I think we have a bit of an under estimated problem in central midfield. Arteta doesn't play Rice as the deepest midfielder, he'd prefer Partey or Jorginho but we will definitely start Rice the deepest, but then who do you play alongside or ahead of him? I keep seeing generated lineups with Jude as a 2 with Rice and I wonder if them people have watched any football this season. I would not be surprised to see a Rice/Gallagher/Jude midfield 3. If Phillips was anywhere near his best he'd be starting. Adam Wharton is playing himself into the squad at the minute and then there's Mainoo but I don't see either starting.
2002-2006 Neville, Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell, Cole, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Rooney, Owen
We have the players to just go out and blow teams away, the best in the world! Led by a negative boring drip who doesn’t know what he has at his disposal. Semis at best
It wasnt possible to play a starting 11 with so many players playing the same position. Scholes started LW which was criminal , 3 world class players all played the same position so they were just thrown into a midfield 4
I think it's just part of the human condition to forget the bad times. People talk about the great squad we have now, but it wouldn't be where it is without Southgate in my opinion. If you listen to The Overlap, you'll hear Neville, Carra and a load of other guests like Rio etc. talk about their international experience and it wasn't positive. It was a dressing room full of cliques and players who didn't play for each other. Then you had the press going for their big gotcha moment too. Southgate has changed the whole mindset behind England for the better. What he's done will help this country way beyond his time as manager but it's completely unappreciated.
I don’t hate the bloke just find the style of football he plays boring, it’s been effective there’s no denying that but it doesn’t suit the world class attacking players we have. Just look at Foden as an example, he needs to be allowed to play with much more freedom. It’s the same reason a few Man U fans I know hate the idea of him becoming their manager.
Eriksson, McClaren and Capello should have been brave enough to drop one of Lampard or Gerrard, play Scholes in his favoured position and utilise players like Carrick or Hargreaves. The strength in depth England had in 2002, 2004 & 2006 tournaments was ridiculous and I'd say that squad is superior to the current squad.
Yeah i agree they should have done. Hargreaves was a brilliant player, but also very injury prone. Ledley King also played the holding midfield role brilliantly aswell, but he was also very injury prone. Our CB options in that era were definitely superior to now. I dont think we were stronger anywhere else though in my opinion. We used to struggle for Left footed players which is why we had to make do with Nicky Barmby and Trevor Sinclair playing Left wing.
Going out there the weekend of the final, just coincidence really so hoping we can get to the final. Be a class experience in a fan park I recon
Really looking forward to it. I always plan on getting tickets for a few games and making it my year's holiday. I have a ticket for Spain v Italy and then a Round of 16 game (the winner of Portugal's group v a third-placed team). With 10 days free between the two games I'm off from Germany to Morocco
I've only seen your OP on this thread and no one else's. But you said that the Euros are 2nd rate compared to the world cup. Imo the Euros are possibly harder. Too many countries make the numbers up in the WC
I mean we miss the teama like Brazil and Argentina. South American football, and latterly African football brings a completely different dimension to a tournament. I prefer the world cup because of the glamour, drama and beauty of the game.
Gerrin, looking forward to it, beers in the sun. Our first game is 8pm k.o. on the Sunday, could get messy in the Grange after it's just been done out
Some cracking games on that opening weekend Friday 14th Germany v Scotland 8pm Saturday 15th Hungary v Switzerland 2pm Spain v Croatia 5pm Italy v Albania 8pm Sunday 16th Poland v Netherlands 2pm Slovenia v Denmark 5pm Serbia v England 8pm
