Based on the world cups you have watched, what would your best starting 11 look like? 433 Zoff Cafu, Baresi, Desailly, Maldini Mattheus, Falcao (Brazil), Zidane Maradona, Ronaldo (Brazil), Zico
Shilton Parker Wright Butcher Pearce Steven Gascoigne Platt Waddle Beardsley Lineker Ridiculously attacking that
I'd say there's a good chance that Southgate's boring defensive team outscore that ridiculously attacking team of Italia 90.
I'd agree. That said the team of Italia 90 are now mostly in their late 50s or early 60s. I'd say boring Soutgates team may just beat them on penalties
Always the way with his critics. Everything good is in spite of him and everything good because of him. He attempts to be solid defensively because we have a ****e defence. If we had 4 world class defenders, he wouldn't need to protect them. Some fans seem to think that you just let all your attackers run wild and overwhelm them. But you rarely see a team in world football win anything without being solid at the back.
Are you saying we have better players now than then? I would have 7, maybe 8, of that team over the first 11 now. I find it mind boggling people dont like Southgate. Maybe the same that were seduced by the idea of Capello. Southgate has produced results far in excess of any of his predecessors and arguably he has not had a first team at the same level as some predecessors. If we fail to make the semi finals then he is under pressure, but in my opinion he has worked wonders, tactically and in mananagement of people and fans. He has been outstanding for me.
Tbh, fellow football fan poster.. I just cannot get, at least atm, excited about the World Cup. Whether its because its in the middle of the football season, not in the summer as per usual..its irritating. Or cos Qatar silly little non-football country. Plus appalling human rights issues. Not many fans will/can go. Southgate in the last two tournaments (and the qualifying ) has made a decent fist of it.. so compared with previous managers he has good form When it gets started my attitude might change.
Buffon Lahm Cannavaro Desailly Roberto Carlos Xavi Zidane Modric Ronaldinho Ronaldo Klose There are better players than I've picked but I think a couple of these define best in that they performed the best at tournaments.
I find it bizarre he gets grief to be honest. Show me a more successful England manager in the last 30+ years. Done in a time when there are fewer English players in the top flight than ever. He has made us a credible nation again, after debacles of Eriksen, Capello, Allardyce etc again. I would bet when he leaves England top nations in the world will put him on the shortlist. He is a proven high class international manager, no arguments. People claim Belgium have a squad to die for, but we have outperformed them in the last 6 years or so.
I get it mate. Hope you get the love for it once the games start. I had my own issues with the location and the awarding process. I dealt with those a while ago though. I decided they wouldnt rob me of watching what I think is the greatest sporting event in the world. I refuse to let anything get in the way of my love of England and of other beautiful footballing nations like Brazil. The world cup provides memories like no others. So I have gone all in, like I did in Russia when it was clearly fraudulent. For me it is all about the football now, and I cant wait to watch these games. I am also keen to see Qatar play, which some may find distasteful. I read an interesting article about their history of football, which goes back to the 60s, and shows a love of the game amongst kids. They arent the non-footballing country I thought they were.
What I find really hard to comprehend is that it often comes from a generation who revere Italia 90. Now that tournament was slightly before my team but we didn't have an impressive win in the entire tournament against good opposition. You could argue that a 0-0 draw in the group stage against Holland was our best result. We drew with Ireland and beat Egypt, Belgium and Cameroon (all poor sides) by a single goal and then lost when we faced a good team. Southgate has had better runs in a competition than that and gets slated for it. I think it's a combination of nostalgia and entitlement of the modern game.
Montgomery (Got to keep dreaming) Cohen Charlton (j) Moore Wilson Ball Peters Charlton (b) Stiles Hunt Hurst
The year of the greatest world cup in my lifetime, and the greatest team I have ever seen. This year Brazil have the ability to produce a form of football that honours them, I hope they do it.
