Jude doesn’t even really play as a traditional 10 for Madrid and we’d be cutting out both Foden and Palmer by playing him there rather than as the 8. Doesn’t really make sense to push Foden left and leave Palmer out to push Jude forward and have to play Gallagher or Trent. Trent would get absolutely tortured by any half decent midfield.
Palmer isn’t England first 11 yet. Cracking season but we be absolutely off our tits to compromise Jude to accommodate him at this stage. Jude has been a 10/CAM for the vast majority for Real and he has done mind blowing numbers. Dortmund sometimes pushed Jude out left and he was top class there as well. He is a certified baller that kid.
It’s not stifling him he doesn’t really play as a proper 10. He never played there for Dortmund and Madrid play a diamond with 2 up top so he’s playing alongside Valverde most of the time in what becomes a front 4
I really don't like Stoke supporters but, to be fair, their game was over well before half time. Their ground could be absolute poison on Wednesday if QPR go there and win ... ... at least they can't go into the bottom three because Huddersfield will lose.
20 goals and 8 assists in 29 games as part of a front 4 and your suggestion is to play him further back with a front 4 all ahead of him. Where he played for Dortmund proves the point - his game has elevated to a new level at Madrid playing further forward.
20 goals and 8 assists in a system with no striker, it’s totally different they’ve had to adapt last minute without Benzema and it’s worked a treat which is a credit to how good Ancelloti is but its like us dropping Kane then playing Rashford and Saka wide with Bellingham and Foden behind then Rice and Gallagher sitting deep. Madrid are playing to their strengths which is having an abundance of quality central midfielders, England don’t have that. And just because he’d be playing as an 8 doesn’t mean he’d have to play defensively like Phillips does - we tend to dominate possession and he likes getting forward so that’s what he’ll do and transition into a 4 behind Kane which I think a better manager would be forcing but Southgate is too negative.
I see all that and your point is well made, but factor in Kane likes to drop deep and actually that makes me even more keen to see him further forward and almost as a false 9/CF.
Potentially mate, I’m not disputing he couldn’t play there at all I agree he’s probably the best player in the world right now. But I think he’s the best CM we have, Grealish is the best LW we have and Foden is absolute quality as the 10 so getting them all in there is better than leaving Grealish out to force Foden wide when he doesn’t really play LW anymore then pushing Jude forward into the 10 role and having to fill CM with someone who’s bang average.
Tell you what mate, how beautiful are these options though. We have to win something with this group. It’s a real world travesty if we don’t.
100% mate. Great options all over the pitch I think we can match any squad in world football just need to get that first trophy and I think it’ll help with the mentality moving forward. Some good players in that team who have 10 good years left in them yet that we need to be building a team around.
We have a real star on our hands with Mainoo. Euros are probably coming just a year too soon. Him and Rice could potentially be a terrific pair in midfield. I’d already prefer him to Gallagher but appreciate he needs experience first. I think this England team is suited to a 4-1-4-1. I don’t think Southgate has the balls to go for it, though. You’d squeeze Foden and Jude into the team in their best positions that way.
Come on Millwall, Honeymoon almost scored in the first minute. Coventry missed an absolute sitter from two yards ... I bet Ba laughed at it. 1-0 to Millwall, we're still in the play-offs
