If the Euros started tomorrow, what would England's XI be?



We got beat off Croatia at the World Cup because Southgate played Henderson as a one man centre midfield against Rakitic and Modric.

Hopefully he's learned his lesson and gives Henderson some support against the better teams instead of having Alli and Lingard half arsed tracking back. Henderson, Winks and Ox/Grealish wouldn't be a bad bet.
 
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We got beat off Croatia at the World Cup because Southgate played Henderson as a one man centre midfield against Rakitic and Modric.

In fairness, Henderson barely gave Modric a kick for the full 90 minutes.
Worst thing that Southgate did was take Hendo off and replace him with Dire.
Henderson was never the problem. Stones and then walker losing their markers for the two goals was the problem.
 
Can Southgate get the Alexander Arnold that plays for Liverpool? Not the one they keep wheeling out for England
 
I'd go:

Pickford

Wan-Bissaka
Stones
Maguire
Chilwell

Henderson
Alexander-Arnold
Barkley

Rashford
Kane
Sterling

Bit left-field maybe putting Alexander-Arnold in midfield but Winks, Dier, Rice etc don't impress me and I reckon Alexander-Arnold could do a good job there - his passing is superior to all those 3 I mentioned for a start. Plus it means you get Wan-Bissaka in at right-back who is the best actual defender we have at full-back and would help shore up a dodgy defence. I went for Stones simply because he has tournament experience, I don't really rate Mings or Keane and unfortunately Gomez hasn't pushed on yet. Probably in the minority but I don't mind Barkley, think he's always done quite well for England - he's better on the ball than the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain and more of an out-and-out midfielder than Maddison, Alli etc who are more #10's in my eyes. Just think we could end up getting exposed in midfield if we go too attacking. Also Rashford instead of Sancho as he's more of a goal threat currently IMO.
 
If you look at all of those three young attacking midfielders - Mount, Maddison, Alli - then you would have to say that each probably prefers playing in a double pivot midfield. However, for the rest of the team and the wider tactics, single pivot is a better formation (and, imo, better generally).

That's why I think he prefers Mount at the moment, because he seems best adapted to dropping in. I think he likes the Ox too for the same reason. And, if he gets some game time at City, its why Foden is the missing ingredient. I could therefore easily see the Qatar midfield as: Foden-Henderson-Chamberlain. But for this tournament, I expect he will shift Henderson as one of the eights, precisely because he has the game intelligence to drop into a double pivot when Alli, Maddison or Mount pushes on. With Henderson their and Winks as the holder, you still line up single pivot, but you give a little more freedom to those players to express themselves and get beyond the strikers.

Personally, I think Alli is worth persisiting with - and I have been defending him a lot in recent months. But his understanding with Kane is a very important potential weapon in lieu of a creative player. I'd definitely be using the next few friendlies to road-test a Henderson-Alli-Chamberlain single pivot midfield.

Any ideas what we do with the defence - it'll cost us the f***ing tournament imo. He could switch to wingbacks - Gomez, Stones and Tomori is a balanced back three and probably all three of them are better in that system. But then you blunt us a bit going forward and certainly creatively as you'd have to line up with probably Henderson and Winks as your two midfielders. Maguire and Stones in a two is the stuff of nightmares, mind

I kind of hope somebody signs Rice this summer and reconverts him to a centre half.
I'm not sure if I've seen the same things as you to suggest that Mount is best adapted to dropping in. Obviously Alli can play the 8, I think Ox is an out-and-out 8 who was Wengerified at Arsenal into a winger, Grealish is also best as an 8. With the abundance in young forward think central midfielders we have at the minute, losing one for a Henderson/Winks partnership, whether in a single or double pivot, is a huge sacrifice for little reward. There are some nations out there who I would suggest starting with a double pivot/Henderson as a defensive minded shuttler, but for 90% of what we'll come up against its unnecessary. You've got to remember, every attack minded player you have on the pitch, occupies the thinking of an opposition defender. It's not only what forward thinking midfielders can do individually, but the space they help create for the attackers. With 5 forward thinking players on the pitch we could create overloads all over the place and blow teams away.

Obviously it's a balancing act, you can't just start with 10 forwards and a 'keeper. Which brings us on to your next question about defense, to which my honest answer would be prey. They are technically good players, but like all second tier, modern day centre backs, they're error prone. So just prey they can go 7 games without a major brain fart that will cost us a game. With the form they are in at the moment I would limit playing through the press. The best performance we've had against an elite nation recently was Spain away where we played a lot more direct. I don't think we should concern ourselves with playing 'the right way' and be a lot more pragmatic in our approach to games. Especially against some of the tournament favourites.
We got beat off Croatia at the World Cup because Southgate played Henderson as a one man centre midfield against Rakitic and Modric.

Hopefully he's learned his lesson and gives Henderson some support against the better teams instead of having Alli and Lingard half arsed tracking back. Henderson, Winks and Ox/Grealish wouldn't be a bad bet.
In fairness the formation we set up with in the semi should have seen us 2 up at halftime, which probably would have seen us through. The lesson he will have learned from that game is to not be afraid to switch up the formation in game. As the game went on, you're right in say the midfield started to get overran. The decision to swap Dier for Henderson was bizarre at the time, and I'd say a moment Southgate would have back if it were offered. He probably should have been more proactive with his substitutions rather than reactive. We could have done with Delph's energy around the hour mark, and gone back into a double pivot. But it wasnt to be.
 
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I'm not sure if I've seen the same things as you to suggest that Mount is best adapted to dropping in. Obviously Alli can play the 8, I think Ox is an out-and-out 8 who was Wengerified at Arsenal into a winger, Grealish is also best as an 8. With the abundance in young forward think central midfielders we have at the minute, losing one for a Henderson/Winks partnership, whether in a single or double pivot, is a huge sacrifice for little reward. There are some nations out there who I would suggest starting with a double pivot/Henderson as a defensive minded shuttler, but for 90% of what we'll come up against its unnecessary. You've got to remember, every attack minded player you have on the pitch, occupies the thinking of an opposition defender. It's not only what forward thinking midfielders can do individually, but the space they help create for the attackers. With 5 forward thinking players on the pitch we could create overloads all over the place and blow teams away.

Obviously it's a balancing act, you can't just start with 10 forwards and a 'keeper. Which brings us on to your next question about defense, to which my honest answer would be prey. They are technically good players, but like all second tier, modern day centre backs, they're error prone. So just prey they can go 7 games without a major brain fart that will cost us a game. With the form they are in at the moment I would limit playing through the press. The best performance we've had against an elite nation recently was Spain away where we played a lot more direct. I don't think we should concern ourselves with playing 'the right way' and be a lot more pragmatic in our approach to games. Especially against some of the tournament favourites.

In fairness the formation we set up with in the semi should have seen us 2 up at halftime, which probably would have seen us through. The lesson he will have learned from that game is to not be afraid to switch up the formation in game. As the game went on, you're right in say the midfield started to get overran. The decision to swap Dier for Henderson was bizarre at the time, and I'd say a moment Southgate would have back if it were offered. He probably should have been more proactive with his substitutions rather than reactive. We could have done with Delph's energy around the hour mark, and gone back into a double pivot. But it wasnt to be.

Agree with most of this, especially the direct/Spain point. Counter-attack, pace, directness is our game.

On the 10's, 8's, 4s etc - fwiw, I don't think Mount, Alli, Grealish, Maddison are eights at all. They are all 10s. And I'm not wild about Grealish or Mount yet, either - Maddison and Alli are a cut above. But I also think they are the more out and out 10s, so it's difficult to find balance with them.

Chamberlain, aye, he's an 8. But Henderson is a better 8. Henderson is our best midfielder, bar none. Question is whether Winks at 4 is better than Chamberlain at 8, with Ali in the team too. Winks has been good for England, so jury's out for me. I'd like more defensive ballast with that defence and I certainly don't think we are short of firepower.

If Southgate somehow balances all this talent and manages to find a place in the team for Ross f***ing Barkley, then we need to peddle him on the spot.
As for the Croatia match, yes we should have gone to a 4-3-3 to stop Modric dropping it in behind the wing-backs at will. But the midfield shape was very weird in that system. When you play 5-3-2, you are meant to drop into a double pivot as standard. Playing single pivot, like he was trying is odd because the press is then allover the place. Like, we had four players all pressing in a square in the middle of the pitch - there was so much space down the channels.
I have honestly never seen 5-3-2 played without a double pivot by anyone other than England in that tournament - and it's why the midfield was so loose and open, even with that many bodies.Not just Alli and Lingard. Bizarre.
 
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We need three midfielders who are accustomed to playing that No 8 role. That’s why Dele Alli can’t play for me. He’s a No 10.
We’re a Kante, Fabinho or Ndidi away from being a top side i think.
 
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