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Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Henry Winter, The Times chief football writer

Hart

Clyne, Smalling, Cahill, Rose

Dier

Alli, Wilshere

Rooney

Vardy, Kane.

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No width...

comment by Galvbacca..The Shunned One (U10415)
posted 23 seconds ago
Defence is gonna get raped whatever happens.

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At least the opposition's should be too.

Ah well, at least it fills the summer a bit... less time to wait until new season.

------------------Hart

Clyne----Smalling---Cahill-----Rose

-------------------Dier

-------------Rooney-----Alli

Vardy --------------------------Sterling

-----------------Kane

We'll get slaughtered against a big team but might as well go all out.

I don't know why people are so pessimistic about this England team, there's some genuinely good players in there who have actually had good seasons: Vardy, Kane, Alli, Dier, Drinkwater, Rose, Hart, Smalling. Sturridge and Wilshere clearly are very good on their day too.

comment by Spurtle2 (U1608)
posted 6 minutes ago
I don't know why people are so pessimistic about this England team, there's some genuinely good players in there who have actually had good seasons: Vardy, Kane, Alli, Dier, Drinkwater, Rose, Hart, Smalling. Sturridge and Wilshere clearly are very good on their day too.
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Good point Spurts

Hopefully we see a 'Leicester/Spurs(earlier this season)' style performance... hard work with a bit of quality.

comment by Spurtle2 (U1608)
posted 4 minutes ago
I don't know why people are so pessimistic about this England team, there's some genuinely good players in there who have actually had good seasons: Vardy, Kane, Alli, Dier, Drinkwater, Rose, Hart, Smalling. Sturridge and Wilshere clearly are very good on their day too.
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First xi looks decent, after that a bit thin.

And I guess there's also a bit of the leicester syndrome about it - eg drinkwater has had a good season, but he will never be world class, and so a part of you thinks he is there by default.

I would though have him in the team, and I think people are underrating Alli, Kane, and Vardy, all of whom have had exceptional, not simply good, seasons. On current form I think Vardy/Kane would get into most national teams in Europe, I wouldn't even think of dropping either to the bench.

Talk about shoe-horning... Rooney at left CAM?

John Cross, Daily Mirror chief football writer

Hart

Walker, Cahill, Smalling, Rose

Dier, Wilshere

Sterling, Alli, Rooney

Kane

left AM or LAM...

In a narrow 4231 though, the 3 AMs should all interchange fairly fluidly. That's what a large part of Spurs' success earlier in the season was built on - during a match it's quite difficult to tell which of Alli, Lamela and Eriksen is "officially" playing in which of the three slots.

comment by Robberts (U1145)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle2 (U1608)
posted 6 minutes ago
I don't know why people are so pessimistic about this England team, there's some genuinely good players in there who have actually had good seasons: Vardy, Kane, Alli, Dier, Drinkwater, Rose, Hart, Smalling. Sturridge and Wilshere clearly are very good on their day too.
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Good point Spurts

Hopefully we see a 'Leicester/Spurs(earlier this season)' style performance... hard work with a bit of quality.
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This.

You don't always need a squad full of world class players. Drinkwater doesn't need to be world class. How did 'world class' Gerrard and Lampard serve us at tournaments? It's about the team, and if that team has a bit of quality to go with it, which ours does, then it's a bonus.

Point being, it's not like Rooney in that formation would be playing as a winger.

Kind of a moot point though since he shouldn't be in the team anyway. Ridiculous that he's been playing best part of 15 years now at the top level and still no-one knows what his bloody position it

comment by Chris HaaKsworth (U11574)
posted 3 minutes ago
In a narrow 4231 though, the 3 AMs should all interchange fairly fluidly. That's what a large part of Spurs' success earlier in the season was built on - during a match it's quite difficult to tell which of Alli, Lamela and Eriksen is "officially" playing in which of the three slots.
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Yeah, but when one is in either of the wider positions they play with width. Can't see Rooney skinning defenders down the wing...

Hart

Walker - Smalling - Cahill - Rose

Dier - Drinkwater

Sterling - Wilshere - Alli

Kane


...still looks like the best team to me, assuming Wilshere is actually fit and not just being included as an outside chance. I'm not the biggest fan of Sterling but he clearly offers something that no other player in the squad does.

I think Vardy will terrify defences off the bench. Nice to have Vardy and Sterling in reserve, since both are game-changers

comment by Robberts (U1145)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Chris HaaKsworth (U11574)
posted 3 minutes ago
In a narrow 4231 though, the 3 AMs should all interchange fairly fluidly. That's what a large part of Spurs' success earlier in the season was built on - during a match it's quite difficult to tell which of Alli, Lamela and Eriksen is "officially" playing in which of the three slots.
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Yeah, but when one is in either of the wider positions they play with width. Can't see Rooney skinning defenders down the wing...
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Not really - they look to pull inside and create around the edge of the box, with the full back offering the width.

Meant "Nice to have Vardy and Sturridge* in reserve..." above

Agree with Vardy off the bench.. Sterling though has had a very poor season. Doesn't have the dynamism he had at Liverpool.

Wilshere at 10... he's barely played this season, let alone in a creative role.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

This is a realistic side...

Hart
Clyne Smalling Cahill Rose
Dier Wilshere
Rooney
Milner Kane Sterling

I rate Alli as much as anyone but he's got a problem with discipline so shouldn't be risked from the start this time round.

comment by Robberts (U1145)
posted 1 minute ago
Agree with Vardy off the bench.. Sterling though has had a very poor season. Doesn't have the dynamism he had at Liverpool.

Wilshere at 10...he's barely played this season, let alone in a creative role.
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I do agree

My side is more of a "best case scenario" where Sterling and Wilshere both manage play to their full capabilities.

Wilshere is a creative midfielder though, isn't he? Strikes me that an advanced midfield role is his natural position.

Yeah, if both are at the best that they have been in the past then it's a no brainer.

But lack of matches (Wilshere) and poor form (Sterling) really means they have to perform in the friendlies to be talked about in the starting X1