England talk

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Left back looks very thinly covered too. /QUOTE]

 

Young has had a great season, Rose is a very good left-back that has just had an injury hit season, and Ryan Bertrand is one of the best left-backs in the Premier League and will be sitting at home watching it on his box. What on earth are you talking about?

 

I'm talking about us being thinly covered at left back! Rose is the only 'proper' left back in the squad and, as you say, he's had an injury hit season so is he going to be tournament-fit? If he suffers an injury or suspension the replacements are Ashley Young who, whlst a decent player, is not really a full back but has played there and as an emergency Delph. As you say, Ryan Bertrand isn't in the squad so it doesn't matter if he was as good as Paulo Maldini he won't be available. To me that leaves us a bit thin at left back, let's hope Rose doesn't get injured or suspended.

[Andyregs]

Don’t watch many prem games but hasn’t Young played fullback for a few seasons now?

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Don’t watch many prem games but hasn’t Young played fullback for a few seasons now?

 

More of a wing back role, which is probably what Southgate's planning, but to be honest I don't watch many Man Utd games so I don't know how often he's played there. My point is that basically we only have one true left back in the squad.

[TylerB]

 

I'm talking about us being thinly covered at left back! Rose is the only 'proper' left back in the squad and, as you say, he's had an injury hit season so is he going to be tournament-fit? If he suffers an injury or suspension the replacements are Ashley Young who, whlst a decent player, is not really a full back but has played there and as an emergency Delph. As you say, Ryan Bertrand isn't in the squad so it doesn't matter if he was as good as Paulo Maldini he won't be available. To me that leaves us a bit thin at left back, let's hope Rose doesn't get injured or suspended.

 

Young has played wing-back for United all season, and done very well there. Rose wouldn't have any issue playing as a wing-back obviously and neither would Bertrand or Delph, the latter who has played there this season for City and is in the squad. There's also Luke Shaw, Aaron Creswell and Leighton Baines. So we have more than enough competition for the left-back/left wing-back role and certainly aren't short there as you suggested, in my opinion.

 

At right-back we also have Walker, Tripper, Alexander-Arnold and Clyne. Full-back positions is one area we aren't short.

[cheshirevaliant]

Lots of nonsense talk in this thread as expected by the usual doom and gloomers.

 

England are going into the tournament without the pressure to do very well in it that has come before with the squads we've had. If we just qualify from our group most people will consider that a relative success. We're short in a couple of areas but no team in the world would want to come up against the likes of Kane, Sterling, Rashford and Alli IF they can find something like their club form. We certainly have more talent than the Greece side that won the Euro's in 2004 - We just have to go close to matching the team spirit that they had, and also have our fair share of luck as they did throughout.

 

That seems like a contradiction to me. Just qualifying from a group containing Tunisia and Panama will be seen as a relative success, yet everyone else is doom and gloom? We will qualify, but beating Poland or Colombia in the last 16 would be a shock.

[Paul6754]

Shelvey can pass a ball but doesn't do much else. For me it was between him and Loftus-Cheek and the latter is simply more consistent, and was one of the better players on the pitch some months ago when we played Germany at Wembley. He also isn't like to do something stupid and get sent off which is something you can never rely on Shelvey to do no matter how much his attitude and temperament has improved lately.

 

And who the hell would you take Andy Carroll over?!

 

Teams tend to play counter attacking football in tournaments so having someone in your team that can play a 30-40 yard pass is crucial, a la Perlo in Brazil. Also one way to counter a team that sits back with two banks of 4 or 5 is to have someone who can shoot and score from 25 yards out, Shelvey can both hit the long killer pass and score from distance.

 

I would take Loftus Cheek and Shelvey and leave out Delph or Alexander Arnold, the football world saw Alexander Arnold get crucified against Roma and if he steps on to the field in this World Cup teams will target him, now is not the time for Alexander Arnold.

 

I would take Andy Carroll to bring on for the last 20 or so minutes if England need a goal. We saw clearly in Brazil and France that England are not good enough when it comes to breaking down two banks of defenders with tippy tappy football. If you can't pass through the banks of defenders then having the option to put in crosses to one of the best headers of a football in Europe is a very viable plan B. We saw in the last two tournaments that when you need a goal the option of more of the same doesn't work.

 

I would argue that the teams that do well in the major International tournaments have a player who can play the great pass, Bobby Charlton, Gerson, Overath, Zidane, Netzer, Gascoigne, Platini, Pirlo etc, etc, I'm not putting Shelvey in that class of player but he can pass a football.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

 

Young has played wing-back for United all season, and done very well there. Rose wouldn't have any issue playing as a wing-back obviously and neither would Bertrand or Delph, the latter who has played there this season for City and is in the squad. There's also Luke Shaw, Aaron Creswell and Leighton Baines. So we have more than enough competition for the left-back/left wing-back role and certainly aren't short there as you suggested, in my opinion.

 

At right-back we also have Walker, Tripper, Alexander-Arnold and Clyne. Full-back positions is one area we aren't short.

 

I think you misunderstand me, I'm giving my opinion on the England World Cup Squad, not the English players who play as left backs. You named four players who aren't in the squad, maybe one of them should be? As I said, Rose is the only 'proper' left back, Young has played wing back and Delph can possibly cover in that role, I just think during the tournament that limits Southgate's options tactically if anything happens to Rose.

[TylerB]

Teams tend to play counter attacking football in tournaments so having someone in your team that can play a 30-40 yard pass is crucial, a la Perlo in Brazil. Also one way to counter a team that sits back with two banks of 4 or 5 is to have someone who can shoot and score from 25 yards out, Shelvey can both hit the long killer pass and score from distance.

 

I would take Loftus Cheek and Shelvey and leave out Delph or Alexander Arnold, the football world saw Alexander Arnold get crucified against Roma and if he steps on to the field in this World Cup teams will target him, now is not the time for Alexander Arnold.

 

I would take Andy Carroll to bring on for the last 20 or so minutes if England need a goal. We saw clearly in Brazil and France that England are not good enough when it comes to breaking down two banks of defenders with tippy tappy football. If you can't pass through the banks of defenders then having the option to put in crosses to one of the best headers of a football in Europe is a very viable plan B. We saw in the last two tournaments that when you need a goal the option of more of the same doesn't work.

 

I would argue that the teams that do well in the major International tournaments have a player who can play the great pass, Bobby Charlton, Gerson, Overath, Zidane, Netzer, Gascoigne, Platini, Pirlo etc, etc, I'm not putting Shelvey in that class of player but he can pass a football.

 

What about Alexander-Arnold's superb performances in many other games - Including keeping Sane as quiet as I've seen him in both games in the Champions League not too long ago? He struggled against Roma in Italy because he wasn't getting any help at all from the person in front of him.

 

Sorry, but wanting the likes of Carroll thrown on is just us going back to a style of football that never worked in the first place.

[TylerB]

 

I think you misunderstand me, I'm giving my opinion on the England World Cup Squad, not the English players who play as left backs. You named four players who aren't in the squad, maybe one of them should be? As I said, Rose is the only 'proper' left back, Young has played wing back and Delph can possibly cover in that role, I just think during the tournament that limits Southgate's options tactically if anything happens to Rose.

 

It doesn't though. Young is a better wing-back then he is a midfielder, and Delph is a versatile player that can play in a few positions including left wing-back. I don't see how having Rose and Young there, plus Delph as an alternative along with Bertrand in reserve is us being weak there. If Rose can suddenly play near or to the best of his ability he's one of the better left sided defensive players around.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Fair enough mate, it's just my opinion that if anything happens to Rose a flat back four is no longer an option unless a player unfamiliar with a conventional left back role plays there. No Danny Rose commits Southgate to a five at the back system and personally I see that as potentially limiting his tactical options. That's why I am of the opinion the squad is 'a bit thin' in the left back position.

I hope Southgate's got it sorted and we'll romp through the tournament playing his preferred system but tournaments are notorious for throwing up unforseen circumstances so you need to be able to react to that. Like many people I don't have high hopes but I haven't for most tournaments England play in, I'd just like to be pleasantly surprised like I was in 1990.

[Paul6754]

What about Alexander-Arnold's superb performances in many other games - Including keeping Sane as quiet as I've seen him in both games in the Champions League not too long ago? He struggled against Roma in Italy because he wasn't getting any help at all from the person in front of him.

 

Sorry, but wanting the likes of Carroll thrown on is just us going back to a style of football that never worked in the first place.

 

Alexander Arnold is a good player and will play for England regularly in the future but I consider Walker and Tripier are ahead of him at the moment. Alternatively take 2 of the 3 to give room for some creativity or someone different.

 

Tyler we will agree to disagree on Carroll, the last two tournaments showed England's massive short comings when it comes to trying to play on the ground through a defense and they have to have an alternative. "A style of football that's never worked in the first place", such a style of football has worked at all levels of football and the likes of Germany (Klose, Mario Gomez) and France (Giroud) etc have employed such tactics with success in recent years.

 

The 3 games in Brazil and certainly the loss to Iceland were crying out for something different like an Andy Carroll cameo.

[TylerB]

Alexander Arnold is a good player and will play for England regularly in the future but I consider Walker and Tripier are ahead of him at the moment or at least 2 of the 3 to give room for some creativity or someone different..

 

Tyler we will agree to disagree on Carroll, the last two tournaments showed England's massive short comings when it comes to trying to play on the ground through a defense and they have to have an alternative. "A style of football that's never worked in the first place", such a style of football has worked at all levels of football and the likes of Germany (Klose, Mario Gomez) and France (Giroud) etc have employed such tactics with success in recent years.

 

Yeah, I've got no issue with people putting Walker and Tripper ahead of him at this moment in time. But do think it's harsh to single him out for the return leg of the Roma game. Man City clearly targeted him in both legs and yet he was arguably Liverpool's best player after Salah in both ties.

 

I actually like Carroll s a player, when fit. But there's one of his issues. He can literally break down at any moment and in a squad of 23 that would be really bad, and is part of the reason why Jack Wilshere isn't going, or Adan Lallana is unlikely to go after the season he's had. But the only striker we have in the squad that could possibly be dropped for him is Danny Welbeck - But he's always done well for England and arguably saves his better performances, and goals, for the national team and not Arsenal. Vardy has had another good season in what's been a very up and down Leicester team and Rashford will always go if fit.

[TylerB]

Fair enough mate, it's just my opinion that if anything happens to Rose a flat back four is no longer an option unless a player unfamiliar with a conventional left back role plays there. No Danny Rose commits Southgate to a five at the back system and personally I see that as potentially limiting his tactical options. That's why I am of the opinion the squad is 'a bit thin' in the left back position.

I hope Southgate's got it sorted and we'll romp through the tournament playing his preferred system but tournaments are notorious for throwing up unforseen circumstances so you need to be able to react to that. Like many people I don't have high hopes but I haven't for most tournaments England play in, I'd just like to be pleasantly surprised like I was in 1990.

 

Personally I think we might surprise a few. There's no pressure for us going into the tournament this time as there has always been generally as people don't expect us to do much at all, and that might make a difference. Much will depend on the likes of Kane and Sterling producing as they do for their clubs and us looking like more of a team that's together since we did at Euro 2000 - Though on paper we had a much stronger side then.

[Warren]

Southgate is showing his experience of this type of tournament.

[RailwayRowdy]

Personally I think we might surprise a few. There's no pressure for us going into the tournament this time as there has always been generally as people don't expect us to do much at all, and that might make a difference. Much will depend on the likes of Kane and Sterling producing as they do for their clubs and us looking like more of a team that's together since we did at Euro 2000 - Though on paper we had a much stronger side then.

 

I agree with you that we might surprise a few people. But the surprise will be that we might fail to get out of the group.

 

Prima Donna players and a proven failure as a manager spells yet another disaster to me.