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England v Croatia - Match thread
Comments
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The thing is, as much as I think Grealish not starting is criminal, you can make an argument (albeit a very weak one) for Sterling.CafcTeckers said:
And sterling over grealish....Laddick01 said:I’m seeing reports of Trippier LB?!?
Rice and Phillips also…
If that’s the case I feel fucking sick.
You have 2 of the best LBs in world football at your disposal and you play a RB there?
You play 2 CDMs in a game you should be showing intent.
If that’s the team I’m just at a loss. This man should be nowhere near the England set up17 -
bet Rashford is playing as well. ffs.1
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We will never win a major tournament with Gareth in charge, even if we had another 10 world class players. He is a negative manager who has never actually succeeded in any job. People say we did amazing in the World Cup but we didn’t actually beat anyone any good, we lost to Croatia and lost twice to Belgium. Every other team we played we were massive favourites.
Get him out and employ a manager that has earned the role not just an FA yes man.8 -
I don’t see Rice and Phillips as your traditional holding midfielders like Makelele for example. They are better than that and I think you’ll see one go and one stay throughout the game.
Trippier at left back is bonkers though. Shaw in the form of his life and Chilwell just won the Champions League.2 -
Like '66 England are based at home and could stay at home right throughout the tournament. This must be a good omen. Croatia is an experienced and talented side with players based right across Europe. They are a proud. tough and skilful outfit and a good benchmark to start with, to see how good we are. We are well capable of beating them today and I think we will, IF Southgate gets his selections right and we do not start too defensively, too timidly. COME ON ENGLAND .. it's well past time we won another big one0
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Problem is Rice and Phillips are just too similar. Whilst I agree that Rice isn’t a limited DM at all, he isn’t good when there’s pressure on him to drive forward. He works so well at West Ham because he’s a DM that occasionally gets forward. What Southgate is asking him toWSS said:I don’t see Rice and Phillips as your traditional holding midfielders like Makelele for example. They are better than that and I think you’ll see one go and one stay throughout the game.
Trippier at left back is bonkers though. Shaw in the form of his life and Chilwell just won the Champions League.
do here is be a creative CM. The dynamic doesn’t work.
Same with Trippier at LB. Think he’s a good option at RB but I have no clue what Southgate is doing.
I’m struggling to believe that leaked line up can be true.0 -
Trippier at left back would be crazy. Even more so if Mings is the left sided centre back. We have out most exciting squad for a long time, maybe ever, but Southgate won’t take the shackles off.1
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If the above line up is correct then it is the old, don't lose your first game. Which I think is too negative, apart from possibility of 3rd place qualifying, look at the flier Italy got, they have set themselves up now and teams will be adapting to stop them.0
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If that’s true I really can’t see the logic of playing a RB at LB.
Not when you have 2 quality left backs. Different if you have no options there.
Personally I’d prefer to see Bellingham over Phillips as he offers something special.0 -
Agree that Rice and Phillips in midfield are peas from the same pod. If we need an emergency central defender in place of Maguire, Rice would do a good job there alongside Stones or Coady. I'd like to see Sterling given a start and just told to run at the Croats, try to induce a yellow card or two and put them right under pressure, don't let them get too comfy and stroke the ball about, which is how they like to play. It will be hot and England do not want to spend too many minutes chasing the ball and Croat shadows.0
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Chillwell and shaw and picking trippier - gee whizz
would also have Bellingham or grealish in the side0 -
Very pessimistic I'll be honest.
The team is great on paper but they have one person holding them back, the manager.2 -
Home advantage critical here. 2 - 1 to England0
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This with bells on being told he’s safe in the job until Qatar isn’t a great thing eitherSELR_addicks said:Very pessimistic I'll be honest.
The team is great on paper but they have one person holding them back, the manager.
should be winning the group although finishing 2nd would give us a preferential route as likely to come up against France or Portugal in next round and I can’t see us beating either0 -
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So this would make the team:
Pickford
Walker - Stones - Mings - Trippier
Rice - Phillips
Foden - Mount - Sterling
Kane0 -
Looking forward to it. Must be the first England game I’ve properly watched the whole way through since the World Cup in 2018.
Can’t comment on the team other than ask why would we play a right back at left back when we have left backs in the squad? I very rarely watch any games other than ours so I struggle to keep up to date with the squad and how good players are. I had only heard of Saka in last year, maybe even more recently than that.
Expecting a close game, 1-1 but hoping we can get a narrow win.0 -
PickfordSELR_addicks said:So this would make the team:
Pickford
Walker - Stones - Mings - Trippier
Rice - Phillips
Foden - Mount - Sterling
Kane
James - Stones - ? (Mings by default) - Chilwell
Rice
Bellingham - Mount
Grealish - Kane - Foden
Is what I was hoping to see
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I'm going for a boring, tight, scrappy game with both sides doing the "mustn't lose!" thing. Still think we will win 2-1 though.
Stones from a set piece and a Kane penalty.
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We often start slow, and would take a draw, but got that good old feeling that England will romp the whole thing. I'll never learn0
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Benty was just talking about this on Talkshite, none of them could actually believe that Southgate is considering a rb at lb🤷♂️ricky_otto said:Trippier at left back would be crazy. Even more so if Mings is the left sided centre back. We have out most exciting squad for a long time, maybe ever, but Southgate won’t take the shackles off.0 -
As others have said, you have 2 top quality left backs so why pick a right back to play there?
Phillips not sure about, seems a bit too negative. I would rather play Bellingham who can get forward more.
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Is the Croatian wide player particularly known for cutting inside ?Redvalleyeast said:
Benty was just talking about this on Talkshite, none of them could actually believe that Southgate is considering a rb at lb🤷♂️ricky_otto said:Trippier at left back would be crazy. Even more so if Mings is the left sided centre back. We have out most exciting squad for a long time, maybe ever, but Southgate won’t take the shackles off.3 -
Southgate banged on for ages about not playing Trent because of "form" yet picks Sterling over Grealish/Sancho... also we have two left backs who have had great seasons but plays a right back there instead..0
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England are playing at home with arguably the most attractive attacking squad they have had in years against a team generally regarded as being in decline and without their main striker (Madzukic). If the leaked lineup is to be believed they are going in with a defensive line up and square pegs in round holes. Unbelievable. I get that the England back line is much less impressive than the front options and safety in numbers might be a thing but I simply cannot believe why you would go into this with a negative viewpoint and players out of position. Staggering if true. They will probably scrape a scruffy 1-0 and Southgate will claim vindication but England should be trying to put everyone else I. Their group to the sword (and I say that as a Scot)?1
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No Grealish? Oh just fuck off Southgate u prick. Two bob manager1
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I find it hard to believe that is the team tbh... if he was going to play that Phillips and Trippier would have played a bigger part in the friendlies... surely?
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Also I'm in Thorpe park today, hoping everyone stops to watch the footy and I can get to the front for Colossus and Swarm7
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Good team to start, 5 off the bench with another starting 11 worth on the bench. Grealish off the bench with 20 minutes against an ageing Croatia, perfect2
