The World Cup Squads and Preamble; And it's ... Live!!

IronHerb

I see Brazil have named nine forwards in their twenty six man World Cup squad.

Gotta love them.

OutcastLondoner

It's a bit sad to see Brazil without any decent full-backs or a really prolific striker but that's probably one of the most exciting teams they've had since the early 2000s. Hopefully Neymar stays on his feet because an exciting Brazil really make the World Cup for me.

thornburyiron

Not very often we have a Hammer in the Brazilian squad.

BubblesNeverDies

thornburyiron said:

Not very often we have a Hammer in the Brazilian squad.

It can often take a hammer to crack a brazil.

#coatpleasemisstheclownone

Ravel49

England squad announcement today at 2pm
Today's the day! Gareth Southgate will name his 26-man England squad for the World Cup at 2pm and we'll have all the build-up to the announcement from 10am on Sky Sports News.
Former England manager Roy Hodgson will also be in the Sky Sports News studio from 1pm to dissect Southgate's squad.
We'll bring you confirmation of the squad at 2pm before providing live coverage of the England manager's press conference 15 minutes later.
Who will make the plane to Qatar? Will there be any surprise inclusions or omissions? Stay up-to-date by following this blog.

Hamstew

If he picks Soucek I give up

Slacker

Antonio is a must.

Ravel49

Aguerd & Kehrer both called up for their respective countries

Ravel49

England’s 26-man World Cup squad in full…
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Nick Pope (Newcastle).
Defenders: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Benjamin White (Arsenal), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), John Stones (Man City), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Conor Coady (Everton, on loan from Wolves), Luke Shaw (Man Utd).
Midfielders: Declan Rice (West Ham), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Man City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Mason Mount (Chelsea).
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Callum Wilson (Newcastle), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Man City), James Maddison (Leicester City).

MrsGrey

Shall I go first?

Sterling?

Ravel49

He’s a left wing back now don’t you know..

OldCastleSwift

I absolutely agree with Maddison's inclusion, but the fact that he's made the squad having not been in the last who knows how many is a bit laughable.

The guy's been in top form for a while but only makes the squad now, having missed the opportunity to integrate himself during the Nation's League games and recent friendlies.

Also, Alexander-Arnold? Is it just me, or does anyone else just not get what the fuss is about?

buffybegood

OldCastleSwift said:

Also, Alexander-Arnold? Is it just me, or does anyone else just not get what the fuss is about?

He's good (until recently) in a side bossing possession as he doesn't have much real defending to do; similar to how Zinchenko was at City. His stats going forward look great for a defender (at club level) but he's effectively a wide midfielder and only nominally a defender.

His style doesn't really suit England, although he's probably better suited to a WB than a FB with the lower amount of possession England will enjoy compared to Liverpool, so if we go 3 at the back then he's not a ridiculous choice, although it has to be said he's been below his previous standards so far this season.

buffybegood

MrsGrey said:

Shall I go first?

Sterling?

I see your Sterling and raise you a Maguire.

Bazshuayi

TAA's range of passing, free kicks, corners merit his inclusion. Yes, he's not the best defender but I do agree in a WB capacity he's as dangerous as anyone going forward would be. I do think, on current form, Trippier is going to be first in line but I also think he will cover Shaw on the other side.

Coady and Maguire make my hope sink just seeing their names. Maybe White, Stones and Walker will be a decent back three. I do think the other two mentioned will change my desired trio though.

Sterling was always going to be an in because of recent past performances.

I also think Toney is unlucky not to have a shot. That said, why would we take a striker who is brilliant at penalties?

Ravel49

I’m surprised Conor Gallagher got the nod tbh
One for the future maybe
Get some tournament experience

Bazshuayi

I can see a rash challenge and a red card when I think of his name

buffybegood

Tammy Abraham another that can consider himself a little unlucky not to make it as CF. We've only taken Kane, who's always a bit injury prone, and Wilson who's back in the squad after 3 years out. Rashford isn't really a CF, so one of Toney or Abraham had to be included imo, especially as the squad is 3 bigger than previous tournaments.

claretandbluesky

I agree Abraham should have been in the squad.

I am glad Bowen didn't get called up as he would not have seen any game time in my view and would have been distracted. I hope he will get himself focussed for the re-start as we really need him back to his best. I expect Dec will shine once again, as long as Southgate doesn't insist, he sit deep and only ever play a short ball to someone else.

Ravel49

Yeah Tammy A over Wilson for me
I know GS has said he’s gone with the form man
But Wilson is injury prone. Kane is already knackered after featuring in every Spurs game.
Plus Abraham has European experience and tested himself in another top league.

thornburyiron

Buffy how can a 26 man squad be 3 times bigger than previous squads.

buffybegood

thornburyiron said:

Buffy how can a 26 man squad be 3 times bigger than previous squads.

I said 3 bigger not 3 times bigger, the usual squad is 23 and this one is 26.

Hamstew

I don't rate Tammy. Glad Wilson got the nod should be on form and seems to be fit atm.

buffybegood

Hamstew said:

I don't rate Tammy. Glad Wilson got the nod should be on form and seems to be fit atm.

I've no issue with Wilson, I just think there has to be room for another CF in a 26 man squad given Kane's propensity to get injured and Wilson's lack of recent experience at international level.

Ravel49

Hamstew said:

I don't rate Tammy. Glad Wilson got the nod should be on form and seems to be fit atm.

I didn’t rate either when he was at Chelsea tbf
Thought he was clumsy just like Antonio.
But to prove yourself in Serie A I would have taken him.
Wonder if the ‘betting’ thing prevented Toney’s call up 🤔

Hamstew

I have no time idea how good serie a is so can't comment

OutcastLondoner

Ravel49 said:

Hamstew said:

I don't rate Tammy. Glad Wilson got the nod should be on form and seems to be fit atm.

I didn’t rate either when he was at Chelsea tbf
Thought he was clumsy just like Antonio.
But to prove yourself in Serie A I would have taken him.
Wonder if the ‘betting’ thing prevented Toney’s call up 🤔

Roma fans very annoyed with him this season though. Maybe not quite proved himself as consistent yet.

buffybegood

Looking at the squad, I think the huge weakness is at CB, and it almost dictates that we have to play 3-4-3. I can't pick out a CB pairing out of those selected that would be anywhere near good enough in a back 4, so I think we're going to have to play a back 3, possibly Walker (if he's fit), Maguire (because he's Southgate's lovechild) and Stones. Trippier and Shaw seem nailed on to start as WBs.

I wonder if Southgate picks CBs with a back 3 in mind, or has to play a back 3 because he can't find a good enough pairing (almost a bit of a chicken and egg situation 🤔🤔🤔).

With, initially at least, a CM pairing of Rice and Bellingham, it means only 3 forward players instead of 4, so I suspect we'll see Saka, Kane and Sterling as our nominal front 3.

This definitely wouldn't be my team, but I suspect it's what we'll see from Southgate, who constantly shows unwarranted (imo) loyalty to some players, in particular Maguire and Sterling. The lack of a solid CB pairing for a back 4 means we're unlikely to see, say, Saka, Maddison and Foden playing behind Kane, with surging runs from either Rice or Bellingham (one at a time) which is how I personally think we'd be most effective, but we'd be horribly exposed at the back with any 2 of the CBs in the squad, and even moreso if it's Maguire plus A.N.Other.

Personally can't see us progressing very far, although the knockout stages can present hugely varying (in terms of difficulty) paths so we may get lucky and make the quarters or even the semis if we're extremely fortunate.

MunichHammer

Can't say I'm overly bothered by this world cup. The missus wants to boycot it alltogether and right now I have other things on my mind than footy so unless Englsnd can produce some great form I might just go completely without watching a match.

Ravel49

Best XI for me
Wing backs

Pickford
Trippier Walker Dier Stones Shaw
Bellingham Rice
Saka Maddison
Kane

welovethehammers

I agree with GS’ Ipicks other than at centre back. I don’t see what Diet offers us and would rather Tomori. Similarly I wouldve chosen Dan Burn over either Coady or Maguire.