[Albion] Lewis Dunk - on the plane to Germany if fit?

[peterward]

90min have taken the "on the plane" analogy a bit further and divided players into...

Flying business class - definitely going
Ready to board - likely to go
Waiting at the gate - could go
At the airport hotel - unlikely to go
On standby - very unlikely to go

...with our captain classified as "waiting at the gate".

England Euro 2024 squad predictions and likely picks

Read more on England's potential Euro 2024 squad and which 23 players are likely to be boarding the plane to Germany with Gareth Southgate.

www.90min.com

I'm biased, obviously, but I'd hope his solid performances for England would have him higher up in the pecking order than that now.

What say you?

I say Maguire goes despite everything, no matter how poor he becomes, Southgate will pick him, and Gaehi being ex Palace and maybe even Konsa being Villa will influence Southgate more than form. He is a man devoid of ideas, who cannot get away from previous loyalties.

 

[peterward]

I don't quite see it that way. I reckon Southgate sees Guehi as Stones cover, and Dunk as Maguire cover. Hopefully (not even hopefully, Dunk should be starting, but you know what I mean).

agree with that analogy too

 

[Bozza]

Are you paid to plug 90min content, Bozza? Don't see anyone plugging their content as much as you!

Yes - I'm sure I've explained this before. Apologies if you feel I'm being devious here - that's certainly not the intent.

I think how it works is NSC earns every time someone clicks through from a link on here, but it's a tiny amount. By way of full transparency, in the whole of October, NSC earned $13.63 from 90min. So, that's about £10.80. In the scheme of a site that costs thousands of pounds to run, it's but a very small drop in a vast ocean, but every little helps as Tesco would tell us.

But I'll only post a 90min link for one of two reasons...

- It's an Albion-related article that gets me thinking and/or interested in what other Albion fans think (ie this one)
- It's coverage of a bigger football story that we all are likely to have an interest in.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Consistently plays better in the EPL and for England than Maguire. An absolute joke if he does not go.

 

[Albion 4ever]

Football365 always do an England ladder after every international break which attempts to read Southgate's mind and pick the current 23. It has Dunk in it. Albeit in precarious 23rd place!

The famous F365 Euro 2024 England ladder: Kane remains immovable but no Bellingham, no party

Little change at the top as England round out an unbeaten year, but there are jumps for Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis as well as lingering midfield misgivings.

www.football365.com

 

[Mellotron]

Consistently plays better in the EPL and for England than Maguire. An absolute joke if he does not go.

I found it VERY funny when a wider audience were surprised that Dunk could "make the step up" to the international stage, facing the likes of Lyndon Dykes and Che Adams, given he's spent years looking pretty bloody good against the likes of Harry Kane and Mo Salah.

 

[Wozza]

Yes - I'm sure I've explained this before. Apologies if you feel I'm being devious here - that's certainly not the intent.

Sorry, wasn't accusing you of being devious or anything! All good content.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Agree about Konsa - he's playing really well and has barely missed a minute this season. Also 26 so a great age to bed in with some of the other options starting to age... (A real shame we missed out on him when he went to Brentford tbh).

Think the Euros will come far too soon for Branthwaite. Only just broken into the Everton side and still playing for the England U21s.

It's probably between a choice between Dunk/Tomori and Konsa/Colwill for the 4th and 5th CBs (or 1 of those four if he goes with 4 CBs).

Branthwaite from what I've seen looks really good though and he's getting rave reviews, definitely got a big future plus he's already in the England set up which always helps.

Quite often in these tournaments we bring a young 5th/6th choice centre back knowing they're unlikely to play in anything but a dead rubber but to give them experience and I just wouldn't be surprised if it was him alongside Maguire, Stones, Guehi, Colwill and or Konsa.

I just can't see Dunk making it unfortunately. Whilst we know how good he is and he should have had 50 caps by now, if it was a 32 year old centre back playing for another team who's not already one of the first choice CB's, has pulled out of two or three recent call ups through injury and was part of a team conceding a lot of goals, I think we would be saying he shouldn't be considered for the squad.

Also, it is ridiculous that Ben White isn't even considered anymore, he must have really upset Southgate.

 

[loz]

I say Maguire goes despite everything, no matter how poor he becomes, Southgate will pick him, and Gaehi being ex Palace and maybe even Konsa being Villa will influence Southgate more than form. He is a man devoid of ideas, who cannot get away from previous loyalties.

Do you really believe Southgate would pick Guehi and Konsa because they play for teams he once played for ? That’s just silly!

 

[Beanstalk]

Branthwaite from what I've seen looks really good though and he's getting rave reviews, definitely got a big future plus he's already in the England set up which always helps.

Quite often in these tournaments we bring a young 5th/6th choice centre back knowing they're unlikely to play in anything but a dead rubber but to give them experience and I just wouldn't be surprised if it was him alongside Maguire, Stones, Guehi, Colwill and or Konsa.

I just can't see Dunk making it unfortunately. Whilst we know how good he is and he should have had 50 caps by now, if it was a 32 year old centre back playing for another team who's not already one of the first choice CB's, has pulled out of two or three recent call ups through injury and was part of a team conceding a lot of goals, I think we would be saying he shouldn't be considered for the squad.

Also, it is ridiculous that Ben White isn't even considered anymore, he must have really upset Southgate.

I think with there being two less spots in the squad, what used to be the experience spot no longer exists. So whilst Branthwaite has a long future with England, this tournament will come too quickly.

I think it depends on Dunky's season. If he gets fully fit we finish in the top 7 and go deep in Europe it'd be hard to look past him as the experienced CB cover (think Mings in previous tournaments). If he doesn't do those things and Villa don't fall apart, Konsa probably pips him.

Ben White will never play for England under Southgate and Holland, and probably for justifiable reasons. Something really nice about England under Southgate is the lack of billy big bollocks egos compared to the national teams of the 00s and early 10s - they were never going to stand for a player thinking he was above putting the hard work in off the pitch.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Maguire will go even if he lost a leg! It’s all very sad and I will be gutted if Dunk doesn’t get on the plane bearing in mind we know what a difference he could make. Maguire is just incapable of playing that pivotal role at the back.

 

[Flounce]

I found it VERY funny when a wider audience were surprised that Dunk could "make the step up" to the international stage, facing the likes of Lyndon Dykes and Che Adams, given he's spent years looking pretty bloody good against the likes of Harry Kane and Mo Salah.

He hasn’t done that well against Harry Kane in fairness, might be my imagination but that bugger seems to score against us pretty well everytime.

 

[Milano]

Perhaps, but also perhaps not. I'm one of those who is a bit more understanding of Southgate than most. He clearly wanted to build a side over the long term with a stable core over a long period of time and a back 2 of Maguire and Stones (with Pickford) is a key pillar to that idea.

The other thing to notice is that despite the tabloid-esque headlines, United have had a complete turnaround in form in the PL in their last 5 games (4 wins, 1 loss to Citeh). The difference has been the reintroduction of Harry Maguire to the starting XI. He hasn't missed a second since (in the league). City game aside, that's 2 goals conceded across 4 wins. Whilst he's been a fun figure to take the piss out of, if he continues his current form, he's a deserved shoe in.

You’re quite correct. Beating Luton 1-0 at home was Herculean, add to that Fulham 1-0, Shef U 2-1, Brentford 2-1 (0-1 down on 90). They’re back alright. Oh apart from in amongst those results they got hammered at home by Newcastle and City, letting in 3 in both, and let in 4 in Copenhagen.

Maguire wouldn’t get into our first 11 under RDZ.

 

[Lenny Rider]

More chance than Ben White.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Stones and maguire are nailed on. I think guehi is next in line which leaves Dunk, Colwill and Tomori vying for the fourth spot.

I think it'll go to Colwill. Young, come through the system, left footed and can play left back. With him and trippier acting as cover it means Southgate can get away with only bringing one left back, allowing him to bring an extra rb.

 

[Beanstalk]

You’re quite correct. Beating Luton 1-0 at home was Herculean, add to that Fulham 1-0, Shef U 2-1, Brentford 2-1 (0-1 down on 90). They’re back alright. Oh apart from in amongst those results they got hammered at home by Newcastle and City, letting in 3 in both, and let in 4 in Copenhagen.

Maguire wouldn’t get into our first 11 under RDZ.

Was he supposed to not beat those teams cos they're deemed less than United? What a weird thing to say? They have factually had an upturn in league form, and it has coincided with Maguire's return to the starting XI. I'm not saying that Man United are back either, just that their league form has improved, which is a fact...

Before Maguire came back into United's first team they had conceded 11. Since they've conceded 5. They faced similar level opponents without him and had different results...

You can dislike the man for whatever personal reasons but I think you taking what was a factually based post to an extreme is a bit weird.

 

[Mellotron]

He hasn’t done that well against Harry Kane in fairness, might be my imagination but that bugger seems to score against us pretty well everytime.

I definitely remember a couple of games in a row (a while back perhaps) where he pocketed him and he didn't do anything except get angry with Lewis and grab his penis.

 

[Lenny Rider]

All about "If's" unfortuantely.

If Poyet or even Oscar had taken Albion into the EPL, in '13 or '14, Dunk would have had more exposure at the top level and therefore perhaps got his chance earlier?

But as Liam Brady famously said on the Isle of Canvey, "If your Granny had balls she'd be your Grandad"

 

[Farehamseagull]

I think with there being two less spots in the squad, what used to be the experience spot no longer exists. So whilst Branthwaite has a long future with England, this tournament will come too quickly.

I think it depends on Dunky's season. If he gets fully fit we finish in the top 7 and go deep in Europe it'd be hard to look past him as the experienced CB cover (think Mings in previous tournaments). If he doesn't do those things and Villa don't fall apart, Konsa probably pips him.

Ben White will never play for England under Southgate and Holland, and probably for justifiable reasons. Something really nice about England under Southgate is the lack of billy big bollocks egos compared to the national teams of the 00s and early 10s - they were never going to stand for a player thinking he was above putting the hard work in off the pitch.

Do we actually know what happened with White? I didn't think anything had come out? Seems strange as he's always seemed like a total professional with all of his clubs.

Whilst clearly a nice, decent bloke (if limited football coach) and players manager, Southgate definitely has a tougher, stubborn side with players who have done something that might have upset him. Sterling clearly hasn't been forgiven for pulling out of the squad previously - it will be interesting to see if Reece James gets the same treatment.

 

[Mellotron]

Do we actually know what happened with White? I didn't think anything had come out? Seems strange as he's always seemed like a total professional with all of his clubs.

Whilst clearly a nice, decent bloke (if limited football coach) and players manager, Southgate definitely has a tougher, stubborn side with players who have done something that might have upset him. Sterling clearly hasn't been forgiven for pulling out of the squad previously - it will be interesting to see if Reece James gets the same treatment.

All the noises were that he stormed out of the England camp at the World Cup after he was admonished by Steve Holland in front of the rest of the group, after White confirmed he hadn't completed some homework each of the players were asked to do on their upcoming opponents (USA, I believe).

The problem is - without being there - it's impossible to know whether Holland was reasonable or unreasonable in how he put things across to White, and therefore whether White's reaction was OTT, or justified.

Separately (or possibly not) he doesn't seem a popular figure amongst a number of other players in the squad - have seen plenty of afters between him, Grealish, Foden and others during Prem matches. Think it might be a case of his face simply not fitting - fortunately we have a number of decent Right Backs so not a massive issue, but I don't see him playing for England again under Southgate, no matter what.