Allardyce's England

Big Sam is set to announce his squad this evening, with the captaincy sorted with that. It has been revealed that he wanted to call up Steven N'Zonzi, but a performance for the France u21s put paid to that.

In an exciting list of players expected to break in the squad, all will be relieved to see that Phil Jagielka, Andros Townsend, Danny Drinkwater and Jermain Defoe look to be joining Shaw as England returnees. Or did I mean to say that list is madly depressing, bar the talented left back.

Hart, Heaton, Forster

Clyne, Walker, Stones, Cahill, Jagielka, Smalling, Shaw, Rose

Henderson, Walcott, Rooney, Alli, Dier, Antonio, Drinkwater, Lallana, Sterling

Vardy, Kane, Sturridge

Now that is a depressing squad of players.

Genuinely think that Defoe can feel a little unfortunate to miss out. 

Antonio can be happy to be called up. Walcott lucky to get called up, more a case of a lack of good wide players.

Assuming we'll see:

Antonio deserves it. Henderson ridiculous, Jagielka depressing. Thought he'd give Nobes a go, but I don't think the Mr West Ham thing ever helped the two get along.

If he's following his plan of management for years then Antonio is everything he's ever dreamed of. Big, strong, fast, good in the air and attacks the back post. He loves a player who attacks the back post

I should be feeling like that, but I'm genuinely a bit sad for Nobes

Henderson ffs

Least we have been spared Milner, best thing he ever did for us was retire.

Wait, thats unfair

I forgot this

Crimey wrote:
Assuming we'll see:

Forster

Walker   Stones    Smalling    Shaw

Dier      Alli

Lallana           Rooney       Sterling

Kane

Pretty much seen that already & it's dire. Walker can't defend & isn't good enough & we can't afford Lallana wastefulness at International level. Have we forgotten that playing Alli that deep behind Rooney is awful? It's just a mess, nothing will ever change.

Barkley should be in not Henderson. Not a very inspiring selection all round.

Who else would people have picked?

Slim pickings imo.

Fat Sam to make Henderson captain.

We were in the coffin & there's the nails.

...and I'm out. He knows how to really make a side less enjoyable to support

Twitter is massively overreacting to the rumour to be honest.

In the most recent squad, there are three players who currently captain their club sides. Rooney, Jagielka and Henderson. Jagielka is unlikely to be involved for much longer and I have a feeling that Allardyce isn't convinced by Rooney and I wonder whether he's concerned that Rooney won't be first choice for United by the end of the season. At least Henderson is likely to be heavily involved for the next 5 years.

Other contenders are Joe Hart, who has a very uncertain future, Gary Cahill who will presumably be struggling for a starting spot. Harry Kane would probably be the favourite of those who are likely to be heavily involved for the future, but a lot of managers prefer not to have a striker as captain. 

If I were Allardyce I'd keep Rooney for now, but I get the feeling he may change as a way of stamping his authority on the side. Henderson isn't a fantastic choice, but it's hardly the end of the world. England lack real leaders, he's the best of a bad bunch.

Eric Dier gets it for me.

Henderson will be lucky to keep a Liverpool spot. Hes truly regressed

It really would be the end of the world if Henderson was made captain, at least Rooney was once a very good player.

Should just pass it around, far too much made of it.

Rooney is remaining captain anyway so everybody can stop freaking out.

Crimey wrote:Rooney is remaining captain anyway so everybody can stop freaking out.

I guess we still need someone to put away those tap-ins & penalties vs Malta

Rooney was the only sensible decision really for now. Hart is the only other viable alternative and his head can't be in the right place currently. Hopefully in a year or so someone like Dier will be ready to take it on.

BREAKING: England captain Wayne Rooney says he will retire from international football after 2018 World Cup

See you in September 2018 for the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign

Genuinely surprised, Rooney has always maintained that he will always be available for England. Doubt he'd get into the side past 2018, at least on merit, so it's basically jumping before he's pushed I feel.

Not sure I could be less enthusiastic about England at this moment in time. Only Rooney's "imminent" retirement has brought the smallest flicker of a smile to my face

Rooney has a record of 42 caps 25 goals since 2012. Whilst he hasn't played well in the major tournaments (along with every other England player) that is a decent record - especially as the last few were in a midfield role.

Clearly, he's coming to the end of his career and an end in 2018 seems a sensible decision. However, I doubt any other country would be so keen to jettison a player with that record as England fans seem to be. I can't say I'm a fan of Rooney as a person but he always seems to have given his best for England and has been a fantastic servant.

As for the present moment, he's had a strong start to the season. Kane and Alli have been poor and Sturridge has barely played. Hard to see any legitimate reason why he shouldn't currently be in the first 11. Id prefer England to have more options but the reality is we don't and it's only going to get worse with none of the top clubs regularly relying upon English players.

England team vs Slovakia

Hart, Walker, Cahill, Stones, Rose, Dier, Henderson, Lallana, Rooney, Sterling, Kane

Still think Clyne is an improvement on Walker, Hart is only in there because of injuries. Think Allardyce is scared to use Alli deeper, but he's got to be ahead of Rooney in the pecking order at 10. 

Wonder how long Lallana can keep his place on the right if he continues to be used in central midfield for Liverpool.

very underwhelming start, with pretty much the same team turning out with rooney still wasting space in the most important attacking position.

to be fair not really sure what sam can do, it pretty much all he's got. just hope he can bring out better performances than roy could

DAVE667 wrote:Not sure I could be less enthusiastic about England at this moment in time. Only Rooney's "imminent" retirement has brought the smallest flicker of a smile to my face

I'm pretty much the same. Failure after failure after failure has flattened my interest completely. I didn't even know who we were playing until today.

Fat Sam's appointment aint gonna float my boat one bit not matter how many pundits and writers wax lyrical about his miracle last season. 31 games to keep Sunderland up is now considered an achievement, by the way.

It's annoying that we have a break in the season already for these rounds of games. Club football is king.

Id have played Vardy and Drinkwater over Kane and Henderson. Possibly thrown Antonio in over Lallana. Alli would have been a choice over Lallana too.

24 hours until the reign of #HoofyHoofy

I've not really cared for England for a good 20 years but with Big Sam at the helm it's probably an all time low.
There will be those that argue the point that the big clubs in the Premier League don't look at English talent as an option and instead look overseas as it's cheaper, for me the issue is and has always been the lack of investment and structure in grassroots football. No direction whatsoever on style of play for younger players, the cost to become a coach in this country tenfold that of our main rivals, the number of decent coaches as a result a tenth of those in Germany and Spain.
Our teams generate more income than any other nation yet we fail to invest that in the future of this country, we only have to look at the success of lottery money in Olympic based sports to show that investment in grassroots pays huge dividends in the long term but we are perpetually stuck in a short term fix.

Allardyce going against what he said and playing Rooney in midfield after all.

Basically same old story for England.

Has Kane ever played well for England?

Beyond awful

Can sense the enthusiasm for our national team from the almost complete abandonment of the match day thread.

People will say that changing England into what Allarydyce wants is going to be a process and normally they would be right...but when you pick almost the same side...set up the same...your going to get same results. Shock horror those who underperformed so badly in the Euro's are playing and still anonymous. Kane...Sterling...Rooney seemingly either not following SAMs instructions in which case drag him off...or Sam has fooled us all and is playing 5 man midfield.

Slow...ponderous...lack of imagination...no final ball...I'm sure I've heard that description before...

Should have replaced the whole squad...not just manager.

Kane and Henderson need to come off, Vardy and Antonio on.

Thug finally gone

Srktel with the stamp on Kane.

Sent off for 2nd yellow should be straight red.

Has and always will be a scummy player.

Lallana is lovely if he doesnt have to do a final ball or shot

Another example

Time for Theo

Woy never left...

Vardy cant get on, Sturridge about to come on.

Reputation picks have continued. Antonio and Vardy sitting on the bench whilst Sturridge and Walcott get on

Although id take anyone over Kane

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Lallana is lovely if he doesnt have to do a final ball or shot

He's somehow done it!

Embarrassing but somehow got the win.

Pleased for Sam, that's about it. Lallana scores when it kind of doesn't matter, we're going to qualify for Russia anyway.