Euro 2024

[jrgbfc]

Branthwaite must be going, otherwise would leave us with the injury prone Stones, Guehi and Dunk as centre backs, unless i'm forgetting someone.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Branthwaite must be going, otherwise would leave us with the injury prone Stones, Guehi and Dunk as centre backs, unless i'm forgetting someone.

Rumours that Branthwaite is out too, both he and an not fully fit are better than Dunk.

[equinox]

Obviously down to my ignorance but if I saw Guehi in the bread Isle at Morrisons I wouldn't have a clue who he was.

Doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the squad like, just saying.

[bumba]

Branthwaite must be going, otherwise would leave us with the injury prone Stones, Guehi and Dunk as centre backs, unless i'm forgetting someone.

Dunk has been terrible for England, glad Maguire is out but I'd still take him half fit over Dunk.
If Branthwaite is out and Dunk in then Southgate has had a shocker.
Grealish out for Bowen isn't right either, Grealish is class he offers something different.

[Vegas Claret]

Maguire must be down to injury? Bit surprised about Grealish as well.

Grealish is the poster child for someone going backwards under Pep. He used to take people on for fun and now all he does is play it backwards, I'm not sure if that's under instruction but I'm not surprised in the slightest that he's been left out.

[matttheclaret]

Branthwaite must be going, otherwise would leave us with the injury prone Stones, Guehi and Dunk as centre backs, unless i'm forgetting someone.

Stones, Gomez, Guehi, Konsa and Dunk the cb options

[claretonthecoast1882]

It isn't beyond Southgate to take 3 right backs to the tournament, play Walker at centre half, Trippier at left back, TAA in midfield and put Konsa at right back

[theduke]

That defence and midfield looks really, really average

[equinox]

Can we presume Shaw is going then?

In which case, although personally I'd go 3 at the back with wing backs, I wouldn't be against a back 4 of:

Trippier......Walker..........Stones..........Shaw.......

[jrgbfc]

Grealish is the poster child for someone going backwards under Pep. He used to take people on for fun and now all he does is play it backwards, I'm not sure if that's under instruction but I'm not surprised in the slightest that he's been left out.

Yeah i think a move would do him good. Pep's safety first, play like a robot style doesn't suit him.

[equinox]

That defence and midfield looks really, really average

Compared to what, the Ajax team in 1971?

[Vegas Claret]

Yeah i think a move would do him good. Pep's safety first, play like a robot style doesn't suit him.

It's a weird one, we know Pep is obsessed with keeping the ball but he plays Doku who gives it away a lot but takes players one. They paid 100 million for Grealish to play 10 yard backwards passes - he absolutely needs to move.

[ecc]

Compared to what, the Ajax team in 1971?

What exactly is that supposed to mean?

[bumba]

That defence and midfield looks really, really average

That's the thing though it really is bang average compared to other nations, people say our squad is miles ahead of the rest. We've got players in the starting 11 that wouldn't even make the France squad they are miles ahead of us.
We could be calling on Gallagher and Dunk with Trippier at left back
France's quality is frightening we've no chance.

[equinox]

What exactly is that supposed to mean?

It's far from average.

[equinox]

That's the thing though it really is bang average compared to other nations, people say our squad is miles ahead of the rest. We've got players in the starting 11 that wouldn't even make the France squad they are miles ahead of us.
We could be calling on Gallagher and Dunk with Trippier at left back
France's quality is frightening we've no chance.

You are presuming that the other nations are strong based on past reputation.

[Roosterbooster]

The seven England players expected to miss out on the Euro 2024 squad are: Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire, James Maddison, Jarrad Branthwaite, James Trafford, Curtis Jones and Jarrell Quansah.

I dont understand the thinking at all

Grealish in the preliminary squad. Gets brought on. Plays well. Then dropped. He didn't do himself any harm with his performance. So if he wasn't going to be picked, why bother playing him at all? Seems completely illogical to me

I'm disappointed that Dunk goes over Branthwaite. I think he's our future, and would have been brilliant looking forwards. Dunk is just a backwards step

[Vegas Claret]

I dont understand the thinking at all

Grealish in the preliminary squad. Gets brought on. Plays well. Then dropped. He didn't do himself any harm with his performance. So if he wasn't going to be picked, why bother playing him at all? Seems completely illogical to me

I'm disappointed that Dunk goes over Branthwaite. I think he's our future, and would have been brilliant looking forwards. Dunk is just a backwards step

Dunk makes plenty of mistakes, not that it matters in the slightest but I don't rate him at all

[ecc]

So Ajax circa 1971 could defend?

[bumba]

You are presuming that the other nations are strong based on past reputation.

No I'm basing it on the squads France, Germany and Spain have picked for Euro 2024.
Haven't even looked at the rest there's no point.

[equinox]

No I'm basing it on the squads France, Germany and Spain have picked for Euro 2024.
Haven't even looked at the rest there's no point.

You think our squad compared those nations...is average?

[Big Vinny K]

That defence and midfield looks really, really average

Midfield looks average ?
Bellingham
Rice
Foden
Saka
Palmer
Eze
Grealish
Alexander Arnold
Bowen
Wharton
Etc

Which country in the world has a better midfield and strength in depth in that area of the pitch than England ?

[bumba]

Midfield looks average ?
Bellingham
Rice
Foden
Saka
Palmer
Eze
Grealish
Alexander Arnold
Bowen
Wharton
Etc

Which country in the world has a better midfield and strength in depth in that area of the pitch than England ?

Grealish isn't going, Saka, Palmer, Bellingham, Bowen, Eze and Foden are all going as forwards.

The midfield is Trent, Rice, Gallagher, Wharton and Mainoo.

It's not a patch on some other squads

[dannyonclarets]

Bumba talking absolute bumba as usual.

If he knew anything at all about football he'd be dangerous!

[bumba]

Bumba talking absolute bumba as usual.

If he knew anything at all about football he'd be dangerous!

Look at the squad lists Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and France all have better defences than ours and most have a better midfield than ours.

Come on Wharton and Mainoo are top prospects but they don't make any of those squads, Gallagher wouldn't even make the discussion for those squads, Trent is a right back we've only Rice who would make any of those squads.

Defence we've Stones and Walker. None of the others make those squads of those nations mentioned.
If you saw any football outside the premier league you'd understand

[Winstonswhite]

I agree there’s a lot of averageness.

Regardless of Southgate or the tactics he deploys, those supposed “world class” forwards we’ve got - Foden Kane Bellingham- should go out and prove it with lots of goals.

[ecc]

Difficult to argue that any other country has a better choice of midfielders than England. But go for it.

[ArmchairDetective]

Maguire and Grealish would certainly have been in my squad picked from the comfort of my armchair. Assume both of those players are shocked at their exclusion. But then I've not been in and around the training camp for the past couple of weeks. Must be good reasons to exclude. Maybe they're not too surprised at the decision.

[RVclaret]

Maguire is injured.

[bumba]

Difficult to argue that any other country has a better choice of midfielders than England. But go for it.

Portugal - Paulinha, Neves, Bruno, Vitinha

France - Kante, Camavinga, Rabiot, tchouameni, Zaire-Emery, Griezman

Germany - Gundogen, Musiala, Goretzka, Sane, Wirtz, Pavlovic

Spain - Rodri, Pedri, Llorente, Zubimendi

Netherlands - De Jong, Wijnaldum, Koopmeiners, Reijnders, Simons

England - so Gallagher, Wharton and Mainoo are above all those players above?

[NottsClaret]

Portugal - Paulinha, Neves, Bruno, Vitinha

France - Kante, Camavinga, Rabiot, tchouameni, Zaire-Emery, Griezman

Germany - Gundogen, Musiala, Goretzka, Sane, Wirtz, Pavlovic

Spain - Rodri, Pedri, Llorente, Zubimendi

Netherlands - De Jong, Wijnaldum, Koopmeiners, Reijnders, Simons

England - so Gallagher, Wharton and Mainoo are above all those players above?

I actually agree our squad isn't as strong as some think, defence is particularly weak outside of Stones and Walker.

But if you're including the likes of Sane here as a midfielder, I reckon we could have Foden down as one too.

[bumba]

I actually agree our squad isn't as strong as some think, defence is particularly weak outside of Stones and Walker.

But if you're including the likes of Sane here as a midfielder, I reckon we could have Foden down as one too.

I agree but I'm just going off what they are down as in the final squad lists.

Classing Trent as a midfielder because he's down as a midfielder for us but personally class him as a right back same as I'd class Bellingham as a midfielder but we're taking him as a forward.

[BurnleyFC]

Stones, Gomez, Guehi, Konsa and Dunk the cb options

Frightening and nowhere near strong enough.

[gandhisflipflop]

Grealish isn't going, Saka, Palmer, Bellingham, Bowen, Eze and Foden are all going as forwards.

The midfield is Trent, Rice, Gallagher, Wharton and Mainoo.

It's not a patch on some other squads

Rice Bellingham and foden will be the midfield 3 and there isn’t a side with a better midfield than that.

[wilks_bfc]

There can’t have been many England squads where the most represented team (Crystal Palace) isn’t from the “top 6”

[bumba]

Rice Bellingham and foden will be the midfield 3 and there isn’t a side with a better midfield than that.

It'd be my three but it won't be England's three

[NottsClaret]

Irrelevant now, but the best centre half performance by an Englishman this season came from Eric Dier. Is a half fit Lewis Dunk better than him? Are Konsa and Guehi?

[bumba]

Irrelevant now, but the best centre half performance by an Englishman this season came from Eric Dier. Is a half fit Lewis Dunk better than him? Are Konsa and Guehi?

Fringe players are forgotten about abroad, Tomori is a better centre half than Konsa, Guehi and Dunk he's playing for AC Milan but doesn't make the squad likewise Loftus-Cheek at AC Milan played well this season and he's better in midfield than Trent or Gallagher

[Big Vinny K]

Fringe players are forgotten about abroad, Tomori is a better centre half than Konsa, Guehi and Dunk he's playing for AC Milan but doesn't make the squad likewise Loftus-Cheek at AC Milan played well this season and he's better in midfield than Trent or Gallagher

QED

[bumba]

QED

Verum est

[exilecanada]

IMO it's a big mistake omitting Braithwaite. I've watched quite a few Everton games this past season and he's impressed most times. Being coached by Dyche and playing along side Tarky have helped his progress. Having said that I haven't seen much, if any, of the other CB's such as Dunk, Guehi or Konsa so maybe I'm a little bias.

As for Grealish. Sure he hasn't had a good season under Pep but he's experienced and has the talent to change a game. Maybe we would have been better off if Southgate had dropped one of the younger guys such as Wharton or Mainoo in favour of Grealish?

[Sproggy]

We’ve finally shaken off Henderson, Phillips and Maguire. Good. Now, if Southgate can remember which way is forward and plays our best players in their preferred positions, we have the players to have a good tournament and no double effing pivot.

I’m still expecting 3 right backs to start the first game though.

Let’s see if we have a go tomorrow.

[timshorts]

IMO it's a big mistake omitting Braithwaite. I've watched quite a few Everton games this past season and he's impressed most times. Being coached by Dyche and playing along side Tarky have helped his progress. Having said that I haven't seen much, if any, of the other CB's such as Dunk, Guehi or Konsa so maybe I'm a little bias.

As for Grealish. Sure he hasn't had a good season under Pep but he's experienced and has the talent to change a game. Maybe we would have been better off if Southgate had dropped one of the younger guys such as Wharton or Mainoo in favour of Grealish?

There's loads of players in the space grealish would play in. Southgate will play rice plus one of Wharton, mainoo or Gallagher. So if one didn't go, one got injured, there's no cover. You can't play liability Armstrong in that spot and expect to stay in the competition.
Trippier hasn't been much better this season either. He's been responsible for numerous goals. Still good going forward, mind.

[boyyanno]

We've got a strong squad no doubt but so do France, Germany and Spain. You've also got Italy (holders), Netherlands, Portugal and Belgium all with good squads.

Germany are my bet for it though with home advantage.

[Spijed]

Irrelevant now, but the best centre half performance by an Englishman this season came from Eric Dier. Is a half fit Lewis Dunk better than him? Are Konsa and Guehi?

The problem is that it's virtually impossible to play out from the back, and be a top class defender at the same time. That's what football has come to. If you want to play the "Pep" way then supporters have to accept the days of getting defenders as good as John Terry and Rio Ferdinand are over.

[Taffy on the wing]

I dont understand the thinking at all

Grealish in the preliminary squad. Gets brought on. Plays well. Then dropped. He didn't do himself any harm with his performance. So if he wasn't going to be picked, why bother playing him at all? Seems completely illogical to me

I'm disappointed that Dunk goes over Branthwaite. I think he's our future, and would have been brilliant looking forwards. Dunk is just a backwards step

Nothing Southgate does surprises me......the man's a Buffoon!

[dermotdermot]

Southgate seems to have been there forever.

[theduke]

Rice Bellingham and foden will be the midfield 3 and there isn’t a side with a better midfield than that.

So basically Rice playing in CM? Up against Camavinga and Touchmendi? They'd walk through it.Them 2 were kids in the last world cup and still dominated us.

[theduke]

Compared to what, the Ajax team in 1971?

Compared to others and past England midfields.

[beddie]

Never rated Gomez, still don’t.