After watching Raheem Stirling show just how good his City team mates (they are football are footballing Gods for making him look like a 23 goal a season player) during England's 2-1 win over Tunisia the team now face Panama. There has been a lot of discussion about why Lingard was doing a very passable impression of Morata (TM) and about what is it that makes all right minded human beings want to slap Ashley Young. It was good to see the team spirit, individual sense of taking responsibility and not making excuses ....this was perfectly displayed by Walker in a post match interview where he stated "Trippier said leave it so I did"... obviously up north leave it means foul the ****er! When the squad was asked about the lack of cliques compared to previous years and what has changed this they all agreed it was down to one man. Jose...all 23 agreed he was a complete ******** of a man especially the United players Panama are shockingly bad so this will be an easy win. Panama always concede HAT tricks ... so expect the CIGARS to be out on Sunday night after England leave them feeling like they don't have a paddle on a CANAL! Oh FFS... three Panama cultural references put into puns and all I get is groans???? Ungrateful gits. Finally, any suggestion that that Daniel Levy and Pochettino trip Southgate up on his jog as payback for the dumbass mo fo keeping the injured Dele Ali on the pitch is completely unfounded...
Southgate needs to make a few changes. Have one eye on keeping players fresh for later rounds and one on finding his best possible side. Alli and Young are the obvious ones.
ridiculous team selection. Nothing to learn except the team that somewhat struggled to beat Tunisia get another chance. We learned what most of them can't do ( put the ball in the net ) so why not see who can ( play Rashford/ Vardy, Dier , Rose ) and see who is in form. Then decide for the crucial games. Or better- tire the team out now.
So basically a replacement for the injured Alli, and the non 'Harry Kane + Tripper' team who failed to create much against the much less robust Tunisia.
I find myself in the strange situation of hoping that Sterling does not score. Clearly any goals by an England player are normally a "good thing" but I'm frankly scared that if Sterling scores even once then it will cement his place in the starting line up for five years (or more). I'm frankly at a loss to understand the pundits over him. I've been out walking all morning (six hours!) so have had the opportunity to listen to a lot of radio. Hearing comments like "it's good to give him a chance against Panama because it will give him confidence if he scores..." which misses the point entirely. This is not (should not be) about what England can do for Sterling, but what any player can do for England. We need to choose the best team, not decide (as we have done with too many players in the past) that a certain player has to play so let's do anything that is required to get him in the team. Frankly just about any other player with his record wouldn't be anywhere near the team (2 goals from 39 appearances!) - that is absolutely shocking, and 3 goals from 40 appearances doesn't sound any better even if he does score. So please please help me, what the hell is Sterling doing anywhere near this team? Why can't the pundits see that he only scores when he's got world class midfielders behind him (and then he still misses a hatfull). And then you hear "but it's also the other things he does, it's not just about scoring..." what the hell else does he do? How many goals have England failed to score not just because he missed them, but because (1) he was taking the place of someone who might score and (2) he wasted the opportunity for someone else in the team. So they're making him into a No.10 (where he doesn't play for Citeh) - but doesn't that put him in the way of where Alli wants to be (obviously not today) but generally. Please help me calm down.
Get in! Perhaps they might actually mark us properly, rather than cheating next time. Too busy holding on to maguire, and Stones was completely unmarked. It’s commmming home
My concern now is from injuries by Panama players looking to "settle scores" now that their ruff stuff has failed.
