Euro24

alderzalderz
in Men's Internationals
Provisional England squad has just been announced.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley).

Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).

Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

We're very fullback light in this squad, so I wonder if he's thinking of doing the Man City thing of having a centre back at full back (Gomez, Colwill and Branthwaite have done this on the left, and Konsa and Gomez have done it on the right).

Comments

  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    edited May 21
    Grealish? Shaw?

    Toney not Solanke?

    Not that I really care about the England football team, but still....

    And well done, Bowen!
  • alderzalderz
    Personally, I'm perfectly happy with both Grealish and Shaw being in. We don't have tonnes of options wide left, and I'd definitely rather it was Grealish than Gordon! Shaw is still, IMO, the best left back we have. I know he's been injured, but really who else is there?!

    I agree about Solanke. He's really unlucky not to be in this squad. That said, Kane will start, and Watkins will be the back up. Toney is only there in case we get to penalties.
  • claretandblueskyclaretandbluesky
    With the old trophy dodger Kane on the plane I think we must be unlikely winners.

    There is a rumour going around that a rather ingenious sanction has been devised regard City's legal troubles, no fine, no points deduction but they are made to sign Harry Kane. City are lodging an appeal.
  • BazshuayiBazshuayi
    Wide left IMO we don’t need Grealish. Palmer, Watkins and Foden can play there. Also, despite not particularly liking Gordon, his season has been a very good one (not just in comparison to Grealish)
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    Tbh, we've got pretty decent options across the 3 behind Kane (if we're gonna play a 4-2-3-1 formation). On the right, Saka, Palmer, Bowen, Foden even, on the left Gordon, Grealish, Eze, Foden again, and centrally Bellingham, Madison, Foden and Eze, maybe even Palmer.
  • alderzalderz
    Bazshuayi said:

    Wide left IMO we don’t need Grealish. Palmer, Watkins and Foden can play there. Also, despite not particularly liking Gordon, his season has been a very good one (not just in comparison to Grealish)

    Foden has spent all season playing in the middle, Palmer on the right or the middle, and Watkins up front. We saw for West Ham that Kudus was far less effective when working off the left. IMO it makes sense to have players who actually play in those positions.
  • BazshuayiBazshuayi
    Yes understood re Foden but Southgate May put Foden wide (even if he doesn’t exclusively play there during the game) to accommodate Bellingham. I’m also doubting Palmer, if he starts, will displace Saka. So he may be eased to the left. Watkins may be central but he drifts to the left naturally and played on that side in the past (for Brentford). So as he won’t push out Kane, I’d be happy to see him start left side. At the end of the day, we have excellent options
  • thornburyironthornburyiron
    Given that 7 will be dropped from the 33 we don’t know who will or won’t be going. Bowen may be one of those left out.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    thornburyiron said:

    Given that 7 will be dropped from the 33 we don’t know who will or won’t be going. Bowen may be one of those left out.

    A good point, there's still a cull to be done. One keeper misses out, and surely we only take a maximum of 8 defenders (especially if TAA is counted as a midfielder), so that's another 3 gone.

    In midfield, I can't see both Mainoo and Wharton going, and is Jones really up to it? Maximum of 4 in total imo; Rice, Gallagher, TAA (if fit) and probably Mainoo, but one of the others as well if TAA doesn't go. That would be six of the necessary seven cut, leaving a very tough call on one of the forward players. I suspect it will come down to one of Grealish (not been in great form), Bowen (not the best end of season, but did well in the last International game he played) and Eze who, as the newbie, might well end up missing out.
  • BazshuayiBazshuayi

    To leave…
    Gallagher
    Grealish
    Gordon
    Guehi
    Goalkeeper

    A 5G network ibut not up to it
  • LukerzLukerz
    edited May 21
    Hard to pick a ‘best’ first 11, especially in defence.

    I’d probably go:

    Pickford
    Walker - Stones - Branthwaite - Shaw/Trippier
    Bellingham - Rice
    Bowen - Palmer - Foden
    Kane
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    The big decision will be how he chooses to use Bellingham. Given the relative strengths of our midfielders compared to our forwards, then pairing him with Rice as the "2" has a lot of positives, but obviously he's just had a great season playing further forward.

    If he were to pair Rice and Bellingham, then I think it would mainly be to get Foden central; I think the 3 behind Kane would be more like

    Saka/Bowen/Palmer - Foden - Gordon
  • claretandblueskyclaretandbluesky
    Sadly I don't see Bowen getting much of a look in, I think there is just too much talent in his spot.
  • alderzalderz
    Lukerz said:

    Hard to pick a ‘best’ first 11, especially in defence.

    This is why I wonder about the hybrid centre back / fullback role that the likes of Man City, Villa and Arsenal have all been doing. I can see a defence with either Colwill or Branthwaite at left back.

    I'd go:
    Pickford
    Walker - Stones - Maguire - Branthwaite
    Bellingham - Rice
    Saka - Foden - Grealish
    Kane
  • EXETERHAMMEREXETERHAMMER
    Branthwaite for sure has a chance. He has been excellent.
  • BubblesNeverDiesBubblesNeverDies
    alderz said:

    Lukerz said:

    Hard to pick a ‘best’ first 11, especially in defence.

    This is why I wonder about the hybrid centre back / fullback role that the likes of Man City, Villa and Arsenal have all been doing. I can see a defence with either Colwill or Branthwaite at left back.

    I'd go:
    Pickford
    Walker - Stones - Maguire - Branthwaite
    Bellingham - Rice
    Saka - Foden - Grealish
    Kane
    You'd pick Grealish over Bowen?
  • alderzalderz
    BubblesNeverDies said:

    alderz said:

    Lukerz said:

    Hard to pick a ‘best’ first 11, especially in defence.

    This is why I wonder about the hybrid centre back / fullback role that the likes of Man City, Villa and Arsenal have all been doing. I can see a defence with either Colwill or Branthwaite at left back.

    I'd go:
    Pickford
    Walker - Stones - Maguire - Branthwaite
    Bellingham - Rice
    Saka - Foden - Grealish
    Kane
    You'd pick Grealish over Bowen?
    No, I'd pick Saka over Bowen. Bowen doesn't play left wing, and Grealish does. I'd pick Grealish over Gordon, because I can't stand Gordon.
  • BubblesNeverDiesBubblesNeverDies
    "Bowen doesn't play left wing"

    That'll be why then ;)
This discussion has been closed.