please log in to view this image am Allardyce has kept faith inEngland ’s Euro 2016 flops. Now-Manchester City defender John Stones is the only player named to face Slovakia in Sunday's opening World Cup qualifier not to have also started at some stage during the Three Lions' disastrous campaign this summer. In fact, new boss Allardyce has selected EIGHT of the 11 players who began thehumiliating defeat against Iceland in Nice 68 days ago in his team for the weekend clash in Trnava. Big Sam told the players his starting XI on Friday for the tough test awaiting them in their opening Group F fixture — the nations drew 0-0 during the group stage in France - and it features no major surprises. REUTERS please log in to view this image Stones makes the team after not playing a single minute at the Euros this summer There is no place for new call-up Michail Antonio or fellow midfielder Danny Drinkwater , who did not go to the Euros despite starring in Leicester’s Premier League title success. Allardyce has also kept faith with Harry Kane , despite the Tottenham striker’s disastrous Euros under predecessor Roy Hodgson and subsequent disappointing start to the Premier League season. Kane has just one goal in his last 11 appearances for club and country, so Allardyce’s show of faith will be a major confidence boost for the out-of-form centre-forward. The FA via Getty please log in to view this image Kane keeps his place despite a lengthy goal drought for Spurs and England Captain Wayne Rooney will start in a No10 role behind Kane, Stones gets the nod at centre-back and his new Manchester City team-mateRaheem Sterling ’s excellent early-season form is rewarded with a place in a 4-2-3-1 line-up. Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana goes straight in, despite being axed for the Iceland game, alongside club colleague Jordan Henderson. Chris Smalling, Dele Alli and Daniel Sturridge are the three members of the starting XI against Iceland who miss out. Allardyce has decided to reveal his team to the players well in advanace of the Slovakia game to allow them to work in training on formation and specific tactics. It is a major departure from the days of Hodgson, who would often not name his team until the day before a match and would sometimes even keep the players guessing. THE TEAMS Slovakia (probable) Kozacik; Hubocan, Durica, Skrtel, Pekarik; Pecovsky, Gyomber, Kucka; Hamsik, Mak; Duris. England Hart; Walker, Cahill, Stones, Rose; Dier, Henderson; Lallana, Rooney, Sterling; Kane. Slovakia vs England World Cup Euro Qual Group F5:00pm Sunday 4th SeptemberStadion Antona Malatinskeho
Do the FA give the managers a list of players they have to choose from? I suppose it gives us a chance to see whether Hodgson and the players were ****e, or whether just Hodgson was ****e. That`s the only reason I`ll be watching. For a while anyway.
I don't even know at what point this weekend the game is on. Will try to watch it to see how Sam does.
Rooney said he 'Overruled Hodgson' when RH put Kane on corners. That tells me all I need to know about Hodgson, it's no surprise he ****ed off, the players probably told him to.
I`ll be having a look to see whether Sam makes a difference with the same players. Curiosity more than anything I suppose really.
Some seem to think that Sam has suddenly turned into a pathetically inept manager simply because he's picked the same nucleus of the recent european campaign team. Presumably he'll ask them to play exactly the same way as Hodgy did, adopting exactly the same tactics . . . . forgetting about his proven ability to improve performances of 'not great' players, so it's a complete waste of time giving him a chance He did alright with his last team . . . . noticably improving individual performances to a level that we were all happy with, so it seemed, but it seems to be obvious, to some, that he's already forgotten how to man-manage players before he even starts his new venture I don't understand this feeling, mind, I certainly don't agree with it, and I might be completely wrong to give him a chance to cock this up (after a ball has been kicked, as opposed to before) but I appreciate what he did for us and I will give him the respect that I think he deserves p.s. this is just my view/opinion, which I'm partially (probably) entitled to
Since I'm one of the 'some' you're referring to, with your patronising opinion, I feel I should explain myself. The reason I've described his selection as pathetic is because he's ignored, once again, form and merit and gone with the same old 'favourites'. If Danny Rose had put in half of the graft that Luke Shaw had, or if Adam Lallana hadn't been a 4/10 player at best this season, or if Harry Kane was banging them in for fun I'd be more than happy with the squad selection, given the fact that Allardyce has championed this sort of selection process historically. I'm not judging his abilities as a coach, I'm judging his integrity and calling him a ****ing hypocrite.
He has to start somewhere, though, and wholesale changes probably wouldn't work (not that you suggested that) so he needs this nucleus as a starting point . . . . his selections for the next match will tell me more about him. For this one, I'm giving him the benefit of any doubt, and trusting him
I pressed the wrong button on the car radio the other day and ended up on talksh*te. The were discussing Jack Wilshire going to Bournemouth on loan and they were livid because he had not gone to a "big club". "Should be playing in front of a bigger crowd" etc to get back in the England team etc. I thought to myself "thats what is wrong with England" too many (mainly southern based) greasy haired upwardly mobile wa**stains telling us who is a good player and who should be playing for England etc. I include f**king know it all journo's in that btw. England are no longer a team of the people its who popular opinion in the press decide should be playing - F**k (press selected) England Rant over
Agree Some people have him failing before starting - his mgmt strength is getting the best out of players available to him - we'll see what happens but I 'm fairly certain who'll not be taking majority of corners and free kicks. New era beckons for England .... The Sam way
He gets the best out of players available to him - many on this site had big reservations about his perceived style of play etc - he's never had the best of players in his teams but has the best English players available now -have patience -it's his first game man
If you're just gonna ignore what I write and make up what you think I have written in your head then what's the point in having a forum, we might as well all just talk to farm animals.
