The Three Lions

Shaw well deserved.

Rest of the squad looks really poor tbh. Finishing 4th at the WC was great but we need to replace half this squad for the euros.

That midfield...

One goal scorer in the entire squad...

Yeah, the WC made me forget how poor the England pool is. That is a dismal, dismal squad. Juan Mata would be worshiped like a god in that squad.

A sign that the back three is here to say is how the u21s are lining up tonight:

Henderson; Konsa, Fry, Chilwell; Wan-Bissaka, Onomah, Cook, Sessegnon; Gray, Calvert-Lewin, Maddison

They've even got a full back playing centre back.

Also the most English sounding midfield I've ever seen.

England's team against Spain:

Pickford; Gomez, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Alli, Henderson, Lingard, Shaw; Rashford, Kane

So how was the performance? Similar to what we saw at the WC or better?

better from what i saw, you guys are unlucky not to have drawn. Rashford with some pieces of garbage finishing and the ref robbed u a goal late.

i can see this coach doing wonders for yanited

I thought we worked the ball better on counter-attacks instead of just playing it long down the side and hope someone ran onto it.

But there were still problems. The midfield of Henderson, Lingard and Alli was ineffective in possession and caved to any sort of pressure from Spain. The final pass in the final third was often rushed or overhit. Kane was a ghost. Shaw, for all his influence going forward, was a mess when he had any defending to do.

We also had problems with quick switches of play, just as we did vs Croatia. This shape isn't providing enough cover on the flanks against good possession sides and I hope Southgate considers changing to a 3-4-3 against them.

Jay29 wrote:I thought we worked the ball better on counter-attacks instead of just playing it long down the side and hope someone ran onto it.

But there were still problems. The midfield of Henderson, Lingard and Alli was ineffective in possession and caved to any sort of pressure from Spain. The final pass in the final third was often rushed or overhit. Kane was a ghost. Shaw, for all his influence going forward, was a mess when he had any defending to do.

We also had problems with quick switches of play, just as we did vs Croatia. This shape isn't providing enough cover on the flanks against good possession sides and I hope Southgate considers changing to a 3-4-3 against them.

Maybe: ?


Ox would be a good upgrade in this midfield if he wasn't injured tbh. Also Milner if he didn't retire from the NT.

Ben Chilwell and Demarai Gray have been added to the squad for the friendly against Switzerland.

Chilwell replaces Shaw, who returns to United on Monday.

Team for the Switzerland friendly:

Butland; Walker, Tarkowski, Maguire; Alexander-Arnold, Loftus-Cheek, Dier, Delph, Rose; Rashford, Welbeck

As always: the midfield

England squad for games against Croatia and Spain:

Keepers: Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland, Marcus Bettinelli, Alex McCarthy

Defenders: John Stones, James Tarkowski, Harry Maguire, Joe Gomez, Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Luke Shaw

Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Nathaniel Chalobah, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, Harry Winks, James Maddison, Jadon Sancho

Forwards: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck, Raheem Sterling

First call-ups for Mount, Maddison and Sancho, and good to see Chalobah and Winks returning to the squad. Surprised that Will Hughes wasn't called up as well.

Jay29 wrote:England squad for games against Croatia and Spain:

Keepers: Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland, Marcus Bettinelli, Alex McCarthy

Defenders: John Stones, James Tarkowski, Harry Maguire, Joe Gomez, Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Luke Shaw

Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Nathaniel Chalobah, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, Harry Winks, James Maddison, Jadon Sancho

Forwards: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck, Raheem Sterling

First call-ups for Mount, Maddison and Sancho, and good to see Chalobah and Winks returning to the squad. Surprised that Will Hughes wasn't called up as well.

thought we played spain the other week

We did. This is the reverse fixture for the Nations League.

In fact, England could be relegated if they don't win these two games.

Wele in the squad again, Tony Gale and Deeney must be fuming.

England u21s playing Andorra tonight and have a nice looking team out:

Henderson; Kenny, Fry, Fonsa, Walker-Peters; Foden, Cook, Davies; Sessegnon, Calvert-Lewin, Lookman

Reiss Nelson on the bench.

Lookman scores

Just saw he has 5 goals in 11 apps for RB Leicester. Insane. Should be talked about as much as Sancho

A shame he didn't get his permanent move there because they seemed to rate him higher than Everton do.

Apparently, it'll be a 4-3-3 tonight.

Pickford; Walker, Maguire, Stones, Chillwell; Henderson, Dier, Barkley; Rashford, Kane, Sterling

The 3-5-2 served us decently at the WC, but given a lot of our best young talent atm is in midfield and on the flanks, a 4-3-3 makes a lot of sense. Easier to fit Maddison, Mount, Sancho, etc. into this shape than the 3-5-2.

Is that the player Leipzig were desperate to sign? He's at Leicester now?

Hapless_Hans wrote:Is that the player Leipzig were desperate to sign? He's at Leicester now?

I thought it was everton?

I believe RG is calling Leipzig Leicester lol. He's still at Everton.

Can't believe how bad it is to watch a match without crowd noise.

Some England fans have camped atop a cliff to watch the game. Apparently they had nothing better to do with their Friday night.

Dull game so far. Both teams passing it about but not making any shots at all. Haven't seen Barkley or Rashford on the ball.

Very difficult to keep watching and not do something else.

For some reason I thought Maguire was good. Turns out, he isn't really.

He was never great. He is solid. A player whose level is Leicester and at best Spurs.

I forget how much City paid for Walker but surely it was too much.