The England Thread

[spurs9]

Is he or Dunk or Konsa really more deserving of a spot than Tomori? Whenever I've seen AC Milan Tomori has looked solid

He has only just returned from injury, so probably thought better not to risk it and give someone else a shot.

 

[thebenjamin]

Is he or Dunk or Konsa really more deserving of a spot than Tomori? Whenever I've seen AC Milan Tomori has looked solid

Branthwaite is left footed and lightning quick, which none of the others are.

 

[DenverSpur]

Southgate is entitled to pick whoever he wants but if I was a young England player coming through and playing well, it would bother me that form doesn't appear to matter in the selection criteria.

I understand what you are saying but I don’t believe you should be picking players for the England team when they’ve only had less than a full season playing at the PL level regardless of how well they’ve done. It’s not a big enough sample size to evaluate if they are good enough to play at the International level. A lot of it is the media hyping up young players as the next big thing. There’s people complaining Mainoo wasn’t picked. For God’s sake he’s only played a little more than a dozen games in ManU 1st team!

 

[Marty]

I understand what you are saying but I don’t believe you should be picking players for the England team when they’ve only had less than a full season playing at the PL level regardless of how well they’ve done. It’s not a big enough sample size to evaluate if they are good enough to play at the International level. A lot of it is the media hyping up young players as the next big thing. There’s people complaining Mainoo wasn’t picked. For God’s sake he’s only played a little more than a dozen games in ManU 1st team!

I get where you're coming from but you always have to make exceptions, otherwise players like Rooney and Owen would've come in to the fold too late for the tournaments that made them (2004 and 1998).

If a player looks good enough, they're old enough. I don't think Mainoo is as exceptional a talent as Rooney was, and I can agree it's easier to introduce strikers and wide attackers at a young age than central midfielders, but you can't say they need X number of games before they can be considered for England no matter how good they look.

 

[Flobadob]

Is he or Dunk or Konsa really more deserving of a spot than Tomori? Whenever I've seen AC Milan Tomori has looked solid

Konsa definitely deserves a call up, he’s been excellent for Villa for ages. I’d have him straight in the 11 next to Stones ahead of anyone right now, he’s quality

 

[ItsBoris]

Konsa definitely deserves a call up, he’s been excellent for Villa for ages. I’d have him straight in the 11 next to Stones ahead of anyone right now, he’s quality

The funny thing is everyone has a different opinion about who should be partnering Stones

 

[Flobadob]

The funny thing is everyone has a different opinion about who should be partnering Stones

Konsa and Branthwaite are the standout options for me. Would be happy with either but I think Konsa’s composure on the ball next to Stones would be nice. Branthwaite would offer a threat on set pieces though which we probably lack too.

 

[DenverSpur]

The funny thing is everyone has a different opinion about who should be partnering Stones

Personally I’m not a fan of Stones as a CB although in fairness he has improved in the last year or so.

 

[RuskyM]

Ben White misses out due to unfortunately being a dickhead that no one likes.

It is still baffling to me that he walked out of an England squad, had his club post "we're with you" like he was going through something and what he was going through was an ego trip. I strongly believe he is one of the worst people, either living or dead.

 

[DenverSpur]

I get where you're coming from but you always have to make exceptions, otherwise players like Rooney and Owen would've come in to the fold too late for the tournaments that made them (2004 and 1998).

If a player looks good enough, they're old enough. I don't think Mainoo is as exceptional a talent as Rooney was, and I can agree it's easier to introduce strikers and wide attackers at a young age than central midfielders, but you can't say they need X number of games before they can be considered for England no matter how good they look.

Rooney was so obviously a prodigy but that’s not true of all young players coming through. That they are talented is might not be in doubt but a handful of games listed in the first team is not a big enough sample to determine if that is their true level or just a purple patch.I also don’t feel it’s fair on established England Internationals who've proved their worth in the past and have contributed to the team qualifying for a tournament to be cast aside for the media’s latest next big star in the making circus. Why is there this rush to elevate young players faster than their track record warrants ? It’s not like we are scrapping the barrel for good players for the England team. If they are truly good enough they WILL get their opportunity in the near future.

 

[Marty]

Why is there this rush to elevate young players faster than their track record warrants ? It’s not like we are scrapping the barrel for good players for the England team. If they are truly good enough they WILL get their opportunity in the near future.

I feel this clamour is only really a thing when a player comes through in a position where there is an obvious weakness. Central midfield is one of those weaknesses. If you want a more defensive partner to Rice than just Bellingham, you don't gave a lot of quality options and Mainoo could perhaps have been that option.

You see Phillips being dropped and Gallagher and Henderson being the other two CMs in the squad, Mainoo doesn't appear a worse option than either of those.

 

[Thenewcat]

Rooney was so obviously a prodigy but that’s not true of all young players coming through. That they are talented is might not be in doubt but a handful of games listed in the first team is not a big enough sample to determine if that is their true level or just a purple patch.I also don’t feel it’s fair on established England Internationals who've proved their worth in the past and have contributed to the team qualifying for a tournament to be cast aside for the media’s latest next big star in the making circus. Why is there this rush to elevate young players faster than their track record warrants ? It’s not like we are scrapping the barrel for good players for the England team. If they are truly good enough they WILL get their opportunity in the near future.

The only problem with this logic is international level isn’t higher than PL. Mainoo has played more high level football this year than Jordan Henderson has (not that I’d pick either). If braithwaite is good enough I have no problem picking him, he’s played 35 games for Everton which is 3 years worth of internationals

 

[Thenewcat]

I feel this clamour is only really a thing when a player comes through in a position where there is an obvious weakness. Central midfield is one of those weaknesses. If you want a more defensive partner to Rice than just Bellingham, you don't gave a lot of quality options and Mainoo could perhaps have been that option.

You see Phillips being dropped and Gallagher and Henderson being the other two CMs in the squad, Mainoo doesn't appear a worse option than either of those.

Gallagher is better than Mainoo

 

[Hazelton]

I understand what you are saying but I don’t believe you should be picking players for the England team when they’ve only had less than a full season playing at the PL level regardless of how well they’ve done. It’s not a big enough sample size to evaluate if they are good enough to play at the International level. A lot of it is the media hyping up young players as the next big thing. There’s people complaining Mainoo wasn’t picked. For God’s sake he’s only played a little more than a dozen games in ManU 1st team!

If it was the official Euros squad I'd agree to an extent, but we're talking friendlies and getting a chance to look at players. You absolutely reward Mainoo, we know exactly what Henderson is about.

 

[Frank Blank]

The funny thing is everyone has a different opinion about who should be partnering Stones

Except when it comes to Maguire. He needs to be locked away somewhere.

 

[bubble07]

This England side is really exciting.

A front 4 with Kane, Foden, Saka and Bellingham is as good as it gets on paper.

How Henderson still gets called up is baffling, though.

Rice and maddison makes it a great front 6

 

[Frank Blank]

Gallagher is better than Mainoo

Yeh, but Mainoo has a higher ceiling. I'm not a big fan of Gallagher TBH.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Yeh, but Mainoo has a higher ceiling. I'm not a big fan of Gallagher TBH.

In theory, you should not be picking the national team based on who has the higher ceiling - it should be based on who is the best fit now.

 

[Cochise]

I'd really like it if Southgate just went full Guardiola and set us up in the 3241 system.

---------------Kane-----------------
Rashford---Foden--Bellingham---Saka
------------Rice------Stones---------
---Branthwaite---Maguire---Walker---

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

I'd really like it if Southgate just went full Guardiola and set us up in the 3241 system.

---------------Kane-----------------
Rashford---Foden--Bellingham---Saka
------------Rice------Stones---------
---Branthwaite---Maguire---Walker---

I wouldn't put Rashford near the starting XI right now.

And if you were going with the 3241 - I would play TAA over Stones, and maybe Stones over Maguire.