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So, England's squad for the Euros more or less picks itself if certain players are fit, doesn't it?


Goalkeepers: Hart, Forster, Heaton


Left Backs: Rose, Bertrand


Centre Backs: Smalling, Cahill, Jagielka, Stones


Right Backs: Walker, Clyne


Midfielders: Dier, Henderson, Milner, Barkley, Alli, Sterling, Lallana


Forwards: Kane, Rooney, Vardy, Welbeck, Sturridge



My xi for Russia would be:


Hart, Rose, Smalling, Cahill, Clyne, Dier, Henderson, Alli, Lallana, Rooney, Kane



Barkley and Vardy as impact subs.

I hope Roy stops experimenting in the remaining friendlies and gives his preferred starting eleven for the Russia game as much game time as possible to gel, especially the back four. I would go for the similar team tj with the exception of Welbeck for Lallana, as I think he offers more pace and physicality...

The main weakness with the England side is the manager.

I don't think he will be daring enough when it comes to the crunch in a big game, say a quarter or semi final.

That may manifest itself either in his selection , his tactics or his substitutions.

We were awful in the world cup and Woy's lucky he was kept on in my book.

I've never been convinced by Hodgson, but do feel that he's been a little hamstrung by virtue of the fact that he's always had a bang average group of players to work with, til now.


I don't think he's been afraid to experiment- he's given 34 debuts during his 4 years.

earlydoors Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> He doesn't look like a winner to me. He's got no

> previous record of being a winner either.

>

> Then again neither does Claudio Ranieri.


He's done all right.


Managerial


Halmstads BK

Allsvenskan (2): 1976, 1979


?rebro SK

Division 2 North (1): 1984


Malm? FF

Allsvenskan (5): 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989

Svenska Cupen (2): 1985?86, 1988?89


Inter Milan

UEFA Cup Runner-Up (1): 1997


Copenhagen

Danish Superliga (1): 2000?01

Danish Super Cup (1): 2001


Fulham

UEFA Europa League Runner-Up (1): 2010


A comparison with Leicester and Ranieri? I hope not.


Hodgson started his managerial career in 1976 at Allsvenskan side Halmstads BK, having been recommended by then-Malm? FF manager Bob Houghton. Hodgson spent five years at Halmstad, winning the league championship in 1976 and 1979. His success with Halmstad in 1976 is considered one of the biggest surprises of all time in Swedish football.[9] The year before, Halmstad had struggled against relegation, surviving only on goal difference and before the 1976 campaign began they were almost universally tipped for relegation. Hodgson himself says that "my greatest achievement would have to be the water-into-wine job at Halmstads BK."

He's a good experienced coach and manager of that there is no doubt.

He did a great job with Fulham....not so great with Blackburn and Liverpool.

And what the stats you've written above don't show is the good job he did with the Swiss national side.

But....

...I think he does better when expectation is lower. His record also suggests that he works better with a certain level of player, but maybe not so well with top class players.

I didn't show his stats with the Swiss national side, because he won nothing with them, though as you say, he did a 'good job' with them. What I was pointing out to you was stuff that he'd won after you'd clearly stated he hadn't won anything and of course, he's won plenty.


Anyway, back to the meat and potatoes - can Spurs win at Liverpool? Can Southampton do us a favour and win at Leicester? Can Crystal Palace get anything at Upton Park and can Watford put the Gooners noses out of joint at the Effeminates?

Thanks for pointing it out to me though I think you know what I meant when I said 'winner'.

Winning the Danish league is ok but you, me, Dulwich Fox or Sue could probably do that if we took over one of the top teams in Denmark or Sweden....bit like managing Celtic.

Spurs to win at Liverpool.

It was a good point for Spurs. It may seem like two points dropped but psychologically it keeps their momentum going as they didn't lose. Yes Leicester could open up the gap today but I feel somewhere in the run in they will have a wobble.

If they don't then good luck to them as they will be deserved champions.

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Leicester's fixtures...

>

> Leicester v Southampton - 1pt

> Sunderland v Leicester - 1pt

> Leicester v West Ham - 1pt

> Leicester v Swansea - 3pts

> Man Utd v Leicester - 1pt

> Leicester v Everton - 3pts

> Chelsea v Leicester - 1pt

>

> Total 66 + 11 = 77pts

>

>

> Spurs's fixtures...

>

> Liverpool v Tottenham - 1pt

> Tottenham v Man Utd - 1pt

> Stoke v Tottenham - 3pts

> Tottenham v West Brom - 3pts

> Chelsea v Tottenham - 1pt

> Tottenham v Southampton - 3pts

> Newcastle v Tottenham - 3pts

>

> Total 61 + 15 = 76pts

>

>

> Leicester Champions!...



Well you got Spurs right this weekend, but Leicester 2 points up at this stage ;-)



So Leicester now need 4 wins from their last 6 and the title is theirs whatever else happens...


I almost feel more excited than I did when Liverpool came close a couple of years back. This just isn't supposed to be happening.


I almost feel sorry for Spurs, because any other year they'd have massive support from neutrals wanting them to win instead of the same old suspects. But throw a team that were nearly relegated last year in to the mix...

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