The Road To The Desert: World Cup 2022 Qualification

[Templeton Peck]

England should keep well away from a back 3 which means no place for Coady. We lose too many attackers with 343.

 

[Tony Towner]

England should keep well away from a back 3 which means no place for Coady. We lose too many attackers with 343.

In the way Southgate plays it yes, because he insists on 2 holding midfielders so it would be 3 ch's and Rice +Henderson/Phillips. You don't need to do that though. It could be one of those plus a more offensive player like Mount or Foden and your front 3 is a choice of Kane, Sterling and one of Grealish, Rashford and whichever of Mount or Foden you've not put in midfield.
Personally I'd go 4123 against the weaker sides and 4231 against the stronger

 

[Tredman]

He's only started 3 CBs this round of matches and Coady is one of them - bodes well I think.

 

[Tredman]

For me I'd go:

FuckKnows
Stones - Coady - Maguire
James - Rice - Chillwell
Foden
Mount - Kane - Sterling​

 

[Deleted Cyber]

For me I'd go:

FuckKnows
Stones - Coady - Maguire
James - Rice - Chillwell
Foden
Mount - Kane - Sterling​

Swap Fuck knows for Pope or Henderson and play mount in the hole and Foden wide.
It’s a ludicrous state of affairs that we are bemoaning our best two keepers because of their our field technique ie Henderson and Pope who both need to improve in that area, in favour of Pickford who doesn’t dominate his area , doesn’t make the same saves, makes more errors , is 5 inches shorter in height than Pope and probably a foot shorter reach! But he can pass the ball.
Pope is fine with dead balls and other distribution and he is very quick off his line. Henderson too. Both have a swinger for a weaker foot.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

When has Pickford let England down?

Whereas Pope did 24 hours ago. He isn't very good, you should let this one go.

 

[Sniffer]

Gareth Southgate may select fewer defenders in England’s Euro 2020 squad

The manager is considering using a 4-3-3 formation at the tournament rather than a 3-4-3 in order to get more attacking players into the side

www.theguardian.com

I don’t agree that Grealish is just a possible and that Kalvin Phillips/James Ward-Prowse are bankers. I do think that he’s right about only needing 8 defenders although talk of using Chilwell or Shaw at LCB in a 3 is a bit far fetched. Still one right back and two centre halves would leave Coady/Mings/Dier fighting it out. Would he really pick Coady ahead of the others and give him the second half captaincy if he was going to be left out?

 

[Templeton Peck]

I welcome this from Southgate although even with 8 defenders he can still play his beloved 2 DMs.

Grealish is nailed on.

I'd take Saka as back up to Shaw and fuck Chilwell off. Saka can play pretty much anywhere so has to go imv.

Mings shouldn't be anywhere near. I'd take Tarkowski, Tomori or Konsa before him but Southgate clearly disagrees.

 

[Tony Towner]

He's not taking 5 full backs (ot at least he shouldn't) and he's played Trippier on the left before so I think Shaw or James misses out Walker, James/Shaw Trippier, Chilwell go. It's all very well saying Shaw or Walker could play in a 3 but they couldn't in a 2 so you need at least 4 centre halves -Maguire and Stones are certainties so that leaves 2 from Mings, Coady and Dier. You'd assume anyone not in the squad this time isn't getting in ahead of them. Keane would be the one with the outside chance. To give Southgate his due unlike previous England managers he does take club form into account, so if Dier continues on the bench at Spurs he's in trouble, but could cover both ch and dm.

I think Coady makes it for the flexibility of going to a back 3 and the leadership will get him over the line, although I think that's less relevant in a home(ish) tournament

Skybet have him 10th in the betting for defenders at Evens but there are 6 full backs ahead of him. He's behind Mings, but ahead of Dier although at 4/5, Evens and 11/10 there's nothing in it

 

[Johnny75]

GK: Pickford, Pope, Henderson

FB: Walker, Trippier, Shaw, Chilwell
CB: Maguire, Stones, Mings, Coady

DM: Rice, Henderson, Ward-Prowse
AM: Foden, Grealish, Mount, Rashford, Sterling, Sancho

STR: Kane, DCL

UEFA have thrown out they may look at bigger squads this morning so this may all be moot.

 

[Tony Towner]

I saw that, if it goes to 25 I'd take Bellingham and Saka for the experience

 

[Sniffer]

The only question for me is does Southgate trust Mount (he should) to play in a CM 2 whether that be in a 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1.

 

[Johnny75]

Mount and Foden are our most inform players at the moment and Southgate isn't daft enough not to take both.

Particularly as you could have both in CM if really needed.

 

[Tony Towner]

No, Rice and Henderson are nailed on if fit. JWP/Phillips if not. I think Mount plays higher up the pitch in his 4231.

I see his first 11 as: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Chilwell, Rice, Henderson, Sterling, Mount, Rashford, Kane

You could argue Foden and Shaw are in there instead of Rashford and Chilwell

 

[PuntsWolf]

The only question for me is does Southgate trust Mount (he should) to play in a CM 2 whether that be in a 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1.

I think you’re looking more 4-3-3 then. Playing Mount in a 2 in a 4-2-3-1 is either limiting him or limiting the FBs.

 

[Sniffer]

No, Rice and Henderson are nailed on if fit. JWP/Phillips if not. I think Mount plays higher up the pitch in his 4231

I was thinking more to do with not having 4 DMs in the squad.
I hope you’re though Tony. The system as I saw it was a 4-1-2-3 for the last two games and the difference between the left side and right side was like night and day as Phillips couldn’t play the role.

 

[Tony Towner]

I was thinking more to do with not having 4 DMs in the squad.
I hope you’re though Tony. The system as I saw it was a 4-1-2-3 for the last two games and the difference between the left side and right side was like night and day as Phillips couldn’t play the role.

I didn't watch the Poland game, but the other 2 I'd say were 4231 in principle, just the opposition were gash so it gave the opportunity for the DM's to push up. 4123 is what I would play, but I don't think that's what he will.

I agree with Johnny that he'll only take 1 of Phillips and JWP, that's what worries me for Coady as he could pick Dier to be 4th ch and 4th dm.

 

[Johnny75]

No, Rice and Henderson are nailed on if fit. JWP/Phillips if not. I think Mount plays higher up the pitch in his 4231.

I see his first 11 as: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Chilwell, Rice, Henderson, Sterling, Mount, Rashford, Kane

You could argue Foden and Shaw are in there instead of Rashford and Chilwell

I'd agree with this but wouldn't be afraid to play 1 DM and go 4-1-4-1 against the weaker teams with Mount and Grealish in the more central positions.

I think Mount is underrated as a CM, he's deceptively strong and has a nasty steak in him I like.

 

[Tony Towner]

I'd agree with this but wouldn't be afraid to play 1 DM and go 4-1-4-1 against the weaker teams with Mount and Grealish in the more central positions.

I think Mount is underrated as a CM, he's deceptively strong and has a nasty steak in him I like.

I'd play 4123, but we maybe saying more or less the same thing
----------------------Henderson------------
-----------------Mount-------Foden----------
-------Sterling-------Kane---------Grealish---

Potentially Rice for Grealish for the latter stages and 4231.
Southgate seems wedded to the 2 in any scenario though and I think he'll play Rashford which means 2 of Foden, Mount and Grealish don't start, which I think is a shame

 

[Johnny75]

We are more or less saying the same thing TT.

I am quite excited about our chances.