The UEFA European Championship 2020 Thread

[AndyinLiverpool]

1 minute ago, JoetheRam said:

I don't really understand the approach in the last two friendlies.

Surely getting players on the pitch who are going to play together would be better preparation than playing a bunch of players not in the squad and a bunch of fringe players who you hope to God barely play a minute in the tournament?

Tiredness, fitness management blah blah blah I suspect.

Or that Man City and Chelsea players were unavailable for either game.

[JoetheRam]

5 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

Or that Man City and Chelsea players were unavailable for either game.

Didn't stop Gilmour playing for Scotland. Should have rescheduled the games or insisted all players were available. 

 

[AndyinLiverpool]

4 minutes ago, JoetheRam said:

Didn't stop Gilmour playing for Scotland. Should have rescheduled the games or insisted all players were available. 

 

Give over. You know Gilmore didn't get a game. 

Why insist all players were available? What good does it do? 

[DarkFruitsRam7]

39 minutes ago, MuespachRam said:

No, I went to use the toilet, you know how exciting football can get sometimes....

the whole tournament was amazing, obviously the Holland game was the best, I do remember complaining bitterly that we had to pay 45 for a ticket though....seems some things haven’t changed. 

I watched this documentary the other day and it looked amazing.

Baddiel and Skinner deserve knighthoods for Three Lions.

 

[Van der MoodHoover]

6 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

I watched this documentary the other day and it looked amazing.

Baddiel and Skinner deserve knighthoods for Three Lions.

 

That song made the tournament. I was travelling back from Switzerland as the tournament got underway and the Swiss travelling fans were at Zurich Airport at the same time. 

Only a few hundred, but the colour and noise with them massive cow bells was something else.

It's great when we host a tournament. Came out later that we cut a deal with Germany that they would support us hosting euro 96 if we supported them for wc 2006.

Naturally we enjoyed hosting so much we reneged on the gentlemens agreement and went for the wc ourselves. Which we didn't get and the German fa haven't forgiven us since.

[rynny]

1 hour ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

Why insist all players were available? What good does it do?

They will now go over 2 weeks since their last game. Wouldn't last night be a good game for them to get 45 mins, at least, to keep their match fitness ticking over? 

[Ghost of Clough]

2 hours ago, rynny said:

They will now go over 2 weeks since their last game. Wouldn't last night be a good game for them to get 45 mins, at least, to keep their match fitness ticking over? 

Champions League was last weekend

[DarkFruitsRam7]

24 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Champions League was last weekend

So there will be 15 days between their last game and the Croatia game.

[TigerTedd]

3 hours ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

That song made the tournament. I was travelling back from Switzerland as the tournament got underway and the Swiss travelling fans were at Zurich Airport at the same time. 

Only a few hundred, but the colour and noise with them massive cow bells was something else.

It's great when we host a tournament. Came out later that we cut a deal with Germany that they would support us hosting euro 96 if we supported them for wc 2006.

Naturally we enjoyed hosting so much we reneged on the gentlemens agreement and went for the wc ourselves. Which we didn't get and the German fa haven't forgiven us since.

The sad thing is, it’s talks about 30 years of hurt, and 1966 seemed like a lifetime away at the time, when I was just 14. But now we’re 25 years from that coming out. So we’re not far off doubling that amount of time now. But 96 still doesn’t feel that long ago to me. That’s what older people must have felt like in 1990 for example, 66 wasn’t really that ling ago then. 

[Ghost of Clough]

16 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

So there will be 15 days between their last game and the Croatia game.

[Rample]

Last couple of friendlies are the first time I've watched a full England match since Croatia, and first time I've paid any attention to a few players as I don't really follow top flight football much these days.

For saying we are somewhat of a favourite, far too many players look off the standard to be playing at top tournament level. As soon as we get any (more) injuries or suspensions we'll look very lightweight

Really appreciate feedback, but for me

International level: Kane, Sterling

Reasonable: Walker, Henderson (if fit), Trippier, Mount 

Can do a job: Pickford, Rice, Stones, Maguire (if fit), Johnstone, Chillwell

Maybe: Grealish, Rashford, Foden, Calvert-Lewin, Coady, White (with only one start he's a big gamble), Saka

Not impressed: Shaw, Sancho, James

Out of their depth: Mings, Phillips, Bellingham

Not seen enough of: Henderson

I guess that leaves me with...

Pickford

Walker Stones Maguire

Trippier Henderson Rice Chillwell

Mount

Sterling Kane 

Or with injuries/fitness

Pickford

Trippier Walker Stones Chilwell

Rice Mount

Sterling Foden Grealish

Kane

Ward-Prowse should have been in and potentially starting V Croatia, Lingard would be a more reliable option than throwing 1 or 2 of these kids on in the attack, and another striker may have been wise. It lacks game changers for me bearing in mind those we have will likely be starting.

 

 

[Ghost of Clough]

Johnstone should be first choice, but lacks international experience so you know Southgate will choose his favourite.
Stones and Mings are the best of the CBs available so should start.
FBs are much of a muchness and doesn't really matter who gets the nod.
Rice is the best DM we have so should start. Kane walks into the side.
The rest is anyone's guess. RW is impossible to choose as only Sancho regularly plays there but has so far struggled with England. Could be any 4 from Phillips (until Henderson is 100%), Mount, Foden, Grealish, Rashford, Sancho and Sterling. I guess with 5 subs allowed, all 6 of those attacking options will be be involved in every game.

I'd probably side with this:

Johnstone
Walker   Stones   Mings   Chilwell
Phillips   Rice
Sterling   Mount   Grealish
Kane

[Van der MoodHoover]

1 hour ago, TigerTedd said:

The sad thing is, it’s talks about 30 years of hurt, and 1966 seemed like a lifetime away at the time, when I was just 14. But now we’re 25 years from that coming out. So we’re not far off doubling that amount of time now. But 96 still doesn’t feel that long ago to me. That’s what older people must have felt like in 1990 for example, 66 wasn’t really that ling ago then. 

Old farts like me were brought up in the 70s when we had the weird bipolar world of huge dcfc success, but England were dreadful and didn't qualify for anything. 

My early wc joy was limited to laughing at the demise of "Allys tartan army", when they got completely carried away and briefly convinced themselves that they would win the thing. 

Young whippersnappers probably find it hard to believe that for most of the 1970s Scotland had a better team than England. 

[Rammy03]

57 minutes ago, Rample said:

Last couple of friendlies are the first time I've watched a full England match since Croatia, and first time I've paid any attention to a few players as I don't really follow top flight football much these days.

For saying we are somewhat of a favourite, far too many players look off the standard to be playing at top tournament level.

Thankfully a lot of the players who played in those friendlies will not be playing in the tournament, at least I'd hope not. 

Mings, Godfrey, White, Coady, Phillips, Saka, Bellingham, Ward Prowse are all not up to this level at the moment and shouldn't be playing. 

[Van der MoodHoover]

22 hours ago, EraniosSocks said:

That was painstaking. Hope Ward Prowse gets the nod though; terrific player.

 

Alas not to be. So we need more CB cover in case Maguire doesn't play. 

Tell you what Gareth... How about not signing up a bunch of crocks who are highly doubtful.... ?

Plum. 

[DarkFruitsRam7]

1 hour ago, Rample said:

International level: Kane, Sterling

Reasonable: Walker, Henderson (if fit), Trippier, Mount 

Can do a job: Pickford, Rice, Stones, Maguire (if fit), Johnstone, Chillwell

Maybe: Grealish, Rashford, Foden, Calvert-Lewin, Coady, White (with only one start he's a big gamble), Saka

Not impressed: Shaw, Sancho, James

Out of their depth: Mings, Phillips, Bellingham

I think you're being pretty harsh there.

[DarkFruitsRam7]

1 minute ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

Alas not to be. So we need more CB cover in case Maguire doesn't play. 

Tell you what Gareth... How about not signing up a bunch of crocks who are highly doubtful.... ?

Plum. 

Stop bloody moaning!

[Van der MoodHoover]

2 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Stop bloody moaning!

I use the friendlies just to warm up and try out a few combinations.... 

By the time we've scraped a draw against Scotland having been given the runaround by Croatia I should be fully match fit.... ?

[Kernow]

Surely White's inclusion suggests that they aren't confident on the fitness of Maguire. Will Henderson be fit enough to start at any point during the groups?

I think we have until the first game of the tournament to make alterations to the squad. It's a big call but if Maguire won't be able to play a part until the knockouts, then get him out. It's not a given but we almost certainly should get out of the groups, but then can you really throw a player straight in during a knockout game when he hasn't been fit for weeks?

We'll probably end up playing a back 3 of Walker, Stones and one other. I don't rate Mings or Coady, White would be my choice to fill that gap. But how Fikayo Tomori hasn't got a look in is staggering. He's better than White, Godfrey, Mings and Coady. He'd fit in perfectly in that LCB position in Maguire's absence.

[EraniosSocks]

17 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

Alas not to be. So we need more CB cover in case Maguire doesn't play. 

Tell you what Gareth... How about not signing up a bunch of crocks who are highly doubtful.... ?

Plum. 

I can’t fathom the Henderson selection mate. He played his first 45 minutes yesterday. Footballers usually say they need 8 games to get fully into the swing. 

 

Surely we can't afford that. Ward Prowse really should have got the nod mate