England squad

[Deuterz]

I don't want to piss on anyone chips because I'm not invested in England at international level. But I smile at the inane talking up of the side I hear from fans. They are blind to the very obvious flaws they tell you they can win this or that whilst elevating people like Leiws Dunk and Harry Maguire to 'soild defensive options. It's willfully over optimistic.

The centerbacks are weak, with the exception of Stones, the left back reliance on Shaw a huge issue because Chilwell is average. Pickford is average , Saka Walker Bellingham Rice are class the step from Kane to every other centre forward option is like the drop from the Bristol suspension bridge. Then there's the huge issue of the coach and his deputy. They will as you say be beaten by the first top notch team they play most likely in a quarter finals

This is the same shit you could say about any national side. The national team game is never about eleven perfect players ffs. It just doesn’t happen. Even France have some mediocre to poor players knocking about.

Name me a team that puts up a better group of attackers. Or who have a superstar like Bellingham with some really quality midfielders round him.

Who cares about the drop? Kane will be fit for the Euros. Watkins is a better back-up striker than almost any other country have.

Go look at every other XI that other nations put up and tell me you can’t pick out similar weaknesses. We’ve got INSANE attacking strength and good quality elsewhere. Lean on it. Foden, Bellingham, Kane, Saka. Nuts. Crazy good.

 

[Ionman34]

I think he would have helped us to create a bit more though with his passing. We relied on Bellingham too much today to create us something. All Brazil did to stop him was foul him. Paqueta alone fouled him 6 times. Their other defensive midfielder 3 or 4 times. That's why we really missed the likes of Shaw, Trippier and Alexander-Arnold today. We had no creativity at all from those areas because Chilwell was garbage, and Konsa and Gomez are ultimately centre-backs first and foremost. To what extent Kane would have made exactly is debatable, but I think he would definitely have made some.

I agree, he'd have seen the ball a lot more than Watkins did, but as I say, I don't think him playing would have sped our game up, which is what we really needed. He'd still have had to try threading a ball through the eye of a needle though.
We've seen Kane up front before, when we've been pedestrian in our build up, and he's been largely ineffective. It's not really about who we play, more about how we play. When we play with intent and aggression, we tend to scythe through teams because they're not set. We rarely, if ever, turned their defenders around.

That's why I think Harry wouldn't have made that much of an impact, we never really stretched them at all, they always had bodies available behind the ball. I think Harry would have had a very frustrating night TBH.

 

[Shotgunofmichalebrow]

You're not wrong, but outside of France you could pick holes in every other top side in Europe that will play at the Euros. Also, France lost at home against a not very fancied Germany this evening. I don't think they'll be too worried though, the French.

Yes you could mate, but I'm talking about England and the lack of context you hear when people talk about them as potential tournament winners. They are wrong we are big outsiders and our weakness which are manifest are exacerbated by a coach without a system or guile. For example Jurgen Klopp could get this group a lot closer. But I went to Spain Columbia to watch Porro get ruined by Diaz and Spain are even worse.

 

[RicharliSon]

I agree, he'd have seen the ball a lot more than Watkins did, but as I say, I don't think him playing would have sped our game up, which is what we really needed. He'd still have had to try threading a ball through the eye of a needle though.
We've seen Kane up front before, when we've been pedestrian in our build up, and he's been largely ineffective. It's not really about who we play, more about how we play. When we play with intent and aggression, we tend to scythe through teams because they're not set. We rarely, if ever, turned their defenders around.

That's why I think Harry wouldn't have made that much of an impact, we never really stretched them at all, they always had bodies available behind the ball. I think Harry would have had a very frustrating night TBH.

Maybe you're right, though we'll never know. We did play too slowly but I also appreciate that we keep the ball better now far more than we have ever done before instead of hoofing it up for a Peter Crouch or an Andy Carroll. England actually had a touch more possession which against any Brazil side is a far cry from what would have happened 10, 15 or 20 years ago. Hopefully we create a bit more against the Belgians in a few days where we will hopefully see the likes of Maddison and Palmer. If we don't then I'll definitely be more on board to have a good whinge.

 

[Shotgunofmichalebrow]

This is the same shit you could say about any national side. The national team game is never about eleven perfect players ffs. It just doesn’t happen. Even France have some mediocre to poor players knocking about.

Name me a team that puts up a better group of attackers. Or who have a superstar like Bellingham with some really quality midfielders round him.

Who cares about the drop? Kane will be fit for the Euros. Watkins is a better back-up striker than almost any other country have.

Go look at every other XI that other nations put up and tell me you can’t pick out similar weaknesses. We’ve got INSANE attacking strength and good quality elsewhere. Lean on it. Foden, Bellingham, Kane, Saka. Nuts. Crazy good.

Yeah... your one of the people I'm talking about. I'll refer you to my answer to Richarlison. Have a good evening.

 

[Deuterz]

Yes you could mate, but I'm talking about England and the lack of context you hear when people talk about them as potential tournament winners. They are wrong we are big outsiders and our weakness which are manifest are exacerbated by a coach without a system or guile. For example Jurgen Klopp could get this group a lot closer. But I went to Spain Columbia to watch Porro get ruined by Diaz and Spain are even worse.

Nope. We have the joint best squad in the world currently. This isn’t bias, there’s a fucking French guy on here who agrees.

Other NT squads are not better.

 

[Deuterz]

Yeah... your one of the people I'm talking about. I'll refer you to my answer to Richarlison. Have a good evening.

I’d love to hear the other starting elevens countries have which you think are better than ours.

We currently have Real Madrid and Bayern Munich’s star player. Manchester City and Woolwich’s player(s) of the season. Half of City’s backline. But we’re outsiders? To who? These imaginary world class European national sides, Spain play fucking Morata! As first choice! Germany play Havertz FFS.

England have a fabulous squad. This shouldn’t even be a debate. The attacking quality on play is nuts.

 

[Airfixx]

If you're good enough though age doesn't really matter. We've seen other 17 year olds have big impacts. He's obviously good enough to have got a 60 million move to RM or whatever it was he cost. He was also up against Lewis Dunk.

You're gassing him up based on percieved potential and reputation......... NOTHING else. It doesn't wash.

 

[Emala]

I’d love to hear the other starting elevens countries have which you think are better than ours.

We currently have Real Madrid and Bayern Munich’s star player. Manchester City and Woolwich’s player(s) of the season. Half of City’s backline. But we’re outsiders? To who? These imaginary world class European national sides, Spain play fucking Morata! As first choice! Germany play Havertz FFS.

England have a fabulous squad. This shouldn’t even be a debate. The attacking quality on play is nuts.

Fabulous is a strong word. I think it's overrated. But with a different manager it will look better.

 

[Emala]

Nope. We have the joint best squad in the world currently. This isn’t bias, there’s a fucking French guy on here who agrees.

Other NT squads are not better.

2 world class players and that's it.

 

[LeParisien]

I’d love to hear the other starting elevens countries have which you think are better than ours.

We currently have Real Madrid and Bayern Munich’s star player. Manchester City and Woolwich’s player(s) of the season. Half of City’s backline. But we’re outsiders? To who? These imaginary world class European national sides, Spain play fucking Morata! As first choice! Germany play Havertz FFS.

England have a fabulous squad. This shouldn’t even be a debate. The attacking quality on play is nuts.

A great starting XI if everyone is fit but the squad is quite average. A few key injuries and you’re a QF team. Even just losing kane and it’s looking shaky.

That’s the deal for most teams though. International football is precarious.

 

[RicharliSon]

You're gassing him up based on percieved potential and reputation......... NOTHING else. It doesn't wash.

Not really. I've barely seen him play so don't really have an opinion on him yet. And in regards to his goal earlier he could hardly have missed. But he's just signed for Real Madrid and just won his first cap for his country at 17. So despite his age he's clearly got bags of talent and ability. They brought on their wonder boy and we were left bringing on players that many wouldn't even have in the squad.

 

[Deuterz]

2 world class players and that's it.

So what lmao? You say that like other national teams have loads more! France have 2-3 at best depending on how harsh you are and they’re easily the other best squad.

England have two bonafide world class players, a handful of absolutely brilliant footballers playing for elite sides and then some very competent to good ones. That makes them, with the current standards of international sides, one of the best national teams in the world.

 

[Deuterz]

A great starting XI if everyone is fit but the squad is quite average. A few key injuries and you’re a QF team. Even just losing kane and it’s looking shaky.

That’s the deal for most teams though. International football is precarious.

Watkins has 21 g/a (more than anyone else this season in the Prem) and suddenly people act like he’s a bad striker. You play Giroud, he wouldn’t get 21 goals and assists in the premier league!

We’ve got fantastic offensive/AM depth, decent fullback depth too. We’re poor depth wise at DM, GK and CB but this is normal with national teams.

 

[RicharliSon]

A great starting XI if everyone is fit but the squad is quite average. A few key injuries and you’re a QF team. Even just losing kane and it’s looking shaky.

That’s the deal for most teams though. International football is precarious.

Correct. We have some wonderful players. Bellingham. Kane. Foden. Rice. Stones. These could play for any team in the world. Saka and Palmer are also wonderful players and will get better still. But there are still glaring issues in the team currently, even forgetting about Southgate for the moment.

1) Every partner for Stones is either average at the highest level, or inexperienced right now.

2) Our best full-backs, Shaw and James, are constantly injured and missing.

3) Until Mainoo gets more experience, we're still stuck with a Gallagher, Phillips or Henderson in midfield. Solid Premier League players, good players, but not what you want when playing a France, Spain, Brazil or Portugal.

4) We're chokers. We choke on the big occasions and moments. Its's a mentality thing and it's the hardest thing in football to change as getting over the line to win something is so, so difficult.

 

[Emala]

So what lmao? You say that like other national teams have loads more! France have 2-3 at best depending on how harsh you are and they’re easily the other best squad.

England have two bonafide world class players, a handful of absolutely brilliant footballers playing for elite sides and then some very competent to good ones. That makes them, with the current standards of international sides, one of the best national teams in the world.

Im sorry but this is utter nonsense. I hear stuff like this before every tournament and then England only look decent against farmers in the tournaments. I would argue that the 2006 edition was way better than this current England team.

 

[RicharliSon]

Im sorry but this is utter nonsense. I hear stuff like this before every tournament and then England only look decent against farmers in the tournaments. I would argue that the 2006 edition was way better than this current England team.

The defence was better. The attack wasn't and the depth in attack certainly wasn't. Rice is also a better defensive midfielder than we had back then and Bellingham would walk into any England team.

 

[Deuterz]

Im sorry but this is utter nonsense. I hear stuff like this before every tournament and then England only look decent against farmers in the tournaments. I would argue that the 2006 edition was way better than this current England team.

Yawn. I keep hearing these generic, cliche ridden statements with no actual substance or responses to the arguments made. Still waiting for these NT’s with loads of world class footballers by the way.

2006= lots of world class players, but other national sides were a lot stronger then. Relative to now, this team is better.

People are just full of cliches and referring to past history when it comes to England and come up with the same boring shite as if there’s been no progression. We are ranked third in the world, lost a final on penalties and then a quarter final narrowly to the best squad in the world. A game we were dominant in.

This team consistently does well in tournaments. We’ve beaten Croatia, Germany, Italy (home and away), Spain etc in recent years and we have an extremely strong on paper squad. I’m not going to deny facts because people have some weird mental block/PTSD when it comes to admitting England are actually good.

 

[Emala]

The defence was better. The attack wasn't and the depth in attack certainly wasn't. Rice is also a better defensive midfielder than we had back then and Bellingham would walk into any England team.

The defence and midfield was better. Gerrard, Lampard, Hargreaves, a young Carrick etc.

 

[RicharliSon]

The defence and midfield was better. Gerrard, Lampard, Hargreaves, a young Carrick etc.

On paper perhaps, but they were horrible together. Gerrard was genuinely average for England considering he won games almost by himself at times for Liverpool. Lampard was slightly better, but still often under-whelming. Hargreaves always injured. Carrick barely got a look in. 30 odd caps isn't a lot for someone who played for 15 years.