England Squad

[Silver Fox]

Pap shots of Bleakley on the copacabana?

[Broxroyal]

As for Gibbs, I think I've said before that I'm not his biggest fan but he has kicked on pretty well this season to be fair to him.

He's not done enough for me to get above Cole or Baines though, and Shaw just looks better than him both now and as a prospect for the future. He's stonger, probably even quicker, and for me uses the ball more intelligently than Gibbs who I still don't think can defend the back post (Baines isn't great at it either but his other strengths means he can get away with it).

Agree with all this. There is, however, a question mark over the ability of both Baines and Shaw (at this stage in his career) to defend the back post. It is this, I think, that has made Roy agonise over whether to take Cole. In the end I think he has made the right call, being brave and going for the future.

[Hoop Blah]

Agreed. Baines has been excellent going forward for the last few years but there are a few question marks over his defending (see the goal we conceeded at Wembley as a case in point). Shaw is similar although I think he's possibly better defensively, especially for a teenager who's still learning the art of defending.

I think Cole is a bit unlucky and is possibly still the better defender of the three but, having played so few games this season, it's really hard to know if he's still quite got it. If he'd started another 10 games this season he'd probably still be in the squad.

Interesting point from (the still bitter) Stuart Pearce on the radio this morning. He was saying how he thought it would be better for Shaw to go to the Toulon tournament this summer and be a mainstay of that side rather than a squad member with the seniors. I disagree personally but it's a fair point.

[Wax Jacket]

yeah cos they really kick on from that squad don't they

the more successful players tend to go straight in don't they?

[Sutekh]

All a bit meaningless though if Hodgson doesn't get tactics right. For example I reckon we'll get done if we try and play patient tippy tappy stuff, perhaps our best chance would be to use pace and take the fight to the opponents and let them do the worrying. And OK it might not be enough in later rounds but might do a job in the earlier stages.

[Royalclapper]

Shaw has clearly been excellent this season, I think the biggest concern for me at International level is going to be his positional sense. Cole was almost flawless in that respect during his outstanding England career and Shaw will do well to replicate Cole's international performances. Baines is somewhere in between the two but does have the advantage of having a fairly accomplished set piece delivery to his game.

Welbeck & Sterings shortcomings are likely to be about having the composure in front of goal, they do get goals of course but I don't think they could be expected to execute every chance as they both look a bit jittery at times when in goal scoring positions.

Fair play to Hodgson though for recognising that RB/CB positions are woefully short staffed and not trying to fudge the issue by picking a load of shite to cover the shortfall but rather going with what we are more equipped with. Whether or not he can get us into a proper shape instead of a back six and no midfield due to having a threadbare defence is something that would challenge even the most experienced of coaches.

[P!ssed Off]

Shaw has clearly been excellent this season, I think the biggest concern for me at International level is going to be his positional sense. Cole was almost flawless in that respect during his outstanding England career and Shaw will do well to replicate Cole's international performances. Baines is somewhere in between the two but does have the advantage of having a fairly accomplished set piece delivery to his game.

Welbeck & Sterlings shortcomings are likely to be about having the composure in front of goal, they do get goals of course but I don't think they could be expected to execute every chance as they both look a bit jittery at times when in goal scoring positions.

Fair play to Hodgson though for recognising that RB/CB positions are woefully short staffed and not trying to fudge the issue by picking a load of shite to cover the shortfall but rather going with what we are more equipped with. Whether or not he can get us into a proper shape instead of a back six and no midfield due to having a threadbare defence is something that would challenge even the most experienced of coaches.

He opened the scoring 6 minutes into possibly the biggest game of his career so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8bhUUZOULY
Cool as a oxf*rd cucumber.

[Hoop Blah]

yeah cos they really kick on from that squad don't they

the more successful players tend to go straight in don't they?

Apart from Rooney and Owen I think most of our successful internationals spend a bit of time with the U21s and a decent number will possibly have played in the Toulon (which is actually a U20's tournament). I do think getting some age group tournament experience helps prepare them for similar with the seniors as well, but Pearce's point was more that we, unlike (in his opinion) some of our European competition, don't use these age group tournaments to help the outstanding 19-22 year olds develop.

You are right though, the really good ones jump up to the Senior's much younger than the likes of Milner or Carragher who played U21's for ages.

[Royalclapper]

Shaw has clearly been excellent this season, I think the biggest concern for me at International level is going to be his positional sense. Cole was almost flawless in that respect during his outstanding England career and Shaw will do well to replicate Cole's international performances. Baines is somewhere in between the two but does have the advantage of having a fairly accomplished set piece delivery to his game.

Welbeck & Sterlings shortcomings are likely to be about having the composure in front of goal, they do get goals of course but I don't think they could be expected to execute every chance as they both look a bit jittery at times when in goal scoring positions.

Fair play to Hodgson though for recognising that RB/CB positions are woefully short staffed and not trying to fudge the issue by picking a load of shite to cover the shortfall but rather going with what we are more equipped with. Whether or not he can get us into a proper shape instead of a back six and no midfield due to having a threadbare defence is something that would challenge even the most experienced of coaches.

He opened the scoring 6 minutes into possibly the biggest game of his career so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8bhUUZOULY
Cool as a oxf*rd cucumber.

Agree, that was a mature finish. However, there are some poor ones also:

http://youtu.be/UtUNkFuxPdY http://youtu.be/hDIouxscr4A

We will be talking International Tournament in the summer and not club level of course, which is where the true colours of players shine through. I personally won't be expecting Sterling or Welbeck to finish perfectly, I would expect more from Rooney however if he gets chances given his experience and probably Sturridge being as scoring is his living.

[Victor Meldrew]

I wonder why you picked this game and a slip as an example of handling pressure rather than one of the many penalties this season or the almost-single-handedly beating of AC Milan in THAT champs league final.
Presumably one of the many reasons why John Terry is not going is failing to handle the pressure of taking a penalty in a Champs League final.

Is it because one was this season and the other was almost a decade ago?

A decade ago?
Time really does fly in your strange world.

[Ian Royal]

And taking him to the World Cup allows him to play at the top, does it not

If you think throwing him in at the deep end is a good idea, yes

I'm talking about playing for a club in the Champions League for a season or two, gaining experience that way without the nation expecting him to be our new boy wonder.

He's played 8 games against Champions League quality opposition hasn't he?

[Victor Meldrew]

And taking him to the World Cup allows him to play at the top, does it not

If you think throwing him in at the deep end is a good idea, yes

I'm talking about playing for a club in the Champions League for a season or two, gaining experience that way without the nation expecting him to be our new boy wonder.

He's played 8 games against Champions League quality opposition hasn't he?

We are constantly told that the English Premier League is the best in the world so playing against past European Champs League winners in Man Utd and Chelsea must be bigger and better experience than playing against minor European clubs such as those in the qualifying stages of the Champs League?

[TBM]

Napoli twice
Dortmund twice
Munich twice
Marseille twice
Fenerbahce twice

Hardly minor teams Gibbs got experience against this season plus the other 6 "Champions league games" in the Premier league

[St. Brynjar]

Admittedly I've only watched about half of Arsenal's games but Gibbs shone in a fair few of those. It's a shame we have four really decent players fighting over the LB spot when the only opposition Glen Johnson's had for 6 years now is Kyle oxf*rd Walker.

[Sanguine]

Admittedly I've only watched about half of Arsenal's games but Gibbs shone in a fair few of those. It's a shame we have four really decent players fighting over the LB spot when the only opposition Glen Johnson's had for 6 years now is Kyle oxf*rd Walker.

Should be Andre Wisdom too in a season to two.

[Maguire]

Sterlings shortcomings are likely to be about having the composure in front of goal[/b]

He opened the scoring 6 minutes into possibly the biggest game of his career so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8bhUUZOULY
Cool as a oxf*rd cucumber.

I don't think pointing out that he scored "a" goal necessarily debunks the comment that he lacks composure in front of goal.

[Sanguine]

He's obviously dogshit.

[Maguire]

He's obviously dogshit.

Was in that game.