England Thread

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Good to see Harry Kane has been called up to the England squad.He has 29 goals so far this season and at 21 that is a fantastic record.It shows that our loan system works as Kane has learnt his trade by playing on loan at Millwall,Norwich,and Leicester.He has been trusted by Spurs to play games and now they cannot leave him out.Kane will play against Lithuania on Friday,and Italy next week.

[fan_of_mulligan]

Why Ryan Bertrand hasn't been called up I have no idea, and I also rate Tom Huddlestone very highly, especially as England are short in the central midfield area of the team, Jordan Henderson is playing well and Michael Carrick does a great job protecting the back four, Is Fabian Delph better then Tom Huddlestone ??? - for me I think Tom Huddlestone is the better player.

But Ryan Bertrand has to be picked ahead of Danny Rose and Kieran Gibbs, Southampton have a fantastic defensive record this season and Ryan Bertrand has played his part in ensuring that Southampton have one of the best defensive records in The Premier League this season.

The Big Club Mentality that England has is wrong, there are players playing week in, week out who deserve a opportunity to be involved in The England Set Up.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

With Danny Rose pulling out of the squad through injury,Bertrand and Aaron Cresswell have been called into the squad.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

I thought that was a really good England performance.A 4-0 win another clean sheet,and another three points.Rooney scored his 47th England goal,and probably should have had a hat-trick.Welbeck who was favoured over Kane to start repaid Hodgson`s loyalty with another goal,and that is his 6th England goal in 5 games which is the best record in the qualifiers.Sterling grabbed his first England goal,but Kane will grab the headlines after scoring on his debut after coming on within 80 seconds.That was what you call a fairytale,but after scoring 30 goals in his break through premier league season no one will be surprised.

5 wins out of 5 in the group and on Tuesday we play Italy away in a friendly.I think we will play a different Team,and Kane may start.

[Garawa]

It was a good game mostly, went a bit flat during it but was the right decision not to start Kane. The system has been working so far and if we want to win a major tournament not changing for the sake of it will help do it. I'm not saying he won't play but the forwards have proved worthy of their place and too much hype will only be bad for him in the long run.

All these qualifiers, games on ITV, ITV4 and 2 or 3 Sky Sports channels and not one (that I can find) are showing a highlights package of the games?!

[gillsfan1066]

Good win, but lets see what happens when the real competition starts, I am still trying to get over the last W C ,hell we were bad, lets hope the young blood being bought in works out, think it will, they actually seem to want play for their coountry.
Didn't think Jones had the greatest of games and Barkley and Walcott coming on as subs didn't seem to do much to lift the game which had gone a bit dry.
Don't think I can get too excited playing a team who bring on their sub when there 0-3 down , and he can't even get a start playing for Leicester City when there sitting where they are in the Prem.
Not trying to pour cold water on the win, 3 points is 3 points, but all I heard yesterday on our commentary was how the team love playing for Hodgson, and how they have not lost a Euro Qualifier since 1821 or what ever,and man oh man have we played some tough games,those guys from San Marino, Moldavia, places in what used to be the USSR and now have a population of 639 people, and other places I have no idea where they are , guess there all 2/1 favorites to lift the World Cup next time ??
OK OK I am in a grumpy mood, no soccer on our TV stations today other than the Spanish channels, International games between the likes of Kazajistan v Islandia, Croatia v Noruega and Belgicia v Chipre ,well at least the Gills are still 1-0 up half way through the second period, GO BIG BLUE.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

A good draw in the end after a poor start against Italy.I thought Italy kept the ball better than us in the first half,and deserved their 1-0 lead at half-time.The subs of Carrick,Barkley,Mason,and Townsend improved us.Barkley running at Italy looked to scare them.Townsend`s equaliser was a belter and Roy`s faith in him was rewarded.We both had chances to win it,but a draw seems about right.Both Teams are unbeaten since the World Cup last year,so it`s good to keep that run going.

[fan_of_mulligan]

A 1-1 draw against Italy in Turin is a very good result, I didn't watch the friendly game last night (because it was a friendly).

I am sure that Roy Hodgson will be very pleased with the result, and he got the chance to have a look at players like Theo Walcott, Harry Kane, Kieran Gibbs, Ryan Mason, Andros Townsend, Kyle Walker and Ross Barkley and see what these players can do against a very strong Italy Side.

These friendly matches give England the chance to play against really good opposition, and games against Italy and Germany will be excellent preparation for Euro 2016, I know that our qualification group looks easy and England should qualify without any difficulties, but The Netherlands are really struggling to qualify and I rather be in our current situation where qualification is in our own hands.

Should England qualify with games to spare, then we can start looking at other players who are pushing for a place in the 23 man squad for Euro 2016.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

England play Ireland away on Sunday lunchtime in a friendly,and the week after Slovenia away in a Euro 2016 qualifier.The squad was named two weeks ago,and there were call ups for Jamie Vardy,Charlie Austin,Tom Heaton.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32823264

[fan_of_mulligan]

For The Republic Of Ireland Game I would name the following players in my starting eleven.....

-----------------------------------Heaton----------------------------------
Clyne----------------Cahill----------------Jagielka------------Bertrand
--------------------Wilshere-----------------Mason-----------------------
Townsend----------------------Barkley-----------------------------Vardy
-----------------------------------Austin--------------------------------------

The Republic Of Ireland Game gives Roy Hodgson an opportunity to have a look at those who are unlikely to start against Slovenia in our World Cup Qualifier, and I would prefer to see the likes of Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling rested for the match that really matters, there's no point calling up Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin if all there going to do is play twenty minutes against The Republic Of Ireland and be unused substitutes for The Slovenia Game, let's start the pair of them and see what they do for sixty / sixty five minutes.