Drinkwater is an interesting one. He has a decent range of passing and has played well this season. Whether that's enough to slot into the England team remains to be seen, but he cannot be any worse than Shelvey, Henderson or Milner.

The midfield is in a sorry state.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Shelvey is almost certainly a better passer than Drinkwater

comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 2 seconds ago
On France - is Benzema allowed to start? What with the scandal? Payet is totally out of favour. I dont think the final is a must....they may draw Germany in the quarters. Luck of the draw.

With England I still think they should buiid it around the Spurs spine - we have been the most organised side overall, keep the ball well, are sound defensively and score plenty. Its not translated in to being top, but you have five players ready to be added to.

Kane, Alli, Dier plus the fullbacks. Its a nice framework to fill with others
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This.

You just need England players to fill the gaps left by Lloris, Aldy, Vert/Wimmer, Dembele.

Hart, Smalling, Stones, Wilshere/Barkley would have to do.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Rooney should not be a certain starter either. His tournament pedigree has been average overall, he often looks puffing, and he is getting no younger.

Kane with Alli behind him. A tried and trusted partnership.

Barkley and Sturridge/Vardy the other two wide players. Eriksen does it for us, no reason Barkley couldnt in my opinion. Kane and Alli are pretty fluid, they dont stay fixed in one position, so there would be plenty of opportunity for him to get inside. Sturridge or Vardy freed up to break in to the space. Both strikers, no invitation needed.

Wilshere and Dier. Wilshere if fit is an asset. Good with the ball at his feet, a willing runner and ball carrier. Free him up.

Walker and Rose for continuity. I dont think there are outstanding candidates for either position, so why not go with the two from the best defensive side, who have had plenty rest all season to boot.

Cahill and Stones. The best two ball playing centre backs. Not to be underestimated in tourney football.

Joe Hart

comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Analog (U17200)
posted 23 seconds ago
Shelvey is almost certainly a better passer than Drinkwater
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True but what else does he offer. He doesn't cover ground, he can't tackle, his attitude isn't great and his game management is poor. The only place you could play him is in the QB role is a game where you know you aren't going to be tested defensively.
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Yeah I agree. He's a luxury player

I don't think he is.

Wouldn't bother playing Sturridge wide. Sterling or Welbeck there for me

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 8 minutes ago
they may draw Germany in the quarters. Luck of the draw.
======
They cannot face Germany in the quarters. It is pre-ordained.
They could face them in the second round if both are runners up or one finishes 3rd in their group.
You would get long odds on that.
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Oh right. Ive not even looked at that to be honest.

They cant meet until semis at least then?

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by Analog (U17200)
posted 2 minutes ago
Wouldn't bother playing Sturridge wide. Sterling or Welbeck there for me
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Id actually go for Welbeck of the two. I think it has to be a goalscorer, and Danny boy has done well for England in that respect. Id actually put Walcott above Sterling thinking about it.

comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 42 seconds ago

Walker and Rose for continuity. I dont think there are outstanding candidates for either position, so why not go with the two from the best defensive side, who have had plenty rest all season to boot.

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Continuity with who? Both CBs and GK would be different.

Dier would know how to play with them I guess but he's far from a certain starter.

I'd play Kane and Alli. No question. After that I think there's debate over the Tottenham contingent.

Things will end up getting very congested in the middle with Sturridge and Welbeck wide. If Sturridge is gonna play wide Sterling needs to play on the other wing.

comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 55 seconds ago
comment by Analog (U17200)
posted 2 minutes ago
Wouldn't bother playing Sturridge wide. Sterling or Welbeck there for me
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Id actually go for Welbeck of the two. I think it has to be a goalscorer, and Danny boy has done well for England in that respect. Id actually put Walcott above Sterling thinking about it.
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I would have Walcott nowhere near the squad, Sterling for me any day

Why? Walcott has been shocking this season and is always shocking for England.

Against teams that will sit back in the group stages Walcott because an even more redundant player.

His only use will be as a super sub in the knockout stages if we get far enough to play a decent team.

comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Analog (U17200)
posted 2 minutes ago
Wouldn't bother playing Sturridge wide. Sterling or Welbeck there for me
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Sturridge wide right is definitely an option. He goes past people with ease, he gets himself into the box and will score even when out wide. You just can't expect anything going the other way.
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I agree, itd be a nominal wide role.

I think you could manage that in my XI, with Barkley on the other side and Walker at RB (who has legs all game)

Kane often drops off too, Sturridge would be ideal for exploiting that. Top player he is

comment by Ibe-Wan Kenobi (U6997)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 42 seconds ago

Walker and Rose for continuity. I dont think there are outstanding candidates for either position, so why not go with the two from the best defensive side, who have had plenty rest all season to boot.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Continuity with who? Both CBs and GK would be different.

Dier would know how to play with them I guess but he's far from a certain starter.

I'd play Kane and Alli. No question. After that I think there's debate over the Tottenham contingent.
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Well thats the point....i said i would start Dier

Rose and Walker spend almost as much time in the other half as they do ours. The continuity would be from having Dier, Alli and Kane through the middle

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 5 minutes ago
Things will end up getting very congested in the middle with Sturridge and Welbeck wide. If Sturridge is gonna play wide Sterling needs to play on the other wing.
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It was Sturridge or Vardy, with Barkley on the other side in mine.

That doesn't remedy that issue, Barkley always drifts inside.

Regardless of his form Sterling needs to be on one of the wings just to give us some width.

Sturridge isn't gonna be able to play every 3 days let's be honest. Super sub if he goes

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 17 seconds ago
That doesn't remedy that issue, Barkley always drifts inside.

Regardless of his form Sterling needs to be on one of the wings just to give us some width.
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We rarely play with width to be honest...Rose and Walker provide ours. Dier is a big plus there as he lets them get forward at will.

Eriksen starts left, Lamela or Son on the right. The latter is the closest we come to having a winger.

Its worked for Spurs, with English boys making up half the side. Sturridge and Barkley wouldnt be trying to get in to the same positions in my opinion...Studge would be looking to get in and amongst Kane whenever he could.

Good footballers in there

comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 20 seconds ago
comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 17 seconds ago
That doesn't remedy that issue, Barkley always drifts inside.

Regardless of his form Sterling needs to be on one of the wings just to give us some width.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We rarely play with width to be honest...Rose and Walker provide ours. Dier is a big plus there as he lets them get forward at will.

Eriksen starts left, Lamela or Son on the right. The latter is the closest we come to having a winger.

Its worked for Spurs, with English boys making up half the side. Sturridge and Barkley wouldnt be trying to get in to the same positions in my opinion...Studge would be looking to get in and amongst Kane whenever he could.

Good footballers in there
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Remember England trying to replicate Liverpool 13-14 in the World Cup? Didn't work too well without the important foreign players. Or rather player, in their case

England don't play like Spurs, though, so I don't think it's that relevant.

If England play without a winger like Sterling that can provide width and create a bit more space in the middle against teams sitting back we are going to struggle to break them down.

comment by Analog (U17200)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 20 seconds ago
comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 17 seconds ago
That doesn't remedy that issue, Barkley always drifts inside.

Regardless of his form Sterling needs to be on one of the wings just to give us some width.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We rarely play with width to be honest...Rose and Walker provide ours. Dier is a big plus there as he lets them get forward at will.

Eriksen starts left, Lamela or Son on the right. The latter is the closest we come to having a winger.

Its worked for Spurs, with English boys making up half the side. Sturridge and Barkley wouldnt be trying to get in to the same positions in my opinion...Studge would be looking to get in and amongst Kane whenever he could.

Good footballers in there
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember England trying to replicate Liverpool 13-14 in the World Cup? Didn't work too well without the important foreign players. Or rather player, in their case
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't think we tried to replicate them really. We had some players in there, sure, but others just got shoehorned in and it became a wonky set up. The most important player of all was playing for Uruguay, and there was no Coutinho-like

Regardless, they were a shambles at the back Liverpool. They let in tonnes of goals. Its no wonder England were porous and