England Squad - Euro 2024

[TinFoilHat]

Erm, no he isn’t.

As usual he's missed the target.

 

[supercity88]

You get the distinct impression that Foden is an afterthought in the entire process, arguably the best player in the country playing second fiddle to Donkeys in comparison.

I think the issue is that Phil hasn't been that good in an England shirt. There are reasons for that obviously, but others have done a better job. Southgate isn't going to play Bellingham and Rice as the deeper players to accommodate Phil, when he should, he's going to play someone else alongside Rice and have Bellingham as a 10. I think Phil will be given more licence to operate inside, but ultimately he's going to struggle to be as effective with Trippier as a left back and in a structure that crowds the space inside and lacks width. He'll come off after 60mins and Gordon will stay wide, take his man on and look much more impressive and then there will be calls to drop Phil from the starting 11 when the best solution is to build the team around him as a 10. England's issue is connecting defence to attack and the balance in the side, Bellingham is much better being "sacrificed" as a deeper midfielder than Phil is being pushed to the left. It's where Bellingham is going to end up playing next season when Real slot Mbappe in and it's where he's played for Dortmund and Real at times this season anyway.

 

[jaiguruKun]

I don't get why people genuinely think England will win the tournament. There's more chance of them losing to Serbia on Sunday.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Foden can play on the left of the three, Bellingham can’t. Stop whinging. We’ll be fine. ENGGGEERRRRLAND

 

[kunaguero10]

I think the issue is that Phil hasn't been that good in an England shirt. There are reasons for that obviously, but others have done a better job. Southgate isn't going to play Bellingham and Rice as the deeper players to accommodate Phil, when he should, he's going to play someone else alongside Rice and have Bellingham as a 10. I think Phil will be given more licence to operate inside, but ultimately he's going to struggle to be as effective with Trippier as a left back and in a structure that crowds the space inside and lacks width. He'll come off after 60mins and Gordon will stay wide, take his man on and look much more impressive and then there will be calls to drop Phil from the starting 11 when the best solution is to build the team around him as a 10. England's issue is connecting defence to attack and the balance in the side, Bellingham is much better being "sacrificed" as a deeper midfielder than Phil is being pushed to the left. It's where Bellingham is going to end up playing next season when Real slot Mbappe in and it's where he's played for Dortmund and Real at times this season anyway.

Rice, Bellingham, Foden as a 3 seems an absolute no-brainer to me and a natural fit for all 3 of them. Rice as the sitting, Foden as the more advanced of the other 2 central midfielders and Bellingham as the more 'box to box'. Rooney nailed the point on the Overlap episode that was out yesterday. Of course, midfield positions can all be fluid and Bellingham and Phil can naturally interchange when they strike up a chemistry. People get so hung-up in their rigid thinking that a designated 'number 10' will spend the entire game in those 30 yards of the pitch.

Maybe I've been spoilt being educated by Pep's football over recent years, but it infuriates me when other teams fans come out with their naff, cautious opinions about how 2 defensive midfielders is crucial for England, when a progressive, positive approach is actually what will unlock the potential of these talented England attacking players. That goes for the clueless manager too.

The idea of shunting Phil out to the left wing to accommodate 'Trent' into a central midfield role is utterly ludicrous. Especially when Phil's dominance this year has come from the middle of the pitch, or failing that, off the right where he can cut in and shoot (and score) on his left peg. The left-wing role will nullify his most dangerous threats from this season.

 

[KentBlue]

I don't get why people genuinely think England will win the tournament. There's more chance of them losing to Serbia on Sunday.

Personally, I haven't met anyone who believes we'll win it. Not one. Most people within my social circle are pragmatic and think rationally (I don't - I'm insane), and they are all of the view that we'll go out in the knockout stages. I have to say that I agree with them.

I don't think (and I never have thought) that Southgate is the right man for the job. He's been very fortunate with some results, and we've been lucky enough to get drawn against some real cannon fodder, but when the team is asked to step up to the plate he inevitably fucks it up by being too cautious.
His football is just so boring I get irritated just watching it. I see the team in a great position to move forwards and create a bit of space, but as soon as I'm out of my seat, anticipating a great goal, the ball get passed back to our defenders.
Now and again you expect that to happen, but you do not expect it to be the sole tactics of a professional football manager.

Southgate's idea of football is apathetic, passive and unemotional. It always remind me of the quintessential Englishness that has been so lampooned over the years: cricket on the village green, Miss Marple and her friends making cucumber sandwiches, portly gentlemen, usually old Etonians, with handlebar moustaches heartily slapping one another on the back ("Oh, jolly good show, old man. Jolly good").
I want to see our players go out and steam into the opposition: play with a bit of pride and determination - at the very least give it a bloody good go. Fight for your country, the old bulldog spirit, Dunkirk and all that.
But it won't be. It'll be yet another disappointment, yet another missed opportunity, and another chance for certain players to grab yet another unmerited England cap.

 

[Blue Til Death]

Personally, I haven't met anyone who believes we'll win it. Not one. Most people within my social circle are pragmatic and think rationally (I don't - I'm insane), and they are all of the view that we'll go out in the knockout stages. I have to say that I agree with them.

I don't think (and I never have thought) that Southgate is the right man for the job. He's been very fortunate with some results, and we've been lucky enough to get drawn against some real cannon fodder, but when the team is asked to step up to the plate he inevitably fucks it up by being too cautious.
His football is just so boring I get irritated just watching it. I see the team in a great position to move forwards and create a bit of space, but as soon as I'm out of my seat, anticipating a great goal, the ball get passed back to our defenders.
Now and again you expect that to happen, but you do not expect it to be the sole tactics of a professional football manager.

Southgate's idea of football is apathetic, passive and unemotional. It always remind me of the quintessential Englishness that has been so lampooned over the years: cricket on the village green, Miss Marple and her friends making cucumber sandwiches, portly gentlemen, usually old Etonians, with handlebar moustaches heartily slapping one another on the back ("Oh, jolly good show, old man. Jolly good").
I want to see our players go out and steam into the opposition: play with a bit of pride and determination - at the very least give it a bloody good go. Fight for your country, the old bulldog spirit, Dunkirk and all that.
But it won't be. It'll be yet another disappointment, yet another missed opportunity, and another chance for certain players to grab yet another unmerited England cap.

 

[Middedon]

Also posted in the player thread, but thought this was funny.

 

[supercity88]

Rice, Bellingham, Foden as a 3 seems an absolute no-brainer to me and a natural fit for all 3 of them. Rice as the sitting, Foden as the more advanced of the other 2 central midfielders and Bellingham as the more 'box to box'. Rooney nailed the point on the Overlap episode that was out yesterday. Of course, midfield positions can all be fluid and Bellingham and Phil can naturally interchange when they strike up a chemistry. People get so hung-up in their rigid thinking that a designated 'number 10' will spend the entire game in those 30 yards of the pitch.

Maybe I've been spoilt being educated by Pep's football over recent years, but it infuriates me when other teams fans come out with their naff, cautious opinions about how 2 defensive midfielders is crucial for England, when a progressive, positive approach is actually what will unlock the potential of these talented England attacking players. That goes for the clueless manager too.

The idea of shunting Phil out to the left wing to accommodate 'Trent' into a central midfield role is utterly ludicrous. Especially when Phil's dominance this year has come from the middle of the pitch, or failing that, off the right where he can cut in and shoot (and score) on his left peg. The left-wing role will nullify his most dangerous threats from this season.

I'm with you. It makes me laugh that people raise concerns about Rice-Bellingham-Foden as a midfield three but then suggest Rice-Mainoo-Bellingham would work better. Against Iceland whilst the general pressing was off and left us stretched, Mainoo's positioning and reaction to their movement was fucking woeful. It's not a coincidence the rags side he plays in is always overstretched. If that's not his strength then what the fuck is? Rice is a better asset on the front foot as well, but if the solution is Mainoo who is woeful positionally, TAA who isn't a midfielder or Gallagher who runs a lot and presses and that's about it then you might as well not bother.

It's pretty easy in training to set the pressing patterns and as long as everyone does their job, Rice and Bellingham can (off the ball) form a solid two in the middle. That suits England perfectly as one or both can look to make late runs into the box or play off Foden. Foden could even drop deeper and Bellingham could push up at times.

 

[jaiguruKun]

I'm with you. It makes me laugh that people raise concerns about Rice-Bellingham-Foden as a midfield three but then suggest Rice-Mainoo-Bellingham would work better. Against Iceland whilst the general pressing was off and left us stretched, Mainoo's positioning and reaction to their movement was fucking woeful. It's not a coincidence the rags side he plays in is always overstretched. If that's not his strength then what the fuck is? Rice is a better asset on the front foot as well, but if the solution is Mainoo who is woeful positionally, TAA who isn't a midfielder or Gallagher who runs a lot and presses and that's about it then you might as well not bother.

It's pretty easy in training to set the pressing patterns and as long as everyone does their job, Rice and Bellingham can (off the ball) form a solid two in the middle. That suits England perfectly as one or both can look to make late runs into the box or play off Foden. Foden could even drop deeper and Bellingham could push up at times.

Bellingham and Foden do not play well together as Bellingham's ego gets in the way.