The 2018 At Home XI

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Not too early to start picking this, I think, given the countries already out.

Bravo, Blind, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Bale and Sanchez on the "team 33" sheet for a start?

[Sean of the Shed]

Vidal and Pjanic

[Duncan Gardner]

Theo Haile Selassie. OK, he might be a bit crap organising an offside trap but the boy is an emperor...

[blameless]

Hamsik, since Slovakia ended up 9th best of the runners up and so don't get a play-off place.

[Satchmo Distel]

Would Robben get in the team or is he past it?

[Sits]

Would Dzeko get a place on the bench?

[mirko bolesan]

Mkhitaryan in midfield and Oblak in goal.

Surely Robben wouldn't play for this team as he has retired from international football.

[Kevin S]

Hamsik, since Slovakia ended up 9th best of the runners up and so don't get a play-off place.

Seconded. Hamsik is brilliant.

[Patrick Thistle]

Gonna nominate Aaron Ramsey here.

[3 Colours Red]

Aubameyang? Pulisic? Naby Keita?

[Sam]

Seconded on Vidal, who was arguably the only reason Chile were still in with a shout on the last day of qualifying.

[tee rex]

y these names not goin Russia shuld be world cup i googled perunama they got nobody in prem except that watford bloke hes rubbish

[Various Artist]

Top bantz tee rex

[Satchmo Distel]

How has Ramsey been playing for Arsenal? He had a nightmare in the Liverpool hammering last month [EDIT: August 27] and was subbed off. Does that affect his Wales form?

[ursus arctos]

L'Equipe did this yesterday



There may be some changes once the African qualifiers and playoffs are over.

[blameless]

I'd have Hamsik for Pjanic, but that's still a mighty impressive team. And you'd still have Blind, Ramsey, Mahrez, Arda Turan, Claudio Bravo and Clint Dempsey on the bench.

[3 Colours Red]

I'd have thought L'Equipe would know what colour our first-choice shirts were.

As for a bench, there does seem to be a lack of options for a back-up keeper. Bravo has been mentioned upthread which would be fine if you didn't run the risk of getting the Manchester City version.

Who else is there though?

[caja-dglh]

I'd have Hamsik for Pjanic, but that's still a mighty impressive team. And you'd still have Blind, Ramsey, Mahrez, Arda Turan, Claudio Bravo and Clint Dempsey on the bench.

Bravo has a lot of practice at that.

[ursus arctos]

You could always take Handanovic - the Inter keeper who is Oblak’s backup with Slovenia - as his backup in this squad.

I agree on Hamsik for Pjanic, and am unconvinced by Alaba, who has fallen off a cliff recently. That said, there isn’t an obvious replacement at left back.

[Sam]

I was going to suggest Valencia in my post last night, but the internet was playing up and by the time I managed to get the page to load properly I'd forgotten.

[3 Colours Red]

...unconvinced by Alaba, who has fallen off a cliff recently. That said, there isn’t an obvious replacement at left back.

Er... Ben Davies? Would have been a ridiculous suggestion until fairly recently but if Pochettino picks on merit then Danny Rose will have a bloody hard time getting his place back.