I disagree with some of this Tripps has been hung out to dry by playing Foden in front of him who never made a single tackle and looks like Stirling more and more when he plays for England, running around like a ****ing fairy TAA will be raped at RB If anything I would put Gomez at LB Bellingham looks like a spoilt child he needs to be on the bench Rice slows everything down but we have no choice ( Southgate will never play Wharton there) Palmer / Watkins or Toney / Gordon front 3 This will **** up any plans our next openents willl have, pace and running as oppose to the pedestrian pace so far. Bench Saka, he seems to have lost the ability to run past a LB Southgate will play the same team with one change
As long as Southgate's there, I don't think that this tournament is rescueable. If he's fired - highly unlikely - who would temporarily step in? My guess is nobody.
His huff and puff style would suit but the big clubs would be moaning about it because their players are more likely to get muscle injuries. They're overrated anyway.
England team: Pope Trippier Lascelles Burn Hall Longstaff Willock Anderson Murphy Wilson Gordon Subs: Gillespie Livramento Targett Kelly Miley White Barnes Come on CC, you know you want to see it.
Phil Foden is an absolute waste of space in the team in that position right now, so honestly Murphy would be an improvement.
GNev did sum it up well - we are literally the only nation that doesn't pick players to suit a system. Instead, we pick players based on reputation and shove them in wherever we can. I get some of the comments earlier disagreeing with my starting line up, but I am just going on the assumption Southgate wants to play 4-2-3-1. In that kind of system, the full backs have to get forward to support inverted wingers. The 10 has to know how to play with the 9. The double pivot has to be able to play out together. The players then need to offer movement along the front 4 that does more than just drop into a pointless area to get it, then pass it 5 yards further back. We just lose ground all the time. So with that in mind, with a 26 man squad, it's VERY easy to pick two per position with a couple of backup options. this is what I'd have done: GK: Pickford/Ramsdale. RB: Walker/TAA CB: Stones/Tomori CB: Guehi/Branthwaite LB: Shaw/Chilwell RCM: Rice/Wharton LCM: Bellingham/Mainoo AM: Foden/Maddison RW: Palmer/Saka CF: Kane/Watkins LW: Gordon/Eze Than you've got 4 spare, so you take another GK, then 3 squad players like Trippier, Colwill, Grealish, Bowen, Toney, etc. I don't think there's anything wrong with the first XI whatsoever and the formation is fine, we just need more energy and you get that from subs. Even if you fancy changing it up you can go 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 3-5-2 easy enough with that squad. It's even salvageable right now - Guehi is fine so Dunk won't play, Shaw could return or you could play Saka at LB (he grew up a LB), Stones will likely stay fit and we have Bowen for Maddison. But ultimately if you just give Foden freedom, and put Bellingham alongside Rice, then get Gordon and Palmer either side of Kane it'll make the world of difference. It's blatantly obvious. A lot of chairman are going to look at Southgate and balk at the chance. But, then again, he's going to walk to the final because of the draw and get another 2 years. He may get lucky and get the right players in for the next game.
That first bit nails it. Having a system would require tactics, appropriate player selection to execute the plan, plus coaching for those playere so they understand the plan and their specific roles. Southgate is neither a tactician or a coach. All he seems capable of doing is submitting a team sheet consisting of the names he knows best.
Foden's missus in labour. Another rich pikey on the way. Sadly he'll no doubt be backed, picked on the left and "raring to go" on Sunday.
