The uncapped villa players fighting to reach England's squad for the Euros

[Hillbilly]

Konsa should be the next one - based on his quality and form, but also the fact that it's a weak position for England.

Southgate is seriously thinking of playing Dier and Coady there!

Dier? How has he ended up in the centre of England’s defence? What’s that all about.

Spurs innit guv.

[cdbearsfan]

I'm not an England fan, though I'm happy for them to do well if there is Villa involvement. However, seems to me they have some of the most exciting players on the planet and should be aiming to win at least one Euros and one World Cup in the coming years.

Just off the top of my head, Grealish, Foden, Sterling and Maddison are all brilliant players. Brazil are the most successful team ever and if those players were all Brazilian, they'd find a way to get them all in the same team. Bare minimum three of them should be in the team running riot.

If England don't win major tournaments this decade it will be because they've been too cautious.

Oh, and picking shite like Dier ahead of form players.

[Richard]

If Southgate had any balls he'd play a front 6 of:

Rice
Jack
Foden

Sterling
Rashford
Kane

[paul_e]

If Southgate had any balls he'd play a front 6 of:

Rice
Jack
Foden

Sterling
Rashford
Kane

Not quite for me ...

Rice, Mount, Grealish

Foden, Kane, Rashford

With Maddison, Watkins, Calvert-Lewin and Stirling all on the bench as options to change things up. The main reason is that Rashford and Stirling look ineffective on the right so only 1 of them can play and I think Rashford would work better with Jack moving into the same spaces because his movement off the ball is better. I'm not a massive fan of Rice but I don't think we have any better options in there for now.

[ktvillan]

No Konsa?

Good point.

Very good point - he's gone under the radar a bit but is consistently excellent and deserves more credit.

[Dave]

James Justin at Leicester has done his UCL, so that's one of Targett's potential competitors out of the picture for a while.

[WassallVillain]

James Justin at Leicester has done his UCL, so that's one of Targett's potential competitors out of the picture for a while.

That’s a shame. He’s been storming it for them this season. Good luck to him in his recovery.

[DrGonzo]

Or Cash?

Nah.  I like the lad but his awareness is an issue, and his positional play is naive.  He looks every inch a winger turned right back, in the same way as Targett getting forward looks like a defender who gets forward sometimes.

[LeeB]

Or Cash?

Nah.  I like the lad but his awareness is an issue, and his positional play is naive.  He looks every inch a winger turned right back, in the same way as Targett getting forward looks like a defender who gets forward sometimes.

Can't agree with that view of either of them.

Cash been left exposed down that side with the lack of cover in front him, and yet as still managed to put in outstanding performances. He also defends the back post extremely well and rarely gets caught out of position, despite tear-arsing up the wing in support god knows how many times a game.

Targett I would have said looked the exact opposite of your description until this season, where his defensive improvement and timing have shot through the roof.

[DrGonzo]

That's fair enough but if I can quote the article as a reference:


"It’s the defensive side to his game that has really developed. He is averaging more tackles per 90 minutes (2.2), is being dribbled past less often (0.8 per 90) and is committing fewer fouls (0.6 per 90) than previously.

One obvious drawback for Targett is the fact that he does not really suit a wing-back role".

And on Cash, whilst Traore may not track back as well as we would like, Cash is often to be found inside the 18 yard box with an attacker having lapped around him and being in a crossing position on the flank.  A fullback's primary marking job is that man.  The CM should have tracked a forward that is making the inside run to the 18 yd box and the RM or in this case Traore should be picking up the secondary runner on the line.  Or have I misunderstood defending?

I've been trying to find the stats for the positions goals conceded are supplied from, but I've had no luck.  However my hunch is that a significantly higher number have come from the right flank and probably from near to thwe dead ball line... that is unproven... I will continue to search. 

I am hopeful he will improve, he is still new to the defensive duties, it is just an observation of the performances I have watched.  A comparison of tackle maps between Cash and Targett would be interesting as Cash DOES contribute a huge amount of tackles per match.  Interesting...

[The Edge]

What about Emi? Uncapped for Argentina and has lived in England for 10 years so I think he qualifies?

[PaulWinch again]

I doubt England could get Emi, but if they had the smallest chance they should try.

[SheffieldVillain]

Or Cash?

Nah.  I like the lad but his awareness is an issue, and his positional play is naive.  He looks every inch a winger turned right back, in the same way as Targett getting forward looks like a defender who gets forward sometimes.

Cash qualifies to play for Poland I was reading, through a grandparent. So if England don't want him, he can join my ongoing quest to turn Villa into Poland's favourite English club.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Or Cash?

He's got a difficult job, as England seem to have about a dozen or more good right-backs to choose from.  Cash probably isn't in the frame yet.

[mrfuse]

I cant think of a better back 5 than ours in the country currently.

All 4 defenders could easily Make the England teams its that poor at the back.