UEFA Nations League & Euro 2020 Qualification

[Nando]

If we're going back to a four, Smalling should be back in the fold. He's miles better than Dunk and Keane.

 

[White Wolf]

Southgate has repeatedly stated that he doesn't believe Smalling is good enough on the ball and that is why he doesn't call him up. Valid enough complaint until you realise who he calls up instead (Dunk, Keane, Tarkowski, Jones) and we are ultimately just sacrificing one of our better defenders particularly if we are reverting to a back four.

 

[big mean bunny]

Wilson joins Alli and Ryan Mason as players who were in L1 the season we were that have been called up to England since. Wouldn't call it interesting but something I had kicking around in my mind.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Oh fuck! Not international week again. Yawn

Let's hope for some good games. We only got a couple last time.

 

[AndyWolves]

Wilson joins Alli and Ryan Mason as players who were in L1 the season we were that have been called up to England since. Wouldn't call it interesting but something I had kicking around in my mind.

Was Wilson at Coventry when we signed Clarke from them?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Was Wilson at Coventry when we signed Clarke from them?

Yeah, we were supposedly looking at one point but he was injured. Out until March. We wanted someone to get us over the line* (and also to help in case Dicko didn't work out), we were getting rid of Doyle and Griffiths so we needed someone ready to go, so it was never really an option. One of those Wolves myths.

Of course we could have gone for him rather than Chris Wood and Andy Delort in the summer of 2014, but we didn't.



*Yes, I know Leon was a shit answer to that question. You don't have to tell me, I never liked him.

 

[big mean bunny]

Just dawned on my Maguire was at Sheff Utd too. Nhaki Wells and Sako two others that made it to the prem from there too. Imagine there are others, Brentford potentially or some of the other sides that have loan players.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Tarkowski was at Oldham/Brentford that year.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Also Alfie Mawson was on Brentford's books (didn't play any games though and in fact he never played any league games for them).

 

[Jolemai]

Welbeck injured in tonight's Europa League game.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Oli McBurnie (Bradford)
Joe Bryan (Bristol City)
Lewis Dunk (Bristol City, on loan from Brighton)
Luke Garbutt (Colchester, on loan from Everton)
James Maddison (Coventry)
Neil Etheridge (Crewe, on loan from Fulham)
Eldin Jakupovic (Leyton Orient, on loan from Hull)
Brendan Galloway (MK Cunts)
Patrick Bamford (MK Thieves, on loan from Chelsea)
Jack Grealish (Notts Co, on loan from Aston Villa)
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Peterborough)
Conor Coady (Sheff Utd, on loan from Liverpool)
Kevin McDonald (Sheff Utd/Wolves)

 

[big mean bunny]

Nice. I said elsewhere that the England squads prove why the elite player plan has failed. Still hardly any players from the top 6 sides in the squad. 6 by my count, and you could argue Sancho is there as much for Dortmund developing him as City.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

These lads have got to get games. Robbie Keane's two years with us at first team level taught him so much.

 

[YoungWolf]

Nice. I said elsewhere that the England squads prove why the elite player plan has failed. Still hardly any players from the top 6 sides in the squad. 6 by my count, and you could argue Sancho is there as much for Dortmund developing him as City.

While I am by no means a fan of EPPP, you can’t say that when it’s only been around for a short amount of time.

Having been at an U15 camp with England where majority of players were Cat 1 - the level of talent is absurd. It works to a certain degree but doesn’t because they then struggle to get first team football. Up to sixteen, it’s the best footballing education they can get, hence why we are developing so much talent.

I’m now coaching with a Cat 3 academy side, where the quality is nowhere near yet a lot of these boys would probably have more chance of 1st team football at a younger age!

 

[AndyWolves]

Do we need to educate young players that's it's better to play first team football at a smaller club than not getting an opportunity at a bigger club?

 

[big mean bunny]

It's in its 6th year and has had questionable results. Closures of academy's and an arms rush of player hording being the worst. Teams shouldn't be discouraged from trying to develop the best players and that is what has happened for some.

 

[YoungWolf]

Do we need to educate young players that's it's better to play first team football at a smaller club than not getting an opportunity at a bigger club?

My view is that at 16-18 more players should be looking to go abroad or go somewhere they are more likely to get games. But before that they should try to get the best possible coaching they can, the difference is huge now, particularly because of EPPP.

 

[YoungWolf]

It's in its 6th year and has had questionable results. Closures of academy's and an arms rush of player hording being the worst. Teams shouldn't be discouraged from trying to develop the best players and that is what has happened for some.

As I said I’m not a massive fan but six years in youth development is not long enough IMO to judge the outcomes of it.

The quality of football provision for young players at the top end has undoubtedly gone up several levels though. The issue of course being as you said that it’s causing clubs to realise that it’s no longer fincancially viable to run an academy hence the closures (and there will be more to come).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If there's a genuine pathway there - like there has been at Wolves with MGW being elevated over a decent player in Jack Price, at Liverpool with Alexander-Arnold usurping an excellent player in Clyne, United play Lingard and Rashford regularly - then it's fine.

At City and Chelsea in particular it seems blocked. Loftus-Cheek is not getting anywhere, nor is Hudson-Odoi and if Foden gets wasted I will be really annoyed.

 

[YoungWolf]

Yeah it's a weird one because these clubs are the one creating the bulk of this talent yet also wasting it!

If there is one thing Southgate has done right recently it is reward Mount and Sancho for going out and getting games. Both could have been comfortable at City and Chelsea earning very good money but they wanted first team football. Others will have seen them get England call ups and realised that is what they need to do. Nelson will be next if he keeps producing like he is at Hoffenheim. At the rate Monaco are going Jonathan Panzo may get a game soon, he is a very good player.