Scotland v England 150th year anniversary match

[ClydeTon]

59 minutes ago, Donathan said:

If Southgate plays his first choice XI, which he might well not, but if he does I reckon it’ll be something along the lines of:

 

Pickford

 

Walker - Guehi - Maguire - Chilwell

Bellingham - Rice - Foden

 

Saka - Kane - Rashford 

 

England's first chance to play a Big Team this year, pretty sure they'll want full strength to avoid an (overly) embarrassing result.

[Stephen Malkmus]

Grealish must have heard that Stephen O'Donnell bought a ticket for the front row

[pub car king]

9 hours ago, Stephen Malkmus said:

Grealish must have heard that Stephen O'Donnell bought a ticket for the front row

[True Saintee]

Sorry to be that guy but looking for 2x tickets for this if anyone has some going spare. 
 

Message me.

[TheScarf]

Proper desperation from the Nigels here IMO.  I take it they don't have any decent strikers of their own coming through.

 

[Jives Miguel]

1 hour ago, TheScarf said:

Proper desperation from the Nigels here IMO.  I take it they don't have any decent strikers of their own coming through.

 

 

I'm quite confident that 99% of Irishmen (actual Irishmen, not your part-time plastic paddies like Grealish, Rice) wouldn't play for England over Ireland under any circumstances.  Utter delusion and arrogance from them.

[TheScarf]

2 minutes ago, Jives Miguel said:

 

I'm quite confident that 99% of Irishmen (actual Irishmen, not your part-time plastic paddies like Grealish, Rice) wouldn't play for England over Ireland under any circumstances.  Utter delusion and arrogance from them.

Unless they're hiding them from us it's clear England don't have some 19/20/21 year old striker coming through to be their next starter at number 9 when Kane has enough and retires from England duty.  

They have some absolutely superb wingers and number 10s who are in their early 20s, so they're fine there, but where's the next Harry Kane?

[Doakes]

16 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Unless they're hiding them from us it's clear England don't have some 19/20/21 year old striker coming through to be their next starter at number 9 when Kane has enough and retires from England duty.  

They have some absolutely superb wingers and number 10s who are in their early 20s, so they're fine there, but where's the next Harry Kane?

Anthony Gordon looks a player tbf, can play up front

Liam Delap another one set to come through

Edited September 6, 2023 by Doakes

[Donathan]

Ivan Toney, Callum Wilson, Ollie Watkins, Eddie Nketiah and Tammy Abraham are all decent forwards but all at least 24 and much older in the case of some (Wilson is 31)

 

Ferguson would be an excellent get for them

 

[Captain_Sensible]

33 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Unless they're hiding them from us it's clear England don't have some 19/20/21 year old striker coming through to be their next starter at number 9 when Kane has enough and retires from England duty.  

They have some absolutely superb wingers and number 10s who are in their early 20s, so they're fine there, but where's the next Harry Kane?

Same for many countries. Actual central strikers are a rarity these days 

[Jeff Venom]

3 hours ago, TheScarf said:

Proper desperation from the Nigels here IMO.  I take it they don't have any decent strikers of their own coming through.

 

He's not even remotely in the same category as those two ass hats. Ferguson for one was born and raised in Ireland. Wasn't even a football player until he gave up the Gaelic (football).

[TheScarf]

2 minutes ago, Jeff Venom said:

He's not even remotely in the same category as those two ass hats. Ferguson for one was born and raised in Ireland. Wasn't even a football player until he gave up the Gaelic (football).

Absolutely pishing at ass hats. 

 

1 hour ago, Donathan said:

Ivan Toney, Callum Wilson, Ollie Watkins, Eddie Nketiah and Tammy Abraham are all decent forwards but all at least 24 and much older in the case of some (Wilson is 31)

 

Ferguson would be an excellent get for them

 

None of them are in the same league as Kane and won't win you an international tournament. 

[Donathan]

6 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Absolutely pishing at ass hats. 

 

None of them are in the same league as Kane and won't win you an international tournament. 

 

That's why I called them all "decent forwards" rather than world beaters. Having said that I think the days of needing a world beating number 9 are in the past now. Spain won Euro 2012 with Fabregas as a false nine, France won the world cup in 2018 and made the final last year with Olivier Giroud who was never world class, Man City won the premier league title multiple times between Aguero's decline and signing Haaland. A lot of the times if you get a forward who's a serious handful to play against, that can allow your wingers and attacking midfielders to hoover up the goals.

 

Ollie Watkins is probably the pick of that bunch for me or possibly Toney if he manages to rebuild his career. Rightly or wrongly there's also the possibility that Mason Greenwood gets back in if he keeps his head down and bangs in the goals for Getafe.

[TheScarf]

18 minutes ago, Donathan said:

 

That's why I called them all "decent forwards" rather than world beaters. Having said that I think the days of needing a world beating number 9 are in the past now. Spain won Euro 2012 with Fabregas as a false nine, France won the world cup in 2018 and made the final last year with Olivier Giroud who was never world class, Man City won the premier league title multiple times between Aguero's decline and signing Haaland. A lot of the times if you get a forward who's a serious handful to play against, that can allow your wingers and attacking midfielders to hoover up the goals.

 

Ollie Watkins is probably the pick of that bunch for me or possibly Toney if he manages to rebuild his career. Rightly or wrongly there's also the possibility that Mason Greenwood gets back in if he keeps his head down and bangs in the goals for Getafe.

Englands style of play revolves round a strong number 9. Two wingers (Saka and Grealish/Foden) who stay high and wide for the cutbacks to Kane. 

Although to be fair, that's Southgate's style and it's not to say their next manager won't change it. 

[Jacky1990]

1 hour ago, TheScarf said:

None of them are in the same league as Kane and won't win you an international tournament. 

Neither will Kane

[Captain_Sensible]

6 minutes ago, Jacky1990 said:

Neither will Kane

So far, Kane hasn’t helped any team he’s ever played for win any tournament! 
 

And Tottenham have had a decent start to the season without him - or even a replacement for him!  

Edited September 6, 2023 by Captain_Sensible

[PrestersKTID]

3 hours ago, TheScarf said:

Absolutely pishing at ass hats. 

 

None of them are in the same league as Kane and won't win you an international tournament. 

Greece won a tournament without a world class player among them.

denmark had some class but still not at the level of the other teams.

 

 

 

[TheScarf]

21 minutes ago, PrestersKTID said:

Greece won a tournament without a world class player among them.

denmark had some class but still not at the level of the other teams.

 

 

 

3 out of 4 winners of the last 4 tournaments all had world class strikers up front. Ronaldo with Portugal in 2016, Mbappe with France in 2018, Messi with Argentina in 2022.

[Donathan]

1 hour ago, TheScarf said:

3 out of 4 winners of the last 4 tournaments all had world class strikers up front. Ronaldo with Portugal in 2016, Mbappe with France in 2018, Messi with Argentina in 2022.

 

1) So 1 out of 4 didn’t have a world class striker then? So you admit it’s possible to win a tournament without one?

2) Neither Messi nor Mbappe played as central strikers in their winning tournaments. Messi played on the right wing with Alvarez through the middle, and Mbappe played on the left wing with Giroud through the middle.

 

3) Portugal were shite at Euro 2016 and are probably one of the worst teams in living memory to win a major tournament. They snuck through the group stages with three draws, then two of their knockout stage wins including the final were 1-0 AET wins, a third was on penalties. The only time they actually won a match outright was in the semi finals against a one man Wales team. 

[TheScarf]

8 hours ago, Donathan said:

 

1) So 1 out of 4 didn’t have a world class striker then? So you admit it’s possible to win a tournament without one?

2) Neither Messi nor Mbappe played as central strikers in their winning tournaments. Messi played on the right wing with Alvarez through the middle, and Mbappe played on the left wing with Giroud through the middle.

 

3) Portugal were shite at Euro 2016 and are probably one of the worst teams in living memory to win a major tournament. They snuck through the group stages with three draws, then two of their knockout stage wins including the final were 1-0 AET wins, a third was on penalties. The only time they actually won a match outright was in the semi finals against a one man Wales team. 

Of course it happens. But it's very rare. I could list another 5 tournaments where the winners had a world class striker in their team? And then another 5 after than if you like? Using 2 tournaments from 19 and 31 years ago doesn't really change the fact. It's 2023 and you quite clearly need a world class striker to win tournaments. Club and country. 

And by the way, Charisteas was absolutely unplayable at Euro 2004, so there's one of your examples disproved.