Euro 2020 (in 2021)

[The Cook]

I'd say Pickford, Stones and Maguire are guaranteed starters as long as they're fit.

The fact that both full backs are up in the air is a bit of a worry

[Gooner]

Yeah you're probably right with Stones, and I fully expect Southgate to pick him for that first game to be honest.

[Prime Time]

I sort of think you have to play Stones. I know he's got a rick in him. But he's also the classiest centre half we have. So it's a bit like the case for Pickford - you have to back him and hope his next cock up is far enough in the future that it's Pep's problem.

So yeah, I think he's my one 'nailed on' defender. RB depends on position/opposition. Maguire depends on fitness. LB I'm leaning towards Shaw but I wouldn't rule out Chilwell, especially if it's a wing back.

[Gooner]

Talksport were doing a piece on the squad, and they mentioned that with Dier he has been phased out over time. Essentially in the space of a year or two he's gone from frequent starter, to squad member to finally out. He's had a poor season so seems the right choice.

All things considered, you'd be hard pressed to find two people that agree on a starting XI, something that I don't remember happening in the past. Not only is the formation up in the air, you have genuine 50/50 bets for a lot of positions. The only nailed on places for me is Kane, Pickford, Mount, Foden and Maguire (if fit). The rest is up for grabs.

[The Cook]

It does seem like Walker will be used on the right of a 3 which worries me a bit. He did OK at the World Cup but he gave away the penalty in the first game and was at fault for both goals in the semi. I say at fault, he was playing in a rather unfamiliar position so I'm not exactly blaming him for us losing. But seeing as we've switched between a back 3/5 and back 4 a lot in the intervening years and Walker doesn't play there for City I think playing him there again could be a big risk, especially against a top side.

I'm actually very surprised Dier isn't going, not that he's been great for Spurs but Southgate seems to trust him.

I understand the frustration about Bamford not getting in but before this season I wouldn't even have considered him for England whereas DCL has at least done well in the Premier League for a couple of seasons now.

With the increased squad size I'd definitely say it's worth taking Henderson and Maguire even if there are questions over their fitness as they're leaders and would be extremely helpful in and around the dressing room.

[Prime Time]

I absolutely agree with play to your strengths, but at the same time there's only so many attacking players you can get on the pitch at once!

Now, I will say I'm sort of trying to think like Southgate here. I think he'll play two fairly solid midfielders alongside one more flair player. If it was me, I think I'd be tempted to play two ball players in there, which would change the equation a bit, too. Then you can justify taking more going forward. Since I don't think we're likely to win, I think I'd prefer to get beaten trying to pass the ball a bit. But if you're set up cautiously in the middle... well, I'm not sure it's worth filling half the squad with attackers if they are going to sit on the bench or get 5 minutes here and there.

[Gooner]

Ah, I meant injured as of today. Grealish has been back for a couple of weeks, Henderson was on the bench at the weekend, so while they might not be match fit, they should be OK. Didn't realise Phillips came off injured but sounds like it's nothing more than a niggle. Maguire's been on crutches for a number of weeks and will miss tomorrow's Europa League final so that's more of a concern.

I'd usually be with you in terms of a more conservative approach, but so many riches up front it's hard for me to accept taking an abundance of defenders. 5 CBs, 2 RBs and 2LBs along with 3 GKs is enough for me. For year's it's been a "play to your strengths" mentality, which is defensively solid and set-pieces, but there's an argument to make that we should be more attacking this time round as that is more of our strength nowadays.

[Prime Time]

Really? Henderson hasn't played in a long time, Phillips came off the weekend, Grealish has barely started since his lay-off... I'd assume they'd have one eye on a few of them.

Personally I never think one like-for-like replacements on each of your starting players is overkill, but if he trusts the right backs to cover multiple positions then yeah, it does free up at least a shirt. I must say if it was me I'd want at least 5 specialist CB's if I'm going to play 3 (and at least 4 if I'm playing 2), but I do tend towards the conservative when it comes to these things. I'm always for taking a third GK for example, and enough striker cover. Southgate may be a bit more adventurous than me!


edit: we usually have a specific thread for a big tournament, might as well spin these out into a new one.

2nd edit: Sounds like they are monitoring Henderson ahead of the warm-up games.....

[Gooner]

Southgate addressed it in his press conference, that the RBs can all play multiple positions. As for 3 at the back, that opens up the possibility of Walker playing as the right-sided CB with another RB playing wing-back. If that's the case, 6 CBs seems overkill even if we play 3 at the back. You'd think also that should we play 3 at the back and one gets injured during the game, Southgate could potentially decide to just change formation as opposed to make a like-for-like change.

If I'm not mistaken, only Maguire is an injury doubt in the squad.

[Prime Time]

You'd think so - unless there's some thought that maybe one of them could cover multiple positions? Trippier to cover both flanks, a Walker/James as CB cover as well? If one of them is a utility back it makes a bit more sense, otherwise at least one of them has to go, you'd think.

I'm assuming a 3 at the back here when I say this. But based on a 26 man squad, you'd expect 3 GK, at least 6 CB, 2 full backs for each flank, around 5-6 CM, 6 more creative AM/wingers, and 2-3 CF. There's only actually 6 CB's in the provisional squad so unless there's going to be some utility backs in there, they'd all have to go. Even so, you'd think one of the full backs would have to go and it's more likely to be one of the RB's than either of the 2 LB's.

[Gooner]

Oh for sure, I always had Pickford to start for me too, for the same reason, he can play out from the back more comfortably than Pope. No surprise with Dier either, but I did expect Maddison to make the provisional squad at least.

4 RBs selected suggests to me that Southgate hasn't made his mind in regards to that position. At least one must be dropped surely?

[Prime Time]

I'm not all that surprised Dier has been left out, to be honest. And Maddison was probably always likely to drop once some of the other lads hit form (as much as I like watching him personally). I assume Pickford was always pretty well nailed on for no. 1 to be honest - if only for the same reason Burnley's centre backs don't really get much of a look-in. Is he going to play the ball enough?

Pickford has more of an error in him but he's going to play "the right way" for Southgate and they're just going to try and steal half a dozen games without a costly error out of him. It's doable because the run isn't that long, and he's a great shot-stopper on his day. I'm not sure that people in football are as inclined to ditch Pickford as some sections of the England (and, indeed, Everton) fanbase are.

[Gooner]

No Maddison, no Bamford, no Ings, no Dier. Pope injury rules him out, and therefore makes Pickford our default no.1.

A couple of fairly obvious choices to drop (Ramsdale and maybe White) but the rest all have a decent claim for a shirt.

[Prime Time]

Goalkeepers: D Henderson, S Johnstone, J Pickford, A Ramsdale

Defenders: T Alexander-Arnold, B Chilwell, C Coady, B Godfrey, R James, H Maguire, T Mings, L Shaw, J Stones, K Trippier, K Walker, B White

Midfielders: J Bellingham, J Henderson, J Lingard, M Mount, K Phillips, D Rice, J Ward-Prowse

Forwards: D Calvert-Lewin, P Foden, J Grealish, M Greenwood, H Kane, M Rashford, B Saka, J Sancho, R Sterling, O Watkins

[Prime Time]

And Ben Godfrey! Quietly quite pleased with that, even with Everton looking a bit leakier of late.