Adam2003

He is going to spend every second or third day on a slightly different schedule to prevent a reoccurrence of his injury. Probably for the rest of his career. People need to chill out - Southgate said before the tournament he knew he would be missing some training days.

Hope he plays a blinder today.

It depends what you mean. As I’ve mentioned on here before I know for a fact that for many years Southgate very definitely did not like Grealish. Thought he was a good player but a prick. Now, I do think that has changed, but Jack is playing catch up. And I also don’t think it’s an ‘agenda’ - at my business I also wouldn’t hire someone very talented if I thought they were a prick. In sport New Zealand rugby operate on that basis and they do ok. But it was very personality driven. Anyway he’s now in the squad and it’s up to him. I kind of hope he doesn’t start - would rather he plays his way in.

What? That’s just Grealish and ten downgrades on our team and we were 11th

Well all those PL teams are better than England as well!

Christ alive. I certainly wish now I had never said anything. For the last time I just said I assume he’ll be our goalkeeper for years unless a huge club signs him. I’m sorry to have expressed this opinion that has upset everyone. I assure those worried that I am not ‘stressed’, ‘upset’ or ‘subconsciously defeatist’… I just said our goalkeeper is brilliant and might be a target for the biggest clubs in the world if he keeps that level up for a couple more years. I won’t comment on it again.

Do I seem stressed? I said that I have been assuming he’ll be our goalkeeper for the next 7-8 years then vaguely speculated at some point a massive club might come in for him because I think he’s world class. I’ll call my therapist to check but I don’t feel overly anxious about it.

I bet he was

See I’m saying “what if they do offer him that?” - because I think he’s that good. I’m not immediately worried about it - just saying my working assumption that he’s here for years and years may not work out if he improves further. To your second point it depends how much cash eh… if Madrid want someone they usually get them. Anyway this was a pure hypothetical that a couple of years down the line a monster club might come in for him so young goalkeeping prospects should still be in our mind.

Do you know I thought to myself today: if Martinez has another stellar season, and is Argentina’s goalkeeper at the World Cup, someone like Real Madrid might throw a fortune at him. I have been thinking “here’s our goalkeeper for 7-8 years” but that’s not how it works - need to make sure we have a talent pathway and backup plans in place for all our stars even while trying to keep them.

The five subs thing means he will get plenty of minutes. Up to him to play himself in.

Why? The standard is no higher. Lower in almost every case than perhaps France or Italy. I get your point that we don’t want mistakes but I don’t buy this “at this level” stuff we hear from pundits as if Scotland or Croatia’s frontline are better than Salah or Kane or the other players he has helped us beat this season.

You’re right but we are overestimating Croatia and should be setting out to dominate possessions and outplay them. BUT I think you’re totally right that Southgate will go 7 defensive players, play Rashford and Sterling and hope to nick goals on the counter.

I think it’s more that his whole schtick is to be dour, cynical and contrarian. People like Grealish and Grealish is fun therefore Glendenning hates him. I have mates who think he’s hilarious but I never have, I am more on your page even though I think it’s just a front really.

Also if he starts against Croatia and we struggle then does Southgate drop him and he has a miserable summer? Part of me is happy with the idea of him playing his way in as the tournament progresses. Either way I think Southgate’s focus will be getting 7/10 defensive players on the pitch and trying to keep it tight.

I think it’s just an attempt at a diving/driving pun - just badly and clumsily written so it isn’t funny. I can see what they are trying for but it just looks awkward on the page.

We have the best goalkeeper in the league and the two best midfielders. So…

I voted for Pereira in the thread @BOF did but now I have decided Buendia is the best player in the whole world.

He hasn’t. Only just 23.

Nah can’t agree. I think he will be a really good player for us. Loved his cameos last season, lots of potential. Do I think he’ll start every game, no, but no-one should be as we build the squad. He’ll do well for us.

Does that mean Grealish is worthless because no-one has paid anything for him?

…and their manager quit as a result.

I’d still happily take Wood as a completely different option to Watkins. Would be a great choice on the bench even as he hits his older years - like a Giroud but more attainable. However I imagine Burnley would want a lot of money for him and can’t see us going for that. I really liked Josh King a couple of years ago - I saw him play live for Norway and he was exceptional - but he has gone backwards not forwards, so if there were any legs with this it would be a ‘hope he resurrects himself’ signing and we don’t seem to go for many of those these days. Don’t think he would add value to our squad, I would rather give Wesley and even Davis the time on the field for how many goals King actually contributes. But again I guess I’d trust the club - they have got most things right.

Watched a Ronaldinho thing once where he was signing his Barcelona contract. Took them about 10 hours to go through all the paperwork because he had to initial and sign every page and have key things pointed out to him. To my mind an agent does all that and a player just pops on a signature but it def wasn’t the case there, and even if half that time is more standard I can’t imagine the Argentina manager being happy with Emi missing a few hours of training to sign paperwork. Not to mention he’s in their bubble so I imagine no-one can see him from our side. They are a country with possibly the worst covid rates in the world right now so again can’t imagine they would be happy with someone waltzing in and out with the paperwork… sure you could do it on Docusign but you ‘could’ buy a house on Docusign, doesn’t mean you don’t still have to go sit in a room and all sign paperwork in person with the seller and the bank and the lawyers (I did anyway). I’m sure they’ll get it done when the rules allow.

Sadly we don’t on a global marketing side of things. Real fans in stadiums, sure, we have more than Chelsea have in Stamford Bridge. But watching a game somewhere on tv in Singapore or Spain or San Francisco - a lot more people are watching Man City and Chelsea than watching Aston Villa.