Tyrone Mings

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think Southgate will almost certainly get the hump with Mings for his brutally honest post match comments.

Not that honest. No reference to Southgate being a charlatan, clueless and a dour, negative twat.

You obviously never saw the full interview.

[robleflaneur]

I am confident that our boy will be dropped for the Czech game so that Southgate gets his desired partnership of Stones and Maguire for the last two games of the tournament.

I'm inclined to agree with you.  The excuse Southgate could use being that Maguire is more of an aerial threat from set pieces than Tyrone.  How many goals has he scored for England?

Southgate ,faced with the conundrum of dropping a player who has played well ,will restore Maguire  and revert to 3 4 3 with Mount  or Bellingham alongside Rice in midfield.It might not happen v the Czechs but faced with more difficult opponents,I can see Southgate reaching for the comfort blanket of more defenders.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I'd prefer Tyrone has nothing more to do with Southgate's car crash. Let him walk away now with his head held high.

[paul_e]

I am confident that our boy will be dropped for the Czech game so that Southgate gets his desired partnership of Stones and Maguire for the last two games of the tournament.

I'm inclined to agree with you.  The excuse Southgate could use being that Maguire is more of an aerial threat from set pieces than Tyrone.  How many goals has he scored for England?

Southgate ,faced with the conundrum of dropping a player who has played well ,will restore Maguire  and revert to 3 4 3 with Mount  or Bellingham alongside Rice in midfield.It might not happen v the Czechs but faced with more difficult opponents,I can see Southgate reaching for the comfort blanket of more defenders.

I agree, I think he either drops Mings who has done nothing to warrant it or we change to a back 3, no chance that Maguire doesn't come in.

[Cliftonville Villlain]

Can't believe Mings being dropped is even being discussed. Even though it's expected. Will there ever be a time when a great England squad will be guided by a great England manager?

[chrisw1]

He'll drop Mings because, when fit, Maguire is a beter player.  Mings has done nothing wrong, but if we're to win the tournament we're far more likely to do it with Maguire playing than Mings.  This is Southgates one opportunity to get some minutes into his legs and see if he's up for it.  If I was in Southgates shoes and I thought Magure was fit enough I'd certainly make the same call.  It's harsh, but you have to make tough calls if you want to win things.

[Risso]

Is Maguire really better than Mings? Or is that he just plays for Man U?

[chrisw1]

Is Maguire really better than Mings? Or is that he just plays for Man U?

Yeah, I think he is.

[paul_e]

I disagree with you but even if he is better the difference isn't enough to drop a guy who's been at the heart of 4 consecutive clean sheets.

[ChicagoLion]

I can understand him playing Maguire if he is fit, this is the lowest risk time to get game time into his legs.

[chrisw1]

I disagree with you but even if he is better the difference isn't enough to drop a guy who's been at the heart of 4 consecutive clean sheets.

You may disagree but I suspect that outside of the Villa fan base many other people would.  For me this is of course only on the basis that Maguire is fit and as Chicago says this is our only real opprtunity to test that.   

[paul_e]

I disagree with you but even if he is better the difference isn't enough to drop a guy who's been at the heart of 4 consecutive clean sheets.

You may disagree but I suspect that outside of the Villa fan base many other people would.  For me this is of course only on the basis that Maguire is fit and as Chicago says this is our only real opprtunity to test that.   

You haven't addressed the disruption side of it. I get wanting to see if Maguire is fit but central defence is the part of the team where you just don't rotate players when it's working. If we're going to win this tournament it will be on the back of the defence because Southgate is terrified of letting the forwards off the leash, on that basis I don't see any reason to mess with it when it's working (I extend this to Pickford and Rice as well, that group of 4 at the heart of hte defence is the only part of the team that's working right now).

[LeeB]

Is Maguire really better than Mings? Or is that he just plays for Man U?

Exactly my thoughts

[aev]

He has (rightly or wrongly) rotated his full backs (maybe simply to justify his squad selection).

I think it makes sense to give Maguire some game time.

[chrisw1]

Well it's Southgates chance to see how it works in a very low risk game.  If he believes Maguire is fit enough and also believes we have more chance of progressing further in the tournament with Maguire playing then it's a sensible move in my opinion.  Maguire is good enough and experienced enough to fit in in a game like this without signifdicant disruption.  Like you I would keep Pickford in Rice in place too as there's not any obviously superior options. 

There's also the leadership issue.  Kane is not a vocal leader and England lacked leadership against Scotland.  Mings is a brilliant leader, but his lack of experience at international level makes it difficult for him to take on the role for England.  Maguire has captained England a number of times and as Utd captian he has the gravitas and respect of the other players to be a leader on the pitch.