No Henderson in the provisional squad 

11 minutes ago, Mantra said:

Heard Shaw is possibly gonna be fit for the second group game.Hopefully he can get some minutes before the knockouts.

Imagine we will play 4-2-3-1.

The only nailed on positions are:

Kane ST, Bellingham AM, Rice DM, Stones CB, Pickford GK 

 

Which leaves:

LB, CB, DM, RW, LW all up for grabs.

 

You'd be pretty happy with anyone filling those spots in the group stage, but once it gets to knockouts it'll become a tricky balancing act. Especially at DM. They all offer totally different attributes and styles. Wharton and Trent are both more playmakers but Trent more with the long passes and Wharton more fizzing it into feet. I'm sure 'horses for courses' will be mentioned a few times.

On the wings, Foden, Saka more suited to dominating possession and wriggling through low blocks. Bowen and Gordon better at being direct.

Not a clue how the back four will look but if we can make it through the group stage and get Shaw back in, it will look a lot more balanced. Hopefully one of the CBs can form a good partnership with Stones quickly, who hopefully avoids injury as he is prone to picking up knocks.

 

 

No Kyle Walker?

No RB? 

Glad I didn’t bother going to the Wales shitshow. Sheehan hit the post directly from a corner but was lucky to even be on the pitch after another daft foul.

Drawing with Gibraltar didn’t go down well with the fans.

10 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Glad I didn’t bother going to the Wales shitshow. Sheehan hit the post directly from a corner but was lucky to even be on the pitch after another daft foul.

Drawing with Gibraltar didn’t go down well with the fans.

Any interesting snippets from Gibraltar Ways? Bet they are buzzin 🤣👍

38 minutes ago, desperado said:

Any interesting snippets from Gibraltar Ways? Bet they are buzzin 🤣👍

Ended their 13 game losing streak - they’re rockin’.

 

9 hours ago, DirtySanchez said:

You assume you think you know what I think of Southgate 

 

Fair point.

4 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Glad I didn’t bother going to the Wales shitshow. Sheehan hit the post directly from a corner but was lucky to even be on the pitch after another daft foul.

Drawing with Gibraltar didn’t go down well with the fans.

All about finding your level. Think of Wales you get the likes of Gibraltar, Estonia, Luxembourg. Think of Scotland you get Latvia, Georgia, Faroe Islands. Equilibrium innit.

I'm just up the road but you couldn't have paid me enough to go and watch that shite last night.

7 hours ago, Mantra said:

Endless combinations really.

Gordon and Bowen running in behind while Trent sprays passes over the top.

Or Wharton fizzing it into Palmer/Eze who can drive at the defence and pick the lock.

Or Saka, Foden and Mainoo just keeping the ball and wearing out the other side.

 

Just gotta hope Gareth picks the right players for the right games. We've got all the ingredients going forwards. The defence is what worries everyone most. Is attack the best form of defence with this squad? Can Gareth do that? Is that suited to tournament football?

If we've got Mbappe vs Dunk or Guehi, we're gonna need those subs to be super subs. Palmer, Eze, Watkins, Gordon, Bowen all had great seasons and they're going to have to bail us out at some point when called upon. Bellingham and Kane will tire in games and the options we have in the squad going forwards are too exciting to not give them a go.

 

Good post. My worry in those saving the day not many who have played in the biggest of occasions at CL level.

The standard of the Prem is bobbins so it's hard to judge their standard despite all their raw talent.

Running rings round Bournemouth is one thing, coming up against France and Germany and absolute elite players is a different kettle of fish all together.

Hopefully that young fearless energy sees us through, but on the big stage you need big characters. 

That defence though, jesus

 

37 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Good post. My worry in those saving the day not many who have played in the biggest of occasions at CL level.

The standard of the Prem is bobbins so it's hard to judge their standard despite all their raw talent.

Running rings round Bournemouth is one thing, coming up against France and Germany and absolute elite players is a different kettle of fish all together.

Hopefully that young fearless energy sees us through, but on the big stage you need big characters. 

That defence though, jesus

 

If Shaw is somehow fit and weve Walker, Stones and Shaw I'll be a lot more comfortable 

Can't have a new CB and Trip at LB. He's gash

Edited June 7, 20242 yr by L/H White

47 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Good post. My worry in those saving the day not many who have played in the biggest of occasions at CL level.

The standard of the Prem is bobbins so it's hard to judge their standard despite all their raw talent.

Running rings round Bournemouth is one thing, coming up against France and Germany and absolute elite players is a different kettle of fish all together.

Hopefully that young fearless energy sees us through, but on the big stage you need big characters. 

That defence though, jesus

 

Is it ? 

Just now, Arrested development said:

Is it ? 

I'd say away from Man City and Arsenal  it's as bad as its ever been, imo of course.

Entertainment wise it's the best. Actual standard, it's pretty awful at the minute.

 

No shaw. I'd have Gomez at left back he's  been quality when playing there for Liverpool. Less bells and whistles than the others but solid. 

 

Gomez. Konsa. Stones. Walker.

 

Will do for me

 

Probably be Trippier though

 

 

It will be trippier 100%. Expect Shaw will get some minutes in maybe the Denmark but definitely the Slovenia game in order to get himself in some kind of “match fit” position for the knock outs 

6 hours ago, deeane Koontz said:

No shaw. I'd have Gomez at left back he's  been quality when playing there for Liverpool. Less bells and whistles than the others but solid. 

 

Gomez. Konsa. Stones. Walker.

 

Will do for me

 

Probably be Trippier though

 

 

I'd leave Gomez at home he's shite.

If he wasn't at Liverpool then he'd be nowhere near the squad.

Him and Dunk are the most baffling selections of the lot.

49 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

I'd leave Gomez at home he's shite.

If he wasn't at Liverpool then he'd be nowhere near the squad.

Him and Dunk are the most baffling selections of the lot.

Nobody in the squad has played better than him at left back this season.

28 minutes ago, deeane Koontz said:

Nobody in the squad has played better than him at left back this season.

Isn’t he a right footed centre back first and foremost?

Appreciate he might have done a half decent job filling in due to injuries but it’s a bad do if we can’t find a better genuine left back in the whole country than a right centre back.

9 hours ago, deeane Koontz said:

No shaw. I'd have Gomez at left back he's  been quality when playing there for Liverpool. Less bells and whistles than the others but solid. 

 

Gomez. Konsa. Stones. Walker.

 

Will do for me

 

Probably be Trippier though

 

 

Bit surprised at Branthwaite being let go, given the doubts with Shaw. Yes, Trippier or Gomez could fill in but Branthwaite's solid, gives genuine left side balance and is a threat at set pieces

9 hours ago, gonzo said:

I'd say away from Man City and Arsenal  it's as bad as its ever been, imo of course.

Entertainment wise it's the best. Actual standard, it's pretty awful at the minute.

 

You could say the same about all the European leagues; beyond the top teams in them, the rest are of poorer quality. 

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

You could say the same about all the European leagues; beyond the top teams in them, the rest are of poorer quality. 

How many of them do you watch?

 

 

 

Eidur Gudjohnsen's son up front foot Iceland

1 minute ago, Zico said:

Eidur Gudjohnsen's son up front foot Iceland

I love Eidur

23 hours ago, Zico said:

Aye, not much stood out that season but he did 

Like when adama traore turned up with boro

That's one of the best performances I've ever seen against us, even better than the Eze one, what a welcome to the championship that was for Robinson.  I just checked and we had Madine up front on his own, keeping Armstrong and Alf on the bench (thanks Parky).  Reece Burke and Josh Cullen subs too.

12 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

That's one of the best performances I've ever seen against us, even better than the Eze one, what a welcome to the championship that was for Robinson.  I just checked and we had Madine up front on his own, keeping Armstrong and Alf on the bench (thanks Parky).  Reece Burke and Josh Cullen subs too.

Never seen anything like it before or since 

Anyone who tried to get near him appeared to just bounce off him and he then carried on

Good start 🤦‍♂️

19 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

That's one of the best performances I've ever seen against us, even better than the Eze one, what a welcome to the championship that was for Robinson.  I just checked and we had Madine up front on his own, keeping Armstrong and Alf on the bench (thanks Parky).  Reece Burke and Josh Cullen subs too.

Was it not Andy Taylor facing Traore?