England World Cup Squad.

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley).

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Kyle Walker, John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Leicester), Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Phil Jones, Ashley Young (Manchester United).

Midfielders: Eric Dier, Dele Alli (both Tottenham Hotspur), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).

Forwards: Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) Harry Kane (Tottenham).

Standby: Tom Heaton, James Tarkowski (Burnley), Lewis Cook (Bournemouth), Jake Livermore (West Brom) and Adam Lallana (Liverpool).
 
Some brave choices there, like leaving out Lallana, when everyone thought he would be in. Not including Hart in the standby list is a big message to him that he is part of England's history, not its future.

I'm surprised Welbeck is in there. He can't even get in Arsenal's first team, and never impresses when he plays for them. Rashford is hardly a form player also. I would have preferred Tammy Abraham over either of them.

Also, why not give Ryan Sessegnon an opportunity? I'd rather see him there than Ashley Young, Danny Rose or Keiran Trippier.

It's a bit tough on Jake Livermore. Not that I particularly rate him, but he's always made himself available when the Liverpool, United and Spurs stars picked up mysterious injuries before England friendlies, only to miraculously recover once the friendlies were over.
 
Considering the pool of players he has to pick from its not an awful squad. Personally I class Dier as a defender so would have dropped a centre half and taken another specialist midfielder if not Wilshere then maybe Cook as a "good tourist". I would have taken Bertrand instead of Young too. I understand the outrage about Welbeck but really cant think of who else to take, he also has a decent scoring record for england if I remember right.
 
I respect Southgate for trying to adopt a better style of play, a more continental style rather than the usual hoofball kick & rush dross that England have played for years.
However as we know from watching City, to play like us or Barca etc -out from the back & build up play, the fulcrum of the team is the most vital cog in the machine.
England have the defenders to do it & some good forwards but no holding player who is good enough on the ball to play this way, so we will give the ball away & be under pressure. Henderson, Dier etc are runners but lack quality & creativity, maybe Loftus Cheek but he has little experience.
Shelvey is the closest thing we have for that role BUT he is not in the squad & nowhere near Ferna, Busquets, Alonso, Pirlo etc quality.
Be interesting to watch I suppose, but more than likely we will crash & burn...
 
Did anyone watch Pickford last weekend?
Made Hart look like Gordon Banks in 1970, a truly shocking display. Butland that good he's just been relegated (far from just all his fault obviously)
SO a total of 9 caps then to rely on if it gets a bit sticky.
Thats comforting......lets hope it all turns out alright.
 
You look at the goalkeeping choice and realise that the two who play for us and Trafford are light years in front , if Pickford is the best we have then it’s very poor .
 
Did anyone watch Pickford last weekend?
Made Hart look like Gordon Banks in 1970, a truly shocking display. Butland that good he's just been relegated (far from just all his fault obviously)
SO a total of 9 caps then to rely on if it gets a bit sticky.
Thats comforting......lets hope it all turns out alright.
True he had a shocker , butter on his gloves kind of game.
 

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