The Euro 2024 Thread

[egg]

Just now, Holmes_and_Watson said:

England Euro 2004

Goalkeepers: 1. David James (Man City), 13. Paul Robinson (Tottenham), 22. Ian Walker (Leicester)

Defenders: 2. Gary Neville (Man Utd), 3. Ashley Cole (Arsenal), 5. John Terry (Chelsea), 6. Sol Campbell (Arsenal), 12. Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), 14. Phil Neville (Man Utd), 15. Ledley King (Tottenham), 16. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool).

Midfielders: 4. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool|), 7. David Beckham (Real Madrid), 8. Paul Scholes (Man Utd), 11. Frank Lampard (Chelsea), 17. Nicky Butt (Man Utd), 18. Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), 19. Joe Cole (Chelsea), 20. Kieron Dyer (Newcastle)

Strikers: 9. Wayne Rooney (Everton), 10. Michael Owen (Liverpool), 21. Emile Heskey (Birmingham), 23. Darius Vassell (Aston Villa).

England 2024

GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

DF: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), John Stones (Manchester City), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

MF: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

FW: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa),  Palmer (Chelsea

Thanks for doing that.

I'd try to accommodate Bellingham from the 2024 lot, but I'm not sure I'd start any in the others over the 2004 players.  

[CB Fry]

13 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

England Euro 2004

Goalkeepers: 1. David James (Man City), 13. Paul Robinson (Tottenham), 22. Ian Walker (Leicester)

Defenders: 2. Gary Neville (Man Utd), 3. Ashley Cole (Arsenal), 5. John Terry (Chelsea), 6. Sol Campbell (Arsenal), 12. Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), 14. Phil Neville (Man Utd), 15. Ledley King (Tottenham), 16. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool).

Midfielders: 4. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool|), 7. David Beckham (Real Madrid), 8. Paul Scholes (Man Utd), 11. Frank Lampard (Chelsea), 17. Nicky Butt (Man Utd), 18. Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), 19. Joe Cole (Chelsea), 20. Kieron Dyer (Newcastle)

Strikers: 9. Wayne Rooney (Everton), 10. Michael Owen (Liverpool), 21. Emile Heskey (Birmingham), 23. Darius Vassell (Aston Villa).

England 2024

GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

DF: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), John Stones (Manchester City), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

MF: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

FW: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa),  Palmer (Chelsea

Probably because I am an old git but honestly it's not even close.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 minutes ago, egg said:

Thanks for doing that.

I'd try to accommodate Bellingham from the 2024 lot, but I'm not sure I'd start any in the others over the 2004 players.  

I'd forgotten just what a good squad that was.

GK: Not going to miss shouty Pickford

DF:  Stones, Walker and Trippier but no room for them. Phil Neville offered a solid level in multiple positions.

MF: Bellingham would have to go in. Hargreaves would be the one to go. And that's probably injury related. Owen was a classy player. Struggling to drop anyone for Rice.

FW: Kane for Heskey, Vassell would be one to replace. I'd go with Bowen there myself. I'd have selected Grealish over Joe Cole, but here Saka.

But yeah, fiddling with a few upgrades over a core 2004 squad.

[egg]

15 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I'd forgotten just what a good squad that was.

GK: Not going to miss shouty Pickford

DF:  Stones, Walker and Trippier but no room for them. Phil Neville offered a solid level in multiple positions.

MF: Bellingham would have to go in. Hargreaves would be the one to go. And that's probably injury related. Owen was a classy player. Struggling to drop anyone for Rice.

FW: Kane for Heskey, Vassell would be one to replace. I'd go with Bowen there myself. I'd have selected Grealish over Joe Cole, but here Saka.

But yeah, fiddling with a few upgrades over a core 2004 squad.

As a squad, I could make a case for mixing the 2 groups, but in a starting Xl it's the class of 2004 plus Bellingham all day long for me. Kane could only get in if I shoved Rooney in behind him, and pushed Bellingham back into a midfield 2 at the expense of Gerrard or Lampard. 

That 2004 squad was brilliant. 

[S-Clarke]

56 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

England Euro 2004

Goalkeepers: 1. David James (Man City), 13. Paul Robinson (Tottenham), 22. Ian Walker (Leicester)

Defenders: 2. Gary Neville (Man Utd), 3. Ashley Cole (Arsenal), 5. John Terry (Chelsea), 6. Sol Campbell (Arsenal), 12. Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), 14. Phil Neville (Man Utd), 15. Ledley King (Tottenham), 16. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool).

Midfielders: 4. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool|), 7. David Beckham (Real Madrid), 8. Paul Scholes (Man Utd), 11. Frank Lampard (Chelsea), 17. Nicky Butt (Man Utd), 18. Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), 19. Joe Cole (Chelsea), 20. Kieron Dyer (Newcastle)

Strikers: 9. Wayne Rooney (Everton), 10. Michael Owen (Liverpool), 21. Emile Heskey (Birmingham), 23. Darius Vassell (Aston Villa).

England 2024

GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

DF: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), John Stones (Manchester City), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

MF: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

FW: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa),  Palmer (Chelsea

Interesting comparison. Look at 04 and the players who are playing for the big sides, compared to the bunch now. Especially the back 4.

Not to discredit Palace as they've been great, but when the biggest team call up for the England squad is Crystal Palace players then you know it's dropped off a bit. 

The defence this year scares this crap out of me, it's no better than average.

[Saint Gifford]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

England Euro 2004

Goalkeepers: 1. David James (Man City), 13. Paul Robinson (Tottenham), 22. Ian Walker (Leicester)

Defenders: 2. Gary Neville (Man Utd), 3. Ashley Cole (Arsenal), 5. John Terry (Chelsea), 6. Sol Campbell (Arsenal), 12. Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), 14. Phil Neville (Man Utd), 15. Ledley King (Tottenham), 16. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool).

Midfielders: 4. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool|), 7. David Beckham (Real Madrid), 8. Paul Scholes (Man Utd), 11. Frank Lampard (Chelsea), 17. Nicky Butt (Man Utd), 18. Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), 19. Joe Cole (Chelsea), 20. Kieron Dyer (Newcastle)

Strikers: 9. Wayne Rooney (Everton), 10. Michael Owen (Liverpool), 21. Emile Heskey (Birmingham), 23. Darius Vassell (Aston Villa).

England 2024

GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

DF: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), John Stones (Manchester City), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

MF: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

FW: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa),  Palmer (Chelsea

Makes you wonder how we didn’t win anything with that team 20 years ago.

Wow, forget how good we were.

Just needed a manager that has Southgate’s man management and media savvy, with anyone else’s football tactics and know how.

[Midfield_General]

35 minutes ago, egg said:

As a squad, I could make a case for mixing the 2 groups, but in a starting Xl it's the class of 2004 plus Bellingham all day long for me. Kane could only get in if I shoved Rooney in behind him, and pushed Bellingham back into a midfield 2 at the expense of Gerrard or Lampard. 

That 2004 squad was brilliant. 

Yep, and even with that vastly superior squad we still couldn’t get past the quarter finals! 

One thing that game last night showed is how lightweight that team is. Without Maguire and a strong physical presence next to Rice there’s a real danger they’ll get bullied, especially in the air.

At CB in particular we look very vulnerable because neither Stones or Guehi are particularly strong in the air. If I was Serbia/ Denmark/ Slovenia I’d be piling in crosses and corners. We’re quite powder puff. 

Edited June 8 by Midfield_General

[egg]

1 minute ago, Midfield_General said:

Yep, and still couldn’t past the quarter finals. 

One thing that game last night showed is how lightweight that team is. Without Maguire and a strong physical presence next to Rice there’s a real danger they’ll get bullied, especially in the air.

At CB in particular we look very vulnerable because neither Stones or Guehi are particularly strong in the air. If I was Serbia/ Denmark/ Slovenia I’d be piling in crosses and corners. We’re quite powder puff. 

Yep. And then putting Rice on corners first half was nuts. The tall lad putting balls in to short lads. Great idea! 

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, egg said:

Yep. And then putting Rice on corners first half was nuts. The tall lad putting balls in to short lads. Great idea! 

Bit like the Harry Kane experiment under Woy, he was on all corners. Think it was WC 14.

Edited June 8 by S-Clarke

[Midfield_General]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

Bit like the Harry Kane experiment under Woy, he was on all corners. Think it was Euro 14.

Even by Hodgson’s standards, that was breathtaking. 

[Suhari]

46 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Bit like the Harry Kane experiment under Woy, he was on all corners. Think it was WC 14.

Was there ever any comment from the England camp about the thinking behind this?

[skintsaint]

2 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

 Wouldn’t mind us signing their keeper.

Would fit in setting up chances for Palmer like that. Kicking was rubbish. Didn't have a save to make. Glad you are not a scout 😅

[ErwinK1961]

1 hour ago, Suhari said:

Was there ever any comment from the England camp about the thinking behind this?

Pretty sure it was Euro 2016 - Neville was on the coaching staff and pretty sure he said after that it was because he had the best delivery in the squad 🙈

[Holmes_and_Watson]

10 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Pretty sure it was Euro 2016 - Neville was on the coaching staff and pretty sure he said after that it was because he had the best delivery in the squad 🙈

I can imagine the reasoning...

"He's got the best delivery in the squad, giving Kane the best chance of getting on the end of them." 🙂

[Saint Fan CaM]

4 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Why? Their keeper had fuck all to do. 

Disagree. Although England hardly troubled him, for a youngster he looked composed on the ball when they were playing out from the back - very much out of the RM bible.

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Would fit in setting up chances for Palmer like that. Kicking was rubbish. Didn't have a save to make. Glad you are not a scout 😅

 I worse kicking than Baz IMO and looked rubbish composed in possession kicking out from the back for a youngster.

[Saint Billy]

6 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Saka not fully fit, Shaw not fit. Bellingham needs a break after the Champions League final. Which team would you have put out?

I get your point, but it really does make these warm up games a waste of time as the starting lineup will look different, and what with the constant flow of multiple subs and players running scared of getting injured makes these games a farce. Either field as close as you can get to the starting eleven and use these games to get the team bedded or just don't play them at all as last night has provided nothing positive or helpful at all.

[hypochondriac]

5 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Interesting comparison. Look at 04 and the players who are playing for the big sides, compared to the bunch now. Especially the back 4.

Not to discredit Palace as they've been great, but when the biggest team call up for the England squad is Crystal Palace players then you know it's dropped off a bit. 

The defence this year scares this crap out of me, it's no better than average.

That's the point my mate made. Picking too many players who have performed well for mid table prem teams is in his view a recipe for disaster and someone like Grealish should be picked because his standards are higher even if he's found it more challenging in the best team in the country. Have to say it was difficult to disagree. 

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 hours ago, Saint Billy said:

I get your point, but it really does make these warm up games a waste of time as the starting lineup will look different, and what with the constant flow of multiple subs and players running scared of getting injured makes these games a farce. Either field as close as you can get to the starting eleven and use these games to get the team bedded or just don't play them at all as last night has provided nothing positive or helpful at all.

But Saka did get on the pitch. Hence only 2 changes from the ideal starting side really, and both very reasonable. It's worrying, but I don't think starting team selection was the cause of this. I guess I see managers endlessly abused on this forum, and sometimes feel some sympathy for them: It's a tough job, with big decisions and no guarantees. 

Did we need a Grealish or Maddison to bring some creativity 2nd half - maybe? Would we have been wise 18 months ago to have blooded a new CB partner for Stones, or tried to bring Tomori into the squad - maybe? 

But given the players in the squad I don't think the starting team choice was seriously at fault, hence my query. 

[Dark Munster]

10 hours ago, Saint Gifford said:

Makes you wonder how we didn’t win anything with that team 20 years ago.

Wow, forget how good we were.

Just needed a manager that has Southgate’s man management and media savvy, with anyone else’s football tactics and know how.

Simple answer really, the manager didn't take preparing for penalties seriously enough. Just like all other England managers before Southgate.

[aintforever]

12 hours ago, Saint Gifford said:

Makes you wonder how we didn’t win anything with that team 20 years ago.

It was the old Lampard - Gerrard thing, just couldn’t get them to work in the same midfield. I always thought they should’ve picked one or the other.

[Turkish]

12 hours ago, Saint Gifford said:

Makes you wonder how we didn’t win anything with that team 20 years ago.

Wow, forget how good we were.

Just needed a manager that has Southgate’s man management and media savvy, with anyone else’s football tactics and know how.

Most underrated player of that era was Micheal Carrick. IMO he was a perfect player for international football, great at sitting in front of the back four and keeping the ball. Really intelligent player. They should have built the midfield around him and Scholes, Gerrard as a three with Lampard off the bench. 

Edited June 8 by Turkish

[stevegrant]

6 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Did we need a Grealish or Maddison to bring some creativity 2nd half - maybe? Would we have been wise 18 months ago to have blooded a new CB partner for Stones, or tried to bring Tomori into the squad - maybe?

Would Grealish and Maddison have definitely offered more creativity? They haven't really demonstrated it this calendar year for their clubs (and their England record is nothing to write home about - Grealish has 2 goals and an assist in 28 competitive games, albeit of course many of those will have been off the bench), while the players picked in their place have.

On the defensive side of things, Guehi started the same number of games as Stones in the qualifiers, but it was a case of one or the other (generally as a result of Stones' fitness issues) as Maguire played all 8 alongside. So Maguire has a partnership with both, but Stones and Guehi basically haven't played together until the two games this week because Stones hasn't been fit.

This year has been an absolute shitshow for players getting injured. From the 26 these have all had spells out with injury just this calendar year: Stones, Guehi, Shaw, Alexander-Arnold, Trippier, Eze, Gordon, Kane, plus the end of Toney's suspension. Then throw in players who would/might have made the squad but for injury issues: Johnstone, Maguire, Chilwell, Henderson, Maddison.

One of the key things with international football is consistency of selection - as much as some people scream about "picking on form", actually that's generally nonsense because if you just did that each international break you'd be chopping and changing constantly and you'd never get a team that functions properly. And we're seeing that a little bit in these friendlies (and the two in March, where we actually played pretty well for the most part but just didn't get the results) where there are a few combinations that aren't quite as familiar as the 2022 team was, and it doesn't take an awful lot to upset the rhythm and leave a gaping hole for even a mediocre opponent to take advantage of.

[notnowcato]

9 hours ago, Turkish said:

Most underrated player of that era was Micheal Carrick. IMO he was a perfect player for international football, great at sitting in front of the back four and keeping the ball. Really intelligent player. They should have built the midfield around him and Scholes, Gerrard as a three with Lampard off the bench. 

People forget they couldn’t play a 3 in midfield with Beckham. Selecting Beckham essentially dictated a 4 in the middle. 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, notnowcato said:

People forget they couldn’t play a 3 in midfield with Beckham. Selecting Beckham essentially dictated a 4 in the middle. 

Very true. Looking back, pretty scandalous squad management going on, and should have seen us really challenge for honours 

[AlexLaw76]

For this competition, if we go out with a whimper, the cries for less games (ie, smaller Premier League) will be deafening.

[sfc4prem]

16 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

For this competition, if we go out with a whimper, the cries for less games (ie, smaller Premier League) will be deafening.

La Liga and Serie A have 20 clubs. Two successful European teams right there.

[AlexLaw76]

28 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

La Liga and Serie A have 20 clubs. Two successful European teams right there.

They do not have a 3rd cup competition, or as competitive as the Premier League.

I do not agree with it, but it is going to happen if we stutter out of the tournament. Of course, nothing is stopping Guardiola (for example) not playing Foden against lesser teams, but there we are

[whelk]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

They do not have a 3rd cup competition, or as competitive as the Premier League.

I do not agree with it, but it is going to happen if we stutter out of the tournament. Of course, nothing is stopping Guardiola (for example) not playing Foden against lesser teams, but there we are

They need to deal with the expanded European bore fest but obviously won’t.

Make games 60 mins with quarters and consecutively remove a player from any team that hasn’t scored a goal every 10 mins. And bigger goals say 12foot high for more entertainment

[S-Clarke]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

For this competition, if we go out with a whimper, the cries for less games (ie, smaller Premier League) will be deafening.

If that's a valid argument, then they should stop fucking around the week after the season sending players half way around the world to play a friendly against each other.

The ''too many games'' argument died a death as soon as they did that. Holds no grounds anymore.

[Convict Colony]

Southgate sets us up of to keep it tight and try and sneak one school of mgmt, not a bad thing if you've not got good players in tournament football be we have actually good players in most positions.

I get he's worried about us defensively but let's not have 2 DM's in games please (the Henderson/Phillips pivot ended me), 1 DM + 1CM hopefully that's Rice and Bellingham 

 

[AlexLaw76]

3 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

If that's a valid argument, then they should stop fucking around the week after the season sending players half way around the world to play a friendly against each other.

The ''too many games'' argument died a death as soon as they did that. Holds no grounds anymore.

Guardiola, Klopp and co the will tell all in an interview that we are destroying players with the schedule.

matters not that Guardiola has £50m midfielders on the bench not getting a game, or shunted out on loan. 
 

[stevegrant]

On 09/06/2024 at 12:23, Convict Colony said:

Southgate sets us up of to keep it tight and try and sneak one school of mgmt, not a bad thing if you've not got good players in tournament football be we have actually good players in most positions.

I get he's worried about us defensively but let's not have 2 DM's in games please (the Henderson/Phillips pivot ended me), 1 DM + 1CM hopefully that's Rice and Bellingham

This view might hold even the slightest bit of water if we hadn't scored 13, 11 and 12 in the three tournaments played under Southgate.

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, stevegrant said:

This view might hold even the slightest bit of water if we hadn't scored 13, 11 and 12 in the three tournaments played under Southgate.

He definitely tries not to lose against the top nations rather than playing to win. He plays it safe. 

[Convict Colony]

1 hour ago, stevegrant said:

This view might hold even the slightest bit of water if we hadn't scored 13, 11 and 12 in the three tournaments played under Southgate.

Just because i think he sets us up to keep it tight and get a goal as his first priority doesn't mean we can't score more than one or be looser than a backstreet pro when we get beat, look at the iran game we managed 6 goals there.

England feel like flat track bullies to be honest, maybe the problem is premier league builds up these players 24/7 as gods greatest talents but maybe they arent.

I just want us to win like the germans used to or the french do, why cant we ever win ! or maybe we do this time and southgate goes to old trafford.

 

 

Edited June 10 by Convict Colony

[disconnect]

Can't believe Toney got selected. 4 in his first 5 games back, but then none in 12 since. I also hated all this "It's obvious I want to play for a top club" before he even returned to play for Brentford, who had to make do without him for more than half a season due to his stupidity, very disrespectful. Comes across as a complete tool, and his spot could've easily gone to another striker (Solanke, even Rashford) or someone like Grealish who would probably play. I'm assuming he's mainly there to take a penalty in a shoot out, but hope if he's needed he smashes in a hat trick!

[lhammondo]

To be an England fan is perennially pessimistic, but even my heart says we won't trouble the trophy engravers.

Since the last euros, our defence is weaker and Southgate proves time and again that talent counts for nothing without tactical nous (which he sadly lacks and displayed again versus Iceland). If Kane gets injured then forget it....i hope to be very wrong come July! 

[stevegrant]

16 hours ago, disconnect said:

Can't believe Toney got selected. 4 in his first 5 games back, but then none in 12 since. I also hated all this "It's obvious I want to play for a top club" before he even returned to play for Brentford, who had to make do without him for more than half a season due to his stupidity, very disrespectful. Comes across as a complete tool, and his spot could've easily gone to another striker (Solanke, even Rashford) or someone like Grealish who would probably play. I'm assuming he's mainly there to take a penalty in a shoot out, but hope if he's needed he smashes in a hat trick!

He's also the striker most similar to Kane in terms of his build and style. Often drops deep to make space for midfielders to run into, good linkup play, strong in the air, etc.

I feel like Watkins just doesn't really suit international football - in the PL he's often playing against teams with a high defensive line so he can run the channels effectively and drag the defenders all over the place, but we're likely to come up against a lot of deep-lying defences in this tournament, and his penalty record is pretty shit: 4 scored from 9 in his career. It's a shame for him because he's been brilliant for Villa, but sometimes a top club player just doesn't cut it at international level which is often a step down in quality.

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

On 08/06/2024 at 09:11, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I'd forgotten just what a good squad that was.

GK: Not going to miss shouty Pickford

DF:  Stones, Walker and Trippier but no room for them. Phil Neville offered a solid level in multiple positions.

MF: Bellingham would have to go in. Hargreaves would be the one to go. And that's probably injury related. Owen was a classy player. Struggling to drop anyone for Rice.

FW: Kane for Heskey, Vassell would be one to replace. I'd go with Bowen there myself. I'd have selected Grealish over Joe Cole, but here Saka.

But yeah, fiddling with a few upgrades over a core 2004 squad.

I've always thought (through very rose-tinted glasses) that if Sven had taken Beattie instead of Vassell we would have won the Euros. Vassell was a striker based on runs in-behind which he wasn't getting off the bench, whereas Beattie had a more all-rounded game that would have been a better fit coming off the bench to play in congested boxes. He also definitely wouldn't have missed the penalty to see us go out...

[saintoaks]

Any other Saints fans, flags going out to Germany ? We'll be there 👊 

[badgerx16]

https://news.paddypower.com/football-news/2024/06/11/luke-shaw-out-of-england-squad-as-hes-refused-travel-insurance/

''Reports have emerged from the England camp appearing to suggest Luke Shaw has been cut from the Euro 2024 squad after being refused travel insurance by his provider.

Having made Southgate’s final 26 for Germany, it appears there will now be a reshuffle after the left-back, known only as “sicknote” to staff at insurers Touring Lions, was described as “the most obvious risk since a somebody handed a drunk Jack Grealish a microphone”.

The provider has since officially confirmed they are unwilling to offer coverage to a player who could injure himself in a pillow factory.''

[Miltonaggro]

Ideally I’d like big Ronald to win it with the Netherlands and then join Saints as Director of Football. Recommend a few Eredivisie recruits to Melton. Otherwise not really arsed. 

[the colonel]

Isn't Harry Kane jinxed!?!? Have never liked him as a player. When you think of the great England strikers of the past, to have him amongst top of the list makes me squirm.

He has never won anything, spends years at the 'nearly club' in North London. Leaves to go to one of the most successful clubs in Europe to win something as time is running out, scores lots of goals and still doesn't win anything. Jinxed!!!!

The questions are:

Who would you play in his place? And how would you change the formation to suit a new striker?

[skintsaint]

Ronaldo....just keeps going, another top strike against Ireland there.

[S-Clarke]

20 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Ronaldo....just keeps going, another top strike against Ireland there.

And again.

The guy is just bonkers.

[suewhistle]

Ireland obviously suffering by not having Bazunu in goal..

[East Kent Saint]

I read that they have balls fitted with chips for the Euros , this can indicate when the ball is struck when offsides are being Var checked etc.

[Convict Colony]

Ok like any saints fan my optimism is at an all time high before reality hits- come on England.

Predicted England to win and Kane top scorer with Bellingham feeding him

[Dman]

31 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

I read that they have balls fitted with chips for the Euros , this can indicate when the ball is struck when offsides are being Var checked etc.

Been around for ages. Used in the CL as well. 

[gio1saints]

Any idea if Stuart is fit for the bench? I know he’s been back in training last week or so but it’s all v quiet. Think it’s more likely he’ll be saved for the two more winnable matches if his fitness is still an issue. But if I was him I’d want to get on the pitch v Germany in Germany with that atmosphere for what will be his last euros in all probability. Good luck to him and Che if they are on the pitch. Unsure if I really want Che to play a blinder or not cos his wages might just go up if we want to keep him but a sense of fair play tells me I’d love to see him score a worldie for Scotland versus the Germans! *
 

* which, having watched him all season not really scoring worldies but with a decent return is rather unlikely. His last volley though was good technique though not under pressure. 

Edited June 14 by gio1saints