Pickford keeps his place as England lose to Denmark

Probably illegal betting

I expect some clogger will manage to give away a penalty (as usual) and Pickford will get hammered for not stopping it.

See ya, chump.

If Pep has this lot we’d ruin sides.

Southgate doesn't seem sold on Grealish. Everyone he's asked about him his response is "yeah he's fine, MASON MOUNT IS SENSATIONAL" Not sure if he a)doesn't rate him or b)thinks he's too big for his boots so wants to downplay him. As for Ings, he's as deserving of a run out over the last 18 months as DCL. I wouldn't read anything negative into it from DCL perpsective

His selection once again for this game was puzzling and although he got away with it against Belgium it has so far backfired here.

Grealish is by far better than anything in the middle of the park for England but Southgate wouldn't start him. Maybe if he played in London he would get the start.

That is a very confusing post.

How Grealish is not given 20 minutes to try to fashion something is infuriating.

Problem is our supposedly "creative" players Barkley, Grealish, Mount, Winks are all inconsistent so Southgate goes with the dogs of war. Meanwhile we suddenly have a plethora of right bags and seemingly only one left back

Yeah I had to laugh at that, too.

We have speed and creativity in abundance to protect our ropey defenders by keeping it at the other end of the pitch.

Great guy Southgate. A utter novice tactically.

Same shit, different day.

Don't like the news re. Digne but everything else is as expected.

And if Mina can't answer the bell, Godfrey gets his chance to become an instant legend.

PS... Digne injured himself with one of the best volley passes you'll ever see. Served it on a plate for Mbappe. But something went wrong with that knee when he hit it.

Catch 22 with Nkounkou, he could terrorize Liverpools high line but their forwards could terrorize him. Could be high scoring

Baffling selection from Southgate and similar with the subs

My big worry - isn't that Salah's side? Mo, red or not, is a freaking great player. If it was any other attacker paired against Nkounkou I'd be less worried. If Nk bombs forward, which seemingly after watching in the League Cup is what he's really good at, and leaves empty space for Salah to exploit behind him? Ugh.

Of course this happens basically two off-days in front of the game. Relish life's challenges!

I really like the look of Nkounkou and hope he can put in one of those performances like he did against Salford and Fleetwood. But it’s a whole different story up against Mo Salah. Carlo is going to have some thinking to do.

Davies Keane Mina Nkounkou

And two of our most dangerous players are half way around the world in South America, and have to play Saturday mid-day in England.

I feel the negativity and the pending doom creeping in. Someone make it stop.

Southgate must not be allowed to take charge again after this debacle.

Coleman could play according to Carlo plus Allan and Gomez, even Gbamin started light training and Tarashaj has gone

Southgate had a lot to contend with. Five players stupidly violating quarantine, Barkley and Loftys Cheek getting no game time at Chelsea, Winks has regressed, Rose can’t get a club game. Grealish is hardly a proven solution at this level or even the prem just yet

First off, he can’t get forwards like Digne or Nkounkou. Second, he might be a good passer, but I never saw him whip a cross in under close attention from a full back. He doesn’t have the pace or trickery to beat a man.

He lacks pace, so Salah would eat him for breakfast. I think he’s rash one on one and gives away fouls cheaply.

If he plays there, he’ll stay deep, meaning we will lack the usual width from the left, and be unable to play a higher line.

I can’t see it myself. I’d be inclined to go with Nkounkou who showed defensive qualities against West Ham. He’s also got pace to match Salah (well he’d be able to hold his own). He’s used to playing there. He’s also bigger and stronger than Delph.

I’d go Nkounkou.

Mo Salah can be a handful for anyone but he's not been at his top level for some time. Always quick though. Hopefully he has an off day.

Thank you!

Attacking he can’t get forward like Digne can. He lacks the pace, he lacks the technical ability on the ball, he can’t beat a man, I’ve never seen him whip a cross in.

Defensively, he lacks pace. One on one defending is a key skill of fullbacks and something he lacks. Salah’s pace and trickery will have him on his arse.

In Man City’s tactics, the fullbacks tuck into a defensive midfield position. This is why Delph was there. He wasn’t getting forwards. He was minding the shop. He was infield and able to use his excellent range of passing to move the ball from deep. This is not what Ancelotti would want from him. I think he’s in capable of doing an impression of Lucas Digne. But Knounkou can.

Whether Niels would freeze on the big stage and make mistakes is a the worry. Delph wouldn’t have that. By choosing Delph you are saying that Delph’s worst is probably better than Nkounkou’s worst. But Nkounkou’s best is so much better than Delph’s best (as LB) and so I’d be positive and go for Nkounkou.

We have enough to score against them. For once they have to think about what we can do. All our attacking pieces are fit, so I hope Carlo goes for it.

My only concern is Carlo has a decent record against Klopp. He normally holds and counters against him. Not sure we have the personnel to do that...

This weekend is Richarlison’s weekend.

Carlo, will have plenty to consider, but let’s focus on Everton, and stay positive.

The RS, could also have injury challenges..

Let’s stay positive and hopefully if called upon Godfrey can do the job, and that Allan, is fully recovered and fit for the game.

Does any one know whom the officials are? Thankyou.

I'm thinking we're basically going to have to shut up shop down that side and be deeper as a starting basis. Nkounkou has the physical but not the experience. I think Salah may go on his walkabout routine as well across the front line.

Delph could play in front of him from in to out as cover of sorts, accepting that leaves no wide attacking option. Nkounkou perhaps has the power to shuffle up and down in front of Delph, who can shadow Salah. It's most important to keep Salah from cutting in.

It's not an easy one. Would be nice to see Nkounkou surprise us all and put Salah in his pocket.

I'd rather be bold, gamble and throw Niels Nkounkou in. He'll have belief and the team is high on confidence. Let's not be cautious and go for it. What have we got to lose?

Just watched the England game in the pub with no commentary. Stevie Wonder would have done a better job as ref. So whoever we get will be better than that.

No idea what the experts reckoned, but I didn't see a second yellow card for Maguire. I have been arguing what the penalty was given for. Couldn't see a handball but maybe the arm brushed the face.

In the second half, England players got booked for challenges which the Danish guys were not even warned. I have often accused refs of being 'homers', but this was the first time I've seen an 'awayer'.

All that doesn't save Southgate from criticism for his selection policy.

I'm happy with Oliver. This is his third derby. He managed the 0-0 at Goodison in 2018 under Allardyce and his first one was another draw at United. He was in charge for the Millwall handball fiasco but, other than that, I think he's usually been alright.

In order to play two left-backs, who are you dropping?

Rob, for sure.

If we win and win well, it will give us a level of respect that helps win games in the tunnel.

The referee is irrelevant, it’s a crutch to lean on. Let’s not this time eh. We have tangible evidence we have a decent team, let’s go for it!

At least things have advanced under Southgate – we've gone from tap tap hoof to taptap taptap taptap taptap hoof. Skillful players are being played out of position and wasted under a formation now based on fear.

As for Digne being out, I wouldn't hesitate to play Nkounkou. That's what we bought him for and his speed and passing will give the RS something to worry about. Likewise Godfrey if Mina isn't fit. If we are to win they are now risks we have to take – like playing three new signings against Spurs.

Delph is a midfielder that can play left-back. If their positions are reversed, the mobility of Nkounkou could help cover Delph and is more mobile going forward. Who plays there instead?

Delph wasn't in the last team or indeed any Premier League team this season. Someone is dropped for him to come in. Ahead of Digne this season has been Richarlison. I don't consider Gomes, at left central midfield (or Sigurdsson in the Brighton game) to have played ahead of Digne. But I now suspect this is what you meant.

So you mean to drop Sigurdsson / Gomes and play Delph there to look after Nkounkou. Fair enough, but I wouldn't do it. Carlo wants a right-footer to switch the play over to James on the right flank. A left-footer can do it, but you really need the natural arc of a right-footer, and Delph's passing isn't as good as the other two, neither is his ability to draw players to him, hold them off and make the pass, which is a key component of Carlo's tactic, also known as the bait and switch, which creates the room in which James has thrived.

Gomes's switch to James was the third most played pass in the first three games of the season, with the James switch back to Digne, being the most.

I'd love us to go at them positively and I'm confident we will compared to previous times, just been thinking about the risk of Salah, balanced against having a more offensive midfield. Will be interesting to find out how Carlo sees it. As I said earlier, it would be great to see Nkounkou deal with Salah...

I didn't even watch but can imagine exactly how it went. I just hope Southgate hasn't baffled Calvert-Lewin out of his form.

Gomes was fit enough to play the day after the Brighton game, according to Carlo at the time, and he's again confirmed Gomes is fit and ready for selection. I'd be surprised if Delph starts ahead of them both. Allan is also back (for Davies) and Doucouré is fit and rested.

So looks like a straight choice between Delph and Nkounkou at left-back. But perhaps Digne will be fit. No mention of injury from him on social media, after the match, but no mention he's fit either. Fingers crossed Lucas is fit and starts.

If Digne doesn't make it then I think it has to be our new boy who comes in.

Mina and Keane both worries?

And that's before the COVID tests start coming in.

I feckin hate internationals.

Over to the Professor!

We have been too cautious too often against them – sure they are likely to score some goals but this time so are we!!

Pickford
Coleman Keane Godfrey Digne
Doucouré Allan Gomes
James Calvert-Lewin Richarlison

There's a chance Carlo may be tempted to go with Godfrey even if Mina shakes off his injury. Having some real pace in the back four will be an incentive.

Tony - with luck then, that will be the team.

Last night, Harry Kane was terrible - he looked completely unfit - Rashford was just as bad, Mount failed to land a header and was otherwise invisible. The defence was all over the place, the midfield looked as though they were last years' Everton lot.

According to Sky "Pickford got in Walker's way", which was strange because Walker could have put the ball in Hackney by the time Pickford turned up and in any case, if anything Walker was in the way of the goalkeeper. The only other comment - after some of the best goalkeeper distribution I've seen in some time - was that Pickford's final free kick wasn't too good, presumably unlike all the other free kicks and corners which England failed to score from.

Apparently Henderson was good though (really?), but DCL failed to score, which may have had something to do with him being told to play on the left touchline.

Imagine if the Greeks had arrested him for impersonating a footballer, they'd have a field day if the entire squad turned up.