England World Cup Squad

I can't remember any England World cup squads where so many talented players were left out of the squad as there were so many options.

The choice of attacking midfielders used to be Lampard and/or Gerrard and now there was Rogers, Bellingham, Palmer, Eze, Foden, Gibbs-White etc vying for selection, as well as the box to box midfielders in Rice, Mainoo, Anderson and the surprise for me Henderson who I thought had played his last tournament.

Big gamble on fitness with John Stones and will any one get crocked in the last matches !

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

ValleyGary said:

Agree with most but there’s 3/4 dodgy picks there.

Same here. I don't think it's possible to ever get everyone to agree on which 26 players to take.

Plus of course it's highly likely that unless we win the first 2 group games and rest some players for Panama or we end up in the 3rd/4th place playoff game then 6-7 of the squad might not even get on the pitch.

plenty of that squad will get nowhere near playing, key is our first XI and then the 3/4 game changing subs

Hard to disagree with most of it but Henderson (did a decent job for England under Southgate but he's well past it and we have so much better young options e.g. Garner), Spence (had a poor season and not even cemented his place in an utterly dreadful Spurs side), and Toney (never been a serious contender for England even when playing in the Prem, and has since strolled around in Saudi for the last couple of years, which is a million miles off the pace/quality of International football) should be nowhere near a 2026 England WC squad.

Wharton is a class act (appreciate he's Palace, but we have no-one else like him on the ball in midfield), and along with Hall & Gibbs-White is desperately unlucky not to be in there. Despite him not having a great season I'd still much rather have Palmer coming on to change a game than Madueke.

Also would have liked to have Maguire in there but the way he's petulantly responded is surprising given the fact he's always come across as a decent level-headed bloke (to the point where if a CB gets injured in the next few weeks, would Touchel even consider him as a replacement?)

 

Rufus is a dogs name said:

Hard to disagree with most of it but Henderson (did a decent job for England under Southgate but he's well past it and we have so much better young options e.g. Garner), Spence (had a poor season and not even cemented his place in an utterly dreadful Spurs side), and Toney (never been a serious contender for England even when playing in the Prem, and has since strolled around in Saudi for the last couple of years, which is a million miles off the pace/quality of International football) should be nowhere near a 2026 England WC squad.

Wharton is a class act (appreciate he's Palace, but we have no-one else like him on the ball in midfield), and along with Hall & Gibbs-White is desperately unlucky not to be in there. Despite him not having a great season I'd still much rather have Palmer coming on to change a game than Madueke.

Also would have liked to have Maguire in there but the way he's petulantly responded is surprising given the fact he's always come across as a decent level-headed bloke (to the point where if a CB gets injured in the next few weeks, would Touchel even consider him as a replacement?)

 

Tell that to the Greek police.

If Toney was in Tuchel's plans,  why hasn't he been picked before?

I would take Gibbs-White. The highest ranked English goalscorer in the Premiership. He has scored 14 goals this season. I just don’t get it. Spence, Livramento, Henderson, Quansah, Toney can count themselves very lucky. Quansah I just don’t rate.

Just watching the news conference and am always impressed with how Tuchel speaks and the way he’s thinking.

No Wharton is a weird one 

Addick Addict said:

philcafc said:

Gibbs-White very unlucky not to make it in my view, especially with some of the players who have made the squad (Spence, Quansah) Maguire a surprise exclusion as well, although I don't like the fact that he commented before the squad was announced. That shouldn't happen.

Interesting to hear Tuchel's views on Maguire's reaction as against that of Bowen. Safe to say Maguire will never be picked again for England whereas Bowen might. 

Maguire is at the age where this would probably be his final tournament anyway. 

soapboxsam said:

The biggest mistake is not officially announcing the squad as soon as the last player had been told he was in or out before the bush fire of gossip or fact in Big Harry's case.
 
Yes we knew  Maguire was gutted because he and his mum 'Linda' "Disgusted" took to social media to reveal their feelings.

So much gossip as "we believe Stones is in the squad" state the BBC down to the teenage podcaster in the bedroom.

Make it official.

The players should be told in no uncertain terms that they don't comment on whether they are in or out of the squad until the squad is announced, and if they do they are fined. EG you don't get this in the Ryder Cup where the players left out stay quiet before the team is announced.

So what are we thinking for the starting line up first game?

Pickford, Guehi, Rice, Kane, Saka, Bellingham are locks?

Or is Rogers the lock and Bellingham on the bench? Personally - I think no other team in the world cup would leave him out but lets see what Tuchel does.

I would also suggest Rice will be paired with Anderson. 

Cant work out who the full backs will be. James and O'Reilly?

Just 26 allowed.

I suspect that Henderson and Stones have been chosen almost as mentors/school prefects

Toney ? .. scored lots of goals playing in extreme heat and the weather will be a big factor during the tournament .. AND how many English qualified strikers are prolific and regular scorers in the Prem ? .. perhaps Welbeck ?

No Palmer, Foden, Gibbs-White ? .. Gibbs-W is the surprise to me, BUT a midfield of Rice, Bellingham, Anderson and Rogers, who would replace any of them ?

All in all a decent seletion i m o .. lots of pace, experience, toughness, as said above, only 26 could be selected

Taking 3 cripples in Stones, Livramento & James, 3 players that aren’t good enough in Burn, Quansah & Spence + no actual left back is mental.