2023/24 Jarrad Branthwaite

[Swagger]

I was really looking forward to these Euros. Feels like we've been knocked out already. Southgate is the worst thing ever to happen to this group of talented players. Some of the absolute dross chosen ahead of Branthwaite is staggering.

Haha so true! That's the way I feel.

On the one hand I was really pleased how Southgate culled the dead wood.

Dier
Henderson
Phillips
Sterling
Rashford

Really pleased he picked Wharton to give him a chance. You think hang on ding ding do we finally have a proper Head Coach...then you realise Branthwaite, Ben White, Kilman and Tomori were excluded for Dunk, Konza and Gomez!

Also amazed Grealish was left out. A player who continually made a key contribution when coming on as a sub in close games where opposition have strong defensive structures negating players relying on pace over good decision making and ball retention in tight windows...

 

[MACCA75]

Yes, he's too inexperienced.

Unlike Quansah, who's played many games at the highest level, or Dunk with his highest level of literally Brighton.

Why do we have to hate our own young players?

Did you get that I hate him from that? Wow.

 

[MACCA75]

I'd be totally on board with this if we had genuine world class quality at centre back.

Joe Gomes mate.

Gomes can play left back.

Dunk shouldn’t be in the squad admittedly

 

[StateSideToffee]

Really pleased he picked Wharton to give him a chance. You think hang on ding ding do we finally have a proper Head Coach...then you realise Branthwaite, Ben White, Kilman and Tomori were excluded for Dunk, Konza and Gomez!

This perspective certainly makes Southgate's decision making look more damning. Truly inexcusable levels of favoritism.

 

[Drico]

Southgate and England is basically Chelsea under Avram Grant. Can they win inspite of him.

No, Kent. No they can't.

 

[Nymzee]

Gomes can play left back.

Dunk shouldn’t be in the squad admittedly

Play or "play"?

 

[Swagger]

Gomes can play left back.

Dunk shouldn’t be in the squad admittedly

Gomez was ushered away from playing centre back under Klopp following a catalogue of errors and poor performances. He kind of reinvented himself as a utility handyman. He's ok as a left back but come on he isn't actually a quality left back. He played pretty well in a specific system at full back for Liverpool

 

[Nymzee]

Even Spitty is baffled he hasn't gone.

 

[Swagger]

Southgate going all out to select Luke Shaw as well. Anyone would think he's Paulo Maldini the lengths Southgate went to with him. He's a bang average premier league left back.

 

[Miked1e]

“Relatively average” as in average compared to some of the teams they were competing with for the top 4 spots.

Vardy world class? Nah. Good goalscorer, but doesn’t walk into almost every team in football as starting striker like Kane.

Fair enough and well understood...

So a player being 'World Class' is a little more subjective than just scoring goals for fun over a decade?

Also interesting that Spurs have scored more goals this season (74) than all but 2 of the other 9 seasons in that last decade. The other 2 seasons being 16/17 and 17/18 season in which they scored 86 and 74 (equal) goals respectively.

Meanwhile HK heads off to Germany to join the team that have dominated German football for living memory winning something like 18 domestic trophies in the last 10 years (including 9 league titles), Champions League, UEFA Supercup and FIFA Club World Cup... and they walk away trophy-less this year.

 

[RomanReigns]

i dont think he would have played a single minute in the tournament anyway but i dont think the likes of bowen, toney, eze or wharton will either.

too many similar attacking players why bring so many forwards and wingers?

 

[Titus Bramble]

Shame for the lad, but he’s had an exceptional season up to this point.

If he continues to play to level he has for us so far he'll be going to the next 5 major international tournaments at least.

 

[Swagger]

i dont think he would have played a single minute in the tournament anyway but i dont think the likes of bowen, toney, eze or wharton will either.

too many similar attacking players why bring so many forwards and wingers?

With 26 players available you take a couple of starlets for the future. Branthwaite and Wharton are a couple of classic examples. Hoddle took Ferdinand in '98 when I think he was 18 years old and he could only take 23 players. He didn't play a minute from memory but he was a mainstay for next 10 years.

 

[Nymzee]

<3

 

[Swagger]

There's previous.

Phil Jones and Chris Smalling were selected ahead of John Stones for world cup 2014. Just let that soak in.

The mind boggles.