The Official *England's Passage to Paris 2016* Thread

[FootballLight]

First topic message reminder :

Sorry 24, I'm thinking of the World Cup again.

[Guest]

.Am I excited for Kane or Vardy up front for England? Nope. Sturridge is the only one with the class to do it.

Not sure why you have reservations over Kane anymore. As for thinking Sturridge has the class at that level, is pretty much nonsense. Sturridge proved in Brazil 14' he wasn't an England no.9, his finishing was truly diabolical in those three group games & don't try & deny it.

Really? He was "diabolical" and that cant be denied? Nonsense, absolute nonsense. I have reservations about Kane's pace being any worry, and whilst he scores goals, I just dont think he will be a fearful proposition for top quality defenders. I don't think his link play is good enough and I don't think he'll get behind defences. I like his finishing, I like how he went to basics when he was out of form, but I'm still not a huge fan.

Sturridge has pace and can do things alone too. Big fan of Sturridge, think he is absolutely different level when he's fit.

You might want to watch the tapes of sturridge's awful finishing vs Uruguay & Costa Rica. Nonsense in your world, I live in the reality.

http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/24/daniel-sturridge-slammed-by-fans-as-england-only-muster-goalless-draw-with-costa-rica-4774434/

Read the tweets. You talk nonsense.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

You've not seen Kane play if you don't think his link play is good enough - one of the best aspects of his game. Think he's more than good enough to lead the line at the Euros

Vardy a good option off the bench

Probably seen him more than most on this board, I have very close friends who are Spurs fans, and I am genuinely interested in Poch. I think his first half of the season was a man who played like Rooney when he's rusty, but took the risk of going madly simple and just hitting all his shots hard. I noticed that a lot early season, there was no finesse to his finishing, he just hit shots hard every time. It was fascinating and I enjoyed it, but I don't think he's a fantastic all round player.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

.Am I excited for Kane or Vardy up front for England? Nope. Sturridge is the only one with the class to do it.

Not sure why you have reservations over Kane anymore. As for thinking Sturridge has the class at that level, is pretty much nonsense. Sturridge proved in Brazil 14' he wasn't an England no.9, his finishing was truly diabolical in those three group games & don't try & deny it.

Really? He was "diabolical" and that cant be denied? Nonsense, absolute nonsense. I have reservations about Kane's pace being any worry, and whilst he scores goals, I just dont think he will be a fearful proposition for top quality defenders. I don't think his link play is good enough and I don't think he'll get behind defences. I like his finishing, I like how he went to basics when he was out of form, but I'm still not a huge fan.

Sturridge has pace and can do things alone too. Big fan of Sturridge, think he is absolutely different level when he's fit.

You might want to watch the tapes of sturridge's awful finishing vs Uruguay & Costa Rica. Nonsense in your world, I live in the reality.

http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/24/daniel-sturridge-slammed-by-fans-as-england-only-muster-goalless-draw-with-costa-rica-4774434/

Read the tweets. You talk nonsense.

Oh some cr*p from the Metro?! I retract my statements, the bastion of knowledge has been presented.

[Duty281]

Ahhh, somehow this is a good thing. United have only looked good this season when Wayne has looked good.

Am I excited for Kane or Vardy up front for England? Nope. Sturridge is the only one with the class to do it, and Walcott could do it with a run of form, just cos his pace is so dangerous.

Think the squad needs him and will benefit from him. Two months out isn't too worrying at all, and could be very good for him in terms of England.

That's because the main focus on the attack has been built around Wayne Rooney. United getting better, coinciding with Rooney's improvement, is because they have only been able to function as an attacking force when he plays well due to Van Gaal's over-reliance.

And - re the two months thing - wasn't a similar thing said before South Africa? Yay, he's injured but he'll be fully fit come the tournament, no risk of burnout - and we know how that turned out!

You also do a great disservice to Kane and Vardy - the two highest scorers in the league this season; have both played a great role in getting their respective clubs to be title-contenders; and have outscored Rooney by 9 and 12 goals respectively.

Always an excuse. We talk about excuses for Wayne, but theres excuses against him. Not even congratulated by many on here for being England's all time record scorer.

You cannot blame Rooney for United's woes. They havent been bad cos of Rooney, yet there have been games recently where Rooney's class have won them matches. They arent good, but big goals have still been scored by him in this awful system.

I probably do do the two a disservice, but I am not 100% on Vardy for England. I agree with some parts of what Azzy said, I'm not 100% sure everything Leicester will convert to England. I see why Drinkwater is getting talked up for England, for example, but Noble should be ahead based on years of form. Vardy is kind of similar, I don't think he immediately jumps to being amazing. He makes the squad, but not sure i'd play him unless we were playing a defensive formation and all on counter attack. Sterling, Vardy, Walcott against someone like Spain I would accept.

I don't think Vardy is amazing, either. What he is is a decent player, brimming with confidence, in the form of his life, and eager to seize a chance for his country's football team that he probably never envisaged he would get - which is better than what his nearest competitors (Kane excepted) bring.

England's all time record scorer is a meaningless achievement, propped up with goals in friendlies and against minnow nations. I would probably only need one hand to count the worthwhile goals Rooney has scored for England in the last decade.

You make more excuses for Rooney than I have ever seen given to an individual player by a poster on this board. He's scored less than Kane and Vardy, and he has continually under-performed for England at international tournaments. He should be, by right, England's third-choice striker for France this summer.

But he won't be. He'll be guaranteed a start for every single game, whether he's 10% fit or had a 3/10 performance in the last match, and it just gets so tedious.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Ahhh, somehow this is a good thing. United have only looked good this season when Wayne has looked good.

Am I excited for Kane or Vardy up front for England? Nope. Sturridge is the only one with the class to do it, and Walcott could do it with a run of form, just cos his pace is so dangerous.

Think the squad needs him and will benefit from him. Two months out isn't too worrying at all, and could be very good for him in terms of England.

That's because the main focus on the attack has been built around Wayne Rooney. United getting better, coinciding with Rooney's improvement, is because they have only been able to function as an attacking force when he plays well due to Van Gaal's over-reliance.

And - re the two months thing - wasn't a similar thing said before South Africa? Yay, he's injured but he'll be fully fit come the tournament, no risk of burnout - and we know how that turned out!

You also do a great disservice to Kane and Vardy - the two highest scorers in the league this season; have both played a great role in getting their respective clubs to be title-contenders; and have outscored Rooney by 9 and 12 goals respectively.

Always an excuse. We talk about excuses for Wayne, but theres excuses against him. Not even congratulated by many on here for being England's all time record scorer.

You cannot blame Rooney for United's woes. They havent been bad cos of Rooney, yet there have been games recently where Rooney's class have won them matches. They arent good, but big goals have still been scored by him in this awful system.

I probably do do the two a disservice, but I am not 100% on Vardy for England. I agree with some parts of what Azzy said, I'm not 100% sure everything Leicester will convert to England. I see why Drinkwater is getting talked up for England, for example, but Noble should be ahead based on years of form. Vardy is kind of similar, I don't think he immediately jumps to being amazing. He makes the squad, but not sure i'd play him unless we were playing a defensive formation and all on counter attack. Sterling, Vardy, Walcott against someone like Spain I would accept.

I don't think Vardy is amazing, either. What he is is a decent player, brimming with confidence, in the form of his life, and eager to seize a chance for his country's football team that he probably never envisaged he would get - which is better than what his nearest competitors (Kane excepted) bring.

England's all time record scorer is a meaningless achievement, propped up with goals in friendlies and against minnow nations. I would probably only need one hand to count the worthwhile goals Rooney has scored for England in the last decade.

You make more excuses for Rooney than I have ever seen given to an individual player by a poster on this board. He's scored less than Kane and Vardy, and he has continually under-performed for England at international tournaments. He should be, by right, England's third-choice striker for France this summer.

But he won't be. He'll be guaranteed a start for every single game, whether he's 10% fit or had a 3/10 performance in the last match, and it just gets so tedious.

Whilst I dont 100% agree, and think this "please Woy, drop him for the good of the nation" stuff is hilarious, I get your point. I see the thing with Vardy, but I wonder whether it'll work outside of that team and on the international stage. He deserves the chance to find out in a team though

[Azzy]

I agree with some parts of what Azzy said

Someone take their flying pig and go and check on Hell, I believe it may have frozen over

For me, Rooney has great value - but just doesn't fit into my ideal starting XI for the summer. I want to see Kane, with his movement, control and link-up play (and excellent finishing) lead the line, with a creative player like Barkley or a fit Jack Wilshere behind him (yeah, I know...). My team would be:

------------- Hart
Clyne - Stones - Smalling - Shaw (if fit, if not, Gibbs)
--------- Alli ----- Dier
Oxo Cube --- Barkley ----- Welbeck (if fit, if not, Walcott)
------------- Kane

Subs: Butland, Jones, Gibbs/Bertrand, Sterling, Lallana, Wilshere/Henderson, Vardy

No Cahill, no Milner, no Rooney, Sturridge, Carrick, Delph or Walker.

[Azzy]

England's all time record scorer is a meaningless achievement, propped up with goals in friendlies and against minnow nations. I would probably only need one hand to count the worthwhile goals Rooney has scored for England in the last decade.

Last ten years only, here goes:

Oct 2007, vs Estonia (Qualifier)
Oct 2007, vs Russia (Qualifier)
Sep 2008, vs Croatia (Qualifier)
Oct 2008, 2 vs Kazakhstan (Qualifier)
Oct 2008, 2 vs Belarus (Qualifier)
Jun 2009, vs Kazakhstan (Qualifier)
Jun 2009, 2 vs Andorra (Qualifier)
Sep 2009, vs Croatia (Qualifier)
Sep 2010, vs Switzerland (Qualifier)
Sep 2011, 2 vs Bulgaria (Qualifier)
Jun 2012, vs Ukraine (Euro 2012)
Oct 2012, 2 vs San Marino (Qualifier)
Oct 2012, vs Poland (Qualifier)
Mar 2013, vs San Marino (Qualifier)
Mar 2013, vs Montenegro (Qualifier)
Oct 2013, vs Montenegro (Qualifier)
Oct 2013, vs Poland (Qualifier)
Jun 2014, vs Uruguay (World Cup)
Oct 2014, vs San Marino (Qualifier)
Oct 2014, vs Estonia (Qualifier)
Nov 2014, vs Slovenia (Qualifier)
Mar 2015, vs Lithuania (Qualifier)
Jun 2015, vs Slovenia (Qualifier)
Sep 2015, vs San Marino (Qualifier)
Sep 2015, vs Switzerland (Qualifier)

Of his 39 goals over the last decade, 30 have been in qualifiers or at tournaments. How important do his goals have to be? Of those, his two vs Belarus won us a game that would have been 1-1 otherwise; the first and third against Andorra in a 6-0 win; the first against Switzerland; second and third against Bulgaria in a tight game that was 1-0 and England were struggling in; the only goal in our win vs Ukraine at Euro 2012; first and third in a 5-0 win over San Marino; our goal in a 1-1 draw with Poland; our goal in a 1-1 draw with Montenegro; the first in our 2-0 win over Poland; the equaliser against Uruguay at the World Cup; the first goals in wins over Montenegro and Poland; the only goal in a 1-0 win over Estonia; the equaliser in a 3-1 win over Slovenia; first goals in wins over Lithuania and San Marino; and the second goal in the crucial 2-0 win over Switzerland.

The guy scores important goals. More so than David Beckham, who for some reason gets lauded for the Greece goal and the Argentina penalty.

[Guest]

you must be joking, oxlade & welbeck? roy has hard-ons for sterling & rooney, so they will be there, so get used to it.

likely line up is this

-------------------------------HART---------------------------------
CLYNE----------SMALLING------------STONES-------------BAINES
------------HENDERSON-----------------ALLI-----------------------
--WALCOTT-----------------ROONEY-------------------STERLING
------------------------------KANE-----------------------------------

dier hasnt got the experience to start, henderson is loved by roy and established. i only put walcott on the right wing because there is literally no other credible option. oxo barely plays, townsend is a impact sub, welbeck plays on the left etc.

[Azzy]

you must be joking, oxlade & welbeck? roy has hard-ons for sterling & rooney, so they will be there, so get used to it.

likely line up is this

-------------------------------HART---------------------------------
CLYNE----------SMALLING------------STONES-------------BAINES
------------HENDERSON-----------------ALLI-----------------------
--WALCOTT-----------------ROONEY-------------------STERLING
------------------------------KANE-----------------------------------

dier hasnt got the experience to start, henderson is loved by roy and established. i only put walcott on the right wing because there is literally no other credible option. oxo barely plays, townsend is a impact sub, welbeck plays on the left etc.

Roy has used Welbeck when fit, every single game. He is the most relied-upon player in Roy's side, more so than Rooney.

That team above does not get out of the group stage. Baines is a proven failure in an England shirt. Henderson isn't good enough. Sterling has had an awful season, after an awful World Cup, and shouldn't be near the side if Welbeck is fit.

[Fernando]

Apparently if the England team was named by stats from this year this would be our side.

------------------------- Jack Butland
Simon Francis - Craig Dawson --- Scott Dann --- Charlie Daniels
---------------------Danny Drinkwater
-----------------Mark Noble --------Dele Alli
----------------------------Ross Barkley
------------------Jamie Vardy ---------Harry Kane.


Weirdly id be happier to see this then what will probably start

[Guest]

My word, that defence. Front six & goalkeeper, I wouldn't have many complaints.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The defence is slightly all over the place - but as John says the midfield and strikers would be pretty good to watch

I could see a Kane/Vardy partnership working really well with Kane's natural tendency to drop deeper to et involved and Vardy's on the last shoulder running the channels style

[Fernando]

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City)

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Ross Barkley (Everton), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)

[Duty281]

Bring on the Germans and the Dutch!

I forecast one draw and one narrow English victory, leading to the English press declaring that 2016 is our year.

Sorry, what's that? Adam Lallana? Oh dear. *Duty feels faint*

[TheCultOfPersonality]

Poor Mark Noble, should be there instead of Henderson, who's been pretty poor since returning from injury. Lallana certainly deserves his place, he's been great for most of this year.

I'd love to see Kane, Sturridge and Vardy play together but it just wouldn't work.

[Stella]

The reliable Milner is in!

[Crimey]

Stay away from Sturridge Hodgson. Klopp has got him all lovely and fit and you're going to ruin it by playing him 180 mins.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Milner over Noble? #headsgone

[Stella]

Milner over Noble? #headsgone

Can Noble play left back?

[Fernando]

[Crimey]

Eurgh, they look like pyjamas.

[Stella]

Not made for your overweight fan.

[Azzy]

Milner over Noble? #headsgone

Can Noble play left back?

He'd do a much better job than Milner, Rose or Gibbs. And he can pass a football.

[Stella]

Pity Shaw won't be fit.

[Crimey]

Milner over Noble? #headsgone

Can Noble play left back?

He'd do a much better job than Milner, Rose or Gibbs. And he can pass a football.

I mean he definitely wouldn't, certainly not the latter two. Most footballers aren't capable of just playing anywhere, full back is a fairly specific position as well.

[Azzy]

Pity Shaw won't be fit.

I heard he was back in training?

[Stella]

Pity Shaw won't be fit.

I heard he was back in training?

Good news if true. Still, will he be ready for the Euros with no games in him?

[Azzy]

Pity Shaw won't be fit.

I heard he was back in training?

Good news if true. Still, will he be ready for the Euros with no games in him?

Rooney and Wilshere will be. You know Roy is taking them.

[Stella]

Have to take a fit Rooney. Not bothered either way about Wilshere.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Rose and Bertrand over Cresswell? Naff off.

Sorry, but 5th in the league with a good British core and we cant get a player in. Face it, if Cresswell, Noble or Antonio were on the bench of one of Woy's power bottoms then they'd be in the squad. Hes crumbled to the media over Drinkwater.

Jagielka, Lallana and Milner are absolutely joke picks, Henderson survives my wrath based on previous good form for England.

Hard to care about this England team.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Milner and henderson over Noble is worth an actual LOL, such a poor and predictable national coach.

[Crimey]

Lallana has been fantastic for Liverpool for a while to be fair.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

So good he has 3 goals and 5 assists all season

If only Wessi was english

[Crimey]

So good he has 3 goals and 5 assists all season

Forgot that's the only way to measure how good a footballer is, silly me.

[Stella]

Milner over Noble? #headsgone

Can Noble play left back?

I hear Milner is playing LB tonight. Klopp must read V2!

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Lallana has been fantastic for Liverpool for a while to be fair.

Just come on Crimey. Thats mental. Hang your head

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

So good he has 3 goals and 5 assists all season

Forgot that's the only way to measure how good a footballer is, silly me.

Obviously not but they're a pretty decent indicator - cream usually rises

[Crimey]

Lallana has been fantastic for Liverpool for a while to be fair.

Just come on Crimey. Thats mental. Hang your head

He has been very good for a few months now, he was struggling at the start of the season but he's been Liverpool's second best player behind Firmino since January.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Henderson/Lallana starting ahead of Barkley

[Duty281]

I quite like England's team for tonight.

Apart from Rose, Henderson and Lallana, it's a good'un.

1-5.

[Duty281]

Jordan 8-0 Bangladesh.

'Arry's adventure continues - but these bloody foreigners don't speak a word of English! Who would have thought it?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3509391/Harry-Redknapp-admits-language-barrier-difficulties-NONE-new-Jordan-players-speak-English.html

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I quite like England's team for tonight.

Apart from Rose, Henderson and Lallana, it's a good'un.

1-5.

I like butland in goal (hope he does well), Dier CDM would be great if he had Alli/Barkley alongside him, but Henderson means we've got a serious lack of creativity and passing there.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I think I want Germany to win tonight. That team is depressing

[Duty281]

#DieMannschaft starting XI to face @england: Neuer - Can, Rüdiger, Hummels, Hector - Kroos, Khedira © - Müller, Özil, Reus - Gomez

England team to play Germany: Butland, Clyne, Smalling, Cahill, Rose, Henderson, Dier, Alli, Lallana, Welbeck, Kane

Um...er...1-1 draw.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'm still struggling to get over Henderson/Lallana over Barkley...

[Duty281]

Just rejoice that Rooney is not playing. And watch how much more fluid England will be on the ball without him.

[Hero]

Should have been 1-0 to Germany, legit goal ruled out for offside.

[monty junior]

Linesman didn't seem to decide for some time, poor decision he was looking right down the line.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Dele Alli

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Lallana

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