I hope not. The closest Stirling should get to France is Manchester. He's done nothing to warrant a place. I'd call time on the likes of Walcott and the Ox as well - been in and out the squad for a while now and never cemented a place - injuries aside.
I know this should should probably go under General Things that Annoy You but it really does annoy me when the press and fans come out saying that this is the weakest England Team for years...
For me its a better England team, we've got the likes of Alli / Gomez / Butland / Stones all coming through, none of them have jumped ship from current teams to join a big side just to sit on the bench, all are just getting on with playing football rather than previous years when we've had to listen to the pointless opinions of Rio Ferdinand!!
And to the old school of Paul Scholes / Steven Gerrard etc. you can moan saying that this England squad will never win anything, but you were apparently the Golden Generation and you won squat for England yourselves!!
Our qualifying campaign says otherwise. yes it was an easy group, but you've still got to deliver the results.
There's still several months to go, enough time for several fringe players to stake a claim. Indeed in certain positions there are a lot of options, for example the attacking wide midfielders/wingers/strikers
Sterling, Walcott, Ox-Chamberlain, Welbeck (if fit), Milner, Townsend (now he's getting regular games again), Lallana, Lennon (now playing regularly for Everton) and Zaha have all played for England previously in those positions
Then add in the likes of Albrighton, Lingard (starting to do the business at Man U), there's a lot of choice
How is Stones getting into so many teams on here? Been woeful this season.
This with an added Sterling. Don't get how he is in so many teams. Every big game where City have been up against it, he's gone missing. Scores or creates when the other 9 outfield are playing well but can't turn a game - which is what I'd expect if I paid that ridiculous sum of money for.
We have in form, goal scoring strikers (Vardy, Kane and even Rooney), in form, goal scoring attacking midfielders (Alli, Barkley) and in form keepers (Hart, Butland and Forster).
Sort out the defence and we stand a chance!
With three in goal, I'm not sure the defence is that important.
I actually think England's best opportunity is to play a counter attacking game when you look at the pace available to them with Sterling, Vardy, Kane (who's no slouch), Walcott etc. they can hurt most teams. I believe we need Rooney who is past his best but is a talisman for the team. I would be happy with Rooney/Kane or Rooney/Vardy with the other coming off the bench.
By the way who would you have in the hole? Barkley or Alli? Hard choice that one but nice to have good young players for a change.
To play the counter attack you also need someone to sit and hold the ball up whilst the speedy players run past before the ball is passed off to them, thats where Rooney / Kane would also benefit before joining in
Vardy and Rooney up top for me. Vardy will run continuously for the entire tournament - the man is a machine. You can see the determination in his eyes when interviewed. He wont be phased by whoever he is playing and will try to be first to every ball. We need that imo.
Kane to bring on.
Need a creative midfield behind so would get 2 of Sterling/Ali/Barkley etc somewhere in there. Dier in to protect the back 4. Maybe Carrick depending on who was in front.
Imo Vardy should be starting, playing against same oppositions as Rooney with worse players along side him and still scored more goals.
But we all know Rooney is Roys love child and can't be dropped so Rooney will start, Vardy will probably get about half hours playing time in whole competition, we will go out in group stages with everyone laughing at us and Rooney will go eat some burgers
Imo Vardy should be starting, playing against same oppositions as Rooney with worse players along side him and still scored more goals.
But we all know Rooney is Roys love child and can't be dropped so Rooney will start, Vardy will probably get about half hours playing time in whole competition, we will go out in group stages with everyone laughing at us and Rooney will go eat some burgers
Not a Rooney fan then?
He's basically carrying Man Utd at the moment along with Martial.
Imo Vardy should be starting, playing against same oppositions as Rooney with worse players along side him and still scored more goals.
But we all know Rooney is Roys love child and can't be dropped so Rooney will start, Vardy will probably get about half hours playing time in whole competition, we will go out in group stages with everyone laughing at us and Rooney will go eat some burgers
Not a Rooney fan then?
He's basically carrying Man Utd at the moment along with Martial.
Certainly is. No way will / can he be left out of the England side.
I actually think England's best opportunity is to play a counter attacking game when you look at the pace available to them with Sterling, Vardy, Kane (who's no slouch), Walcott etc. they can hurt most teams. I believe we need Rooney who is past his best but is a talisman for the team. I would be happy with Rooney/Kane or Rooney/Vardy with the other coming off the bench.
By the way who would you have in the hole? Barkley or Alli? Hard choice that one but nice to have good young players for a change.
Very difficult one. Not sure you can reaallllly play them both, even though I put them both in my XI above!
I would probably go for Barkley, just. Has played at a World Cup and is having a very good season. Tough call though as I am a massive fan of Ali both who is probably having a better season, although Barkley is playing in team that can't defend for sh*t.
Brilliant for him and thoroughly deserved. Hope he makes final squad ahead of Delph/henderson/shelvey. Warrants a place far more then any of those three.
Rooney has to start when fit. He is captain and still our best and most experienced player.
Hodgson has a great positive problem in attacking positions as you wouldnt wana leave out Vardy, (having the form of his life) Rooney and Kane from the starting line up.
Kane scores goals in both white shirts he plays in.
We always pick up injuries coming up to a tournie , and as we don't have say as much quality in depth as Spain or Germany always pin our hopes on one or two players and come away disappointed, bit like the Charlton squad!
Not to get too carried away by one performance but Roy played that almost perfectly last night. Will be such a shame to see Rooney return and spoil it all!
True, Kane, Vardy and Alli have the unknown factor and are in form so go with them instead of the old guard who have had many tournaments to prove themselves but have failed.
Great team performance with no prima donnas. Hodgson is playing to our strengths and not pouncing around with over the top tippy tappy which we can't do. Not sure how this work ethic will be maintained in competition but great to have a team back that we can be proud of.
We're quite good a winning friendlies against the big sides, just watch us predictably shit ourselves at the Euro's when it matters. Roy will pick his unfit favourites and set up not too lose...
We're quite good a winning friendlies against the big sides, just watch us predictably shit ourselves at the Euro's when it matters. Roy will pick his unfit favourites and set up not too lose...
I don't see how he can ignore Alli, Kane and Vardy.
Certainly the first two have confidence and determination. Look at the Cruyff turn for the first goal - when was the last time we saw an England player create that kind of goal. Alli seems to have it all. Skill, determination and a great engine.
Imo Vardy should be starting, playing against same oppositions as Rooney with worse players along side him and still scored more goals.
But we all know Rooney is Roys love child and can't be dropped so Rooney will start, Vardy will probably get about half hours playing time in whole competition, we will go out in group stages with everyone laughing at us and Rooney will go eat some burgers
Not a Rooney fan then?
He's basically carrying Man Utd at the moment along with Martial.
Certainly is. No way will / can he be left out of the England side.
Oops!! No way!! Rooney's inclusion will just result in the usual slowing down of play to pedestrian pace. Pace last night terrified the Germans and there is no way Rooney should be included at the expense of anyone who performed last night. Bar 2004, he always fails to impress at big tournaments and can no longer even be regarded as a luxury you can't do without.
Really hate the imbalance he brings to an England team. We are now, finally, so better off without him.
Imo Vardy should be starting, playing against same oppositions as Rooney with worse players along side him and still scored more goals.
But we all know Rooney is Roys love child and can't be dropped so Rooney will start, Vardy will probably get about half hours playing time in whole competition, we will go out in group stages with everyone laughing at us and Rooney will go eat some burgers
Not a Rooney fan then?
He's basically carrying Man Utd at the moment along with Martial.
Certainly is. No way will / can he be left out of the England side.
Oops!! No way!! Rooney's inclusion will just result in the usual slowing down of play to pedestrian pace. Pace last night terrified the Germans and there is no way Rooney should be included at the expense of anyone who performed last night. Bar 2004, he always fails to impress at big tournaments and can no longer even be regarded as a luxury you can't do without.
Really hate the imbalance he brings to an England team. We are now, finally, so better off without him.
Agree that he doesn't warrant a place at the moment.
However, regardless of opinion, IMO he's a guaranteed starter in France. He'll play behind Kane.
Comments
Hart
Clyne---Smalling---Stones---Bertrand
Dier---Ali/Wilshere if fit
Sterling---Rooney---Vardy
Kane
3 subs to probably make would be:
Barkley
lallana
ox
Clyne
Smalling
Cahill
Bertrand
Dier
Henderson
Alli
Rooney
Sterling
Kane
Would like to see something like this tried against Germany with Butland, Stones, Barkley, Vardy starting against The Netherlands.
There's still several months to go, enough time for several fringe players to stake a claim. Indeed in certain positions there are a lot of options, for example the attacking wide midfielders/wingers/strikers
Sterling, Walcott, Ox-Chamberlain, Welbeck (if fit), Milner, Townsend (now he's getting regular games again), Lallana, Lennon (now playing regularly for Everton) and Zaha have all played for England previously in those positions
Then add in the likes of Albrighton, Lingard (starting to do the business at Man U), there's a lot of choice
Ruel Fox is certainly one of those names
By the way who would you have in the hole? Barkley or Alli? Hard choice that one but nice to have good young players for a change.
Kane to bring on.
Need a creative midfield behind so would get 2 of Sterling/Ali/Barkley etc somewhere in there. Dier in to protect the back 4. Maybe Carrick depending on who was in front.
But we all know Rooney is Roys love child and can't be dropped so Rooney will start, Vardy will probably get about half hours playing time in whole competition, we will go out in group stages with everyone laughing at us and Rooney will go eat some burgers
He's basically carrying Man Utd at the moment along with Martial.
I would probably go for Barkley, just. Has played at a World Cup and is having a very good season. Tough call though as I am a massive fan of Ali both who is probably having a better season, although Barkley is playing in team that can't defend for sh*t.
Hodgson has a great positive problem in attacking positions as you wouldnt wana leave out Vardy, (having the form of his life) Rooney and Kane from the starting line up.
Kane scores goals in both white shirts he plays in.
I'm 80% happy 20% gutted as I would have wanted to actually see that game! Especially at home.
Didn't even know the result or anything until I FaceTime'd brother in law.
He said very quietly "yeh so we went 2 nil down just before the hour but sort of came back a bit...AND WON 3-2!"
Harry Kane's goal was f*ckin fantastic. In loving memory of the namesake skill.
Certainly the first two have confidence and determination. Look at the Cruyff turn for the first goal - when was the last time we saw an England player create that kind of goal. Alli seems to have it all. Skill, determination and a great engine.
Really hate the imbalance he brings to an England team. We are now, finally, so better off without him.
However, regardless of opinion, IMO he's a guaranteed starter in France. He'll play behind Kane.