Don't give up your dreams kids - if Welbeck can play for Manchester United and England, so can you.
World Cup 2018 - General discussion
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
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Smalling was never going after Southgate made those comments earlier in the season. At the time Stones was starting for the champions elect, Cahill was a starter for Chelsea and Maguire was looking very assured at the back as well as on the ball...so he probably thought things were looking rosy at the back with or without Smalling.
In hindsight pretty stupid thing to do, shame he didn't just not select him without publicly going on about him not fitting his 'style'.
In hindsight pretty stupid thing to do, shame he didn't just not select him without publicly going on about him not fitting his 'style'.
No idea what managers still see in Welbeck.
Alexander Arnold is such a dumb call up if your still going to take Young. Complete wasted spot we could use a midfielder for.
So much for picking on form, as per every England squad for time immemorial. Loftus-Cheek. Reaaaaalllllly? Wow.
So much for picking on form, as per every England squad for time immemorial. Loftus-Cheek. Reaaaaalllllly? Wow.
Cahill over Smalling is a bit daft.
I know he played well there the past couple of England games, but surely it's a waste of his talent??
How's Loftus-Cheek in there, Lallana and Livermore on stand-by, yet no place for Shelvey?
That midfield 
I’d have took Wilshere/Shelvey instead of Alexander-Arnold and Lallana over Welbeck.
I’d have took Wilshere/Shelvey instead of Alexander-Arnold and Lallana over Welbeck.
On paper the weakest England squad at a finals I can remember. Weirdly I think that might do them well, since the expectations will probably be lower. England has always been my second national team, so hope that they go far!
Is this the worst squad England have ever taken to a World Cup?
I'm a bit surprised Sancho didn't get a spot. But maybe it's for the best if he gets a long summer break.
Always....till the next one.
Phil Jones over Chris Smalling going off the last two seasons. Deary me.
Shite squad as expected to be fair. Thankfully they’ve got a straightforward group which means they’ll probably not take it seriously and get dumped out early.
Shite squad as expected to be fair. Thankfully they’ve got a straightforward group which means they’ll probably not take it seriously and get dumped out early.
Probably go on and win the thing now!Always....till the next one.
I mean, there's usually a spine of top class players in an England squad... there's only Kane that fits that description in the whole 23-man party, isn't there?
Jesus Christ, that official announcement video was awful. Who thought that was a good way to announce a World Cup squad? As for the England squad itself, why is Welbeck in there? Think you could easily have left him out and took a chance on Lallana being fit instead.
As for the England squad itself, why is Welbeck in there? Think you could easily have left him out and took a chance on Lallana being fit instead.Lads....It's England.
that is a woeful team selection, unfortunately like Hodgson won’t lose his job after it goes tits up
Experience. He's England's top scorer in that squad.Jesus Christ, that official announcement video was awful. Who thought that was a good way to announce a World Cup squad?
Sancho is not even a regular for the U19s (nevermind U21s) and has only a handful of senior starts for his club - looks like a talent but nowhere near ready to be going to a WC
Sessegnon is only proven in the Championship - would actually be crazy to take him at age 17 with not 1 top flight game to his name, I have no idea why hes even been mentioned
Lookman's run of form in Germany came a bit too late to be a realistic contender - he should be given a chance in the next lot of qualifiers although attack is probably the strongest area for us at the moment
Cook is on the standby list - midfield is actually the weakest area of this squad so I wouldnt argue with him getting a shout
Southgate obviously knows youngsters pretty well and hes not one to stand in the way of their progress but its a massive step up from U19 and even U21 to full international
Have Cahill and Stones played at all since the turn of the year?
The lack of quality in that squad is so jarring. My first XI would be
Pickford
Walker---Maguire---Jones---Rose
Dier---Henderson
Sterling---Alli---Lingard
Kane
Walker---Maguire---Jones---Rose
Dier---Henderson
Sterling---Alli---Lingard
Kane
Usually england go into championships with unrealistic expectations, esp during the so called "golden generation". This squad, most people don't have any expectations off and that might serve them well. The front 3 if fully fit could be challenging for any team, Kane, Sterling and one other. A solid unspectacular mid behind it, bit like the Liverpool approach, they could surprise people. In players such as Walker, rose and Trippier, they have full backs who can attack well. Functional if unspectacular team.
Christ, that's pretty shocking.
Is Smalling’s omission has something to do with him schooling England’s poster national treasure boy a month ago?
Considering how Rose and Young are also in the squad, then I can't see space for him as a LB unless they both get injured during the World Cup. Hence why I feel that (with only 23 squad spaces) Delph (1) should not be a part of the England squad and instead I would have prefered to put one of Millner or Wilshire (or perhaps Winks) in his place
As for the others, well I feel that Henderson should have perhaps made way for either Millner or Shelvey while Cahill should have definately made way for someone like Tarkowski. But for me the biggest issue is why on earth is Welbeck in this team, especially considering his form in the last few seasons or so (2) and the fact there are only 23 places in the England squad. Personally I would rather have someone like Leon Bailey in his place (3).
Reguardless those issues aside, this is pretty much the best England squad that could be picked and realiscally speaking it is not unreasonable to think that we would be doing very well to reach the QF's this time round. However considering the massively lowered expectatations (4) on the team it gives them a chance to surprise everyone and actually do relatively well for once and provide a strong basis to improve on that in Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup (5).
Hopefully anyway...
(1) I say this as a Man City fan, but while Delph has been a solid LB for us this season (and he needed to be, otherwise we would have been f**ked with Mendy being injured for most of the season), his record as a CM is more questionable. Likewise speaking of another Man City player (well for now anyway) while I do feel that its a great shame that Hart's form has shockingly declined, Southgate has made the right decision in picking Pope over him.(2) Yes I know he has been injured far, far too many times. However if we are going to exclude Wilshire due to his recent injury record (despite being otherwise the case this season) then Welbeck should not be included either. And this is coming from someone who prefered to see Mark Noble (after his impressive form in the 2015-2016 season) get picked into the Euro 2016 over Wilshire.
(3) I am aware that he was born in Jamaica and there are question marks about if he is actually eligible to play for England. But considering the guys talents and how well he would do under a 3-5-2 system, I feel that it is worth all the effort to bring him into the 3 Lions. Especially when there is little prospect of him actually playing for Jamaica and more importantly being born in the island in question did not stop Barnes or for that matter Sterling to play for the 3 Lions...
(4) Southgate could learn someone from Ranieri in keeping expectations downs during the tournement as well.
(5) Especially if some of those those Youth Players (who have done well for England at the U16, U17, U18 and U21 levels) end up making it into the senior team.
To be fair he's usually decent for England but still a staggering stat.Christ, that's pretty shocking.
By far the worst england team probably ever to be honest. Only 1 genuine top class player, absolutely no solid spine through the team, no creativity in the midifeld, absolutely no options off the bench to change it up, poor goal keeper etc if they make it out of the group stages I'll be surprised.
nah, they are just shit* with the exception of Kane
I remember him begin decent for England a few years back, wasn't aware that this was still the case. Still he's unlikely to play over the other 3 and I think he could have been sacrificed for midfield creativity.
No smalling and Wilshere . I then realized its england team selection and common sense doesn't prevail.
Tbf, Wilshire has been shit this season.
How did Shelvey not make it over Loftus Cheek?
Palace on loan from Chelsea. He has been good when fit this season so think he deserves being there.
Ah okay fair enough.
That England Squad is beyond belief. An absolutely depressing read.
He should still go. Better option than Henderson, Livermore in centre.
I think he would be a competent at either position. Good decision to pick him.
LB I think because Rose is the only other LB in the team.
Young?
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