Bertrand is in the squad, but he is a LB.
CB is indeed a major issue. Smalling and Stones are decent options, but the rest of them are questionable at best. Might not actually be a bad idea to use Dier at CB for England occasionally.
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CB is indeed a major issue. Smalling and Stones are decent options, but the rest of them are questionable at best. Might not actually be a bad idea to use Dier at CB for England occasionally.
Indeed, there are better, or at least players of similar quality around who are a lot younger. And then just consider how mediocre he would be in almost two years time at the actual tournament in Russia. Time to look to the future. Same with the likes of Cahill, Johnson and Jagielka, they barely suffice nowadays, let alone how poor they would be in 2018.
Simply aren't any good English centre halves coming through, not in the same mould of Woodgate, King, Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell anyway.
I really like Stones, thought he was damn good today and he should be the one we should be playing EVERY single game. If we're going to have a set philosophy and style then we need someone next to him who's going to compliment him. Whether that's Smalling, Jagielka or whoever but we need to simply build at it.
I really like Stones, thought he was damn good today and he should be the one we should be playing EVERY single game. If we're going to have a set philosophy and style then we need someone next to him who's going to compliment him. Whether that's Smalling, Jagielka or whoever but we need to simply build at it.
Well... not stricktly true...
Pretty sure he'll end up playing for the US National Team.
Without a doubt... but the FA would be putting a stop to that if they had any sense... he was born in England you know!
INo Deeny?
Aren't they ( I find it hard to say we) playing Malta?
Aren't they ( I find it hard to say we) playing Malta?
& Cahill
Fantastic first press conference by Southgate. Came across confident, assured and professional and eloquent.
I have no idea if he has what it takes to Manage the Country but fans should get behind him. For me he has managed many of the young players before that are in and on the fringes of the squad, including our lot. He does have a philosophy, a style of play that has been developed again with the U21's so there is a clear pathway from U21's to Snr. He was also won a tournament with his U21. Far, far, far better choice that the greedy, gobby, slobby Alerdichi.
Not so sure of his team selection but more confident in him than the past 3 buffoons.
I have no idea if he has what it takes to Manage the Country but fans should get behind him. For me he has managed many of the young players before that are in and on the fringes of the squad, including our lot. He does have a philosophy, a style of play that has been developed again with the U21's so there is a clear pathway from U21's to Snr. He was also won a tournament with his U21. Far, far, far better choice that the greedy, gobby, slobby Alerdichi.
Not so sure of his team selection but more confident in him than the past 3 buffoons.
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Klinsmann would be a good fit for the England job.
As a Scot, I hope you stick with Southgate - he's synonymous with English failure and the last man to inspire a team of spoiled millionaire kids who I doubt respect him.
As a Scot, I hope you stick with Southgate - he's synonymous with English failure and the last man to inspire a team of spoiled millionaire kids who I doubt respect him.
Form must determine a national team selection. For a manager to use any other means of selection is for that manager to destroy all and any confidence in him.
Southgate has lost already. The difficulty for England fans is that Southgate's weakness will be masked by the low level of opponents in coming games.
Southgate has lost already. The difficulty for England fans is that Southgate's weakness will be masked by the low level of opponents in coming games.
While I don't think Southgate is going to achieve much, I'm not sure I agree with your first paragraph. A national team manager only has a set pool to select from, and given the amount of foreign players at the top of the English game, that pool is limited for the England manager. Simply going by form alone doesn't mean those individual form players will come together well as a team and I think a national manager is already hindered by the fact he doesn't get to see these players together on a regular basis.
How has that worked so far? England team has been determined using that philosophy for years and has achieved fuck all. The closed shop nature of the team, where certain players become considered untouchable, destroys competition for places and therefore produces poor performances.
Carragher is a perfect example of a player often excluded despite superior club form.
Steve Bruce too.
Retaining Rooney in the squad can be defended only by Barkley's equally poor form. But the captaincy should go elsewhere. Rooney as captain shows a lack of imagination and leadership from Southgate. It's over. He's behaving like a caretaker, because he is a caretaker.
Imagine having a Captain you fully expect to sub off due to poor performance
Imagine choosing your Captain in the knowledge that he's your weakest link