England - the future....

[Royal Rother]

Women are the future.

[Platypuss]

Children are the future.

[Hoop Blah]

Good to see Ross Barkley starting the season well and seemingly growing as a player.

It'll be interesting to see how Hodgson uses him in the upcoming games, and the friendlies, as his most natural position would appear to be where Rooney should play.

[Vision]

Good to see Ross Barkley starting the season well and seemingly growing as a player.

It'll be interesting to see how Hodgson uses him in the upcoming games, and the friendlies, as his most natural position would appear to be where Rooney should play.

I feel like I'm the harbinger of doom on this thread Hoop but I think he's been poor in the last two games I saw against West Brom and Liverpool. Switching off at set pieces costing his side goals, missing absolute sitters and frequently holding onto the ball too long and stunting promising attacking positions. He's talented for sure but I'd say the issues that were there this time last year appear to be still there.

Hopefully it's just a couple of poor games and it's just a matter of consistency (understandable at his age) rather than a lack of progression.

[Hoop Blah]

You're spot on that he cost his side goals by being a bit sloppy at set pieces but I think(hope) that's just a symptom of being young and an attack minded player not a defensive one. I'm sure there are plenty of examples of the likes of your Gazzas and Wazzas and Gerrards doing the same.

What I really want to see is his attacking talents harnessed and nurtured and I think he's looked quite a threat this season from the bits I've seen. I think I read that he's already scored and created as many goals this year as he did for the whole of last season.

He's by no means the finished article, I totally agree there, but he is still only 21.

[No Fixed Abode]

Good to see another home nation qualify for Euro 2016 last night. Congratulations to Poland.

[LUX]

that's very inclusive of you Kes.

Come on, give me a cuddle.

[CountryRoyal]

Good to see another home nation qualify for Euro 2016 last night. Congratulations to Poland.

Kes made a funny.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Where? Link or it never happened.

[Hoop Blah]

I'm probably one of the few are looking forward to these two England friendlies but it's interesting to read that Rooney isn't going to start tonight's game against Spain as Hodgson has said he's going to be looking at various combinations.

I'm hoping that means a chance for Barkley to play in his natural role in behind Kane upfront.

with Milner already out for both games I'm hoping for tonights team to look little like

Hart

Clyne
Stones
Cahil
Gibbs

Carrick
Delph

Lallana
Barkley
Sterling

Kane

[RoyalJames101]

I'm probably one of the few are looking forward to these two England friendlies but it's interesting to read that Rooney isn't going to start tonight's game against Spain as Hodgson has said he's going to be looking at various combinations.

I'm hoping that means a chance for Barkley to play in his natural role in behind Kane upfront.

with Milner already out for both games I'm hoping for tonights team to look little like

Hart

Clyne
Stones
Cahil
Gibbs

Carrick
Delph

Lallana
Barkley
Sterling

Kane

Would quite like to see Dier, Alli and Shelvey get some game time.

Dier has had a very good start to the season and could give us some steel in the midfield that we lacked without Barry.

Would have Bertrand ahead of Gibbs and maybe even Smalling in for Cahill.

[Brosef Stalin]

Smalling is easily the best CB England have.
Carrick is on his last legs and has been pretty poor at Utd (might be the way VG sets the team out)

[Hoop Blah]

True on the midfield. He's going to be trying out other potential pairings so it's probably unlikely that Delph and Carrick will play together as their the more experienced of the midfield options.

With that in mind I'd predict a Delph and Selvey combo in the midfield if he goes for that kind of shape. More likely though he'll have 3 in there which I'm less sure how he'll juggle it.

At the moment I think Cahill and Smalling are his first choice centre back pairing with Stones being the one likely to break into it. On form Smalling is probably ahead of Cahill but I'd say Cahill and Stones is more likely to be Hodgsons pairing by the summer.

[TBM]

I'd like to see Eric Dier play some part - he's been in the holding role for Spurs so could be useful for us there?

[Hoop Blah]

I'm sure he will get at least a run out.

There are two games and Hodgson will no doubt be using the two games to get a look at every player in the squad and, as he's said, a view of certain combinations he's interested in (I'm guessing that's mainly a comment about centre backs and the forwards where the partnerships are a bit more important, and he's missing a number of central midfielders).

[RoyalJames101]

True on the midfield. He's going to be trying out other potential pairings so it's probably unlikely that Delph and Carrick will play together as their the more experienced of the midfield options.

With that in mind I'd predict a Delph and Selvey combo in the midfield if he goes for that kind of shape. More likely though he'll have 3 in there which I'm less sure how he'll juggle it.

At the moment I think Cahill and Smalling are his first choice centre back pairing with Stones being the one likely to break into it. On form Smalling is probably ahead of Cahill but I'd say Cahill and Stones is more likely to be Hodgsons pairing by the summer.

On form I would have Smalling and Stones together, Cahill has had a torrid time but he has the experience that others don't.

Surprised that Cresswell hasn't been given a call up yet.

[winchester_royal]

Big fan of Dele Alli so hopefully he'll get some game time. Only 19, but he's probably been the best British midfielder in the league this season.

[Ian Royal]

Stirling was doing my nut tonight. Wasteful. Five minutes before their goal he runs at Kane, forcing him wide, when that's where Stirling should be going. Then he delivers a poor pass out to Kane, who can't get on it and loses out. You want Stirling going wide and crossing to Kane in the centre, not Stirling pushing Kane out wide to cross into Stirling.

He then plays a pass in our half straight at a Spaniard's shins when Bertrand's burst forward. Chases back and the second Spain recycle the ball backwards a bit, he switches off and loses his man so it can come back into him and he can score a wonder goal.

ITV saying second definitely not offside, but it looked a mile to me and for some reason no one is interested in actually pissing showing it.

EDIT: Oh. Walker playing everyone on by miles by ambling around on the near side doing nothing. Possibly after being the one who sold Hart a terrible ball to clear.

[TBM]

Cracking goal by the Spainish tbf

[eleventh earl of mar]

Stirling was doing my nut tonight. Wasteful. Five minutes before their goal he runs at Kane, forcing him wide, when that's where Stirling should be going. Then he delivers a poor pass out to Kane, who can't get on it and loses out. You want Stirling going wide and crossing to Kane in the centre, not Stirling pushing Kane out wide to cross into Stirling.

He then plays a pass in our half straight at a Spaniard's shins when Bertrand's burst forward. Chases back and the second Spain recycle the ball backwards a bit, he switches off and loses his man so it can come back into him and he can score a wonder goal.

ITV saying second definitely not offside, but it looked a mile to me and for some reason no one is interested in actually pissing showing it.

EDIT: Oh. Walker playing everyone on by miles by ambling around on the near side doing nothing. Possibly after being the one who sold Hart a terrible ball to clear.

If you are going to criticize at least have the courtesy to spell the person's name correctly: Sterling