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England 2018

Captain Ron

By Captain Ron
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Hagbard Celine

Hagbard Celine 10923

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Telegraph

Hayward

Spoiler

Those of us who have given up on England several times – most recently in 2010 and 2016 – are struck by a strange rekindling of interest. Gareth Southgate’s bold squad selection is unlikely to bring the World Cup here from Russia but at least there is a sense of renewal.

A sense of direction too. Any manager can throw youth at a World Cup squad and claim to be brave or forward-thinking. But Southgate’s 23 is part of a grander design, linked to the recent success in tournaments of England’s youth teams. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are the prime examples of long-term bets being given short-term opportunities.

But there are others. Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and the three goalkeepers are recent graduates of a club culture where only around a third of Premier League starters are available to Southgate.

The absence of rancour when the squad was named in a fun video made by young fans (England could end up going to Russia on skateboards) confirmed two developments: the downgrading of expectation and a willingness to go along with Southgate’s wider plan.

The England manager said: “We have a lot of energy and athleticism in the team, but players that are equally comfortable in possession of the ball and I think people can see the style of play we’ve been looking to develop.”

A pure possession-based game remains hard to sell to an audience attuned to the thrilling attacks of Manchester City and Liverpool.

England are slower in their working of the ball but few would dispute that they now have a style, a shape and a purpose based on the mainstream religion of keep-ball. Russia will show us how far they can take that basic principle and whether the country’s best players can retain possession in high-pressure knockout games and change matches with individual talent.

Leaving out Joe Hart is a logical break with the past and casts adrift a keeper whose club career has been a struggle for several years now. Jack Wilshere is out mainly because his big-game mobility is in question and Ryan Bertrand’s omission is covered by Danny Rose, Ashley Young and Fabian Delph, who can all play on the left-side of defence.

Southgate’s only questionable decision is to leave out Adam Lallana – a better bet than Danny Welbeck, whose club form this season has been unconvincing.

The poignance of Ray Wilson dying aged 83 on the day Southgate’s squad was announced as hard to miss. His passing is the real cause for sadness, of course.

Lurking much further back is the realisation that 1966 is now a remote age. In the 52 years since, England have not reached the final of a tournament. So nobody could object to them trying to start again, as Germany did after Euro 2000, and France in the decade before.

If the national set-up from 16 up to senior side now has a proper manifesto, rather than just an historical ego, then England’s fans will ideally treat Russia as a chance to see Southgate’s team develop and perhaps push into the later rounds.

Vital to that hope is that the players buy into the belief that better days are coming and escape the fatalism of past tournaments.

Roy Hodgson steered several new faces into this England squad but was undone by the group stage exit in Brazil and the Euro 2016 defeat to Iceland in Nice.

So Southgate knows what happens when youth falls short too early in a tournament. Patience goes on the bonfire. His challenge is to pick a side that deploys the young talent at his disposal while protecting it with older players capable of achieving results against Tunisia, Panama and Belgium, before phase two begins.

Plainly, goalkeeper is a position where Southgate cannot be sure he has a proven No 1. Central midfield is another problem area. Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson should function well enough against Tunisia and Panama but may lack creativity in their passing from deep against the bigger nations.

Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion, at 19, is not in the same league as Theo Walcott hearing during part of his driving test in 2006 that he would be going to Germany with Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad. Asked to explain why he picked Walcott ahead of Jermain Defoe, Eriksson said: “Probably not too logically. Sometimes you do it on feelings as well.”

Alexander-Arnold on the other hand has just reached a Champions League final with Liverpool.

Southgate was part of the England side who opened their 1998 World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win against Tunisia in Marseille – where there was a riot.

As manager, he faces the same opponents 20 years later in Volgograd, which until 1961 was called Stalingrad.

What could possibly go wrong?

 

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Hagbard Celine

Hagbard Celine 10923

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16 minutes ago, Firemans4Horn said:

What is England’s midfield going to look like? Hendo in a defensive 2 paired with dier/RLC with Alli playing the 10. 

 

Not very inspiring. 

There seems to be no protest about the idea that the lizard has settled on a 3-4-2-1.  The consensus is this is a passing and possession style.  Only 1/3rd of the Prem is English, but the style of the Prem is just that - hold it, hold it, and hold it, through long series of precise, long-range passing, one touch, maximum velocity.  The Prem is probably the best passing league in the world.  Henderson is the new Roo, and paired with anyone, will be a massive risk.  I'm a Pool fan and know that he is not a replacement for Scholes.   The lizard is probably better off with both Dier AND RLC next to each other sans Hendo in a 4-man midfield, scrap the diamond, concede the middle in defense and rely on pace, youth, and superior possession.  It might work.  With no Hendo.  IMHO.

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APMP

APMP 688

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For some reason I just don't trust Sterling in international competition. Consequently, I am of the opinion that English hopes rest on playing Kane, Vardy, and Alli together. A lot. I'm betting they won't until it's too late.

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Jograves

Jograves 357

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Posted (edited)

It's actually a compliment. Some guys are better at it than others. Paul Scholes was great at it. Gerrard wasn't. I don't think Henderson is particularly good at it because he yells instead of talking the ref into a call. 

Edited by Jograves
typos
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Captain Ron

Captain Ron 12922

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4 hours ago, APMP said:

For some reason I just don't trust Sterling in international competition. Consequently, I am of the opinion that English hopes rest on playing Kane, Vardy, and Alli together. A lot. I'm betting they won't until it's too late.

You're crazy. I think that Sterling might be the key to England's attack. Frankly I think England is doing something wrong if Kane and Vardy are both on the field because their games are so similar. You need someone like Sterling to go along with Kane or Vardy to make things happen.

To me Dele-Sterling-Kane is 3/4 of the way to England recreating Tottenham's very good attacking quartet of Dele-Eriksen-Son-Kane. Two are obvious, Sterling is a better version of Son. The problem is that England doesn't have a distributor like Eriksen. But I think Sterling's play-making can in some ways make up for that and he can key the attack utilizing Dele and Kane as pass targets or decoys to get his own shot.

It's going to be interesting to see how Southgate plays this team and runs them out there.

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APMP

APMP 688

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You're crazy. I think that Sterling might be the key to England's attack. Frankly I think England is doing something wrong if Kane and Vardy are both on the field because their games are so similar. You need someone like Sterling to go along with Kane or Vardy to make things happen.
To me Dele-Sterling-Kane is 3/4 of the way to England recreating Tottenham's very good attacking quartet of Dele-Eriksen-Son-Kane. Two are obvious, Sterling is a better version of Son. The problem is that England doesn't have a distributor like Eriksen. But I think Sterling's play-making can in some ways make up for that and he can key the attack utilizing Dele and Kane as pass targets or decoys to get his own shot.
It's going to be interesting to see how Southgate plays this team and runs them out there.
Yeah maybe I just miss the days of playing two strikers together up top and letting them go to work...
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Goo Punch

Goo Punch 4275

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9 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

You're crazy. I think that Sterling might be the key to England's attack. Frankly I think England is doing something wrong if Kane and Vardy are both on the field because their games are so similar. You need someone like Sterling to go along with Kane or Vardy to make things happen.

To me Dele-Sterling-Kane is 3/4 of the way to England recreating Tottenham's very good attacking quartet of Dele-Eriksen-Son-Kane. Two are obvious, Sterling is a better version of Son. The problem is that England doesn't have a distributor like Eriksen. But I think Sterling's play-making can in some ways make up for that and he can key the attack utilizing Dele and Kane as pass targets or decoys to get his own shot.

It's going to be interesting to see how Southgate plays this team and runs them out there.

I seem to recall England employing a center CM who couldn’t stop winning MOTM due to his service to the England forwards during a 7-match Euro Qualifying won streak...but he probably wasn’t available.

 

Edited by Goo Punch
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Cheeseweasel

Cheeseweasel 26438

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14 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

 Frankly I think England is doing something wrong if Kane and Vardy are both on the field because their games are so similar.

I have to say, this is the first time I've heard this. Vardy seems more like a "beat the last man on a lobbed pass and run like hell" striker and Kane is more of a target man.

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Schulz2.0

Schulz2.0 29011

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11 minutes ago, Goo Punch said:

I seem to recall England employing a center CM who couldn’t stop winning MOTM due to his service to the England forwards during a 7-match Euro Qualifying won streak...but he probably wasn’t available.

 

 

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Jograves

Jograves 357

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9 minutes ago, Goo Punch said:

I seem to recall England employing a center CM who couldn’t stop winning MOTM due to his service to the England forwards during a 7-match Euro Qualifying won streak...but he probably wasn’t available.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

Christ, man. Change the record.

England can play a 4-2-3-1 with Kane up top, Sterling and Lingard on the wings and Alli tucked in behind Kane. Dier and Hendo in the 2. Sterling, Lingard and Alli make it a very fluid 3 too. 

I wouldn't sleep on Loftus-Cheek either. He can provide a lot of attacking creativity too. I like England's attacking options. Southgate needs to unshackle them though, and let them create.

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mr. littlejeans

mr. littlejeans 184

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1 hour ago, Cheeseweasel said:

I have to say, this is the first time I've heard this. Vardy seems more like a "beat the last man on a lobbed pass and run like hell" striker and Kane is more of a target man.

agreed here. two fairly different styles IMO.

they could work together, but it would likely mean kane dropping off to create space for vardy to run in behind. if southgate is going to play one up top then kane is it.

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Jograves

Jograves 357

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1 hour ago, Captain Ron said:

Yeah games 3 years ago don't really matter.

 

I certainly don't question that England has talent to have a strong attack. I was talking just a specific style. But your plan is spot on. As noted, we really don't know what Southgate has planned.

I just read Southgate likes to play 3 at the back so that'll probably take Lingard out of the starting XI. 

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8700

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13 hours ago, Jograves said:

One of Kane's best attributes is his constant whining to the refs. A captain needs that quality. I have no idea if the refs actually understand him, but he's always in their ear. 

So you're saying that he's sure to be sold to Barcelona before the end of the summer?

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maninblack

maninblack 7974

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On 5/22/2018 at 11:47 AM, Jograves said:

It's actually a compliment. Some guys are better at it than others. Paul Scholes was great at it. Gerrard wasn't. I don't think Henderson is particularly good at it because he yells instead of talking the ref into a call. 

Henderson's Geordie accent doesn't help

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Hagbard Celine

Hagbard Celine 10923

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On 5/22/2018 at 1:14 PM, Cheeseweasel said:

I have to say, this is the first time I've heard this. Vardy seems more like a "beat the last man on a lobbed pass and run like hell" striker and Kane is more of a target man.

The Lizard won't do it, but Vardy in front of Kane equals death to all but France and Spain.

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Hagbard Celine

Hagbard Celine 10923

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DANKESCHOEN JIVE

love me some confirmation bias...

Quote

Barring injury, the 31-year-old has been included in every England squad since his debut in 2015, earning a total of 21 caps so far. In them 21 appearances, Vardy has been on the score sheet on seven occasions, including scoring the Three Lions' only goal of the game in their last outing against Italy in March. 

He also scored during his debut in a major international tournament, when he netted the equaliser against Wales in Euro 2016. Considering the striker has been used as a substitute in ten of his 21 appearances - then his goal scoring record of one in three is pretty impressive. 

Working out this season's shot conversion for England's striking options at the World Cup, Vardy comes out well on top. The Leicester man has a conversion rate of 27.3% (18 goals from 66 shots), compared to 15.4% for Kane (28 goals from 181 shots), 10.3% (six goals from 58 shots) for Marcus Rashford and 16.1% (five goals from 31 shots) for Danny Welbeck.

 

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