England Squad

I think he’s got the striker choices correct. Whilst Kane is clearly our best centre forward I think Wilson’s clearly our second best forward. I never watched him that much at Bournemouth & didn’t appreciate just how good his all round game is. I’m glad he’s got the nod over Toney & Abraham.

I think only taking two out & out strikers is the right move. Rashford is very comfortable playing there & Sterling & Foden are also capable of playing through the middle.

I don’t understand the Kalvin Phillips call up. If he was fit & firing I’d get it, I might even start him but he’s played less than 90 minutes this season & missed half of last season. There’s no chance he’s anywhere near 100%. Throughout my lifetime taking players rushing back from injury has never worked & I'm not a fan.

I don’t understand taking one left back & no left footed centre backs when the manager prefers a back 5.

Just because playing Trippier as a left back worked once against Croatia last summer doesn’t mean it’s a suitable plan going forward. He never plays left back for Newcastle & never played left back for Atletico or Spurs. Whether it’s Sessegnon, Creswell, Mitchell, Henry etc one of them should be back up to Shaw. It’s not like Shaw hasn’t had plenty of injuries either. It’s asking for trouble in my opinion.

I’d also take Dan Burn. Been outstanding for Newcastle for the last 10 months as both a left sided centre back in a back 4 & as a left back. He also has experience playing as the left sided centre back in a back 3 under Potter at Brighton.

I’d be taking out Phillips & taking another left back & I’d be taking out Coady & taking Burn.

As far as I’m aware Maguire’s the only one of our centre backs who’ve played on the left hand side. Stones, Dier, Coady, White & Walker have all either played centre back or right centre back.

I don’t think there’s any excuse for not having at least two specialists for every position when it’s a 26 man squad.

 

You were right. You can’t account for them both having rotten luck with injuries.

Carroll looked a beast breaking through at Newcastle, would’ve had a great career if his body could hack it.

 

Remember Carroll's towering header for us at EC '12 against Sweden. I thought then that he could be a right battering ram against defenders, and he could have been a big star for club & country.

 

Agree. I remember watching Newcastle beat Liverpool with him up front & he destroyed them. They couldn’t cope with him. It was probably that performance that got him the huge move.

 

Excellent analysis of it in my opinion. Fully agree.

 

I wish Chelsea had bought Odejayi after that Cup tie…

 

Its odd though how we as fans look at injury prone players. Some have been unlucky and we genuinely feel sympathy for them.
But then of course theres players like Obbi Oulare!!. And a lot of the West Brom fans also have similar bad things to say about Darryl Dike.

 

It’s why I’m against it when you hear fans say we should just use this tournament to ‘build for the future’.

Look back to 2012, Wilshere, Walcott, Sturridge, Carroll. They should’ve been in their primes in the last couple of tournaments but all done at the top level

 

And don't forget Dwayne Dibley used to be in the England squad as well lol. Err soz I meant Danny Welbeck actually.

And Jack Wilshere, such untapped potential there once again for club and country. Remember him starring for us in a qualifying win away to Slovenia, some years ago.

 

Tell Your Children / Grand Children Never To Stop Dreaming This Is John Stones As A Ballboy At His Home Team @barnsleyfc In 2 Weeks He Will Represent His Country At @FIFAWorldCup #DareToDream

 

Bowen looked certain to go for a while, but went through a dry patch at the wrong time. He's not scored in six games and only scored five in twenty this season. He's not scored more than once in a game either.

 

I don't mind the selections. Although I'd rather take fit players over gambles. Those that have been left out wouldn't play if everyone's fit so it's a fair squad. The one I'd have sided with is Ward Prowse. He's more of an all round midfielder and I'd have selected him over Henderson. I don't think Henderson will relish the conditions.

 

Grealish flobs around the pitch over here as though its 50 degrees God knows how he will cope out there.

Personally would have left him at home.

 

Even if they're shiit?