ItsBoris
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- Jan 18, 2011
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The England Thread
- Thread starter THFCSPURS19
- Start date
spursville
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One good game and he's suddenly in a squad? I don't buy it. I'm guessing all his other effective appearances together had more of an impact than just one match. Hopefully Southgate will admit he made a mistake initially and has now corrected his error.
ItsBoris
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Well yeah I didn't say it's just based on one good game but might have been the tipping point that convinced them he's ready for it
ItsBoris
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Yeah for his age he's ridiculous
Yeah very understated tbh but he’s really calm on the ball and makes good decisions, plays forwards. He’s also had some important defensive interventions whilst he’s been playing as well. I’m a really big fan of him.
littlewilly
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Kane appears to be taking an active role in training.
Timbo Tottenham
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And who is the decent manager England might get?
Not Southgate.
HildoSpur
Likes Erik Lamela, deal with it.
- Oct 1, 2005
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Oh my god PLEASE have Utd appoint Southgate as manager. That would be spectacularly hilarious.
DogsOfWar
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At least it may be a sign Southgate's finally growing a pair.
There is absolutely no point in Phillips and Henderson featuring in squads anymore.
He must have registered the benefits of playing youngsters such as Foden, Saka, and Bellingham over the last couple of years so it's just an extension of that. I'd rather see Gallagher, Maddison, and Mainoo in there.
Don't play an average player with 'experience' over a quality youngster, they just have more experience of playing average football.
There is absolutely no point in Phillips and Henderson featuring in squads anymore.
He must have registered the benefits of playing youngsters such as Foden, Saka, and Bellingham over the last couple of years so it's just an extension of that. I'd rather see Gallagher, Maddison, and Mainoo in there.
Don't play an average player with 'experience' over a quality youngster, they just have more experience of playing average football.
DJS
A hoonter must hoont
- Dec 9, 2006
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Yeah I feel Rice is really good at sitting back in that defensive midfield role and we can then afford to play someone like Bellingham alongside him in a more box to box role, rather than just two designated defensive midfielders.
Gives us more flexibility as Bellingham can sit if needed or push up.
Likes of Maddison or Grealish (if either come into form) can then play in front of them. Or even Alexander-Arnold if he ever managers to be fit for an England game lol - he’d probably play more in a midfield three alongside Rice and Bellingham, but still gives good flexibility.
But Southgate will probably play Henderson or Mainoo defensively alongside rice and Bellingham further up as too many attackers might scare him.
Gives us more flexibility as Bellingham can sit if needed or push up.
Likes of Maddison or Grealish (if either come into form) can then play in front of them. Or even Alexander-Arnold if he ever managers to be fit for an England game lol - he’d probably play more in a midfield three alongside Rice and Bellingham, but still gives good flexibility.
But Southgate will probably play Henderson or Mainoo defensively alongside rice and Bellingham further up as too many attackers might scare him.
Trix
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Eddie Howe hopefully.
HildoSpur
Likes Erik Lamela, deal with it.
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I don't support England however even I am perplexed as to why you might end up playing a right back in midfield and have to pick Henderson in the squad as well. For a country with so many good players to choose from is this really all you have in midfield? Considering midfield is probably the most vital part of any side I can't see England winning anything unless this is addressed. You seem to have a ton of attacking midfielders and wide forwards but a serious lack of central midfielders.
I think Rice is quite good but hugely overrated and he isn't the sort of player who can dominate a midfield (in my opinion) and if he is the best you have there then that's a big problem.
I think Rice is quite good but hugely overrated and he isn't the sort of player who can dominate a midfield (in my opinion) and if he is the best you have there then that's a big problem.
Anyone but Southgate ?
Marty
Audere est farce
- Mar 10, 2005
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I know he's a West Ham and Arsenal player but sod that, he's been a top five CM in the world this season. He isn't Rodri, nobody is, but I can't think of many others who are better.
McFlash
In the corner, eating crayons.
- Oct 19, 2005
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Yeah, I don't particularly like Rice but it can't be said that he's not a very good player. He's improved in his time at Arsenal too, adding goals to his defensive work.
On another note, the thing that's really pissing me off with Southgate, well, apart from his overly defensive style is that he seems scared of playing youngsters.
I'm sure I remember being quite impressed with him at first, because coming from the U21 set up, he was eager to give them a chance in the first team.
Whether it's the usual pressure on an England manager that's got to him, he now seems almost fearful of playing too many young players at once.
So instead of playing to our current strengths by choosing a youthful, vibrant and attacking team, he seems obliged to balance any youngsters out by picking the likes of Maguire and Henderson.
Experienced heads who calmly slow the game down, when we should be focusing on giving the youngsters a chance to show what they can do.
Give the likes of Foden, Bellingham, Mainoo etc the chance to play freely.
He's not the brave manager he once appeared to be.
HildoSpur
Likes Erik Lamela, deal with it.
- Oct 1, 2005
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Don't get me wrong I think he is decent but he is a defensive midfielder and not the sort of player that can control a game - at least I haven't seen him do it regularly. It's who you guys have playing next to him that is the real concern though, can a right back be the best midfield option beside Rice? Surely that's not the case.
