Season › 2024-25 › News Pickford in goal for Lee Carsley's final England game – a big win Michael Kenrick 17/11/2024 72comments | Jump to last England 5 - 0 Ireland Jordan Pickford is in goal for Lee Carsley's final England game in charge as he tries to ensure a top place finish and promotion from Nations League Group B2 at Wembley tonight against Ireland. No Seamus Coleman for the Republic as he is out injured, while Everton's hardly used centre-back, Jake O'Brien, is one of 12 players on the subs bench. After a typically moribund first half, the card-happy referee reduced Ireland to 10 men and England went on to score 5 goals and surely make that top place finish secure. Congratulations to Lee Carsley for a job well done. Reader Comments (72) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Michael Kenrick 1 Posted 17/11/2024 at 17:46:00 Big question: Has he or has he not been singing the National Anthem? Or does this not matter any more? Paul Ferry 2 Posted 17/11/2024 at 17:56:51 He has not MK. His zip was tight. These hard-boiled eggs are commies. Poor from England. No spark to break Ireland down. That Collins is decent. Ireland well set up. Kane hasn't touched the ball. I'd bring Ollie on for the spiv. Shane Corcoran 3 Posted 17/11/2024 at 17:58:23 Two 100% penalties for Ireland. Bizarre performance by the VAR buckos. Colin Glassar 4 Posted 17/11/2024 at 17:58:38 This inverted winger deal is a pile of steaming shit imo. Every England attack breaks down because these fellas, Gordon and Madueke, can't cross the ball once they go past the defenders. Colin Glassar 5 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:02:16 Paul, Kane and Walker are crap and way past it. Walker needs 5 touches of the ball before his brain wakes up. And Kane? Well its sad to see him on the slippery slope.But will any England manager drop either of these two, or Mr Gobby aka Bellingham? I doubt it. Paul Ferry 6 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:12:57 Harsh second yellow there. Agree CG. No idea why Paddy Carsley did not start Ollie. Mind you, look at the centre-half options on the bench. Paddy Carsley's defence is Premier League 16th. Paul Ferry 7 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:14:09 Greece 1-0 up. Colin Glassar 8 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:14:56 Nicely taken goal by the little rat. Colin Crooks 9 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:18:20 Gordon wouldnt look nearly so bad if he didnt get such bad haircuts. Perhaps a muzzy too... and a beard too... Oh and maybe a pair of shades Paul Ferry 10 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:18:44 Took the twat 9 games CG. This is going to be 6-0, sadly. Colin Glassar 11 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:24:28 Looks like our Irish lad isnt going to get any minutes. Paul Ferry 12 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:26:12 Yep. Three changes and no sign. Christy Ring 13 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:31:45 The red card turned the game. England were running out of ideas, but how Ferguson didn't get a penalty in the first half is still a mystery. Simon Dalzell 14 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:32:50 Mr Carsley for Next Everton Manager anyone ? Colin Glassar 15 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:38:15 6-0 on the cards, Paul. Colin Glassar 16 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:40:25 OBrian must be really shit if he cant get into this Irish side. Paul Ferry 17 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:42:34 Who's he CG? Colin Glassar 18 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:44:29 OBrien. Doesnt he sit on our bench? Paul Ferry 19 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:46:13 Next to Begovic Colin. Colin Crooks 20 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:47:56 This should easily be double figures. Christy Ring 21 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:53:07 Colin#16 In all fairness Conor, how could Ireland pick him when he's not playing club football. Paul Ferry 22 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:55:29 Some of these Irish lads are pretty low on league ladders Christy but I take your point. That red card that was never a red card changed everything. Harwood-Bellis is dating Roy Keane's daughter and he's gonna get battered if he doesn't get her home for 11. Colin Glassar 23 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:55:45 True, Christy. At least Branthwaite now has a few days to fully recover. O'Brien might have to go out on loan until we get a proper manager who knows how to develop players. Paul Ferry 24 Posted 17/11/2024 at 18:58:41 Lee Carsley seems to be pretty good at that Colin. Colin Glassar 25 Posted 17/11/2024 at 19:06:26 I don't see Carsley being a Premier League manager, tbh. He might get the Irish gig though. Paul Ferry 26 Posted 17/11/2024 at 19:16:49 I could deffo see Lee Carsley at a Leicester, Ipswich, Southampton, Palace, Fulham, West Ham, Colin. Wouldn't be my first choice but, the more I think about youth development and some of the crap/sharp stuff on the Kean thread, I do wonder if he might not be a shrewd pick. Mind you, we don't have much luck with hard-boiled eggs. Sean McCarthy 27 Posted 17/11/2024 at 20:15:02 You mean at one of our rivals, Paul? Because, let's be honest, outside of that group, there isn't another side in the Premier League who will be giving us as much as a passing glance!! I'd take Carsley instead of the dinosaur that is currently masquerading as our ‘head coach' in a heartbeat! Phil Wood 28 Posted 17/11/2024 at 20:19:06 Great to see an ex-Blue in Lee Carsley doing a great job bringing young English talent through. He did what many were dying to see and played all the "stars" against Greece at home. It didn't come off but showed that the public are not always right. Southgate wasn't daft and never did it but he was too safe for us to win anything.Won 5 out of 6 which is never easy at any level. Had to cope with all the call-offs, which he did with aplomb. Lee trusted wingers more and it paid off.Great job, Lee. Passing on a much better crop of players for Thomas Tuchel. Good luck back with the U21s. Martin Mason 29 Posted 17/11/2024 at 20:46:26 Top UK Manager at the moment is Lee Carsley. An Everton shoo-in. Christy Ring 30 Posted 17/11/2024 at 20:56:33 Paul Ferry, he's actually engaged to Keane's daughter.And I'd take Carsley any day over Dyche. Scott Hamilton 31 Posted 17/11/2024 at 21:50:34 So, Carsleys our next manager, right? Derek Powell 32 Posted 17/11/2024 at 22:49:30 Come on, Lee... Come home! Trevor Powell 33 Posted 17/11/2024 at 23:15:20 What about a Carsley - Coleman management team? Mike Gaynes 34 Posted 17/11/2024 at 23:29:32 Carsley?Our new owner's list of potential managers could be 100 names long and it wouldn't include a guy whose entire club managerial career was 24 interim games a decade ago. Paul Kernot 35 Posted 18/11/2024 at 00:36:12 Reading between the lines of various reports, my guess is that Lee Carsley doesn't fancy the pressure or hire 'em fire 'em ethos of Premier League management. Possibly a lower league appointment at some point but I reckon he's quite happy going back to what he was doing prior to the limelight. Phil Lewis 36 Posted 18/11/2024 at 01:21:12 I believe that Lee Carsley would be a successful Everton manager. Even with limited experience, he has shown enough already to convince that he has excellent credentials in young players' development. As England interim manager he made a regrettable experimental team selection in the first game against Greece. That aside, he did a fine short term job for England, of which he can justifiably be proud.My dream ticket as we approach a new era in the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, would be a Carsley - Baines managerial team. Leighton is making great strides with our youth, I believe he'd relish the challenge of promotion to first-team duties.Considering the millions squandered by previous big-name managers and the laughing stock that Everton has become a totally fresh approach is needed. As former teammates, Carsley and Baines are modern young coaches hungry for success. They have the respect of their young charges at both club and international level. Their combined talents could prove to be the springboard for a new successful era, not seen since the halcyon days of the Kendall - Harvey combination of management. Phil Lewis 37 Posted 18/11/2024 at 02:00:17 Michael #1,There was a time, not that long ago, when it was certainly not a requirement for English players or managers to sing the National Anthem. It was a personal decision that was not questioned. It was immaterial and went unscrutinised by the media. In actual fact, if people review recordings of international matches, Cup Finals etc from the '70s, they would find that the majority of players stayed silent when the National Anthem was played.In a democracy, it is perfectly justifiable that the decision to sing it or not, should rest with the individual. Sadly nowadays, it seems that people are discriminated against for refusing to sing it. Paul Kernot 38 Posted 18/11/2024 at 03:24:46 Phil #36. You make a great case and I'd certainly like to see it happen. I can't see it though, a) because of my comment above and b) with our American big time Charlie new owner, I'm fairly sure he'll bring in a name.Finally, plenty on here have voiced their opinions on finally getting rid of the 'jobs for the boys' thing with the old regime and until your post I've tended to agree. Niall McIlhone 39 Posted 18/11/2024 at 07:02:13 It is sad to see that the Ireland national team has declined so much in a very short time… but well done England, the second-half performance was much more energetic. I am getting worried about the Jake O'Brien situation, I must say. If he can't get into a defence with – let's be honest – Championship-level defenders, what are the prospects of his breaking into the Everton team this season, as mediocre as we are? Just a mention for Everton Women, beating the RS 1-0 at Goodison yesterday, but no match review here on TW: they are struggling this season, but a very welcome home win. Jerome Shields 40 Posted 18/11/2024 at 08:03:09 Niall #39,It just shows you the shambles that the IFA is now, after the revelations of recent years. O'Brien appears to have a problem, but the management of the team has been on a downwards trajectory since the clowns of the O'Neill and Keane era. There is no comparison between Ireland and England International teams now. Though England got a lot of decisions in that game. Robert Tressell 41 Posted 18/11/2024 at 08:17:25 Carsley has done well - with some excellent winning football played by both U21s and Seniors. However, in both cases, he has almost always been in charge of much, much better players than the opposition. Ireland don't have a single player who'd be anywhere near this England squad. It's often only once England get to the quarter finals of a major tournament that the opposition start to become more comparable on paper.At Everton, it would be completely different. So it's very hard to know what Carsley could achieve in those circumstances. It would be a big risk without him having some experience of club football elsewhere. Niall McIlhone 42 Posted 18/11/2024 at 08:27:56 Jerome #40. Indeed so, mate. There are some talented players in the Ireland squad, but, as you say, the FAI need to get their act together. England, on the other hand, seem to be reaping the benefits of the St George's Park development path, and look strong at all levels. Neil Lawson 43 Posted 18/11/2024 at 08:29:41 Nobody has given MoM to Jordan. I thought he was faultless. Jerome Shields 44 Posted 18/11/2024 at 09:08:39 Naill #52,Got the FAI and IFA mixed up. Ireland need a reset and to recover from the hangover of 'A Tragicomic Farce unfolding' at the FAI.England are benefiting from St George's Development path and Carsely has been part of that. But the Lancaster Gate crowd will want a name, with political skills and some football skills. They would not want to take the risk on Carsley. Eddie Dunn 45 Posted 18/11/2024 at 09:09:13 Phil @37, that's a good point on players previously not singing the anthem. Some of the most famous like Rooney hardly moved their lips. Now it seems that we all have to be patriotic but there is more about loving your country than believing in a Monarchy. The same can be said for the ritual of taking a knee. To not take a knee would make a player a target of all sorts of accusations but of course taking the knee does not mean that you are not racist, nor does not taking the knee mean that you are. This is all reflecting a new intolerance.Personally, I dislike the pretend Koran reading, bible reading, crossing of the chest, and the looking up at deceased relatives after scoring a goal.Do the players really think that the previous generations of billions of the dead are peeping through a gap in the clouds?Football is best without politics or religion getting dragged into it. Ian Jones 46 Posted 18/11/2024 at 09:22:40 Whilst it was a good win for England, and Lee Carsley is getting plaudits, the 5 goals were scored after the Irish team went down to 10 men. We'll never know how it would have panned out against 11. John Williams 47 Posted 18/11/2024 at 10:34:52 It's worrying when O'Brien cannot get a chance in Ireland's side, but they put a player on 10 minutes from time who hasn't played a game for Leicester in the Premier League.Apparently, he qualified for Ireland because of an Uncle; mind you, I suppose that is better than the Jack Charlton days, when you could qualify by drinking Guinness.Scales was given a second yellow for the penalty, not a straight red. Edward Rogers 48 Posted 18/11/2024 at 10:50:42 Niall @ 39Yes great, and with a "controversial" penalty to boot!!! Tom Bowers 49 Posted 18/11/2024 at 11:55:38 A hollow victory against 10-man Ireland who are at best not much better than third division.Carsley cannot be judged any which way for these last few results and it remains to be seen what the new guy does and how they fare against really good teams.They need a settled formation to prepare for the next World Cup and all the chopping and changing is not good. Niall McIlhone 50 Posted 18/11/2024 at 13:56:58 Edward #48. Yes, very dodgy penalty, but then Everton Women will take any bits of good fortune right now? Danny O'Neill 51 Posted 18/11/2024 at 14:28:16 I doubt he's coming to Everton, even if being considered.He's on record as saying he is looking forward to going back to coaching the England U21s.As for the singing the national anthem debate, whether on here or somewhere else, England needs its own national anthem.They play the UK anthem. the other nations have their own. Ireland even has two!!The Welsh one is the best. Kevin Edward 52 Posted 18/11/2024 at 15:49:09 I'm delighted for Pickford and I'd love for him to get to 100 caps. He's never let England down, which is more than you can say for most of the primadonnas.Also delighted for Carlsley, puts a weight of expectation on Tuchel to pick a team, rather than a bunch of primadonnas.Also delighted for the Everton Women, absolutely stonewall penalty, if the officials give it, then it's a penalty. This is the interpretation of the rules as used at Anfield since the '60s so is all good for me. Anthony Dove 53 Posted 18/11/2024 at 15:52:09 Lee has done a really good job, both in terms of results andbringing in some talented young players. He also seems to have an excellent rapport with the players. Not only is Tuchel not English but I don't think he will do any better than Carsley would have done. Perhaps the FA have doneEverton a favour. Derek Knox 55 Posted 18/11/2024 at 17:38:05 Anthony @ 53, I think we could do a lot worse than offering Lee Carsley the job. I don't believe he would have to think too long either if offered. Now whether TFG would even consider him as a candidate is another matter for conjecture! Paul Ferry 56 Posted 18/11/2024 at 20:02:03 I still feel that the Irish lad should not have been sent off for a second yellow. That was harsh on a team set up to defend and was doing a very decent job, There are a good number of refs who would have kept that second card in their pocket, even though the ‘offence was worth a card.I love a good theatrical flourish of a card me. This fella squeezed in 5 in 12 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwomjq0sFxQRobert (41): possibly the keeper who let in 5.Danny (51) and others: I would prefer an anthem that is about the country not a fucking king or queen.I forgot how hilariously disturbing Kanes statue is. Its getting dumped somewhere in Waltham Forest, I hear. I remember that the plan was to put it in Chingford Station. Norman Tebbit territory. Would have been perfect for the spiv. JP now has as many caps as Gordon Banks. Not bad for someone who cant control his box/area, Hes made that position his own (just listening to Sutton saying that JP is the only nailed on starter for the first group game in the next world cup). Hes seen off all the pretenders: Pope, McCarthy, Henderson, Johnstone, Ramsdale. But, as Danny said, we should sell him if the right offer comes in. JP, in my opinion, is not in the same league as Ian Walker, Albermarrie Swepstone from Pilgrims and Corinthians who scandalously was capped just 6 times, and dont get me started on John Maynard from First Surrey Rifles (who went to school with Dave Abrahams) who got one second-half FFS, even though he kept a clean sheet and completely dominated his box/area. Paul Ferry 57 Posted 18/11/2024 at 20:08:23 Issac Price has just scored again. Kim Vivian 58 Posted 18/11/2024 at 20:22:22 Paul - keep 'em coming man. My go to poster these days along with Daley, the sadly missed Ruane, and a couple of others.Totally agree re the second yellow. Not a deliberate foul as I saw it and the rule guidance these days seems absurd, never mind the fact that it killed the game from any excitement level. And I have to concur re the statue – I've got to say it does him justice – looks just as moronic as the original version. Dave Abrahams 59 Posted 18/11/2024 at 20:36:00 Paul (56), Yes remember him, Mayno to his mates, I wasn't one of them, he was another over-rated player, better than Pickford though! Paul Ferry 60 Posted 18/11/2024 at 20:56:20 Issac just put in the cross for Northern Ireland's second. Kieran Kinsella 61 Posted 18/11/2024 at 21:07:18 Paul Ferry,When I saw you touting Ian Walker as better than Jordan Pickford, I first thought you were referring to the son of our erstwhile sun bed-loving manager.On the topic of price, who was that other Northern Irelabd kid we let go who looked a bit like Rooney around the same time Price left? I remember he was capped for them shortly thereafter. Paul Ferry 62 Posted 18/11/2024 at 21:24:58 Do you see him here, Kieran?https://www.irishfa.com/ifa-international/squads/northern-ireland-senior-menI forgot that he was that Walker's lad. Mr Walker has been in Cyprus lapping up the rays and looking like a smoky bacon crisp for a quarter-of-a-century after a meaningless little stint managing Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας (Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia) in 2000: his last job. Kieran Kinsella 63 Posted 18/11/2024 at 21:33:47 No, but I remembered his name: Shane Lavery. Apparently at Blackpool now. Correction: Cambridge Paul Ferry 64 Posted 18/11/2024 at 21:42:37 Lucky fella. I loved living in Cambridge, although the ground is right on the edge of the city and well away from anything nice, except cows. Mike Gaynes 65 Posted 19/11/2024 at 04:17:43 Our old friend Demarai with two goals tonight in defeat to the USA. Robert Tressell 66 Posted 19/11/2024 at 07:14:03 Shame we couldn't keep Demarai Gray. Hit and miss but certainly gave us some attacking threat. Paul Ferry 67 Posted 19/11/2024 at 07:57:03 Totally agree Robert. Our manager-go-round has a lot to answer for. Billy Bradshaw 70 Posted 19/11/2024 at 20:30:30 Iliman Ndiaye substituted off after 46 minutes for Senegal, hope he's okay. Christy Ring 71 Posted 19/11/2024 at 21:02:12 Billy #70 I saw that myself, a half-time change, was hopefully tactical, but I'm worried? Brian Harrison 72 Posted 21/11/2024 at 11:03:01 Hi Guys, just wondering if anyone can help, I am afraid I am a dinosaur when it comes to technology. When I click on ToffeeWeb it takes me to the site, but when I click on certain posts it comes up bad request, yet lets me on other posts like this. Danny O'Neill 73 Posted 21/11/2024 at 12:09:20 It happens, Brian. Try refreshing or do a reboot. Michael Kenrick 74 Posted 21/11/2024 at 14:02:44 Hey Brian @72, It's annoying but, when that happens, if I click on the browser address bar and bring up the full IRL, then delete the 'www.' bit, and press [Enter], it usually works.Can't explain! Danny O'Neill 75 Posted 21/11/2024 at 14:33:31 As Michael says, don't use the www. Just type in the website. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb