The World Cup Thread

Would play this based on squad :

Pope

Walker Stones Cahill

Trent A-A Henderson Alli Young

Vardy Kane Sterling

a 343

Looks better now I've realised Nivea Man has missed out and is probably sobbing at home..

the midfield looks very pedestrian, lacking anyone there that will be able to link the play between midfield and attack, do something a bit different and change the tempo of the game.

Lots of good forwards and pace, but there is no David Silva or similar in there, no playmaker, which is why IMO it's odd that Wilshere has been left out, he's the best we had and he's probably played the most football this year than he has for 5 years, I think I saw he had 38 starts in all competitions this year.

Plus Lallana is only on the stand by.

The Ox missing is also a big gap as well.

Almost all the playmaking/creative midfield play is going to revolve on Dele Ali who tends to go missing, after that you have a load of defensive mids basically.

the midfield looks very pedestrian, lacking anyone there that will be able to link the play between midfield and attack, do something a bit different and change the tempo of the game.

 

Lots of good forwards and pace, but there is no David Silva or similar in there, no playmaker, which is why IMO it's odd that Wilshere has been left out, he's the best we had and he's probably played the most football this year than he has for 5 years, I think I saw he had 38 starts in all competitions this year.

 

Plus Lallana is only on the stand by.

 

The Ox missing is also a big gap as well.

 

Almost all the playmaking/creative midfield play is going to revolve on Dele Ali who tends to go missing, after that you have a load of defensive mids basically.

Also if you shut him out and he goes all "its my ball and I'm going home for MY TEA!!", and his fuse shortens, making him a liability against foreign players who at this level make being shot by the sniper in the floodlights a balletic art.

Stiil Henderson is the one who has me scratching my head, if he didn't play for Liverpool would he be anywhere near this squad?

Anyway at the end of the day at least Cleverley didn't get picked.

Also if you shut him out and he goes all "its my ball and I'm going home for MY TEA!!", and his fuse shortens, making him a liability against foreign players who at this level make being shot by the sniper in the floodlights a balletic art.

 

Stiil Henderson is the one who has me scratching my head, if he didn't play for Liverpool would he be anywhere near this squad?

 

Anyway at the end of the day at least Cleverley didn't get picked.

Totally agree with you regarding Henderson, poor player in a good team and don`t get me started about his wobbly head...

Not sure if this has been said already, but you can't come out and say that you're picking a team on merit through the season and then putting Rose in over Bertrand. Rose has barely played. I don't disagree with the selection necessarily, but it's a ridiculous argument. Just a shame the World Cup isn't something to get excited about like it used to be. 4 weeks of meh. Or 2 in our case.

Think that says more about you than the England team.

What does that say about me then , Apart from the fact I struggle to show any passion for millionaire footballers I have no connection to ?

I hope they do well, obviously, but I don't get as annoyed if they lose as when Saints do, or as happy when Saints win. It's just not the same.

A fair summary of how I feel. So down the pub to watch the Swansea game I had rather too many pints: for England games I sip at best!

I’m not bothered about England. I don’t expect any progress and I don’t expect to be disappointed.

I remember 1966 clearly enough (RIP Ray Wilson) and we’ve been going steadily downhill ever since, with one or two blips.

I shall probably be caravanning around France for the latter stages anyway and watching selected matches on my phone like last time.

Totally agree with you regarding Henderson, poor player in a good team and don`t get me started about his wobbly head...

Jordan Henderson's stats for season 2017/8

Attack

Goals 1

Goals per match 0.04

Headed goals 0

Goals with right foot 1

Goals with left foot 0

Penalties scored 0

Freekicks scored 0

Shots 15

Shots on target 3

Shooting accuracy % 20%

Hit woodwork 1

Big chances missed 1

Team Play

Assists 1

Passes 2,085

Passes per match 77.22

Big chances created 2

Crosses 25

Cross accuracy % 20%

Through balls 7

So in summary 1 goal & 1 assist in that free flowing, free scoring Liverpool team

Have all the squads been announced now? Do we know how many players we'll have there?

I'm hopeful that this may mean less disruption to next season's preparations. Not like a couple of seasons ago when we had half our team arriving back late and missing PL games because they weren't fit. It also points to the declining quality of our squad that we have so few at the World Cup, but every silver lining has a cloud!

Likely Hojberg, Cedric, Tadic and Yoshida, with Bednarek a possibility too. I'm not sure about Boufal (if he even really counts).

In 2014 we had three overseas internationals playing at the World Cup - Yoshida, Gaston and Lovren. Plus Shaw, Lambert and Lallana.

Overall not a huge difference.

Also, I would imagine that many on here will be wanting us to be signing some decent players this summer - unless they are all Italian, Dutch or American we struggle to find many outside of the 32 nations playing in Russia.

Likely Hojberg, Cedric, Tadic and Yoshida, with Bednarek a possibility too. I'm not sure about Boufal (if he even really counts).

 

In 2014 we had three overseas internationals playing at the World Cup - Yoshida, Gaston and Lovren. Plus Shaw, Lambert and Lallana.

 

Overall not a huge difference.

 

Also, I would imagine that many on here will be wanting us to be signing some decent players this summer - unless they are all Italian, Dutch or American we struggle to find many outside of the 32 nations playing in Russia.

Schneiderlin too.

A bit ambivalent about it all to be honest. I think I'm a bit of a plastic where England are concerned, if they do well I'll be screaming the house down, but if they get dicked I'll be like, meh... whatever....

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Likely Hojberg, Cedric, Tadic and Yoshida, with Bednarek a possibility too. I'm not sure about Boufal (if he even really counts).

 

In 2014 we had three overseas internationals playing at the World Cup - Yoshida, Gaston and Lovren. Plus Shaw, Lambert and Lallana.

 

Overall not a huge difference.

 

Also, I would imagine that many on here will be wanting us to be signing some decent players this summer - unless they are all Italian, Dutch or American we struggle to find many outside of the 32 nations playing in Russia.

But at the Euros we had two players in the final, meaning they didn't get back until late in the summer (I thought there were others who got back late too but might be wrong on that). Didn't Fonte and Cedric both miss the first couple of games?

Can't see Denmark, Poland, Serbia or Japan reaching the latter stages so hopefully not too much disruption.

Boufal left out the Morocco squad..

Boufal not on plane

Boufal left out the Morocco squad..

As per Bertrand. Bad attitude = no world cup place. Simple

Good, could do with coming down a peg or two. I was particularly annoyed by him shouting in MoPe's face after he scored against West Brom. He'd done f**k all for a year prior to that and was acting like it was some sort of crime he wasn't starting.

As per Bertrand. Bad attitude = no world cup place. Simple

What evidence do you have that Bertrand 1) has a bad attitude? 2) it was the reason for him not going to the World Cup?

As per Bertrand. Bad attitude = no world cup place. Simple

I can't understand the hostile attitude to Bertrand, probably the best player we've got left. Our 'supporters' will see him off like they did Mane and Wanyama. In a bad season he was one of the few who was consistent, obviously the overall team failure has cost him. I wouldn't blame him for leaving but I would regret it.

If Bertrand played exactly the same way for Liverpool, Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham he would have been on the plane. And there, in a nutshell, is our problem as a club.

I can't understand the hostile attitude to Bertrand, probably the best player we've got left. Our 'supporters' will see him off like they did Mane and Wanyama. In a bad season he was one of the few who was consistent, obviously the overall team failure has cost him. I wouldn't blame him for leaving but I would regret it.

As if players give the tiniest sh*t about supporters when deciding to move clubs.

I can't understand the hostile attitude to Bertrand, probably the best player we've got left. Our 'supporters' will see him off like they did Mane and Wanyama. In a bad season he was one of the few who was consistent, obviously the overall team failure has cost him. I wouldn't blame him for leaving but I would regret it.

He was consistent alright, apart from the few games he was at his previous levels when Austin scored most of his goals.

I can't understand the hostile attitude to Bertrand, probably the best player we've got left. Our 'supporters' will see him off like they did Mane and Wanyama. In a bad season he was one of the few who was consistent, obviously the overall team failure has cost him. I wouldn't blame him for leaving but I would regret it.

I'm hoping that Hughes gets the job and manages to persuade him to stay, but given that Man City appear to be interested, I doubt that will happen. Once again it will be a case of what used to be.

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If Bertrand played exactly the same way for Liverpool, Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham he would have been on the plane. And there, in a nutshell, is our problem as a club.

Bertrand wasn't called up because Southgate wants wing backs and offensively he is worse than Rose and Young. It's a similar situation with Cédric who has been called up to the Portugal squad over Semedo and Cancelo because their coach Fernando Santos wants more defensive minded full backs and, despite being the worst of the four right backs considered in attack, he is the strongest defensively. Ricardo Pereira is the other right back chosen and is probably the one who provides the best balance between defense and attack and more importantly is better defensively than the two that were dropped. It's just tactical choices, nothing more.

If Bertrand played exactly the same way for Liverpool, Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham he would have been on the plane. And there, in a nutshell, is our problem as a club.

Pony. If Bertrand played exactly the same way for the clubs that have been mentioned he'd have been dropped by those clubs, pure and simple. He had a very poor season, in some games he looked particularly disinterested. Both full backs let themselves down this season, imo. That doesn't mean they're bad players or won't be wanted by other clubs, but their standards were a lot lower than previous seasons.

The fact Rose gets a place after hardly playing isn't favouritism or bias , it's acknowledgment of the fact Bertrand hasn't been good enough this season. Southgate would rather take a player that's hardly played, than one that played average. Had Bertrand played this season for Southampton like he did in previous seasons, he'd be on the plane and Rose left at home

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As per Bertrand. Bad attitude = no world cup place. Simple

I can only agree with you signing off your post as "Simple".

Probably best to do it each time you post.

Remember him laughing at west ham?

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As long as Switzerland lose every game at the World Cup i’ll Be happy.

Rose getting shown up badly would be a bonus for unjustly getting selected despite barely playing.

Rose has been hopeless all season - in and out and poor when he played - and hopeless at every major international tournament he has been at. Same goes for Cahill, and Dier and Welbeck. Even Kane and Sterling have been very very average in England shirts at major tournaments. No adventure at all in the selection of the 23. Expect to see us needing to beat Belgium to get out of the Group, then failing to do that.

Rose has been hopeless all season - in and out and poor when he played - and hopeless at every major international tournament he has been at. Same goes for Cahill, and Dier and Welbeck. Even Kane and Sterling have been very very average in England shirts at major tournaments. No adventure at all in the selection of the 23. Expect to see us needing to beat Belgium to get out of the Group, then failing to do that.

Selecting Ryan Bertrand wouldn't be adventurous either.

In fairness to Southgate he hasn't got that much choice, and if you're consigning Dier and Sterling and Kane to the failure bin then there is not much hope. We haven't got anyone that will be better than Harry Kane.

As predicted, all the players that represented new opportunities and "get rid of the old guard same old faces" are, already the same old tired old guard faces themselves. Let's bin off tired old hasbeens Eric Dier and Raheem Sterling and give the new generation a chance FFS.

A part of me just can’t help but feel that Bertrand’s mistake in the Everton away game cost him his spot partially. If I can remember correctly, Southgate was at that game and he can’t have been too impressed!

Yes I am aware Southgate will surely not he so short sighted but Bertrand has been woeful in comparison to last 3 years- should have got in ahead of Rose at least however.

Pony. If Bertrand played exactly the same way for the clubs that have been mentioned he'd have been dropped by those clubs, pure and simple. He had a very poor season, in some games he looked particularly disinterested. Both full backs let themselves down this season, imo. That doesn't mean they're bad players or won't be wanted by other clubs, but their standards were a lot lower than previous seasons.

 

The fact Rose gets a place after hardly playing isn't favouritism or bias , it's acknowledgment of the fact Bertrand hasn't been good enough this season. Southgate would rather take a player that's hardly played, than one that played average. Had Bertrand played this season for Southampton like he did in previous seasons, he'd be on the plane and Rose left at home

 

 

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Spot on. Bertrand hasn't been good and hasn't looked committed. Rose, when he's played, has. Bertrand's omission is down to Bertrand.

Pony. If Bertrand played exactly the same way for the clubs that have been mentioned he'd have been dropped by those clubs, pure and simple. He had a very poor season, in some games he looked particularly disinterested. Both full backs let themselves down this season, imo. That doesn't mean they're bad players or won't be wanted by other clubs, but their standards were a lot lower than previous seasons.

 

The fact Rose gets a place after hardly playing isn't favouritism or bias , it's acknowledgment of the fact Bertrand hasn't been good enough this season. Southgate would rather take a player that's hardly played, than one that played average. Had Bertrand played this season for Southampton like he did in previous seasons, he'd be on the plane and Rose left at home

 

 

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So explain why Southgate played Bertrand over Rose in the qualifiers?

I think our attacking options are good and defence is solid, however theres still big question marks over the middle 2.

If Dier plays there I will lose all hope, the least dynamic centre midfielder around

So explain why Southgate played Bertrand over Rose in the qualifiers?

Because there’s an agenda against Southampton. Southgate really prefers Bertrand and thinks Bertrand’s a better player, but because he doesn’t like Southampton, once we qualified he decided to troll the club and it’s supporters.

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Because there’s an agenda against Southampton. Southgate really prefers Bertrand and thinks Bertrand’s a better player, but because he doesn’t like Southampton, once we qualified he decided to troll the club and it’s supporters.

 

 

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aside of your flippant, sarcastic response the fact is that Bertrand has been good enough to play for England all season bar the last friendly when he was injured. He hasnt let them down - didnt he score in one game ? - yet now he isnt good enough to be in the squad. Southgate said the decisions have been made over the long run not just the past few weeks. In the case of Bertrand Out - Rose In that is obviously bull **** !

Because there’s an agenda against Southampton. Southgate really prefers Bertrand and thinks Bertrand’s a better player, but because he doesn’t like Southampton, once we qualified he decided to troll the club and it’s supporters.

 

 

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Obviously he can’t forget the past and holds a grudge for being released by Saints as a schoolboy

Because there’s an agenda against Southampton. Southgate really prefers Bertrand and thinks Bertrand’s a better player, but because he doesn’t like Southampton, once we qualified he decided to troll the club and it’s supporters.

 

 

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I thought so.

Ryan's dilemma.

Go to Russia for a few weeks or go to the Caribbean for a few weeks.

Thanks for solving that problem Gareth.

Because there’s an agenda against Southampton. Southgate really prefers Bertrand and thinks Bertrand’s a better player, but because he doesn’t like Southampton, once we qualified he decided to troll the club and it’s supporters.

 

 

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All very interesting but totally irrelevant. You can’t answer the question can you?

I can't work out what Young offers in attack on the left? When he gets up the pitch he just cuts back onto his right. At least Bertrand would overlap. Like wise Delph. Sure they can both play in lots of positions - but they are equally crap in all of them.

Still, at least we don't need to worry about our best players being tapped up in the summer - we don't have any!

I can't work out what Young offers in attack on the left? When he gets up the pitch he just cuts back onto his right. At least Bertrand would overlap. Like wise Delph. Sure they can both play in lots of positions - but they are equally crap in all of them.

Still, at least we don't need to worry about our best players being tapped up in the summer - we don't have any!

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I doubt we will even get out of the group stage, no game is easy, remember England v Iceland every one thought it would be a doddle.

I love the World Cup. I'm fairly indifferent about England but will cheer them on, I suppose. The great thing is 3 games on every day for a couple of weeks. I always take two weeks holiday somewhere warm for the first round of the World Cup, just to drink, watch the football and soak up some sun.

There is always a surprise team that play fast open football and score at ease that takes everyone by surprise. That's what makes it worth watching but knowing that after all only the big boys will make it to the quarter finals. From then on it's boring as hell.

Selecting Ryan Bertrand wouldn't be adventurous either.

 

In fairness to Southgate he hasn't got that much choice, and if you're consigning Dier and Sterling and Kane to the failure bin then there is not much hope. We haven't got anyone that will be better than Harry Kane.

 

As predicted, all the players that represented new opportunities and "get rid of the old guard same old faces" are, already the same old tired old guard faces themselves. Let's bin off tired old hasbeens Eric Dier and Raheem Sterling and give the new generation a chance FFS.

This is pretty much what Hodgson was alluding to after the Iceland game - that the performance and the result was going to damage reputations and therefore the team in future tournaments. We all want to see England succeed, but the jury is well and truly out on whether the likes of Dier, Sterling and Kane can do it in major tournaments, when it really matters. Just once would be good, and a step on the road to redemption as Internationals. Beating up Lithuania, Malta, Mordor and Narnia in the qualifiers doesn't count. And don't get me started on friendlies.

This is pretty much what Hodgson was alluding to after the Iceland game - that the performance and the result was going to damage reputations and therefore the team in future tournaments. We all want to see England succeed, but the jury is well and truly out on whether the likes of Dier, Sterling and Kane can do it in major tournaments, when it really matters. Just once would be good, and a step on the road to redemption as Internationals. Beating up Lithuania, Malta, Mordor and Narnia in the qualifiers doesn't count. And don't get me started on friendlies.

Sterling & Kane are most definitely world class and will succeed on any stage but they need a high quality midfield to create opportunities for them. Dier also is not the man being a journeyman at best but Dele All is a different kettle of fish. If only he can get his right and put in 100% effort he could be one of the stars of the tournament. On his day he is one of those players with magic in his feet but all too often he is distracted by taking easy options like diving instead of busting g a gut to score legitimately.

Don't rule out Vardy either as a world beater but once again he needs service from the middle to do his finishing act.

All in all Alli is the key to our world cup, if he turns it on England could do well.

As for Bertie, well tough cookies mate but Southgate is looking forward to 2020 and beyond and time is not on his side.

 

As for Bertie, well tough cookies mate but Southgate is looking forward to 2020 and beyond and time is not on his side.

Bertrand. 28

Delph. 28.

Young. 32.

Rose. 27 (still in nappies).

Congratulations on continuing to post utter sh ite.