad either.
 

Liver_bird

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Ideally I’d go,

Pope/Henderson
Trent
Gomez
Maguire
Shaw
Rice
Henderson
Grealish
Sancho
Kane
Sterling

Obviously because of form, injury and Southgate, it’s going to be Walker, Stones , and Mount will play in midfield and Rashford will play and rightly so but if we had a lot of the ball I think that’s a team that has a great chance of controlling the game.
 

TheReligion

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I didn't watch, but Neville picking Greenwood over Sancho or Saka makes no sense and so does Carragher picking three right backs in the squad.
Reasons were

Greenwood is the best finisher after Kane

Neither picked Saka as versatility aside he isn't yet the best option in any position

Carragher wasn't really questioned as to why he chose so many defenders
I really don't understand what Ings has to do to get in the conversation. Great finisher.
 

FlawlessThaw

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I don't really by that Greenwood argument, especially after the season he's had. If I'm honest, he doesn't have any business being in the squad.
I disagree with Neville on Greenwood based on his season so far, if Kane is injured you have to adapt your tactics and not go like for like
 

Liver_bird

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Surely you go Ings if Kane’s injured? I do wonder if he’ll ask Vardy if he fancies a comeback.
 

TheReligion

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Ideally I’d go,

Pope/Henderson
Trent
Gomez
Maguire
Shaw
Rice
Henderson
Grealish
Sancho
Kane
Sterling

Obviously because of form, injury and Southgate, it’s going to be Walker, Stones , and Mount will play in midfield and Rashford will play and rightly so but if we had a lot of the ball I think that’s a team that has a great chance of controlling the game.
I'm not sure you can make an argument for Gomez! :lol:
 

saivet

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I really don't understand what Ings has to do to get in the conversation. Great finisher.
I disagree with Neville on Greenwood based on his season so far, if Kane is injured you have to adapt your tactics and not go like for like
I think DCL is seen as more of a natural fit to replace Kane if he's injured. If both of them are out then tactics would need to be adapted further.
 

TheReligion

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I think DCL is seen as more of a natural fit to replace Kane if he's injured. If both of them are out then tactics would need to be adapted further.
I think DCL is good but he's not the finisher that Ings is. He's good in the air and running into space but I genuinely think the closest finisher to Kane is Ings.
 

charlenefan

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I don't really by that Greenwood argument, especially after the season he's had. If I'm honest, he doesn't have any business being in the squad.

It's a fair argument for Saka though, I probably wouldn't have him in my squad either.
Neville did caveat that he didn't think Greenwood would get picked even if he were to go and score 7 goals between now and the end of the season

I do think he's right about being the next best finisher after Kane though, you can't make an argument that Sterling, Rashford, DCL are better finishers than Greenwood
 

Liver_bird

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I'm not sure you can make an argument for Gomez! :lol:
:lol: :D
Tbf I did say ideally! I think his pace would be a massive plus alongside Maguires aerial dominance and if you go a back three I’d be extremely assured with those two plus another, he’s very good 1v1 and I think it would have solved a few problems for us. Unfortunately he gets a bad injury every season seemingly.
 

charlenefan

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I disagree with Neville on Greenwood based on his season so far, if Kane is injured you have to adapt your tactics and not go like for like
It wasn't about going like for like it was about having the next best finisher after Kane as an option to come on if needing a goal not to play instead of Kane
 

Liver_bird

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Yeah I'd take Ings anyway to be honest
Yeah I’d agree with this, people are mentioning DCL and Greenwood but I fear the latter might be too raw for a tournament although ideally you’d love to have him as a wildcard, DCL doesn’t convince me I think from what I’ve seen of Ings over the last couple years his all round game has developed and he’s a superb finisher. He’s a great bloke to boot and definitely someone I’d want in the squad.
 

AgentSmith

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Neville believes Phillips is the best we have at accepting the ball from the defence and moving it forward. Not sure I believe we really need that as much as in the past as both Stones and Maguire will step through into those areas themselves and play the ball.

Both said we need two CMs to play with Mount but again with the two CBs we have do we really? I'm not so sure that link needs emphasising as much.
Yeah I‘d agree with that.

Including Phillips feels like overkill when you’re already playing Rice at CDM and you look at the attacking options you’re dropping to play him.

Then you combine that with Maguire/Stone’s abilities on the ball and it feels like a waste. Shaw also has excellent build up play abilities just to the left of them so I don’t think we’d struggle.
 

saivet

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I think DCL is good but he's not the finisher that Ings is. He's good in the air and running into space but I genuinely think the closest finisher to Kane is Ings.
I tend to agree but I think DCL is better suited to being a lone striker if Kane gets injured.
I do think he's right about being the next best finisher after Kane though, you can't make an argument that Sterling, Rashford, DCL are better finishers than Greenwood
I would probably agree as well but to me it still seems like flawed logic to pick him because he is naturally a better finisher than most.
 

PoTMS

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Take Greenwood out of Neville's team and put Sancho in instead and that won't be far from the real 23.
 

sillwuka

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Has it always been this difficult to pick a squad?

I know there's always been competition over the years but there seems to be so little between the fringe players this time out.
 

#CR7

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Agreed with Neville's comments about being a Maguire injury away from switching to a back 5 which was an interesting perspective in terms of how that affects squad selection. However I do think that due to the versatility of some of our defensive players we can afford to 'pinch' a player from the defense but still remain the ability to play either a 4 or 5 at the back.

Defenders;

Trent - RB/RWB
Tripper - RB, RWB, LB
Walker - RB, RCB
Stones - CB
Maguire - CB
Coady/Mings - CB
Shaw - LB, LCB

Other defensive options;

Saka - LW, RW, LWB
Rice - CDM, CB

This would give Southgate much more flexibility in terms of our midfield/ attack allowing him to take a Bellingham /Greenwood who are future starters or a Lingard who has previous tournament experience.
 

Noot

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Mings going would be a joke, he's not even the best English centre-back at Villa.

Unless Southgate decides that stamping on Mbappé's head hard enough to put him in hospital is the only way to stop him, I can't see Mings being useful.
 

MikeeMike

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Maybe I am missing something but Jordan Henderson picked by both Nev and Carragher?
Seriously ?
He has faded in recent months , would not cope with the number of games and surely we have better options?