2023/24 Jarrad Branthwaite

[Raino85]

To be so top heavy with forwards is a bit strange also, considering when you consider the quality of them!

If Harry Kane is your centre forward, do you need Watkins AND Toney

If you have Saka, Palmer, Foden, Eze...even Gordon........do you need Bowen?

I understand Wharton as he's probably the most similar to Rice!

And Mainoo also

 

[heatmeiser]

Imagine if Southgate just goes balls to the wall and throws everyone forward.

They'd either win 5 nil or get utterly smashed. Either way it would be fun.

Obv instead it's going to be a painful watch as Dunk gets turned inside out by Mitrovic and Sesko

 

[anton66]

Probably Southgate being told by sir Jim not to give him a place as he would have had the world watching. Need to keep his price low for Utd.

 

[Titus Bramble]

To be so top heavy with forwards is a bit strange also, considering when you consider the quality of them!

If Harry Kane is your centre forward, do you need Watkins AND Toney

If you have Saka, Palmer, Foden, Eze...even Gordon........do you need Bowen?

I understand Wharton as he's probably the most similar to Rice!

And Mainoo also

I think the Mainoo selection confirms what many of us suspect... if Branthwaite played out last season for one of the scab 6, he'd be on the plane no questions asked.

Branthwaite made 9 more appearances than Mainoo across the season and only scored 2 fewer goals(!)

If Branthwaite isn't ready at 21, how is Mainoo ready at 19?

 

[ToffeeScot]

His press conference was nonsense. He talks about inexperienced players and how they've muscled out experienced players who haven't played as well in the second half of the season but then takes Dunk who's been guff this season and then Guehi who hasn't been as good as Branthwaite this season, then says Branthwaite isn't ready yet. Just admit you have an agenda pal.

 

[JimmyK]

I think the Mainoo selection confirms what many of us suspect... if Branthwaite played out last season for one of the scab 6, he'd be on the plane no questions asked.

Branthwaite made 9 more appearances than Mainoo across the season and only scored 2 fewer goals(!)

If Branthwaite isn't ready at 21, how is Mainoo ready at 19?

I think Mainoo is more to do with the lack of options in midfield to be honest theres hardly anyone else even in the running it was just whether he stuck with Henderson and Phillips or not whereas at centre half they might not be great options but theres loads of players of a similar sort of level who didn't even make the original squad like Tomori Chalobah Colwill Kilman Tarkowski. I think sometimes though players at the bigger clubs feel more at home playing for England at first because they're used to big games and training with superstars maybe Branthwaite has seemed a bit nervous or overawed in training and its gone against him I remember Godfrey making his England debut after doing really well for us and looking like he'd never played football before it obviously got to him I don't think people give enough thought to that type of thing.

 

[Raino85]

I think the Mainoo selection confirms what many of us suspect... if Branthwaite played out last season for one of the scab 6, he'd be on the plane no questions asked.

Branthwaite made 9 more appearances than Mainoo across the season and only scored 2 fewer goals(!)

If Branthwaite isn't ready at 21, how is Mainoo ready at 19?

Its why i cant fathom the reasoning behind his selection in the defensive area's!

As well as having Quansah on 'standby' to give him experience!

I think Southgate has a shine for a couple of things....Palace players & players from left field! I think during his England spell he was never the Adams/Campbell type of player so he sometimes off for a 'safe pick' instead of the obvious one.
Every single media outlet have all been suprised by Branthwaite missing out, especially with no Maguire!

I'd understand and generally not be to bothered about him missing out if Maguire was fit, as that Stones/Maguire partnership has served England well and would be the pair he waould go for!
But with that left sided centre back position up for grabs to select some of the durge he has over the likes of Branthwaite or Fikayo tomori (regular in the Champions League, Serie A winner, used to big games, bigger, stronger & quicker than Guehi), it leaves a bit of a bad taste!

Its the huge bottle neck of forward players he's selected that baffles me!

 

[Raino85]

I think Mainoo is more to do with the lack of options in midfield to be honest theres hardly anyone else even in the running it was just whether he stuck with Henderson and Phillips or not whereas at centre half they might not be great options but theres loads of players of a similar sort of level who didn't even make the original squad like Tomori Chalobah Colwill Kilman Tarkowski. I think sometimes though players at the bigger clubs feel more at home playing for England at first because they're used to big games and training with superstars maybe Branthwaite has seemed a bit nervous or overawed in training and its gone against him I remember Godfrey making his England debut after doing really well for us and looking like he'd never played football before it obviously got to him I don't think people give enough thought to that type of thing.

Hence, why wouldn't you play someone who's the bedrock of an AC Milan back line?

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Imagine not picking even one of the best English CB pairing in the league this season

 

[Telford-Feb-85]

Have hated England since 86 for the first two world cup team selections, that's never changed. Reid and Steven never got the praise they deserved for transforming that team. Glad he hasn't gone.

 

[Titus Bramble]

I think Mainoo is more to do with the lack of options in midfield to be honest theres hardly anyone else even in the running it was just whether he stuck with Henderson and Phillips or not whereas at centre half they might not be great options but theres loads of players of a similar sort of level who didn't even make the original squad like Tomori Chalobah Colwill Kilman Tarkowski. I think sometimes though players at the bigger clubs feel more at home playing for England at first because they're used to big games and training with superstars maybe Branthwaite has seemed a bit nervous or overawed in training and its gone against him I remember Godfrey making his England debut after doing really well for us and looking like he'd never played football before it obviously got to him I don't think people give enough thought to that type of thing.

I'd argue there aren't many left sided centre half options either.

And yeah, maybe you're right, maybe there's things in training which we're obviously not privy too (trying too hard? Awestruck and overwhelmed? Just didn't train all that well in a new system?), but on the face of it it still doesn't really make sense.

 

[edge]

I just think when we play a team who know how to grind out results like Italy, Spain, France they just have too much experience and/or know-how for us. I just don't think we're strong or clever enough in these sort of games

We look clueless in how to break a team down that sits deep.
It's alright agaist the smaller team bit any of the bog fish will be right onto it and frustrated tbe life out of them

 

[Milkman]

Imagine not picking even one of the best English CB pairing in the league this season

Pickford, Tarkowski and Branthwaite are statistically one of the best defensive units in the league – experienced, balanced and have a great understanding. Southgate dismisses that of course because they're not from a top 6 side. What a doofus.

 

[Raino85]

Pickford, Tarkowski and Branthwaite are statistically one of the best defensive units in the league – experienced, balanced and have a great understanding. Southgate dismisses that of course because they're not from a top 6 side. What a doofus.

Or Crystal Palace, who he has a weird fettish for!

 

[I can't even]

I'm made up. Having your young star go to a tourney with England is poison. They'd all be slurping his langer. 'Come to my club Branter, ill buy you a fur coat'