Predict England’s line up vs Tunisia

[Leewilson]

The big choices...

Pickford, Pope or Butland
Trippier or Alexander-Arnold
Young or Rose
Jones, Maguire or Cahill (to play with Walker and Stones)
Henderson, Delph or Dier
Sterling or Lingard
Rashford or Welbeck
Alli or Loftus Cheek
Kane or Vardy

What would you go for? (I'm aware by the way that he could go for Delph + Henderson/Dier but that doesn't fit in with my system) (I'm also aware that he could go for both Sterling and Lingard but there's no sure fire way of doing this).


Personally

Pickford
Trippier
Walker
Stones
Maguire
Rose
Henderson
Alli
Sterling
Rashford
Kane

 

[Stevencc]

I know that Southgate is going for the en vogue back three but, after looking through our squad, this is what I'd go with...

Pickford
Walker Cahill Jones Rose
Dier Henderson
Sterling Lingard Alli
Kane​

 

[SALTIRE]

Brazil for me Jeff.

 

[mistermagic]

Brazil for me Jeff.

Wrong thread?

 

[Reaper]

Pickford
Trippier, Walker, Cahill, Stones, Young
Lingard, Henderson, Dele
Kane, Rashford

 

[Chris FGR]

Pickford
Walker, Cahill, Stones
Trippier, Dier, Henderson, Rose
Alli
Kane, Sterling

 

[Son of Cod]

Predict it or what I would go with? I think he will go...

Pickford
Walker--Cahill--Maguire
Trippier---------------------------------Rose
Dier--Henderson
Sterling-----------------Alli
Kane

...I would play that vs Belgium, atm. However, I'm not a fan of Dier and Hendo together against teams we should be comfortable beating. I'd switch Henderson out for Lingard or Rashford pull Alli back deeper and give Trippier and Rose a little less licence to get forward against Tunisia and Panama.

I wouldn't have taken Cahill or Jones though and just played young CBs. I get that we need a bit of experience in there but nobody is expecting to win those, I would have given Maguire, Stones and Lascelles a load of time together in friendlies and then a whole tournament together. Lascelles missing out completely is a clanger for me.

Edit: Terrible team formatting there, it's pretty obvious what I'm getting at though, right?

 

[Son of Cod]

Pickford
Walker, Cahill, Stones
Trippier, Dier, Henderson, Rose
Alli
Kane, Sterling

Hey look maybe we can be friends when we talk about England haha. Almost identical teams there.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

GK- Pickford

RWB- Trippier
RCB- Walker
CB- Cahill
LCB- Stones
LWB- Rose

CDM- Henderson
CM- Lingard
CAM- Alli

ST- Kane
ST- Sterling

I expect that's how he'll line up, we won't require both Dier and Henderson against Tunisia we are going to have to break them down, Henderson has the extra mobility so edges it for me. I like Young but he's too predictable cutting in on his favored right foot, Rose can take it to the byline and get the crosses in earlier. Stones is better on the ball than Jones, and for our style of play I expect Stones will be favored, same with Pickford in goal. I would like to see Rashford or Vardy partner Kane, as Sterling doesn't seem to do as well in the international system as he does in City's, but his goal return this season will get him the nod.

 

[Nilsson]

Pickford
Trippier
Walker
Stones
Maguire
Rose
Henderson (bring Delph on for Henderson at HT if we're looking flat)
Lingard
Alli
Sterling
Kane

Need Stones in the centre for his ability to bring the ball out and step into midfield. Maguire has impressed me whenever he's played for England. Possibly bring Cahill in for Trippier and put Walker at RWB against Belgium.

 

[Super_horns]

Certainly no need to play 2 defensive midfielders and I think Southgate has said that.

Pickford

Tripper
Walker
Cahill
Stones
Rose

Henderson
Ali

Lingard
Kane
Sterling

 

[Son of Cod]

Certainly no need to play 2 defensive midfielders and I think Southgate has said that.

Pickford

Tripper
Walker
Cahill
Stones
Rose

Henderson
Ali

Lingard
Kane
Sterling

Do you mean specifically in the Tunisia and Panama matches? Are you sure? I hadn't seen that, but good to hear if so.

 

[Super_horns]

Yes - sorry that is right.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/06/eric-dier-jordan-henderson-risk-gareth-southgate

 

[Son of Cod]

Yes - sorry that is right.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/06/eric-dier-jordan-henderson-risk-gareth-southgate

Cheers for that, S_h. In that case I'll stick Lingard in for Henderson, push him up and pull Alli back a bit deeper in my predicted lineup vs Tunisia.

 

[SALTIRE]

Stones should be nowhere near that side - nor Cahill for that matter. Any of them play, you'll have major doodoos this tourney.

 

[Gassy]

I see Tunisia nearly held out for a draw against Spain tonight, putting in a dogged performance. Choosing Portugal, Turkey & Spain are smart choices for friendlies to see what sort of opposition they can play against.

They’re going to be a tough game that’s for sure. I get the feeling we’ll draw 1-1 and it will come down to goal difference who beats Panama by more/loses to Belgium by less

 

[Liam_SWFC]

I see Tunisia nearly held out for a draw against Spain tonight, putting in a dogged performance. Choosing Portugal, Turkey & Spain are smart choices for friendlies to see what sort of opposition they can play against.

They’re going to be a tough game that’s for sure. I get the feeling we’ll draw 1-1 and it will come down to goal difference who beats Panama by more/loses to Belgium by less

It's got the Algeria game in 2010 written all over it, a bore draw with Tunisia, scrape past Panama 1-0 with a penalty and scrape through in second spot. Hope it's all change this year.

 

[Gassy]

Yep I agree. I reckon we’ll finish on 5 points tbh which would just see us through.

The frustrating part is I could see Panama going totally defensive against us but having a more open play against Tunisia, devouring Tunisia in the grand scheme of things

 

[SF_]

Tunisia game has 0-0 written all over it.

 

[Luke_1884]

Going off our history in recent tournaments it does but this side under Southgate seemed to pull late winners/equalisers out the bag a few times through qualifying, I'm hopeful we'll do the same here.

It'd be nice for us to smash someone on the big stage for a change.

 

[Son of Cod]

I see Tunisia nearly held out for a draw against Spain tonight, putting in a dogged performance. Choosing Portugal, Turkey & Spain are smart choices for friendlies to see what sort of opposition they can play against.

They’re going to be a tough game that’s for sure. I get the feeling we’ll draw 1-1 and it will come down to goal difference who beats Panama by more/loses to Belgium by less

True, but how many teams have been beaten 1-0 by Spain over the last 15 or so years and not really looked like having a sniff? Portugal were without Ronaldo and experimenting with a different formation too.

Is it me or these days is there too much onus on preparing against similar teams in your group? Sure, it is a useful exercise but I saw an article criticising South Korea for not warming up against a team similar to Sweden which seems a bit much for me. I think Portugal have played Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt recently all in anticipation of their match with Morocco. Fair enough, but if you don't win that then that's a massive chunk of your preparation wasted focusing on one match.

 

[Gassy]

True, but how many teams have been beaten 1-0 by Spain over the last 15 or so years and not really looked like having a sniff? Portugal were without Ronaldo and experimenting with a different formation too.

Is it me or these days is there too much onus on preparing against similar teams in your group? Sure, it is a useful exercise but I saw an article criticising South Korea for not warming up against a team similar to Sweden which seems a bit much for me. I think Portugal have played Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt recently all in anticipation of their match with Morocco. Fair enough, but if you don't win that then that's a massive chunk of your preparation wasted focusing on one match.

Didn’t they have some super come back after fasting against Portugal? Clearly they have something in their locker. They’re 21st in the word which is pretty good tbf to them.

I agree with you in terms of not just playing against your first team, you should prepare for what you expect from the opposing team and what formation and tactics will help with that.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

I have a sneaky feeling that Panama is going to be a harder game for us than Tunisia. Whilst Tunisia are objectively a better side than Panama, I think Panama will be more prepared for the organise and dig-in job they'll want to do. Because Panama do that against everyone, that's their plan A, their bread and butter. And they'll have had a chance to test and practice that against Belguim first before we come along.

Tunisia on the other hand have more/better creative players, they seem to play 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 most often. I would imagine they have to play on the front foot and attack other nations in their region, over whom Tunisia are a bigger fish. They could decide to play us on the front foot and have a go (and why not) in which case I think we'd just about pick them off. Or if they do sit deep and ask us to break them down, I think they're more likely to make an error than Panama just because that plan would be a change from their norm.

Just my thoughts, could be totally wrong, we'll see how it pans out.

I'd prefer something like:

Pickford

RWB Walker - shouldn't be using one of our better players out of position
CB Maguire
CB Jones
CB Stones - our centre back options all scare me to death but it is what it is
LWB Rose

CM Dier - drops into the gaps when wing backs and Stones/Maguire go forward
CM Ali - deeper than he's played of late I know, but our most creative central midfielder. Hope a Spurs pair click.

RW Sterling
CF Kane
LW Rashford

Front 3 all quite interchangeable which hopefully injects a bit more movement and creativity. If we can get ahead in games and force the opposition to come out at us, then Vardy off the bench becomes a real threat on the counter.

 

[Son of Cod]

Didn’t they have some super come back after fasting against Portugal? Clearly they have something in their locker. They’re 21st in the word which is pretty good tbf to them.

I agree with you in terms of not just playing against your first team, you should prepare for what you expect from the opposing team and what formation and tactics will help with that.

Oh was that that game? When the sun went down and the keeper pretending to be injured and the rest of them went off to the side of the pitch? I'd heard about that, but couldn't remember which game it was. I'm not outrightly (is that a word?) disagreeing with you, by the way. You may well be right, I'm just getting all cocky after we SMASHED the mighty Costa Rica and Nigeria. We conceded just one goal vs Germany, Brazil, Holland and Italy too though, remember. Football obviously doesn't work like this, but you'd hope we'd be able to hold out against Tunisia and Panama (although Mark could well be right with his prediction above too).

 

[Gassy]

Oh was that that game? When the sun went down and the keeper pretending to be injured and the rest of them went off to the side of the pitch? I'd heard about that, but couldn't remember which game it was. I'm not outrightly (is that a word?) disagreeing with you, by the way. You may well be right, I'm just getting all cocky after we SMASHED the mighty Costa Rica and Nigeria. We conceded just one goal vs Germany, Brazil, Holland and Italy too though, remember. Football obviously doesn't work like this, but you'd hope we'd be able to hold out against Tunisia and Panama (although Mark could well be right with his prediction above too).

Yeah that was the one, they were 2-0 down, keeper went down 'injured' and they scored 2 goals to draw 2-2

I think i've found the perfect thing that sums you up though mate :

 

[Son of Cod]

Yeah that was the one, they were 2-0 down, keeper went down 'injured' and they scored 2 goals to draw 2-2

I think i've found the perfect thing that sums you up though mate :

View attachment 8668

Hahahahahaha YES that is definitely me