England - the future....

[WestYorksRoyal]

I don't know if anyone watched the FA Cup semi finals, but Wharton absolutely bossed the midfield against an excellent Villa side. We've seen a lot of top English talent emerge over the place decade, but Wharton is the biggest game changer of all for me. A natural defensive midfielder who can make progressive passes, control possession and set the tempo, which top international teams seem to need and which England have never had. Also stops Rice being misused as a holding midfielder when he has elevated himself to another level in a box to box role.

I get last year's Euros were a bit soon for him, and in Tuchel's first squad he was barely back from 4 months out. But if he's not playing at the base of England's midfield in the post season internationals,just sack Tuchel already and bring in someone who can see what is obvious.

[BRO_BOT]

I don't know if anyone watched the FA Cup semi finals, but Wharton absolutely bossed the midfield against an excellent Villa side. We've seen a lot of top English talent emerge over the place decade, but Wharton is the biggest game changer of all for me. A natural defensive midfielder who can make progressive passes, control possession and set the tempo, which top international teams seem to need and which England have never had. Also stops Rice being misused as a holding midfielder when he has elevated himself to another level in a box to box role.

I get last year's Euros were a bit soon for him, and in Tuchel's first squad he was barely back from 4 months out. But if he's not playing at the base of England's midfield in the post season internationals,just sack Tuchel already and bring in someone who can see what is obvious.

Carrick

[Snowflake Royal]

I don't know if anyone watched the FA Cup semi finals, but Wharton absolutely bossed the midfield against an excellent Villa side. We've seen a lot of top English talent emerge over the place decade, but Wharton is the biggest game changer of all for me. A natural defensive midfielder who can make progressive passes, control possession and set the tempo, which top international teams seem to need and which England have never had. Also stops Rice being misused as a holding midfielder when he has elevated himself to another level in a box to box role.

I get last year's Euros were a bit soon for him, and in Tuchel's first squad he was barely back from 4 months out. But if he's not playing at the base of England's midfield in the post season internationals,just sack Tuchel already and bring in someone who can see what is obvious.

Carrick

You're funny

[BRO_BOT]

I don't know if anyone watched the FA Cup semi finals, but Wharton absolutely bossed the midfield against an excellent Villa side. We've seen a lot of top English talent emerge over the place decade, but Wharton is the biggest game changer of all for me. A natural defensive midfielder who can make progressive passes, control possession and set the tempo, which top international teams seem to need and which England have never had. Also stops Rice being misused as a holding midfielder when he has elevated himself to another level in a box to box role.

I get last year's Euros were a bit soon for him, and in Tuchel's first squad he was barely back from 4 months out. But if he's not playing at the base of England's midfield in the post season internationals,just sack Tuchel already and bring in someone who can see what is obvious.

Carrick

You're funny

The tempo setter of a team that made 3 CL Final appearances in 4 years

The English midfielders in the 2008 final were Carrick, Scholes, and Hargreaves (& Lampard). It always baffles me that in the Elite Club Cup tournament final England was represented by

Brown, Rio, Terry, Cole
Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves
J.Cole, Rooney, Lampard

but they couldn't even qualify for the 2008 Euros

[stealthpapes]

... because they didn't play those players, in that system.

2008 was the final whimper of the golden generation but even then, this is the starting XI that lost to Croatia

Carson
Richards Campbell Lescott Bridge
Wright-Phillips Gerrard Barry Lampard J.Cole
Crouch

Rooney was injured, Scholes long retired, it was Beckham coming on as sub that helped England back into game, a lot of the rest of it screams B-team.

[stealthpapes]

As ever, you can have all the headline players but international football is often about the systems, the strength in depth and players being intelligent enough to adapt.

Southgate got much of that correct and that's why England did so much better under his management.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Latest England squad seems a bit Chelsea heavy.

[Sanguine]

Fran Kirby has retired from England duty after not making the squad. But with Earps quitting too, and now Millie Bright making herself 'unavailable for selection for health reasons', when do questions start to be asked about the health of Wiegman's management in general? What's going on?

[Sutekh]

Really not convinced by the England line up. Looking forward to the usual struggle to beat cr@p like Andorra.

[Ascotexgunner]

I have to say Southgateball made England look like Brazil 70 compared to Tuschball dross.

[Sutekh]

I have to say Southgateball made England look like Brazil 70 compared to Tuschball dross.

No helped by playing Henderson, it’s ******* Andorra not Spain!

[Ascotexgunner]

I have to say Southgateball made England look like Brazil 70 compared to Tuschball dross.

No helped by playing Henderson, it’s ******* Andorra not Spain!

Oh my days.....only just noticed him on the pitch....... How on earth is he in the squad? This is supposed to be a new era.......

[WestYorksRoyal]

Bring back Southgate.

[Snowflake Royal]

[Royal Rother]

The lack of energy and urgency Tuchel keeps referring to after England games should be telling him something.

He needs to select different players who are hungry to play for their country and prepared to put the hard yards in. There are plenty out there.

I think Roy Keane said Kane looked shattered out there - fact is, as Captain he sets the tone on the pitch to an extent and he ALWAYS looks shattered playing for England.

[Carnabyswhiskers]

Baffling selections. Why two sitting midfielders v Andorra? Why was one of them the appalling Henderson? Why was Reece James played out of position on the left, when Curtis Jones was played out of his position in his place?
Positive to be taken : Albania and Serbia drew 0-0 in the other game in the group. However poor we have looked so far, we are well placed to qualify.

[6ft Kerplunk]

I think Roy Keane said Kane looked shattered out there - fact is, as Captain he sets the tone on the pitch to an extent and he ALWAYS looks shattered playing for England.

Maybe he should stop trying to be a box to box midfielder and stick to being where a centre forward should be. Save his legs a bit.

[Sutekh]

I think Roy Keane said Kane looked shattered out there - fact is, as Captain he sets the tone on the pitch to an extent and he ALWAYS looks shattered playing for England.

Maybe he should stop trying to be a box to box midfielder and stick to being where a centre forward should be. Save his legs a bit.

Perhaps he’s got a manager telling him to be a box to box midfielder?

[6ft Kerplunk]

I think Roy Keane said Kane looked shattered out there - fact is, as Captain he sets the tone on the pitch to an extent and he ALWAYS looks shattered playing for England.

Maybe he should stop trying to be a box to box midfielder and stick to being where a centre forward should be. Save his legs a bit.

Perhaps he’s got a manager telling him to be a box to box midfielder?

Then his manager shouldn't be in the job or maybe tell one of the midfielders to take the centre forward position when Kane goes walkabout. At this stage of his career Kane should be saving as much of his energy as possible and using it where he's most effective in and around the penalty area scoring goals.

[Sutekh]

Maybe he should stop trying to be a box to box midfielder and stick to being where a centre forward should be. Save his legs a bit.

Perhaps he’s got a manager telling him to be a box to box midfielder?

Then his manager shouldn't be in the job or maybe tell one of the midfielders to take the centre forward position when Kane goes walkabout. At this stage of his career Kane should be saving as much of his energy as possible and using it where he's most effective in and around the penalty area scoring goals.

Quite agree, somewhat akin to the ludicrous situation where we previously had some idiot in the England set up putting him on corner duty