Ok so now we have seen these two build up friendlies of the selected players what is your starting eleven vs Croatia.

I am sticking to the 4231 formation we seem to have adopted.
I am also basing it on the fact that Maguire is injured.

Pickford
Walker, Stones, Coady, Shaw
Rice, Bellingham
Rashford, Grealish, Foden
Kane

Pickford

Walker Stones Maguire Chilwell

Rice Henderson

Foden Mount Grealish

Kane

Let those three behind Kane do whatever they want.

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire Chilwell
Mount Rice
Foden Grealish Sterling
Kane

If Maguire is injured, no way I'd trust Coady in a back 2, I like Ben White not sure if he's gonna replace TAA, if not I'd go Mings.

KRBFC wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:04 pm

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire Chilwell
Mount Rice
Foden Grealish Sterling
Kane

If Maguire is injured, no way I'd trust Coady in a back 2, I like Ben White not sure if he's gonna replace TAA, if not I'd go Mings.

I was going to go with Mings but just think Coady is a bit more vocal and I think Stones benefits from that.

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:07 pm

I was going to go with Mings but just think Coady is a bit more vocal and I think Stones benefits from that.

Coady is a midfielder really, always has been, fits in a back 3 though.

Johnstone
James, Stones, Coady, Chilwell
Philips, Henderson
Mount, Grealish, Sterling
Kane

I don't know, and neither does Gareth

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire (Coady if not fit) Shaw
Rice Bellingham (Henderson if deemed fit enough)
Foden Mount Rashford
Kane

Very very harsh on Grealish and I do want him in there but at the same time I feel Rashford’s Pace is an asset that a three of Foden Mount Grealish doesn’t give us - and Mount and Foden’s recent club form ensures they start.

I'll be surprised if Henderson (Jordan) or maguire feature in the Croatia game so.

Pickford
James Stones Coady Shaw
Rice Mount Foden
Saka (if fit) Kane Rashford (I suppose) his form hasn't been great, but he does offer pace, and hopefully his goal today will give him renewed confidence.

Given Henderson looks to be lacking match sharpness and the player to be called up isn’t confirmed (I’d take ward-prowse)
Maguire also probably unfit so
I’d go with this against Croatia :

Pickford
Walker Stones Mings( ) Shaw
—— Rice —
——Ward-Prowse Mount —

Foden————Kane———Grealish


What I think Southgate will do -

Pickford
Trippier Walker Stones Mings Shaw
——————Rice———Mount————-
Foden——————Kane————Sterling

Something like that

KRBFC wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:04 pm

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire Chilwell
Mount Rice
Foden Grealish Sterling
Kane

If Maguire is injured, no way I'd trust Coady in a back 2, I like Ben White not sure if he's gonna replace TAA, if not I'd go Mings.

I agree with your CB assessment. Happy with 8 of your 11 but I'd go James and Shaw at full back and I just can't pick Sterling based on the season he's had. I'd go Rashford but I appreciate his form is also a bit iffy.

If the thread count on here gets to 50, i doubt very much anyone will get it right...

I think he’ll go Walker at centre back again

Really hope Maguire is fit. He’s hardly Ferdinand or Terry but if he saves us from Mings blundering around with that permanently confused look on his face, then I’ll take that.

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire
James........................ Shaw

......... Rice... Hendo

Stirling............................ Rashford
.................... Kane......
That's the team I think will play, IN NO Way the team I would play

Pickford

Trippier
Stones
Coady
Shaw

Rice
Bellingham

Foden
Grealish
Rashford

Kane

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire Shaw
Rice Phillips
Mount Foden Grealish
Kane

Assuming Maguire can’t play (straight in for Coady if he can):

———————————Pickford
—————Walker———Coady——Stones
—Trippier——Rice—————Mount——-Chilwell
————Foden————Kane————Grealish

Pickford (Just because he has tournament experience)
James Stones Maguire Chilwell (If Maguire is injured, White. Anyone but Mings)
Mount Bellingham (I'd pick Henderson but he isn't match fit)
Foden Grealish Sterling
Kane

I’ve only watched Bellingham a handful of times admittedly, in my eyes, he doesn’t look ready to start. Got to be Rice/Henderson/Phillips/Mount.

Don’t believe we need to play 2 holding midfielders so would play Mount and Rice for me.

Any GK

Tripps Stones Maguire Chilwell

Rice Mount

Foden Bellingham Sancho

Kane


Henderson Rashford and Sterling are too inconsistant
Mabe its jus me but i think Grealish is massively overrated and is on the floor way too much

My XI Would be.

Pickford

-----Walker-----Stones-----White

James-----Rice-----Mount-----Shaw

Foden----------Kane----------Rashford

You know Southgate's gonna pick Pickford, Maguire (if fit), Henderson, Rashford and Sterling. He has his favourites, current form/fitness be damned.

Banks
Wilson Moore J Charlton Cohen
Stiles
Peters R Charlton Ball
Hunt Hurst

We might have a chance then.

The only way we are going to win this tournament is if we attack teams, as our defence isn't good enough.

So by that rationale, Foden, Mount and Grealish need to be in the 1st team, as each are match winners and flexible in their positional play. This would allow us to switch between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 fairly easily.

Then you have Sterling and Rashford to come off the bench with their pace.

I'd go with

Pickford (unfortunately)

Walker----------Stones----------Maguire----------Shaw

-------------------Henderson----------Rice---------------

----------Grealish---------Mount----------Foden-------

-----------------------------Kane---------------------------

If Henderson and Maguire aren't fit I'd play Walker CB and play Trippier RB, and maybe play Bellingham instead of Henderson, or even Mount in there.

It's a strange one because he is waiting on fitness with a couple of players:-

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire (If fit, otherwise Coady) Shaw
Rice Henderson (If fit, otherwise Phillips)
Mount Foden Grealish
Kane

Johnstone
Trippier Stones Maguire Chilwell
Bellingham Mount Foden
Sancho Kane Grealish
Go for it !!

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:14 pm

Very very harsh on Grealish and I do want him in there but at the same time I feel Rashford’s Pace is an asset...

Rashfords pace isn't in doubt, but he's been pretty poor lately, overall.

For me, Grealish is practically the only one, in a sea of mediocrity, who can produce the flair to unlock defences.

He has to play for me, we can always change things around if it ain't working.

I will be amazed if Southgate doesn't pick Sterling for the first game. Everything he has done since getting the job tells me Sterling starts.

Not sure he can play White either, due to him being weak he picked a squad with 4 right backs as he wasn't brave enough to leave one out, picking someone to play who wasn't in the original 26 would be him admitting he was wrong.

I expect him to play 5 at the back with Maguire being out.

Pickford

James Stones Coady MIngs Shaw

Rice Mount

Foden (or Rashford) Kane Sterling

My team would be:

Pickford

James Stones White Shaw

Rice Mount

Foden Grealish Rashford

Kane



Southgate will probably pick....

Pickford

Stones Coady Mings

James Rice Mount Shaw

Sterling Kane Rashford

Gordaleman wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 07, 2021 11:54 am

Banks
Wilson Moore J Charlton Cohen
Stiles
Peters R Charlton Ball
Hunt Hurst

We might have a chance then.

Nah.. won't win anything much with that team!

-----------------------​Pickford-----------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
--------------White--------------Coady---------------------
James----------------------------------------------Chilwell
-------------------------Rice---------------------------------
---------------Mount------------Grealish-------------------
--------Foden--------------------------------Rashford-----
-------------------------Kane--------------------------------

I'm surprised to see so many suggestions with Coady playing in a back 4. I don't reckon we'll see him unless we're playing a back 3.

aggi wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:48 pm

I'm surprised to see so many suggestions with Coady playing in a back 4. I don't reckon we'll see him unless we're playing a back 3.

I think’ like me, many are picking the team they’d like to see not the team they expect to see

aggi wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:48 pm

I'm surprised to see so many suggestions with Coady playing in a back 4. I don't reckon we'll see him unless we're playing a back 3.

Rather him than Mings. Now White has been called up I’d rather him than both of them.

Pickford
Walker Stones White Chilwell
Rice Phillips
Mount
Sancho Kane Grealish

Swap Maguire and Henderson for White and Phillips when fit.

Fascinating how many different combo’s we see in these kind of threads.

Personally I think he’s got to fit Foden and Grealish in and maybe Mount. Those players can open up any opposition.

Kane needs to be told to stay out of the way and lead the line.

If he plays a back 3 he doesn’t need two sitting in my opinion, maybe does if it’s a back 4.

So

Pickford
Walker
Stones
Maguire (White)
Chilwell

Rice
Henderson (Phillips or Bellingham)

Foden
Grealish
Mount/Sterling

Kane

assuming Maguire is out injured

Johnstone
Chilwell
Stones
Mings (just to see if he is as over rated as I think he is)
James
Rice
Bellingham
Foden
Grealish
Rashford or Mount, not bothered
Kane

Southgateout

In absence of Henderson we have too many attacking midfielders and defensive ones, but nothing inbetween.
Don't think we can afford to play against good opposition without having more balance in midfield, we certainly can't afford to play 3 creative midfielders at the same time without getting hammered due to lack of work rate.

Assuming Maguire and Henderson are both unfit:

I'd go with:

---------------Chilwell
---------------Stones-----Bellingham
Pickford----Mings------Phillips-----Sterling----Kane
---------------Walker-----Rice
---------------Trippier

Or I'd go traditional 442 minus Mings and Phillips, bringing Sancho and Rashford on to the wing and tell them to cover like crazy.

Not a fan of Grealish, falls over buying the foul too often which is useless for us as we're pretty bad at set pieces.

superdimitri wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 08, 2021 2:59 am

In absence of Henderson we have too many attacking midfielders and defensive ones, but nothing inbetween.
Don't think we can afford to play against good opposition without having more balance in midfield, we certainly can't afford to play 3 creative midfielders at the same time without getting hammered due to lack of work rate.

Assuming Maguire and Henderson are both unfit:

I'd go with:

---------------Chilwell
---------------Stones-----Bellingham
Pickford----Mings------Phillips-----Sterling----Kane
---------------Walker-----Rice
---------------Trippier

Or I'd go traditional 442 minus Mings and Phillips, bringing Sancho and Rashford on to the wing and tell them to cover like crazy.

Not a fan of Grealish, falls over buying the foul too often which is useless for us as we're pretty bad at set pieces.

lack or work rate with Mount and Foden ?? You have got to be kidding, you don't play for Guardiola or Tuchel unless you work your socks off every game

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 08, 2021 3:18 am

lack or work rate with Mount and Foden ?? You have got to be kidding, you don't play for Guardiola or Tuchel unless you work your socks off every game

Haven't seen much with Foden, but they are both very attacking players. Just don't see fitting 3 attacking midfielders in the team working against good opposition.

Perhaps Foden is able to play box to box, not sure.

Henderson
James, Maguire, stone, chilwell
Rice, Bellingham
Foden, mount, Grealish
Kane

The worrying thing is that you all put Stones in the team!

That's one down before kick off!

Shows the defensive fallibility.

No one would give him house room before and now he is the only option!

I wouldn't want him at Burnley! We have proper defenders!

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:39 am

The worrying thing is that you all put Stones in the team!

That's one down before kick off!

Shows the defensive fallibility.

No one would give him house room before and now he is the only option!

I wouldn't want him at Burnley! We have proper defenders!

Hahahaha PROPER Up The Clarets post this.

Same Stones that’s just been named in PFA team of the season and key part of a City defense that kept the most clean sheets and conceded the fewest goals all season - but not good enough for 17th place team or England.

That's the one RV.
Recently been making those mistakes again....you know, the costly ones.

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:45 pm

That's the one RV.
Recently been making those mistakes again....you know, the costly ones.

I just do not understand this view that our defenders don’t make mistakes. How many times did players run over 40 yards at our defence and score this season.

In all seriousness any of our defenders would get destroyed at bigger clubs.

Keane makes stones look like Maldini in an progressive team

superdimitri wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 08, 2021 3:25 am

Haven't seen much with Foden, but they are both very attacking players. Just don't see fitting 3 attacking midfielders in the team working against good opposition.

Perhaps Foden is able to play box to box, not sure.

that's it though, we worry too much about the opposition

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:57 pm

that's it though, we worry too much about the opposition

Must admit I was very much of the opinion he was over hyped. Then watched 4-5 city games and he was absolutely immense. One of the best young players I have ever seen. Got to start at the Euros.

Pickford
James Walker Stones Mings Chillwell
Mount Henderson Rice
Sterling Kane

I'm Gareth and will be ultra cautious!

Pickford

Trippier
James
Stones
Shaw
Chilwell

Mount
Bellingham

Grealish
Foden
Kane