Match Day Thread Premier League, Cups & Euro Watch

Any links?

I think Trent played better when he had a better haircut. Send him and Nunez to the barbers and let's see what happens

 

Worked for Elliot (according to @moreinjuredthanowen )

 

he won't though, the press will turn on him like they did carragher if he dared say it.

He has to "be the one" that turns up when rarely selected and not grumbles until that manager is fired. anything else and the red tops go full bore that hes a commie, terrorist blah blah Blah and start digging into his private life to have a full on smear campaign.

Best thing to do is to be injured a few times on choice international breaks when the LFC games are more important following it. (not that southgate is going to last muc longer)

 

is this TA A is a solution for england not a problem?

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-southgate-risks-wasting-a-world-class-talent

Trent Alexander-Arnold finds himself on the periphery for Gareth Southgate's England while remaining a key player for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool; is the England manager making a mistake by failing to accommodate such a special talent or is Alexander-Arnold's role just too specialised?


"And yet, it still feels unsatisfactory. The feeling seems to be that Alexander-Arnold's defensive flaws are so damning that his extraordinary gifts are not enough to make up the shortfall. The conclusion is that a mixed start to the season has not helped.
But this is not really about form. Southgate's doubts about Alexander-Arnold predate a shoddy showing against Manchester United and a nightmare in Naples. He has had only three starts for England since Euro 2020 and none of them have come at right-back.

His travails with England are a new twist on an old trope. While Glenn Hoddle could not be accommodated within the straight lines of a midfield quartet, Alexander-Arnold appears to be an awkward fit for Southgate in either a flat-back four or the wing-back position.

The clue to the befuddlement that Alexander-Arnold was causing his international manager came last September when he was given a rare start against Andorra - in midfield. The experiment lasted half a game with Alexander-Arnold left confused by the position.

"That was kind of what went wrong," he acknowledged. "Being in there already, standing in there and then trying to find space rather than going in there unexpectedly and confusing the opposition and just feeling the freedom to drift in there whenever I felt was right."

That freedom is harder to grant at international level where the temptation is always there to go with a more perfunctory alternative, a ready-made fit. But the problem with the 'all-round game' argument is that it does not account for the specialist.

Perhaps it is worth recounting some of Alexander-Arnold's numbers so there can be no downplaying the significance of his exclusion. Since the last World Cup, only Kevin De Bruyne has provided more assists in the Premier League or created more chances.

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Alexander-Arnold's total for expected assists is actually higher than De Bruyne - and everyone else. He tops the rankings for successful crosses and chances created from set plays. Elements that can be considered of particular importance in international football

In this context, bemoaning Alexander-Arnold's weaknesses deserves the same contempt one might regard someone who focuses on Lionel Messi's heading ability or a music critic who takes the time to tell you that Jimi Hendrix was not a whizz on the tuba.

It also brings to mind the selection meeting for an England cricket tour of yesteryear when one of the key decision-makers saw fit to opine of Graham Thorpe, then the country's premier batsman: 'But what does he bring to the team other than runs?'

Jurgen Klopp recognises this instinctively.

Rather than trying to mould him into something that he is not, he has constructed a team that makes the most of his strengths, utilising that very specific skill set for maximum advantage. It has helped Alexander-Arnold be the best that he can be.

Encouraged to roam forwards, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are there to cover for him. Nominally, Alexander-Arnold is a defender but that is not his function in the Liverpool team. Put simply, he is on the pitch to make things happen not to prevent them happening.

It is why he will flourish again in a Liverpool shirt. It is also why there might be no chance to prove Southgate wrong in an England one.

Expect Alexander-Arnold to continue to wow with his passing. He will send in the crosses from high up the pitch on that right flank and he will accumulate the assists. He might even avoid the high-profile defensive errors that have drawn such negative attention.

But he will do so in a role that does not exist with England.

And so a nation distracts itself with talk of whether Brentford's striker should be the back-up option. It explores the relative merits of a gaggle of middling goalkeepers. Meanwhile, this special footballer is likely to find himself on the outside looking in.

A solution dressed up as a problem.

 

Trippier is in that england squad cos he takes a more consistent free kick imo.

Trent is lauded for corssing. kind of like beckham was

but I might see 1 good trent free kick season and many many corners that are woeful til one is right. Trippier delivers more attackable ball, its just he doesn't get as many chances to do it and has no pass and if played at LWB can do nothing but take frees.

In short. only a total moron would select trippier over trent all things being equal.

HOWEVER.....

the stats since the last world cup (many many years ago) might be brilliant but the short term form is 6 game sin league 0 assists and 1 goal in a trouncing of bournemouth who were not at the races at all.

Trents not put his hand up and forced this so southgate has an easy call. he doesn't like the player and now doesn't feel pressured to have to take him even with the added squad depth.

0-2 down in the world up last 16 and Southgate won't be turning to Trent for a cross or free anyway. he'll throw on what he threw on last game.

Meanwhile southgate is vociferous that maguire is vital to him and the mistakes and lousy form will continue and be southgate's downfall in the end.

 

Was going to like this comment until the race part at the end

 

Thanks

 

to be fair maguire is **** and has been **** for last few years. That criticism is more than justified

 

It’s not just his form now though is it. Southgate didn’t play him when we were winning the league and CL, getting to finals and TAA was a key component to it.

Problem is, as that article highlights, he’s not a conventional rb and Southgate is all about defend first and try nick s goal from a set piece. No place in that tactic for a rb that pushes up and comes inside to be a creative player. It’s why they tried him in CM to shoe horn him into the team, which obviously didn’t work.

 

Some of the Trent criticism is justified too, just not the positional stuff

 

Not suggesting it’s the reason but I’m sure if you dig around deep enough online will be comments from idiots using his race as something to beat him with.

Not suggesting any of that in here btw

 

Without doubt, just not entertaining that angle

 

Exactly. Southgate wasn't picking Trent when he was on fire. Being off form atm is just a convenient excuse. Ironic too considering some of the other choices he's making

 

I don't think if he was white he would get away with the criticism. As mentioned Maguire is a prime example (although it would be really difficult to not criticise Maguire). I agree though that black players get criticised far more than white players on Twitter and the like. Look at the storm of abuse over the three lads who missed their penalties. Kane doesn't miss many but has he ever been criticised when he does miss?

 

The thing is;

1. International football is primarily down the middle stuff, not wide.

2. Luke Shaw spend half the game tucked in nowhere near the sideline on the left. What's the difference. Not even man utd first choice.

3. Southgate is playing 3 cbs so rwb is there to defend blocking crosses. Imo that translates into big strong lad not getting ran past trenr with the greatest respect doesn't track runs and neither rof our fullbacks are very interested in blocking crosses from the sideline. We let them in as they are coming from distance. We don't want guys getting to byeline and cutting back.

All this adds up to me as one of the most negative coaches in the game wanting 7 defenders back defending and doing nothing else. Southgate doesn't want any forward runs and he doesn't want cross field passes etc. He wants 7 blockers.

The front 3 are there to be isolated and get a set piece etc. Get one on the break and so forth.

This has worked largely as England have either rout powered or outlasted mediocre teams.

Denmark in the sf for example. Run-out rags
Ukraine mediocre
Sweden

Etc

Tripper was played lwb cos he would defend and block.

Sterling is played as he will play left.midfield and back up his left back.

Foden isn't liked as he won't do it as we'll on the right. Sancho isn't trusted etc etc.

If Southgate thought 11 defenders was possible he would do it.

 

Too true. Absolutely vile what saka had to put up with.

 

One other thing.

Southgate strategy is to score a set peice.

Only need look to what he's trying to do

Stones
Dier
Maguire

Kane
Rice (not short)
Bellingham (not short)

It's not like he's packing that team with short arses either.

 

He's a 90s throwback manager.

 

I think that shows a huge amount if disrespect for the managers of the 90's

 

Fair point

I just meant he likes a back five and big guys