That's that then...

[tim_noone]

Football focus it's all about Pickford and Butland so says Rachael Brown and shay Given. That apart another pair of vomit inducing pundits where do they get these people from ? Can't go with their own view, but has to be a collective for some reason.back to England we all know how it's gonna go.

[ŽižkovClaret]

Is it now all about distribution?

Seems like actually being able to save a shot or intercept a cross is either not a priority or taken as a given...

[ClaretAndJew]

What did you expect?

[Walton]

It's been about distribution for a long time. I saw Pope in pre-season and immediately saw that his distribution was really poor, and it hasn't improved. It lets him down so much.

[JohnMac]

Pope's kicking was always going to be his achilles heel regardless of clean sheets. Having Walker at Centre Half must have been a great message for Tarky to digest as well.

There isn't an England Manager yet who will not use his 'go to' players. Why bring Eric Dier on with 2 minutes left?

The 'lack of experience' tag is the most ridiculous statement in football.

[Walton]

If you had been called up, would you want your first cap to be for 2 minutes at the end of a dead rubber though?

I'd want to be getting at least half an hour as a sub, if not a full half for your debut.

[Dyched]

Distribution is a massive thing.

Sure the keepers there to keep it out and Pope statistically is the best at that at the minute. But to get on the front foot in games we want to be able to play out rather than wack it up in hope. Its an indication we want to take the game to the opposition.

This WC has come 12 months too soon for both tarks and pope imo. Another great 12 months from pope and tarks and they’ll be regulars come the euros.

[Braindead]

To be honest, all bias aside, Pickford and Butland are both excellent young keepers and I wouldn't have a problem with either of them being number one for the WC.
Although I am happy Pope has been called up, I think he's a way to go to be considered the best keeper in England - maybe after another full season in the top flight with similar stats then fair enough, but he is very raw in terms of experience and that will continue to count against him.

[Dyched]

Pope's kicking was always going to be his achilles heel regardless of clean sheets. Having Walker at Centre Half must have been a great message for Tarky to digest as well.

There isn't an England Manager yet who will not use his 'go to' players. Why bring Eric Dier on with 2 minutes left?

The 'lack of experience' tag is the most ridiculous statement in football.

He’s trying new options. If Walker is capable playing ch it frees a space up. Dyche did the same with Taylor. Theres no harm in trying.

Southgate knows his squad bar 4/5 reserves who wont play 30 mins between them come the WC.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

Although Pickford took a risk it was his calmness with the ball that started the move ending in Lingard's goal.

[WestMidsClaret]

It's the BBC file along side MOTD for shoite punditry!

[mickleoverclaret]

If distribution is important then it's only natural Pickford will be in there ahead of Pope because he's much better at it. There were a few hairy moments passing around at the back last night that better teams might have exploited but it was nice to see a gameplan and a team put together to play that plan, rather than just sticking the best eleven on the pitch and hoping it works.

Having said that, I think it's unfair of Southgate to say prior to the games that the number one jersey is up for grabs, and then give one player 90 minutes to stake his claim. One can only assume Pickford has significantly outperformed Butland and Pope in training to be given such a great opportunity.

[starting_11]

90% of his "distribution" last night was to players in extremely dangerous areas.

Thinking he is Ederson is going to cost him.

[bobinho]

Pope's kicking was always going to be his achilles heel regardless of clean sheets. Having Walker at Centre Half must have been a great message for Tarky to digest as well.

There isn't an England Manager yet who will not use his 'go to' players. Why bring Eric Dier on with 2 minutes left?

The 'lack of experience' tag is the most ridiculous statement in football.

Thing is John, unless these players are blooded in these warm up games, they always will lack the experience. Until we lose two to injury in the first game of the next tournament and then the “inexperience” won’t matter. Our two won’t even get the “thanks for turning up pal” half that Tom got.

The England set up is seriously flawed. Is walker really being considered as an option at centre half? Whether Tarly is the better option is really irrelevant, it might be another centre half, but it’s not bloody walker, just because he plays for a big club. Is Danny rose the best left sided midfielder in the land? Course he’s bloody not.

When did football become soooooo complicated? Anyway, it doesn’t matter as to t will be seen as a success because we beat the mighty Netherlands.

[bobinho]

If distribution is important then it's only natural Pickford will be in there ahead of Pope because he's much better at it. There were a few hairy moments passing around at the back last night that better teams might have exploited but it was nice to see a gameplan and a team put together to play that plan, rather than just sticking the best eleven on the pitch and hoping it works.

Having said that, I think it's unfair of Southgate to say prior to the games that the number one jersey is up for grabs, and then give one player 90 minutes to stake his claim. One can only assume Pickford has significantly outperformed Butland and Pope in training to be given such a great opportunity.

We luckily got a goal kick after Pickford went walkabout, tried to dribble past their attacker and got caught.

The game plan you speak of and the players tand do it argument I believe is a little flawed. Tarka is excellent with distribution, and can move past players with the ball and he plays centre half every week. Surely he was a better option than putting a square peg in that round hole? What’s that if not just sticking your best players in?

Heaton out performed both hart and Forster in training but never got near a start in the WC. I know that because I watched the training sessions.

We need to have a look at butland, maybe he will get a look on Tuesday. My moneys on neither pope nor tarka gettin any meaningful time.

[Dyched]

Heaton got his first call up in 2015 so not sure which WC you refer to??

I expect Butland to play on tuesday.

Its between Pope and Hart for 3rd choice and Hart will get it because of tournament experiance this time. If Pope continues he will be 3rd after the world cup when hart is gone and Pickford and Butland have had tournament experiance.

What did you make of Dyche trying Taylor at CH? You think his system is seriously flawed?

England fans are pathetic.

[boatshed bill]

Butland is a certainty for Tuesday.
The only chance our lads have of making the final squad is through injury to others.
At least they have had the experience of training with the best English players.

[Claretmatt4]

Butland will start v Italy. It's been announced already.

[KefkaClaret]

https://www.twitter.com/davidpreece12/s ... 35/video/1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pickford being calm lead to the goal and although you can argue it is a simple pass I doubt many of you could argue Pope would have done the same.

[JohnMac]

He’s trying new options. If Walker is capable playing ch it frees a space up. Dyche did the same with Taylor. Theres no harm in trying.

Southgate knows his squad bar 4/5 reserves who wont play 30 mins between them come the WC.

No problem trying Walker but 75 minutes is enough to know if it works then give Tarky/an other a run out but you are right, he knows his team already.

[JohnMac]

[quote="bobinho"][/quote]

Exactly my point about experience, sitting on a bench savouring the atmosphete is just crap.
It's a friendly, get the new players blooded after you have finished messing with the game plan maybe 60 minutes in.

Nobody will ever get experience unless given a chance.

Goalkeepers caps:
Hart 75
Butland 4
Pickford 2
Pope 0

I think he is desperate to play Hart but knows he will be slaughtered if he gets a repeat of the customary clanger.

[Chester Perry]

Said it before - the fewer Burnley players at the World Cup the better - though Keeper is the one position we could readily cope with it being

- taken away from the transfer spotlight
- able to rest, recuperate and have a full pre-season in preparation for the league get-go
- if we do qualify for Europe, the qualifying rounds are early and we need a full squad ready for that

with regards to debuts - the 2nd match was more likely just so they could get used to the squad and approach

[SalisburyClaret]

If Southgate wants to play 3 at the back then that will expose a keeper's kicking far more - so that will work against Pope.
In every other facet of goalkeeping he's currently ahead of his competitors - shame that doesn't count for much.
Hart is probably 2 good club games away from a plane ticket and a start against Tunisia -

[scouseclaret]

I don’t know about Pickford’s “great distribution” - I think he’s an accident waiting to happen.

I confidently predict that if he plays in the World Cup the way he played last night, he will give a stupid goal away, either caught in possession or with a mis-placed pass.

Clearly Southgate has been heavily influenced by Guardiola this season. I fear that he’s going to learn the hard way that if you want to play like a Guardiola team, you need Guardiola’s players.

[Paul Waine]

Butland is a certainty for Tuesday.
The only chance our lads have of making the final squad is through injury to others.
At least they have had the experience of training with the best English players.

From Giles Smith's column in today Sports section of The Times:

England manager Gareth Southgate has banned a Starbucks café in the team hotel at St George’s Park from serving food to his players. According to ESPN, the staff have been told not to serve syrup in the players’ cappuccinos as well.’ (News report.)

My week, by Marek the Starbucks barista
Monday
Mandi, my manager, wants to know that I’ll be OK picking out the England players from the rest of our guests. I say I’m sure I’ll recognise them. She says, “Really? There’s one or two from Burnley in there this time . . .” I say I’ll be fine: the tracksuits normally help.

**********************

I'd rather have the two Clarets in the squad. It shows how much they have progressed and the team has progressed. It would be a bit surprising if they were straight into the team, friendly or otherwise.

Maybe Nick Pope will be working on his distribution and become a master at playing out from the back.

Maybe James Tarkowski will prove himself very skilled at playing in a back three. If so, it will give the club a few more options.

UTC

[jdrobbo]

Regardless of throwing one in against Leicester a month ago, Butland, for me, has been England's best goalkeeper for over two years now. All keepers make mistakes. He's a tremendous keeper.

Of course we all want Pope to play, but it really does appear that a lot of the viewing at present, is coming through Claret and blue tinted specs.

[triadclaret]

I think Southgate's inclusion of Tarks and Pope in this squad is nothing more than recognition for the tremendous advances they have made in the course of a single season for the most surprising team in the EPL. I respect him massively for integrating players having massive seasons for they're teams into the setup. Players for the 'future". Nothing more. No chance for WC. Will both get minutes Tuesday though. Harr won't. He there for the "kids" is all. Gets too much stick. Class guy. Skills diminished in the modern game. UTC

[mdd2]

Well I agree that both Pickford and Butland have been far better at distributing the ball this season than Pope especially from the back of their net to the centre spot.

[scouseclaret]

All keepers make mistakes, but I think it’s making very few that marks out the best, even more than the great saves.

In that respect, the Opta stays show that pope is the only one of the four keepers selected not to have made a mistake leading to a goal this season.

In fact, can anyone remember the last time we conceded due to an obvious goalkeeping howler at Burnley?

[Ashingtonclaret46]

Well I agree that both Pickford and Butland have been far better at distributing the ball this season than Pope especially from the back of their net to the centre spot.

Behave yourself --you're old enough to know better!

[Bin Ont Turf]

Sorry to be old fashioned but I like my goalkeeper to 'keep goal'.

How many goalkeepers have been played in other positions outfield because of their great 'distribution'?

[Rickers Twickers]

Neither the Pope or Tarkowski were first choices when they arrived at Turf Moor - both bided their time and are now established in the first team.

So it was always unlikely that they would feature in the starting XI of their first squad. Pope has never experienced international football at any level so will certainly benefit from a few days in and around the set up. As will Tarky.

If they both continue to make progress then their chance will surely come.

[Spike]

I don’t know about Pickford’s “great distribution” - I think he’s an accident waiting to happen.

I confidently predict that if he plays in the World Cup the way he played last night, he will give a stupid goal away, either caught in possession or with a mis-placed pass.

Clearly Southgate has been heavily influenced by Guardiola this season. I fear that he’s going to learn the hard way that if you want to play like a Guardiola team, you need Guardiola’s players.

I’ve only seen him twice this season and admittedly against top seven teams both times. Both times he looked shaken and ended up on the losing side

[FactualFrank]

Pickford looked like he was under so much pressure. And he didn't look at all comfortable when he had the ball. Everything he did looked like he was shaking like a shitting dog, in case he messed up. But that in itself could be a big test that he passed.