[Archived] England Decline Must End

[Majiball]

We'll see about the future of Scotland tomorrow, Maj. You going?

No chance of me getting anywhere tomorrow, I'll be sat at my desk working like a dog till about 8 as per normal. i am keen to see whether Charlie Russell plays as he's a kid a number of people have told me about (Ie talented).

[Al]

I don't care at all about the England football team and if they win the World Cup or even one of their group matches, which it's a distinct possibility they won't, I won't be celebrating. I'm as patriotic as the next person and perhaps more so, when it comes to supporting the rugby team, the cricket team, the athletics squad, the Olympic people, anything that isn't the football team. It wasn't always like this. Back in the days when we did win the WC the England team were supported and liked regardless of which club they played for etc. what I can't find it in me to support is the media darling team, selected because their media pals have somehow conned a nation hungry for success into thinking they are actually good. Most of our "star players" are in the England team because there isn't anyone else as so few English players are good enough to get into premiership teams and the ones that do look good because of the foreigners they play with. And yet they act as though they are the worlds best and are talked about as footballing heroes. I can't be bothered with them and will probably not watch.

It's sad that you feel that way Gumboots. I love to support the country of my birth when it comes to a tournament. Sadly I can't get into egg chasing in either form though.

Conversely I enjoy American Football.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26967553

Well England maybe on the decline, but the Scots are on the rise!!

Euro 2016 here we come!!!!

When you are that low the only way is up.

[Audax]

BBC has headlining, Scotland climbed to #22 FIFA.

Netherlands is #15, can you believe that?

Though of course, many dismiss the FIFA rankings, maybe with good cause.

Spain at #1 is over 100 points ahead of the next competitor Germany.

http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html

The limitation I would find here is that since Brazil is the World Cup host, their competitive games have been limited.

My picks which would be fairly common for who will win in 2014 would be

1, Brazil

2. Spain

3. Germany

4. Argentina

5. Probably Italy.

That's how I'd rank them.

Uruguay has still won 2 World Cups in South America, that is more than Brazil who has 1 ('62 Chile) and Argentina, 1 ('78 Argentina). Mexico is in North America per 1986. Who knows if maybe somehow Uruguay and Suarez could actually pull it off, sounds possible.

[joey_big_nose]

Im probably going to get shot down here but I would say the current crop of England players looks the best since 1990. Previously we have a lot of big names and big egos but they have never really looked that good as a team.

This years bunch has a nice blend of attacking quality and width. Defence isn't as strong as it was five years ago, but I wouldn't say the difference is huge.

What is very striking is the variety of attacking options which we have not had for a looooooong time. In 2006 and 2010 (the "golden generation"....) we had Roooney, Gerrard, Lamapard, Cole and Beckham who could all attack through the middle and pass the ball well, but none of them truly liked playing wide, and as a result we struggled to stretch a team and get them on the back foot. We all too often looked one paced as well.

Now we have a range of players who are as technically as strong as even Joe Cole was at his absolute best - Sterling, Wilshire, Chamberlain, Lllana, Barkley, Sturridge. All of them effective on either flank or centrally. All of them score goals. Chamberlain and Barkley are also exceptionally physically powerful. Sterling and Sturridge are very very fast.

Gerrard's new role suits the setup too. And Sturridge looks like the best new striker we have had come through since Rooney, and before that you would have to go back to Shearer. Much more to his game than the Michael Owen or Peter Crouch.

All in all we will in all likelihood go out in the quarters but I think it will be a decent team to watch with an exciting future. I'm really looking forward to it!

[G Somerset Rover]

Better than 1996 Joey?! That England team was insanely talented.

[thenodrog]

And Sturridge looks like the best new striker we have had come through since Rooney, and before that you would have to go back to Shearer. Much more to his game than the Michael Owen or Peter Crouch.

He certainly does with Suarez alongside thats for sure.

[speeeeeeedie]

Im probably going to get shot down here but I would say the current crop of England players looks the best since 1990. Previously we have a lot of big names and big egos but they have never really looked that good as a team.

I agree with you. The team has a lot of balance going forward. For years we had no left side midfiled, but with the change in formations it make it easier. I'd also add that Carroll as a super sub can really change the way England plays. Although the defence isn't as stong as previous tournaments 1 excellent full back will miss out too; A Cole, Shaw, or Baines.

Owen was world class until his hamstring gave up. When he was 24.

What about Rooney? Will he play again for Man U this season? How bad is his gammy toe? Is it good or bad to have him playing? If he is fit and hungry he can be England's Suarez. At the moment I think Woy should play G Johnson, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, and Sturridge, and fill in around them;

Hart

G Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines/Cole (I can't make my mind up)

Gerrard

Sterling Henderson Ox/Lallana

Rooney

Sturridge

Better than 1996 Joey?! That England team was insanely talented.

Here is the squad list; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_1996_squads

I would say yes. Steve Stone? Steve Howey?

[thenodrog]

Baines/Cole (I can't make my mind up)

See which one takes the best penalties.

Personally I'd leave Cole at home. I doubt he'll be playing in the next euro's and Southampton's Shaw is a terrific prospect.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Every decent team has a ball winner in it. England seem to be relying on a 33 year old, not even used to that position, to run around in the heat hassling players and trying to win the ball back......Carrick, Henderson and Wilshere aren't specialised in that position either and I think teams are gonna play through the middle a little too easy.

I saw it during England's game against Ukraine a month or two ago and I can see it happening again. If it was me I'd have Barry or Jones in the middle.

[thenodrog]

Forget Barry. His time has been and gone. Jones should go and be used when necessary to perform a specific task there. If he'd been playing and given instruction to deny Pirlo time and space.

From the beeb 2012......
"Although the margin of victory was narrow, in the 120 minutes beforehand England were given a lesson in the value of possession by the 33-year-old Juventus midfielder.
With Roy Hodgson's side struggling to hold on to the ball for long periods of the game, they allowed Pirlo to dictate play and he showed all of his mastery of the ball to lift the ball over Joe Hart to help secure a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win.
It left the England team wishing they had a player of his ilk to help cure their problems retaining the ball under pressure. He showed England midfielders Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker that despite his age, he lacked none of the qualities needed to run a game at international level."

Fantastic player that Pirlo. But Sir Alf would have assigned Nobby to shadow Pirlo like a second skin and to stop him putting his foot on the ball and dictating play so effectively. Jones could do that job. And then it's 10v10 with their best player man marked out of the game.

[Stuart]

Forget Barry. His time has been and gone. Jones should go and be used when necessary to perform a specific task there. If he'd been playing and given instruction to deny Pirlo time and space.

From the beeb 2012......

"Although the margin of victory was narrow, in the 120 minutes beforehand England were given a lesson in the value of possession by the 33-year-old Juventus midfielder.

With Roy Hodgson's side struggling to hold on to the ball for long periods of the game, they allowed Pirlo to dictate play and he showed all of his mastery of the ball to lift the ball over Joe Hart to help secure a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win.

It left the England team wishing they had a player of his ilk to help cure their problems retaining the ball under pressure. He showed England midfielders Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker that despite his age, he lacked none of the qualities needed to run a game at international level."

Fantastic player that Pirlo. But Sir Alf would have assigned Nobby to shadow Pirlo like a second skin and to stop him putting his foot on the ball and dictating play so effectively. Jones could do that job. And then it's 10v10 with their best player man marked out of the game.

In the same post you've said an Englishman is too old to go to a World Cup and then [by proxy] championed an old foreigner who did.

[Majiball]

What was the schoolboys score?

[Salgado Is A Hero]

1-1

[thenodrog]

In the same post you've said an Englishman is too old to go to a World Cup and then [by proxy] championed an old foreigner who did.

Well spotted. However class is permanent.

[roverandout]

I think we have a strong nucleus of youngsters coming through, some good experienced heads, we lack in defence but that lad stones looks a really good prospect, maybe if we give more experience to frazier forster we will have a good number 2

I would start with this team against Italy

hart

walker cahill jagielka cole

sterling gerrard barkley lallana

rooney

sturridge

[Amo]

Whatever configuration of players you put together, none of them will live up to this nation's bloated expectations. Simply because none of them are as great as Sky Sports would have you believe.

[roverandout]

I don't have any bloated expectations, quarter finals would be a great achievement, I said a few months ago I didn't think we would get out of the group but these young 'uns are giving me some hope, what makes Germany's batch of kids any better? and yet people are talking them up as potential world champions

[Amo]

Germans are natural born winners. Little Englanders aren't.

[Stuart]

Germans are natural born winners. Little Englanders aren't.

Durin' the wohwar...

[RoyRover]

Whatever configuration of players you put together, none of them will live up to this nation's bloated expectations. Simply because none of them are as great as Sky Sports would have you believe.

Hit the nail on the head. Sky Sports does a fantastic job of bigging players up beyond their actual ability to drive up interest and revenues. England did well to qualify for the World Cup and have some good players. I don't think they will get out of the group.

[AllRoverAsia]

Germans are natural born winners. Little Englanders aren't.

Check your history books.

[Al]

Check your history books.

He's a Jock on the WUM. Don't rise to it. They don't have a lot to brag about except cycling and a minor tennis player.

[broadsword]

Just seen the new England shirt. £55 for a dish cloth, shocking.

And they're paying people in Indonesia 30p/hour to knock it out.

[Stuart]

Just think though Bryan, all that profit will be heading straight to grassroots football.

Oh wait...

[broadsword]

another nail in the coffin!