Ezri Konsa - Aston Villa & England

[pauliewalnuts]

Notable how Rico Lewis of Man City gets a call up to the full squad, despite having only played about 20 times in the Premier League.

[London Villan]

And also how a midfielder at a mid-table club, with little chance of European football, also gets called up after a handful of good performances...

[OCD]

I would rather see players like Palmer and Lewis get called up than the likes of Henderson (semi-retired) and Phillips (all but retired). In order to see the back of players like Henderson and Phillips, younger players need to be given a chance to see if they can step up.

Ward-Prowse should have been called-up too. 9 assists this season from him already. Surprised Anthony Gordon hasn't been called up either.

If Southgate was a little quicker to pick players on form and leave out players who aren't playing or are playing at a lower level, he might be more popular and possibly have a greater chance of winning something.

[SamTheMouse]

Don't expect the same level of coaching though at England Ezri.

When you have Emery drilling you for hours then you're out there with Tea Biscuit and a couple of cones, it must be disconcerting.

*gasp*

I'll have you know that the only person who gets drilled for hours by our Unai is Señora Emery, and any rumours to the contrary are malicious hearsay.

[pauliewalnuts]

I would rather see players like Palmer and Lewis get called up than the likes of Henderson (semi-retired) and Phillips (all but retired). In order to see the back of players like Henderson and Phillips, younger players need to be given a chance to see if they can step up.

Ward-Prowse should have been called-up too. 9 assists this season from him already. Surprised Anthony Gordon hasn't been called up either.

If Southgate was a little quicker to pick players on form and leave out players who aren't playing or are playing at a lower level, he might be more popular and possibly have a greater chance of winning something.

I agree but, i was getting at the fact that - 20 league matches in your entire career, but they're for Man City - "In you come". Consistently prove yourself over several seasons at Aston Villa - you might eventually get a look in.

Southgate is the England manager, and that sort of attitude is not, to me, a sign of him doing the full "management" piece - ie how is it good to constantly give this impression that you need to move to one of a handful of clubs to get a chance?

[OCD]

Southgate's full of double standards, that's what's pissed so many people off with him.

[Villa Lew]

Fully deserved has been superb this season. Well done Ezri.

[TonyD]

Southgate's full of double standards, that's what's pissed so many people off with him.

More the case he a shite manager.
I wish he didn’t pick any of our players.

[Clampy]

Looking back at some of the earlier posts, Paulie was questioning the fee, which at the time did seem steep as he'd only been at Brentford for a year. It's proved an absolute snip. Glad he's got his call up (if he plays him).

[RamboandBruno]

Really pleased for Erzi, he’s a class act and him and Torres are forming a great partnership.
My son is completely chuffed, he’s had a poster of Konsa on his bedroom wall since the Grealish days, his favourite player, centre backs club and all that.

As for Southgate, the fact that Henderson still gets a look in when he’s playing in front of a few hundred people for his league team, sums thecwhole thing up.

[OCD]

Southgate has talked before now about the importance of playing at a higher level, meaning the Champions League. But when someone like Henderson does the polar opposite, it makes no difference and he's still picked every time.

Then he tells certain players (Ramsdale recently) that they need regular football if he's going to pick him, while continuing to pick players like Phillips and Maguire when he was being frozen out at United.

At this point Southgate's a charicature of himself.

[Monty]

It's not that Southgate never picks certain players or never will, it's just that they'll have more hoops to jump through than those he's earmarked, often not based on much, as a favourite.

[Percy McCarthy]

It's not that Southgate never picks certain players or never will, it's just that they'll have more hoops to jump through than those he's earmarked, often not based on much, as a favourite.

A lot of it is based on who they play for.

[IFWaters]

Southgate has talked before now about the importance of playing at a higher level, meaning the Champions League. But when someone like Henderson does the polar opposite, it makes no difference and he's still picked every time.

Then he tells certain players (Ramsdale recently) that they need regular football if he's going to pick him, while continuing to pick players like Phillips and Maguire when he was being frozen out at United.

At this point Southgate's a charicature of himself.

I'd say Southgate regularly makes a charcuterie of himself.

[Brazilian Villain]

Southgate has talked before now about the importance of playing at a higher level, meaning the Champions League. But when someone like Henderson does the polar opposite, it makes no difference and he's still picked every time.

Then he tells certain players (Ramsdale recently) that they need regular football if he's going to pick him, while continuing to pick players like Phillips and Maguire when he was being frozen out at United.

At this point Southgate's a charicature of himself.

I'd say Southgate regularly makes a charcuterie of himself.

His goose isn't cooked yet.