Off Topic International Break Thread

[The RDBD]

Oh God, it’s that time again
The four centre backs are Maguire, Stones (Southgate’s preferred pairing), Dier & Guehi. None are setting the world alight for their clubs.
But who else is there?
Dunk does will for Brighton, but does he have the attributes for international football? He wouldn’t be suited to 4-4-2 or 4-3-3
Gomez is a liability at Liverpool.
The best defences in the PL don’t have much English representation.

Would be interesting to know the England demographic
per club for GK / defence / MF / attack (players per
position group etc) , and then correlate them with the
club GF / GA.

It may well be the case that the FA has to impose at least
one England player per non GK group, per starting XI,
per game, in order to try and assure a deep quality
baseline for the national team.

 

[littleDinosaurLuke]

Would be interesting to know the England demographic
per club for GK / defence / MF / attack (players per
position group etc) , and then correlate them with the
club GF / GA.

It may well be the case that the FA has to impose at least
one England player per non GK group, per starting XI,
per game, in order to try and assure a deep quality
baseline for the national team.

It’s interesting that there’s a lack of top class English defenders. That used to be our strong suit. There have been some good young midfielders and forwards coming through - technically gifted players, which used to be a weakness. Bellingham & Foden are exceptional. It makes sense to develop good, young English players but with clubs awash with money, the easy option is to buy established players (if you’re very rich) or cheaper players from abroad, who have already been given some first team experience in other reasonably strong leagues (Holland, France etc) for the rest.
For the sake of the national team, there may need to be a quota system.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Pape Matar Sarr has been called up by Senegal.
Luca Gunter and Jamie Donley have been called up by England U18s.
Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett have been called up by England U20s.
Oli Skipp and Djed Spence have been called up by England U21s.

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Madueke is there, too.

 

[Spurf]

It’s interesting that there’s a lack of top class English defenders. That used to be our strong suit. There have been some good young midfielders and forwards coming through - technically gifted players, which used to be a weakness. Bellingham & Foden are exceptional. It makes sense to develop good, young English players but with clubs awash with money, the easy option is to buy established players (if you’re very rich) or cheaper players from abroad, who have already been given some first team experience in other reasonably strong leagues (Holland, France etc) for the rest.
For the sake of the national team, there may need to be a quota system.

Yep no more than 4 England games a year.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Mason Mount has pulled out due to "injury"

Skippy might get into the senior squad when the usual hamstring strains occur

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Destiny Udogie is in the Italy squad

And you thought that Spain were late in announcing theirs...

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Destiny Udogie is in the Italy squad

And you thought that Spain were late in announcing theirs...

U21s.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Meanwhile, in the Argentina camp, this sentence exists

Papu Gomez paid a witch to slow down Lo Celso's recovery so that he would have a spot in the Argentine World Cup roster. This is the true reason that Papu Gomez will not be present during the World Cup winners' celebratory friendlies.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Nick Pope has pulled out of the England squad with a minor injury.
He has been replaced by Fraser Forster. That's basically everyone, isn't it?

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Nick Pope has pulled out of the England squad with a minor injury.
He has been replaced by Fraser Forster. That's basically everyone, isn't it?

Unless Sierra Leone are playing, as that might see Kallum Cesay called up

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Unless Sierra Leone are playing, as that might see Kallum Cesay called up

He hasn't been called up:

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Steven Caulker has, though. Now plays for Wigan, apparently.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

He hasn't been called up:

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Steven Caulker has, though. Now plays for Wigan, apparently.

Nobody tell Lawrence Foxwit that there's a couple of cases of Koroma in the squad

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

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This is the new Republic of Ireland kit.
The shirt and shorts are mediocre and basic, but those socks are criminal.

 

[Citizen Kane.]

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This is the new Republic of Ireland kit.
The shirt and shorts are mediocre and basic, but those socks are criminal.

Available now on Amazon Prime and for much cheaper...

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[PleaseNotPoll]

Ben Davies and Richarlison have withdrawn from their respective international squads.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Ben Davies and Richarlison have withdrawn from their respective international squads.

Richy isn't a surprise as it looked like a bad one when he went off

Can't recall Davies looking crocked, but then again I was distracted trying to find a working pair of eyeballs for the ref at the time...

 

[littleDinosaurLuke]

Ben Davies and Richarlison have withdrawn from their respective international squads.

Along with many others.
With two games a week all season for many clubs because of the World Cup, this international break is even less welcome than usual for clubs.
Couldn’t they have found a better to time for these fixtures? Or reduced the number of qualifying games?

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Richy isn't a surprise as it looked like a bad one when he went off

Can't recall Davies looking crocked, but then again I was distracted trying to find a working pair of eyeballs for the ref at the time...

Davies went off in the first half feeling the back of his leg.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Davies went off in the first half feeling the back of his leg.

Somehow forgot about that one completely

Bloody ref...

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Russia are actually playing matches in this break. Iran and Iraq.