England squad, embarrassment of riches

[Spursidol]

Looking forward to 2016 Euro squad, we seem to have an embarrassment of riches, mainly young talent.

Goalkeeper. Joe Hart is the obvious choice but Butland is playing great, Forster is showing his class and Foster is playing really well too.

At right back, Walker is sure to go and Clyne too, but don't rule out Trippier with the way he's playing now. Chambers can also play there or CB.

At left back, Luke Shaw, the original first choice will possibly be back by then. Then we have Baines, Gibbs (not sure why) and of course Danny Rose who's played great this season.

At CB, Stones is amazing, Cahill and Jagielka both solid and experienced, Chambers versatile and Smalling very decent. Dier, who'll definitely go as a midfielder is great in defence too.

In CM we have serious strength. Dier, Barkley, Alli, Henderson, Lallana and possibly a run from Mason, Shelvey or Delph all arguing it out for three positions.

Up front. Rooney, Kane and Vardy are certain to go and probably all start. But who will join them who can play wide? Sterling surely, Oxlade-Chamberlain, probably Sturridge, maybe Walcott. With Townsend playing regularly and the way he's played for England before, don't rule him out!

That's a very very decent bunch of options and with only Rooney and Baines from the old guard.

Very exciting!

August 2015 squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Jack Butland (Stoke City), Tom Heaton (Burnley).
Defenders: Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Phil Jagielka (Everton).
Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), James Milner (Liverpool), Ross Barkley (Everton), Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea City), Ryan Mason (Tottenham Hotspur), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Fabian Delph (Manchester City).
Forwards: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).

Changes made for France/Spain matches in November
Goalkeepers : None
Defenders: In : Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Ryan Bertrand Out : Luke Shaw, Phil Jagielka ( 8 defenders not 7)
Midfielders: In : Adam Lallana, Dele Alli, , Jesse Lingard Out : Michael Carrick, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Forwards In : None Out : James Vady, Theo Walcott

Can't see Woy changing that much from the recent squads above - there may be a couple of other players who will be added to the squad (mainly who were injured for the above squads) eg Forster GK or out of form eg Townsend, winger, and even those just seemingly out of favour eg Rose.

Problem is that I can't get that excited by Woy's choices. Cahill I think is past it, Rooney too (unless he decides to make a last effort) and sadly Carrick (who's not played for England nearly enough and some of the others have not pulled up trees this season such as Lallana, Walcott and Oxlade Chamberlain.

Think we'll struggle to get past a decent first 11 players in the squad with the rest of the squad being a bit 'ordinary'

 

[richard_gleeson]

Overrated England again

 

[Rout-Ledge]

I think the glaring hole in the England squad is a proper CAM, in the mould of Eriksen, Ozil, Silva etc. Hopefully Alli can fill that role this summer and maybe Pritchard long term.

You think Pritchard (23 this summer) has more potential than Alli?

 

[DanielCHillier]

You think Pritchard (23 this summer) has more potential than Alli?

No, but I see Alli's long term position as a CM rather than a CAM.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

No, but I see Alli's long term position as a CM rather than a CAM.

Tricky one. He's so effective in those forward positions that I think he's wasted further back.

In the days of Harry and 4-4-2 he's clearly a CM, but these days I don't really see the point of making a potentially world class attacking player do the 'box to box' work when we have Dier shielding the defence.

 

[yankspurs]

Not an England fan, but I feel like chiming in here. Based on current form I think Woy should start Walker, Dier, Alli and Kane in his preferred XI. Will he? Probably not. Not enough scousers or gooners in there for him.

I'd probably go
Hart
Walker Smalling Stones Bertrand
Dier Henderson
Alli
Sterling Kane Vardy

I think Trippier could launch a claim at that RB spot depending on what happens the rest of the year. If Rose takes the LB spot back from Davies, he could go as Bertrand's backup.

 

[nailsy]

What about CHILWELL?

Good players to choose from, lots to ignore. No way does Rooney deserve a starting role. Kane and Vardy all day long.

Rooney off the bench.

Sterling impossible to ignore if fit.

Club form says he shouldn't start, but England form is a bit different. Only five players scored more goals than him in the qualifying stage - Lewandowski, Ibra, Muller, Dzeko & Dzyuba. I'm not a big Rooney fan, but I can understand why Roy might want to play him. I can see Roy starting Rooney in the first game and then Kane taking over the central striker role in the next match. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if Rooney retired from England duty after the Euros either.

 

[Goodwins]

Sorry I cannot agree at all, Rooney is the national captain and due to that fact will 100% start every game if he is fit

No one in there right mind leaves there top scorer on the bench



Kane and vardy will fight out to play along side him, mostly likely one will play wide

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Surely you should get picked for your country based on your club form? Otherwise you have the same old payers doing the same things wth no change or Competition for national places. Rooney, whilst improving over the last month, has been average for a while now.

 

[Goodwins]

I get the logic but you cannot judge club form as the be all and end all regarding selection.

Rooney is England talisman similar to Beckham, Robson, moore, Charlton, shearer

has to be included in the side, plus his experience would be invaluable to the squad

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

I get the logic but you cannot judge club form as the be all and end all regarding selection.

Rooney is England talisman similar to Beckham, Robson, moore, Charlton, shearer

has to be included in the side, plus his experience would be invaluable to the squad

I get that. But my own personal view, is that a player not showing form or performing to a lesser degree to others in the league, regardless of experience shouldn't get playing time for a national side. Give the spot to someone who can have a greater impact. England has suffered 'favourites' for years over form. I'd like to see that ripped up and a new approach.

 

[nailsy]

Surely you should get picked for your country based on your club form? Otherwise you have the same old payers doing the same things wth no change or Competition for national places. Rooney, whilst improving over the last month, has been average for a while now.

Not really. I always think that club form earns you a squad call up, but England form will keep you in the side. If a national manager has his team set-up to play a certain way it might take a new player half a dozen games to get into the teams way of playing. And if you look at someone like Vardy, he's been brilliant for Leicester this season, but are England going play a counter attacking game that would suit his pace and directness? I think it's a bit like Poch signing new players.... they probably aren't going to make an instant impact as they haven't developed the fitness, and team ethic that he's got drilled into the current squad.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Not really. I always think that club form earns you a squad call up, but England form will keep you in the side. If a national manager has his team set-up to play a certain way it might take a new player half a dozen games to get into the teams way of playing. And if you look at someone like Vardy, he's been brilliant for Leicester this season, but are England going play a counter attacking game that would suit his pace and directness? I think it's a bit like Poch signing new players.... they probably aren't going to make an instant impact as they haven't developed the fitness, and team ethic that he's got drilled into the current squad.

It's a good point well made. But I don't agree for the most part. I think national coaches should look at the talent available and adapt their own approach, selecting form players and adapting theor own systems to accommodate. which is more appropriate than in a club scenario.

 

[Goodwins]

I think theres arguments for both

You could take 1966 Hurst was selected over Greaves based on current form for England rather than league form
Where as you can take shearer in 1996 who hadn't scored for England for 21 months prior to the tournament and was top scorer

Must admit whatever decision is made will probably be the wrong one as its england

 

[nailsy]

I get that. But my own personal view, is that a player not showing form or performing to a lesser degree to others in the league, regardless of experience shouldn't get playing time for a national side. Give the spot to someone who can have a greater impact. England has suffered 'favourites' for years over form. I'd like to see that ripped up and a new approach.

I agree, but I'm not sure there's time to put in completely new players between now and when the tournament begins. Saying that if we're only talking about taking out Rooney and putting in Kane then we'd certainly see an improvement there. I'm sure they'll be chances for a few other players as well - Dier and Alli were excellent in the game against France so we'll probably see them given a chance against opposition that want to play (which was understandable for France that night).

It's a good point well made. But I don't agree for the most part. I think national coaches should look at the talent available and adapt their own approach, selecting form players and adapting their own systems to accommodate. which is more appropriate than in a club scenario.

I can't disagree with that either. I guess the problem is when do you do it? We don't seem to have many friendlies these days - although we've got a few coming up now - which makes it difficult for the manager to introduce too many changes when qualification (and their job) is on the line. One of the reasons I think England would benefit from starting with the Tottenham core is because of the understanding that they'd bring from club level.

 

[talkshowhost86]

The issue with England and the form argument above, is that for me Hodgson hasn't imposed any sort of 'style' or 'system' or 'approach' at all.

It's all very random, and seems largely to be based on Rooney scoring and everyone else doing not very much. Whilst our results in qualifying were good, our opponents were fucking awful, and I suspect when we have to step it up to play some decent opposition we'll just fall apart again.

I do think it's more complicated than just picking the form club players. The England manager should be trying to form a unit that plays consistently, so if someone is playing well for their club but doesn't fit that system then fair enough.

But there's no evidence of Hodgson really doing that, so I don't see why Rooney should necessarily be picked.

Of course what he should do is pick the team with the most high-performing English players, and then fit some other players around that....

???

Walker ??? ??? Rose

Dier ???

??? Alli ???

Kane​

 

[Goodwins]

I like the idea of the core players coming from similar squads,
I would consider using a core of spurs and Liverpool as both team look to play a pressing game so similar tactics could be more comfortably adopted, sterling would also be good in this system from Liverpool days
That could give you clyne, walker, dier, alli, rose, Henderson, milner, sterling, llanana, kane
All playing a similar style. My fear would be ball retention, at international level teams keep the ball for long periods I would imagine last 10-20 mins we could be a risk of running out of steam against a Germany, spain, france, Italy

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

I suppose, form could also relate to 'club team form'. Selecting players that perhaps aren't the best, but play exceptionally well together. Like Lamport and Gerrard just never worked, no matter how much it was tried. One needed dropping for arguably a lesser player, but one that worked better along side.

 

[DogsOfWar]

I suppose, form could also relate to 'club team form'. Selecting players that perhaps aren't the best, but play exceptionally well together. Like Lamport and Gerrard just never worked, no matter how much it was tried. One needed dropping for arguably a lesser player, but one that worked better along side.

I'd have liked to have seen Carrick, Parker, and Gerrard playing in a midfield 3. Unfashionable but, in my opinion, it would have been very effective.

 

[Ionman34]

Jamie Vardy is actually so fast that I am suspicious about it.

You think he's the Flash as well?