I hope he at least gets 60 seconds to shine.
“Hell cause chaos”
Sorry but walker has been utter crap this tournament. He is there literally just their for his pace. His positioning has been awful and his in possession play has been woeful.
Genuinely ask yourself what the reaction would be if Trent was playing that bad. At least with Trent you have someone who can pass and be creative. Never gonna get the best out of him when not one not a single player actually runs in behind and stretches play
Also Mainoo showed how good he was. Should be starting.
I’ve always hated the way walker plays, so negative in passing, he gets in a position to cross but he doesn’t, he drives me insane. If he didn’t have pace like you said, he’s an average player all day long
I agree Walker has been crap. My logic keeping him in is purely not to make too many changes to the back line. At centre back all he has to do is defend and let Trent worry about getting up and down the wing. I'm pretty sure Gomez would do a better job in that position.
I also agree with everything you said about Trent. Someone has to be sacrificed and I would like to get Mainoo in somewhere but I feel Bellingham would just be better against Switzerland on the fact he has played 3 years of top flight football in midfield.
I was terrified against Serbia because he was in the side for his "recovery pace" and yet I don't recall him closing Kostić (a notorious crosser with big targets to aim for) down once out wide. We got lucky Guéhi decided to play like he was 6'10" against Mitrović, Vlahović and Milinković-Savić 😭
Gordon left, defensive left back (centre back) behind him, and Alexander-Arnold on the right if we actually play with any form of intent and directness or use runners. Walker has a very simple role and he's not really doing it.
His recovery pace is worldclass, until he's no longer the best in the world at that I don't really care how bad he is going forward.
Walker ain't the reason we aren't scoring.
Being one dimensional is not a good footballer.... Might as well say put on Usain bolt at RB cos hes fast.
Mainoo was one of the best players vs Slovakia - he's left out?
This is the exact problem.
Someone needs to be dropped.
Really? I felt like he was playing really poor for his ability. He was way to safe and it probably instructions.
Yes in the 70 min he decided to actually take on his man. But it very frustrating but he should have done it straight away. It annoying he not allowed to run in behind aswell. He had so many times to go into Saka space when he dropped but he not allowed it seems.
Agreed, he was overrated. He's very young, but his game is pretty one dimensional for the most part – play safe, and carry when he can. When Gallagher was taken off for him at half time in the group stage game, it made no sense because Gallagher is a more efficient and voluminous contributor in virtually every single area, including progressive passing (which is harder when you play higher up the pitch for obvious reasons). Mainoo came on and played 35% of his many short passes backwards (Gallagher saw the ball less but played 20% back/sideways). The only thing of note was the backheel into space.
He and Foden were two of the least effective players against Slovakia. Hopefully Mainoo can develop into a superb midfielder for our future, but even Wharton would make more sense and help free up Rice's ability to drive forward more. Rice is twice as good a carrier of the ball, and better in most areas tbh.
Agreed he was probably the best player. However, the Switzerland game is going to be a battle in central midfield. Xhaka is on current form one of the best CMs in the world so I've gone for Bellingham because I think he's better defensively than Mainoo. In other words sacrificing Mainoo's creativity for a bit more bite in central midfield to try and nullify Xhaka.
Who would you have him in for in that lineup?
I wouldn't play that lineup because he couldn't fit.
Palmer CAM with Gordan being replaced with him in at CM
Why would you change a balanced lineup to accommodate one player though? Not saying this is a perfect lineup, but England's problem has been ignoring a balanced lineup that would probably work just because it means a certain player misses out. People have to accept that we have an abundance of talent so any decent, balanced lineup is going to result is someone very talented not starting.
You could also make a balanced lineup with Mainoo, but then someone else will complain because their favourite player has been left out. This constant pressure to shoehorn certain players in is part of the problem. This lineup would probably work in practice tbh, especially if Southgste had actually worked on this system before the tournament. I'd personally go for the same 4231 system he's been playing, with Mainoo, but some other changes. But then people would complain about their favourite player not being in it. You just can't please everyone.
We all have wanted to see Jude rice as a pairing at Cm, clearly that isn’t seen as viable maybe neither of them good enough at dictating the pace of the game etc.
With saka lwb you probs don’t need Gordon LF and could have Jude there with kobbie cm
I thought a lot about this as well. My concern in this game is Granit Xhaka. Even though Mainoo is clearly class, I think we need Jude in there for his tackling and aggression. Bellingham at LW also gives me Foden at LW vibes. It's not really a natural position for him. I think it's time to play a left winger at left wing.
1 player too few in your back line, 1 player too many in your forward line.
None of this bloody tic tac football them foreign lot like to play - we took back control of our formation in 2016/2020. Make ol' Lizzy proud and play the only formation that truly matters.
Mike Bassets 4 4 fucking 2
Not my first choice, but it isn't flawed so sure let's do it. Of course it's too radical for Southgate though. (might flip Rice and Bellingham so Rice is next to Trent).
Yep, it would probably make more sense that way. Bellingham has been played more on the left of the midfield I think.
Actually looks interesting
Too many attacking players this isn't fifa
You don't have to have both wing backs overlapping. It can easily revert to 4 at the back if Trent or Saka drop back.
Switch Konsa to RCB and plonk Gomez at LCB and I'm with you.
Trent having a wide CB behind him, with Saka and Gordon to aim those long balls at, could be immense.
You've also got two wide players on each wing - what a novelty!! xD If Palmer tucks inside, you've got Trent on the overlap for crosses - if Palmer stays wide, he's got Trent as the short option and Bellingham bursting forward on the underlap.
With so much potential movement around Harry Kane, we might even see better, more impactful performances from him too.
I'd also be 100% happy with this. Walker definitely deserves to be dropped. Just didn't want to make too many changes to the back line. Kept him in there for experience more than anything.
Think you're right about Kane too. What I like about this formation is that because there is no number 10, Harry Kane can drop into that space without getting in anyones way.
Prefer just to play with a back 4, with Walker as CB and Trent on the right, and have Gomez or literally anyone on the left. I feel if saka stays on the right he can help with some of the defensive deficiency’s of trent
This is the winner op Trent and saka weakness in defence are gone because of the 3 at the back we’re short at lb this gives us a extra player in that position we’ve got to great bbm play then as such and a 3 up top means PF can play as a ten or OW can play as More a striker
Don't see the need for both Saka and Gordon on the left
Think of it as Saka being the winger holding the width and Gordon is more of an inside forward. They can swap when Saka comes inside and interchange.
Having wingbacks AND wingers doesn’t make sense to me.
If you’re going to play 3 at the back (not a bad idea), you should either play 3-5-2 with Rice sitting behind Mainoo and Bellingham, and Watkins/Toney alongside Kane upfront, or a 3-4-3, with Rice and Mainoo in a double pivot and Bellingham just behind the two strikers.
Trent and Saka provide the width in this system. Playing wingers as well means you have 4 players in each others’ way on the wings, and the midfield completely vacated.
Conversely, starting Palmer and Gordon makes complete sense if you stick with the 4-3-3 we’ve been playing and put Trent right back (providing the width on the right while Palmer cuts inside) and Gomez left back (staying back to form a back 3 while Gordon provides the width on the left).
The 3-4-3 style that I think England should play is similar to the one that Conte won the league and FA Cup with Chelsea.
Diego Costa (Kane) supported by two inside forwards Hazard and Pedro (Gordon and Palmer). Attackers start wide and then either dribble infield or make penetrating runs off the ball in behind.
Combative midfield pairing in Kanté and Matic (Rice and Jude). Alonso and Moses (Saka and Trent) providing the width from wing-back.
Southgate has actually played this formation in the past with Walker, Rice and Kane in the team.
I'd really love to see this too.
This is what he'll actually play
In defence you presumably have walker as a CB alongside to Trent at RB and Palmer offering support on that side. Seems major weak point.
In attack saka seems wasted unless gordon comes marrow which just gives you the current problem of Kane him and bellingham all in the same space.
You actually don't need to somehow shoehorn Walker in to any side lol, he's been dreadful, Trent plays RB Gomez or Konsa CB.
Shite.
that team is getting beat 5-0 lol
What would your formation be?
Tooney was immense, every fans line up should include him
Immense is a bit overboard. He certainly made an impact in the important moment but overall I thought he was poor.
We aren’t a fluid team, we aren’t going to fix that mid tournament? Stick Tooney on from the start, play old school long balls, we’ll be fine.
He looked great as a desperation sub to chuck long balls at but he looked slow and lumbering other than that.
Bit unfair, he did everything asked and assisted the winner lol
He did great with the assist but he still looked slow and lumbering. He has his place and I think that is as a desperation sub
Can't drop Kane though, no matter how dodgy he looks. One of only 2 players that can actually score
Sterling scored loads for us, just because a player doesn’t perform at club level, that doesn’t mean they are a bad fit for England. That’s the number one lesson of this tournament
Would rather Walker LB and Mainoo in midfield with Saka left back on the bench
I'd still start Saka over Palmer personally. Really don't think there's much in it between them
Yes agree I would still be happy with Saka starting RW. Main difference I’d like to see would be Gordon LW, Trent RB and Mainoo starting
One of the main reasons behind this formation is to stop playing right backs at left back. Walker at left back would be just as bad as Trippier and offer nothing different.
Is 3 at the back / Saka LWB any better?
The whole point is having a left-footed player either at left back or left wing back - this is the balance that England have been missing and why we are not posing any attacking threat on the left of the pitch.
Gareth will indulge your Gordon request on the 91st minute