Jack Grealish | Euro 2020/1

Phil

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England pinning all their hopes and dreams on an Irishman?

You love to see it!
I've seen this a few times, why do people consider him Irish? Just reading on Wikipedia and he's born in Birmingham. He has Irish grandparents but so does half the British Isles. Genuine question.

He absolutely has to start. I won't forgive Southgate if he doesn't.
 

Yagami

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That's fine but I think you have to judge Rashford by those standards then and he's also been pretty great for England..
I don't think anyone has been as consistently good as Kane and Sterling, but I do think Rashford has outperformed his other competition. Despite all the hype, not even Sancho has done as well as Rashford.

In my opinion, I'd want to see a 4-3-3. RIce, Foden and Grealish in the middle, and Rashford/Sancho with Kane and Sterling. Grealish can drift to the left channel and cause an overload with our lb and left forward (Rashford/Sancho and Sterling rotating), and vice versa with Foden in the right channel. Kane likes dropping deep, too, and with Kane, Sterling, Foden and Grealish, we'd have plenty of press resistant players to help us keep possession around the oppositions box.
 

Classical Mechanic

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That's fair enough, mate. It's one of the reasons I created this thread. I knew the whole Grealish discussion could be quite polarizing so I wanted to hear from both sides (as well as hopefully raving about him playing well!)

I actually think Grealish is quite fast. I've seen him leave opposition players in the dust when he's got going so I don't have any worries there myself. As for the central position point, I completely get the concern there because of his, well, perceived laziness, but before he was given a free role at Villa in the middle of last season, he'd actually been doing very well as a cm in a three. He was actually more disciplined in midfield than McGinn who'd often end up partnering Abraham up front; leaving Grealish and the other cm in a 2 when in possession.

Obviously this is a whole different level, but I think he'd be brilliant in a three with Rice and Foden.


I'm pretty much basing my opinion on how he's done for England and, imo, he's been our most consistent player alongside Kane for a few years now.

For me, until he plays poorly for England, I'm fine with Southgate starting him.
I've no issue with him starting if he gets selected but then I have no issue if he doesn't get selected. It's not just about pace, it's the way they play. Rashford and Sterling will run in behind and stretch the pitch and open up space for the other players. Jack, like Sancho and Foden prefer to get the ball to feet and will drop deep to get it. It means the opposition defence can be more compact and our players have less space to operate.


Grealish is good enough to play anywhere across that 3 and still get involved in the game. Personally I'd go 4231 with Mount as one of the 2, Rashford off the left, Grealish down the middle and Foden on the right. But they're all capable of swapping positions fluidly, same with Sterling and Sancho.

What we'll actually see is the 343 (for which read 523 because it's Southgate), something like:

-------------------Kane
-----Grealish Rashford
Chilwell Mount Henderson Trippier
---------Mings Coady Stones
------------------Pickford
The rumours are that he'll go 4-2-3-1 with Sterling. Mount and Foden in the attacking positions

I've seen this a few times, why do people consider him Irish? Just reading on Wikipedia and he's born in Birmingham. He has Irish grandparents but so does half the British Isles. Genuine question.

He absolutely has to start. I won't forgive Southgate if he doesn't.
The poster is trolling but he did used to play for Ireland and played GAA so he is quite connected to his Irish heritage. He's probably more Irish than half of the 1990 Ireland football team which had guys like Andy Townsend in it who was about as Irish as Prince Charles's arse.
 

TwoSheds

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I've no issue with him starting if he gets selected but then I have no issue if he doesn't get selected. It's not just about pace, it's the way they play. Rashford and Sterling will run in behind and stretch the pitch and open up space for the other players. Jack, like Sancho and Foden prefer to get the ball to feet and will drop deep to get it. It means the opposition defence can be more compact and our players have less space to operate.




The rumours are that he'll go 4-2-3-1 with Sterling. Mount and Foden in the attacking positions



The poster is trolling but he did used to play for Ireland and played GAA so he is quite connected to his Irish heritage. He's probably more Irish than half of the 1990 Ireland football team which had guys like Andy Townsend in it who was about as Irish as Prince Charles's arse.
Haha Sterling, Mount and Foden. Couldn't get more depressing than that. Good old Southgate.
 

Bwuk

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Grealish and Rashford are not starting as per Skysports/DailyMail and Trippier at left back over Shaw and Chilwell.
Mental if true. Southgates England’s biggest issue.
 

TheReligion

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I've seen this a few times, why do people consider him Irish? Just reading on Wikipedia and he's born in Birmingham. He has Irish grandparents but so does half the British Isles. Genuine question.

He absolutely has to start. I won't forgive Southgate if he doesn't.
The Irish are always trying to steal our gems. It's nothing new.
 

K stand Red

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I am looking forward to watching how he does during the Euros.

Undoubtedly he has skill ball retention etc but after watching the two recent international friendlies and he is fouled a lot, however he appears to be looking/expecting, waiting/wanting to be fouled and holds onto the ball too long anticipating a foul and ignores a forward run/pass.

There was a glaring example during the last friendly when he would have been clear through down the left hand side and received a tug on the arm, yes a clear foul but appeared to take the easy option of falling to the ground.
 

TwoSheds

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I am looking forward to watching how he does during the Euros.

Undoubtedly he has skill ball retention etc but after watching the two recent international friendlies and he is fouled a lot, however he appears to be looking/expecting, waiting/wanting to be fouled and holds onto the ball too long anticipating a foul and ignores a forward run/pass.

There was a glaring example during the last friendly when he would have been clear through down the left hand side and received a tug on the arm, yes a clear foul but appeared to take the easy option of falling to the ground.
I feel like this is actually more true of Rashford than Grealish in general. Grealish does need to shoot more though, he doesn't get enough goals for the positions he finds himself in.
 

Phil

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The poster is trolling but he did used to play for Ireland and played GAA so he is quite connected to his Irish heritage. He's probably more Irish than half of the 1990 Ireland football team which had guys like Andy Townsend in it who was about as Irish as Prince Charles's arse.
Ah interesting
 

FootballHQ

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I think this thread is indicative of the problem with Grealish. He seems to have been elevated to an esteem far beyond his achievements in the game in the minds of some fans. Is he the only player to have an individual thread? I do think he's a cracking player but he's not Messi.

England likely won't win this tournament with or without him but I suppose the seeds of a myth are being sown.
I think English fans just want as many creative players as possible in starting 11 rather than just runners all the time.

England's a bit like Man. United really, rubbish v the low block. Of course you need a balance (personally I'd have started Sancho today if he hadn't stunk the place off in the last friendly he played) but this idea anyone who can run fast in a straight line is just going to pull defences apart at top level is a bit misguided I think otherwise it would've surely worked for you in europa final with Rashford and Greenwood out wide but in the end very comfortable night for Villareal backline who positioned themselves superbly and Croatia also showed in top level game they can keep England's rapid forwards quiet.

England were always so bad in the nations league last year v likes of Iceland and Denmark, only goal in those two games was from last minute penalty and about two shots on target. Frontlines for those matches, Sterling, Kane and Sancho. Two rapid players either side of Kane but barely anything created in open play.

At least with three of Grealish, Foden and Mount behind Kane that's potential to keep defences guessing and some really lovely link up play. Bit like what Italy did the other night, didn't play Chiesa who was in great form and is fastest for Italy in front 3 but likes of Berardi and Insigne could unlock a defence.

Jack is actually pretty good at accelerating when he's running with the ball and Mount and Foden have that first yard in their brain with the runs they make so I'd be more confident of them making an impact v world class defence like France than Sterling and Rashford on present form.
 

Adisa

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Even our players don't have their own Euro 2020 thread. The hype around a Villa player is ridiculous. He needs to move.
 

Yagami

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This thread wasn't a total waste after all :lol:

I hope he's sealed his place for the first knockout game.
 

bosnian_red

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Obvious to anybody with eyes that the England squad should be built around him tbf.
 

MU655

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Grealish probably won't be playing next game. We will go five at back.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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In the first half it was clear to see what he brings. Give the fullbacks license to combine with him; whether you believe Gary Neville's insistence that Gareth won't have told them not to overlap it's clear something is stopping them from doing so, but make that happen and watch Grealish beat men in the left hand channel and get quality balls into the box.
 

Winzaghi

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In the first half it was clear to see what he brings. Give the fullbacks license to combine with him; whether you believe Gary Neville's insistence that Gareth won't have told them not to overlap it's clear something is stopping them from doing so, but make that happen and watch Grealish beat men in the left hand channel and get quality balls into the box.
You see it at Villa with Targett. Chilwell would have been a perfect foil for him, shame he's out too.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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You see it at Villa with Targett. Chilwell would have been a perfect foil for him, shame he's out too.
For sure, and obviously it isn't as simple as 'play Grealish, win tournament' but he has an x-factor I prefer over any of our attackers. I'd like to see him given a chance to make things happen for England going forward.

As for Chilwell I agree, doubly so if we end up five at the back. There's no reason why Shaw can't combine with him superbly though, I liked the look of both players in the first half tonight.
 

Okey

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Amazing how it's almost impossible to disposess him without fouling him. And he has end product to boot! Must drive defenders absolutely mental.
 

Winzaghi

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Amazing how it's almost impossible to disposess him without fouling him. And he has end product to boot! Must drive defenders absolutely mental.
Coufal must be sick of the sight of him by now :lol:
 

Yagami

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Please start this magnificent wizard against ze Germans, Gareth!
 

Yagami

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Our composure in the final third noticeably went up a level when he came on.