The RJW63 Official Jack Grealish Appreciation Thread

[VillaFaninLondon]

6 hours ago, MotoMkali said:

You don't get into that city team if you are not special? What about stones, or Mendy, or Gabriel Jesus or Kelechi Ihaenacho. He is a good player but are we going to ignore the fact that alli scored 10 goals and had 9 assists in the prem at 20, 18 goals and 7 assists at 21 and another 9 goals and 10 assists at 22.

Alli was way more **** talented than foden. He scored the most goals from midfield since Lampard. Foden plays in a team with the best player in the world and tbh has very underwhelming stats. He completes about 1.5 dribbles a game and is fouled around once a game as well. Alli was 1.5 and 2. Averaging the same key passes. On top of his extra defensive work. Had like an extra 70% shots so twice as many goals. But again in a far worse team. With alli being a better dribbler.

Passing percentage is lower than foden's but on a similar volume in a team that didn't play the tiki taka stuff like city do which will naturally suppress his passing accuracy. Of course foden averaged 1/6 of allis completed long balls which shows just how different their passing profiles are and why foden may have a higher passing accuracy.

Bare in mind this is both of their age 21 seasons. Foden is doing his in a substantially better side with every single possible advantage. Alli had an arguement for player of the year at 21.

Fair point on Alli who had very impressive stats at a young age at Spurs. At the time though Alli was considered one of the best young players in the world and he's had an almighty fall from grace let's be honest. I still think Foden looks a much better prospect in terms of his all round game than Alli, technically Foden is phenomenal. I always thought Alli was a great goalscoring midfielder but had a gangly feel about him and never impressed me that much when he wasn't scoring. 

 

I think it's easy to say Jack would have had a better impact than Foden yesterday given Foden was average, but he still managed to hit the post and looked one of our better players in the first half. 

 

I like both of them and if it were up to me I'd have both Foden and Jack starting for England. 

[DakotaVilla]

4 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

Fair point on Alli who had very impressive stats at a young age at Spurs. At the time though Alli was considered one of the best young players in the world and he's had an almighty fall from grace let's be honest. I still think Foden looks a much better prospect in terms of his all round game than Alli, technically Foden is phenomenal. I always thought Alli was a great goalscoring midfielder but had a gangly feel about him and never impressed me that much when he wasn't scoring. 

 

I think it's easy to say Jack would have had a better impact than Foden yesterday given Foden was average, but he still managed to hit the post and looked one of our better players in the first half. 

 

I like both of them and if it were up to me I'd have both Foden and Jack starting for England. 

Foden was very average apart from hitting the post and got a silly yellow to boot. Putting Jack’s credentials to one side I’d definitely drop him and give Jack or rashford a chance v Scotland. 

[villa4europe]

16 minutes ago, DakotaVilla said:

Foden was very average apart from hitting the post and got a silly yellow to boot. Putting Jack’s credentials to one side I’d definitely drop him and give Jack or rashford a chance v Scotland. 

or sancho

especially on the right hand side

[Junxs]

One thing Sterling is very good at is getting in behind and making runs through on goal.

But he's bang average at everything else and seems clueless what to do with the ball at times.

He does have goals in him despite having pretty poor finishing, he needs a few chances but the very nature of his runs he always gets chances. Its almost like having a wide striker rather than a traditional winger. 

After the season he's had I was very surprised to see him first pick, and despite scoring I thought he had a mixed game as all of above was evident. But because he's scored he is now flavour of the month again so will play every game. Foden and Rashford are both above Jack currently as well. Dont think we're going to see much of Jack this tournament unfortunately, unless theres injuries.

[Awol]

7 minutes ago, Junxs said:

Dont think we're going to see much of Jack this tournament unfortunately, unless theres injuries.

He’ll get a chance at some point, but will have to play to his full potential to become a starter and replace the players you mention. Anything less than his best and Southgate just won’t feel pressured to pick him again, when he should be the second name on the sheet after Kane. 

[DaveAV1]

17 minutes ago, Awol said:

He’ll get a chance at some point, but will have to play to his full potential to become a starter and replace the players you mention. Anything less than his best and Southgate just won’t feel pressured to pick him again, when he should be the second name on the sheet after Kane. 

Speaking of Kane, he had a very poor game and never really got into it. He’s on record saying that he loves to play with Jack. (Leave it...). Kane got virtually no service, I’m pretty sure he’d welcome Jack in the starting lineup. 

[CosmicVillan]

Horses for courses , I think he will use Jack against teams that sit back and defend against us.

[mikeyp102]

12 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

Speaking of Kane, he had a very poor game and never really got into it. He’s on record saying that he loves to play with Jack. (Leave it...). Kane got virtually no service, I’m pretty sure he’d welcome Jack in the starting lineup. 

Kane had no service, because he was coming far too deep. At times he was behind Phillips. That can’t be blamed on anyone else bar Kane (and maybe Southgate).

——————

We all wanted Jack to start, but it’s not overly surprising that he didn’t, and Sterling did well enough. What was the most annoying thing is that Jack didn’t come on and unfit, injured Rashford did. 

Edited June 14, 2021 by mikeyp102

[VillaFaninLondon]

1 hour ago, DakotaVilla said:

Foden was very average apart from hitting the post and got a silly yellow to boot. Putting Jack’s credentials to one side I’d definitely drop him and give Jack or rashford a chance v Scotland. 

Jack and Rashford on the right are not as good, but I'd certainly be tempted to play Jack on the left, Sterling on the right, and Mount in the middle. Two ball players (Mount and Jack) and one runner (Sterling) would be good. Kane needs to stay in the box though.

[VillaFaninLondon]

15 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

Speaking of Kane, he had a very poor game and never really got into it. He’s on record saying that he loves to play with Jack. (Leave it...). Kane got virtually no service, I’m pretty sure he’d welcome Jack in the starting lineup. 

The problem with Kane is he always drops so fecking deep to get the ball. He needs to stay in the box otherwise we have no focal point. I also don't think he looks fully fit. 

[ThunderPower_14]

15 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

The problem with Kane is he always drops so fecking deep to get the ball. He needs to stay in the box otherwise we have no focal point. I also don't think he looks fully fit. 

With Jack to drive the ball forward, hopefully he won't feel he has to come as deep. He was basically playing a decoy role, pulling the defence out of shape for long balls over the top to Sterling, but it'd be nice to be less one dimensional and to utilise our attacking riches instead of playing like a side trying to stave off relegation. 

[Stevo985]

Picking players on form, picking the 11 best players, picking his favourites, picking the most balanced side, picking the players suited to the system.

I don't care which one of these is used as an excuse, there is no way Jack grealish shouldn't be starting for England under any of those criteria.

[DaveAV1]

46 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

Kane had no service, because he was coming far too deep. At times he was behind Phillips. That can’t be blamed on anyone else bar Kane (and maybe Southgate).

——————

We all wanted Jack to start, but it’s not overly surprising that he didn’t, and Sterling did well enough. What was the most annoying thing is that Jack didn’t come on and unfit, injured Rashford did. 

I’d agree it was no surprise he didn’t start but the subs were baffling. He was warming up before we scored and the hope is that Southgate thought he didn’t need his input, once we’d taken the lead. He then decided to give others run outs as Jack will be more involved on Friday.
 

Although I have to say one nil is never safe and Jack on the pitch would have given us a player who can keep the ball and win free kicks to keep us at the right end of the pitch.

Revisionist reviews by the pundits and press in general have papered over the facts that Croatia were poor and considering that our forward players are so revered our best two players were a central midfielder (Phillips) and a central defender (Tyrone). 
 

Because he scored they have elevated Sterling’s performance from average at best, which it was, to heroic, which it wasn’t. 
 

 

[a m ole]

7 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

I’d agree it was no surprise he didn’t start but the subs were baffling. He was warming up before we scored and the hope is that Southgate thought he didn’t need his input, once we’d taken the lead. He then decided to give others run outs as Jack will be more involved on Friday.
 

Although I have to say one nil is never safe and Jack on the pitch would have given us a player who can keep the ball and win free kicks to keep us at the right end of the pitch.

Revisionist reviews by the pundits and press in general have papered over the facts that Croatia were poor and considering that our forward players are so revered our best two players were a central midfielder (Phillips) and a central defender (Tyrone). 
 

Because he scored they have elevated Sterling’s performance from average at best, which it was, to heroic, which it wasn’t. 
 

 

I fear the worst - we limp our way to a semi final. Look at the teams that we beat in the World Cup - Tunisia, Panama, Colombia on penalties, Sweden.

It has that same air of inevitability that England will come unstuck when really challenged. We have the players to brute force our way through of course, but I don’t see why it’s wrong for fans to want England to look unstoppable with the players at our disposal. Still feels like we’re winging it.

[Awol]

14 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

I’d agree it was no surprise he didn’t start but the subs were baffling. He was warming up before we scored and the hope is that Southgate thought he didn’t need his input, once we’d taken the lead. He then decided to give others run outs as Jack will be more involved on Friday.

I think Sterling was coming off for Jack before he scored on account of his stinking out Wembley. 

As you say once he scrambled a goal (from a lovely through ball) Southgate binned the idea. The goal aside Sterling was a 5/10 at best. 

[birdman]

1 hour ago, Junxs said:

we're going to see much of Jack this tournament unfortunately, unless theres injuries.

He was literally warming up to come on before we scored! Wouldn't surprise me if he starter against Scotland. Southgate is clearly looking at each game and being tactical with his team selection and he's said as much in interviews. I think a bit more positivity is required

[Lord Willard]

2 minutes ago, a m ole said:

I fear the worst - we limp our way to a semi final. Look at the teams that we beat in the World Cup - Tunisia, Panama, Colombia on penalties, Sweden.

It has that same air of inevitability that England will come unstuck when really challenged. We have the players to brute force our way through of course, but I don’t see why it’s wrong for fans to want England to look unstoppable with the players at our disposal. Still feels like we’re winging it.

Luckily for us it's impossible for us to limp to the Semis. We'll have Germany, France or Portugal in the last 16. 

 

[avfc1982am]

I said this yesterday but feel like repeating myself because it's another day. Southgate isn't brave enough as a manager. He still put's square pegs in round holes no matter his resources.

To come out yesterday and say Trippier was needed over Shaw or Chillwell was damning for both players, regardless of how you drop it. He basically told them he didn't trust them. He did the same with arguably the best player bar Kane in the squad. By leaving him on the bench whilst bringing on every man and his dog instead. This is my biggest issue with Southgate.....He gets the answers to the questions he should've been asking before the tournament and then chooses to ignore them. James, magnificent against City in the CL final and all season, Yet not experienced enough. Chillwell, another that was exceptional in the CL final, yet not experienced enough. Shaw, excellent all season at arguably the biggest club in the Country, yet not experienced enough. Finally...the man of  the match in 4 out of his first 6 games, not good enough. 

Southgate is by definition, a bottle job. There will come a time in this tournament when England have to chase the game against a top side, not one sliding. I have no faith whatsoever that Southgate can manage that team, in that moment to turn things around. He is a passive manager and passive doesn't cut the mustard in the big moments.  

We'll see how this pans out, however after watching England for 40 plus years I have no faith this bloke is better than many that came before him. 

[OxfordVillan]

3 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

I actually think as a national team coach the job IS to pick the 11 most in form players. That's the concept in it's very essence. Otherwise you are picking just on reputation, club bias and habit. 

Konsa should definitely be in this squad, and I think the exclusion of Konsa and Watkins is arguably more strange than not playing Jack - after all Jack has been injured for a while. 

But not playing Jack as well is very very strange, cause when you looked at the match yesterday, all though I've just watched some of it, England struggled massively with creativity and carrying the ball forward. It was hoofball, hit and run, and after taking the lead they were desperate to get some time on the ball and free kicks. Literally every single aspect of Jack's game would have suited the game yesterday. 

And before Sterling fluked a deflected goal into the net, he looked absolute turd. I just don't get the point of both Sterling and Foden. They offer much the same stuff. You would be far better off having Jack wide on the left.

I also think England would look a lot better with a player like Watkins than Kane. Not that Kane isn't a good player, but England desperately needs mobility up top. You'd look so much better with a more mobile striker. 

The England managers remit is to win games. That’s it. Yesterday the England team won, and never looked like losing. Job done. Professional and efficient, though not spectacular. I think Southgate missed a trick by not taking Watkins, as Ollie is fantastic at hassling the backline with his endless energy, not to mention he does also score goals. I also don’t particularly rate Calvert-Lewin as highly as others do, I think he’s quite one dimensional in that he’s good in the air. But with just the one game played, Southgate got it right. Tougher tests to come.

[Junxs]

Im still baffled how a man with a career highlight of getting Middlesbrough relegated and failing to bring them up again landed the England job. When we had weaker squads we had top managers and when we have strong squad we have a weak manager.