The England thread

[Cymbols]

Which were you talking to then? >_>

Yours! Selection for the next qualifiers is Thursday I think.

[Gazz]

Villa are laughing.

This announcement has put another £20m on his valuation.

[TCO]

Inevitable decision really. It was the best move for his career marketability and financially but he won't be a regular in the England squad. He'll definitely get capped next month to tie him though.

We're better off having players who actually want to play for us rather than players line Grealish.

[Lineker]

Grealish is ineligible for the next two qualifiers anyway, after all that.

[Benji]

Good. Him and Vardy in the same team will disrupt the chav/space continuum.

[MDK]

Since these two games don't really mean anything I should get a run out in defence. Me and Stones in the middle of a back four with him doing all the running, tackling, heading and marking and me shouting and waving my arms like I'm trying to help a plane to land.

[Benji]

Basically how I play FIFA.

[MDK]

I believe football is 1% skill and the rest is a mixture of shouting, swearing and fouling

[Benji]

Don't forget pies and lager.

[DavidMarrio]

You missed smashing the ball as hard as you can and shouting 'ave it!! 

[MDK]

You missed smashing the ball as hard as you can and shouting 'ave it!! 

Ah, so you've seen me play

[DavidMarrio]

You missed smashing the ball as hard as you can and shouting 'ave it!! 

Ah, so you've seen me play

During my successful stint in the Liverpool CMS league playing centre back, I based my play style around yours!! 

[Lineker]

 

Roy Hodgson has given first England senior call-ups to Dele Alli and Danny Ings for the final two Euro 2016 qualifiers.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alli, who made his Under-21s debut last month, has figured eight times for Mauricio Pochettino's side this campaign, netting once.

Meanwhile Ings has bagged twice in six outings for Liverpool having been a regular for the Under-21s during their Euro 2015 campaign.

The pair will join up with the squad next week as they prepare for Group E games against Estonia at Wembley on Friday 9 October and then away in Lithuania three days later.

Also returning to the squad are Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand, Manchester United's Phil Jones and Liverpool's Adam Lallana, who missed the double-header against San Marino and Switzerland due to injury.

England captain Wayne Rooney, who became the nation's top scorer with his 50th strike against Switzerland, is in along with Harry Kane, who scored the opener in that match. Theo Walcott, scorer of a quickfire brace in San Marino, and Jamie Vardy are also part of Hodgson's strike-force.

Having confirmed their place at the European Championship Finals earlier this month, Hodgson's side can now start to plan for next summer.

For tickets for the meeting with Estonia under the arch, visit TheFA.com/tickets to buy online.

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley) 

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton) 

Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea City), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

Forwards: Danny Ings (Liverpool), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

[Benji]

 

and Jamie Vardy are also part of Hodgson's strike-force.

 

I love how everyone else has stuff about them and this is tacked on Could at least maybe mention that he's the Prem's top scorer at the moment.

[DavidMarrio]

 

and Jamie Vardy are also part of Hodgson's strike-force.

 

 

I love how everyone else has stuff about them and this is tacked on Could at least maybe mention that he's the Prem's top scorer at the moment.

He doesn't play for a big name team. Being top goalscorer in the Prem means fuck all

[Lineker]

Jack Grealish will have to wait until the new year before he is considered for his first England cap after Fifa confirmed the Aston Villa midfielder has still not been cleared to play for the Three Lions.

Grealish represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level but decided to switch his allegiance to England, the country of his birth, five weeks ago.

The Aston Villa midfielder and the Football Association submitted the relevant documents to Fifa at the end of September, but world football’s governing body confirmed on Wednesday that clearance had still not been granted.

A Fifa spokesperson said: “We can confirm having been contacted by the Football Association with a request for change of association of the player Jack Grealish. The matter is pending and being investigated by our services and as a result, we are not in a position to comment on it any further nor to give an estimation as to the relevant time line.”

With Grealish ineligible to play, it is expected he will be left out of Roy Hodgson’s squad for the upcoming matches against Spain and France when it is announced on Thursday at 2pm.

Whether Hodgson invites Grealish to fly to Alicante in order to get some experience of being around the squad next week remains to be seen.

The former Fulham manager asked the 20-year-old to come to St George’s Park to get to know the England setup during the last international get together but the move was blocked by Tim Sherwood, who has now been replaced as Aston Villa manager by Rémi Garde.

Although Grealish’s performances have not hit the same levels as they did towards the end of last season, it is plausible to believe he could have made the cut for the two friendlies.

The small pool of players available to Hodgson has shrunk even further since the victories over Lithuania and Estonia last month due to injuries. Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are unavailable after suffering calf and hamstring injuries in Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday while Phil Jagielka is out until Christmas with knee ligament damage.

Daniel Sturridge continues to struggle for fitness following his long-term injury troubles and his Liverpool team-mate Danny Ings is out for the rest of the season after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament during training.

Other high-profile absentees include Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere, Luke Shaw and Jordan Henderson. In total, 13 regular squad members are out.

The good news for Hodgson is that Fabian Delph returned from a hamstring injury to make a substitute appearance for Manchester City in their 3-1 win over Sevilla on Tuesday. The 25-year-old midfielder missed the October internationals with the injury.

Another midfielder plagued by fitness problems, Michael Carrick, could come into contention after an injury-free period for Manchester United. “It’s been so frustrating to miss out on the last few squads. It’s only been small things that have kept me out for four or five days but enough to make me miss the game,” said Carrick, who has played just twice for England since earning a recall following the World Cup. “Hopefully that’s over now. There are huge games now and only a few games before the Euros come around so everybody wants to be involved obviously.

“Of course I have my eye on it. It’s in the back of my mind. I don’t think about it every day but its there at the back of my mind because everyone wants to be involved.”

The West Ham striker Andy Carroll is targeting a return to the England setup over three years after his last cap. “That is obviously at the back of my head,” Carroll told Sky Sports News. “I am concentrating on being fit and scoring goals for West Ham. That will be the only thing that will lead us there.”

England will play Spain at the Estadio José Rico Pérez a week on Friday before hosting France at Wembley four days later.

[Lineker]

Eric Dier has earned a well-deserved call-up:

Quote

Roy Hodgson has named his England squad for the final two games of the year and it includes a first-time call-up for Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier.

The Three Lions face two testing encounters against fellow Euro 2016 hopefuls Spain and France, and Hodgson has selected a 23-man group for the trip to Alicante on Friday 13 November and the Breast Cancer Care International at Wembley Stadium four days later.

And 21-year-old Dier, who has played for the Three Lions from Under-18 through to Under-21 level, makes the step up to senior level after his impressive displays in the Spurs midfield recently.

Dier, who moved to White Hart Lane after coming through the ranks at Sporting Lisbon, is joined by three club-mates in the squad – Dele Alli is back in after two caps last month, while Kyle Walker and Harry Kane are also included.

Manchester United also have four players on the list; skipper Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.

Meanwhile, Everton's John Stones and Manchester City's Fabian Delph return after missing recent games for England due to injury.

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley) 

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Jonjo Shelvey    (Swansea City), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate has named a 21-man squad for the Euro Qualifiers with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Switzerland. Everton defender Tyias Browning and Chelsea striker Dominic Solanke, who is currently on loan with Vitesse Arnhem, have both been called-up. Joe Gomez, Kortney Hause and James Wilson miss out due to injury.

Quote

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Preston North End, loan from Sunderland), Christian Walton (Brighton & Hove Albion), Joe Wildsmith (Sheffield Wednesday)

Defenders: Tyias Browning (Everton), Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Brendan Galloway (Everton), Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jack Stephens (Middlesbrough, loan from Southampton), Matt Targett (Southampton)

Midfielders: Lewis Baker (Vitesse Arnhem, loan from Chelsea), Nathaniel Chalobah (SSC Napoli, loan from Chelsea), Jake Forster-Caskey (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) 

Forwards: Chuba Akpom (Hull City, loan from Arsenal), Jordon Ibe (Liverpool), Solly March (Brighton & Hove Albion), Nathan Redmond (Norwich City), Dominic Solanke (Vitesse Arnhem, loan from Chelsea), Duncan Watmore (Sunderland), Cauley Woodrow (Fulham)

 

[Lineker]

Hodgson on Vardy and whether he will play through the middle:

"As a coach you are aware of players' form, what condition they are in physically and mentally. Players like Jamie give you great pleasure and excitement to work with. Jamie has only played a handful of games for England, he should be happy to be in the squad and even happier if he makes the team. He has a job to convince us he has the ability to play as a centre forward and not get too hung up about where he plays."

[MDK]

Hopefully Butland plays in net since it is a friendly. On paper that seems like a crap squad :/

[Matt]

What are the odds of us going out at the group stage of the Euros? If that's the best we can muster after a couple of injuries we're going to be fucked more than Katie Price's snatch.