Just found this thread; was an interesting read!
Of the squad selection, I think JWP is most hard done by, especially for with the four RB situation. If we play a 5, you could justify three as Walker can play CB in a 3, but if it’s a 4 then it doesn’t make sense, no matter how good the players are.
Lingard is on form, but if he was picked Southgate would be accused of ‘picking his favourites’. Plus our attacking talent is ridiculous.
Tonight’s game was poor, but doesn’t change me enthusiasm for the team. We were missing several key players, some of the XI were playing within themselves for avoid injury (consciously or subconsciously) and Austria actually looked decent enough to be fair.
I don’t get a chance to watch loads of football (other than every Cov game obviously), so it would be interesting to know if these are fair observations or atypical of those players:
Coady may be decent defensively but he cannot play football.
DCL looked poor. We’re screwed if Kane is injured. Is he a target man type, poacher, runner, what?
Bellingham is a talent.
TAA was vulnerable defensively.
Southgate has to get Foden, Grealish, Kane, Mount in the starting XI.
Defensively were aren’t great but not as poor as is being made out. Walker and Shaw/Chilwell are all good enough defensively, as is Maguire and Stones. The former lacks pace and later is prone to error, but they’re still a good enough pairing.