A new golden generation for England?

[The Boy]

Just rewatching the Man City Liverpool game, it's the first time I've really watched Foden closely, but he does look good. It got me thinking that actually there's a wealth of young talent coming through for England at the moment.

Forwards

Mason Greenwood age 18
Jadon Sancho age 20
Marcus Rashford age 22
Rhian Brewster age 20
Reiss Nelson age 20

Midfielders

Callum Hodson Odoi age 19
Mason Mount age 21
Declan Rice age 21
Jesse Lingard
Phil Foden age 20
Jude Bellingham age 17

Defenders

Trent Alexander Arnold age 21
Bukayo Saka age 18
Max Aarons age 20
Reece James age 20
AWB age 22
Fikayo Tomori age 22

That's all I can think of off the top if my head (had to google the ages though!) but that's a very impressive list and there's bound to be ones that I have missed.

Looks overloaded with full backs and lacking on CBs, but all the same good times ahead for England?

 

[flappyjay]

Just rewatching the Man City Liverpool game, it's the first time I've really watched Foden closely, but he does look good. It got me thinking that actually there's a wealth of young talent coming through for England at the moment.

Forwards

Mason Greenwood age 18
Jadon Sancho age 20
Marcus Rashford age 22
Rhian Brewster age 20
Reiss Nelson age 20

Midfielders

Callum Hodson Odoi age 19
Mason Mount age 21
Declan Rice age 21
Phil Foden age 20
Jude Bellingham age 17

Defenders

Trent Alexander Arnold age 21
Bukayo Saka age 18
Max Aarons age 20
Reece James age 20
AWB age 22
Fikayo Tomori age 22

That's all I can think of off the top if my head (had to google the ages though!) but that's a very impressive list and there's bound to be ones that I have missed.

Looks overloaded with full backs and lacking on CBs, but all the same good times ahead for England?

You have forgotten Maddison there. My issue with this generation is midfield. At the moment for the next world cup it looks like Rice or bust in terms of cm's and dms. A lot of attacking midfielders not many dms and cm's. Maybe one will come thru in the next 2 years, some players develop slow. Jude is probably one for 2024 Euro and 2026 world cup.

 

[freeurmind]

Nah.

 

[charlenefan]

A lot of names in the OP that people will barely remember in 10 years time

 

[VorZakone]

Brewster & Reiss Nelson haven't shown anything of note yet.

 

[Dancfc]

Conor Gallagher and Lamptey.

 

[Tarrou]

got decent cover at right back

 

[The Boy]

Nah.

Top post, well thought out!

Conor Gallagher and Lamptey.

Can't believe as a Brighton fan I forgot Lamptey, thank god we have another full back!

 

[sewey89]

Dominic Solanke age 22

 

[Mr Smith]

Not all of them will come good. Lets check back in again in 4 years time.

I do think the options for England's front three are as good as they've been for many years. And they are disgustingly stacked at right fullback. TAA, AWB, Reece James, Kyle Walker, Kerian Tripper? That's taking the piss.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

It will be a good squad in the near future with new names like Maddison, Grealish, Foden, Sancho, Greenwood and Saka getting involved. The squad without them is already decent.

There's loads of talent coming through in first team football like James, Madueke, Bellingham, Lamptey, Sibley, Bird and Aarons to name a few.

Under that the are loads of eye catching players that are coming through.

Not all of them will make it obviously but from what I've seen the depth of talent coming through is pretty good.

 

[The Boy]

I do think the options for England's front three are as good as they've been for many years

Especially when you think that Kane and Sterling aren't exactly over the hill

 

[flappyjay]

Dominic Solanke age 22

You are joking right?

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Dominic Solanke age 22

Solanke is an example of a top youth player flopping pretty hard, this is what he won at youth level:


Chelsea Youth

• FA Youth Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15
• UEFA Youth League: 2014–15

England U17

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2014

England U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2017

Individual

• Chelsea Academy Player of the Year: 2014–15
• England Men's Youth Player of the Year: 2014
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball: 2017

 

[duffer]

You have forgotten Maddison there. My issue with this generation is midfield. At the moment for the next world cup it looks like Rice or bust in terms of cm's and dms. A lot of attacking midfielders not many dms and cm's. Maybe one will come thru in the next 2 years, some players develop slow. Jude is probably one for 2024 Euro and 2026 world cup.

Too old.

 

[Neil_Buchanan]

It’s coming home.

 

[11101]

A lot of the defence and midfield will fade away, but our forwards will give us headaches.

Rashford
Greenwood
Sancho
Sterling
Kane
Foden

How do you fit all of those into the team? We could have another Gerrard/Lampard/Scholes situation.

 

[Rozay]

You have forgotten Maddison there. My issue with this generation is midfield. At the moment for the next world cup it looks like Rice or bust in terms of cm's and dms. A lot of attacking midfielders not many dms and cm's. Maybe one will come thru in the next 2 years, some players develop slow. Jude is probably one for 2024 Euro and 2026 world cup.

It’s a thin line between AM and cm depending on formation. Last World Cup, England lined up with Alli and Lingard in a double 8. Foden is a natural for that role. This extra year will help him massively, although I’d included him in my squad for this summer anyway in that ‘pick your Euro squad’ thread. It’s clear that nobody else can do what he does, and he’s had a fantastic education at City.

Rice, Foden + 1 for me going forward.

 

[Renegade]

I wonder if Grealish regrets not picking Ireland now. He’d be captain with team built around him. Foden makes things very difficult for him now. The #10 / AM position looking stacked right now with talent. Lingard May aswell announce his internatial retirement now. Can’t see Ali getting game time again also. 2018 seems like such a long time ago now with those 2 both starting.

Reece James and Max Aaron’s May want to look and see if they’re eligible for different counties too because Trent and AWB got that RB position tied down for 10 years.

CHO will be wondering about his opportunities too. Saka can be an attacking LB and compete with Chilwell. Some good prospects coming through.

 

[anant]

The issue is that whoever the England manager is, they'll continue playing Kane till probably WC2026- the time when you would want the front 3 to be Jadon, Rashford and Mason, as all of them would be in their peak years. Even today, I'd prefer Southgate to drop Sterling from the team as his record for England is really poor.

 

[duffer]

I wonder if Grealish regrets not picking Ireland now. He’d be captain with team built around him. Foden makes things very difficult for him now. The #10 / AM position looking stacked right now with talent. Lingard May aswell announce his internatial retirement now. Can’t see Ali getting game time again also. 2018 seems like such a long time ago now with those 2 both starting.

Reece James and Max Aaron’s May want to look and see if they’re eligible for different counties too because Trent and AWB got that RB position tied down for 10 years.

CHO will be wondering about his opportunities too. Saka can be an attacking LB and compete with Chilwell. Some good prospects coming through.

He has zero caps. Bit of a stretch to say it's tied down for 10 years.

 

[Mogget]

Has anyone mentioned Lingard yet

 

[Renegade]

He has zero caps. Bit of a stretch to say it's tied down for 10 years.

I mean Trent will be the first choice with AWB the back up. It’s not a suprise he hasn’t had any caps yet when Trent has been playing the way he has. Southgate hasn’t phased Trippier out yet but I’m sure he will like he did Walker.

 

[Dancfc]

The issue is that whoever the England manager is, they'll continue playing Kane till probably WC2026- the time when you would want the front 3 to be Jadon, Rashford and Mason, as all of them would be in their peak years. Even today, I'd prefer Sothgate to drop Sterling from the team as his record for England is really poor.

Add CHO to that although i guess those 3 will have the advantage of playing together at club level.

I think you're right about Kane, my biggest pet hate in football is player's past their peak playing on reputation, especially when the team is evidently more balanced and fluid without them.

 

[Class of 63]

And James Garner to Captain the side from midfield, with Dean Henderson in Goal.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

I wonder if Grealish regrets not picking Ireland now. He’d be captain with team built around him. Foden makes things very difficult for him now. The #10 / AM position looking stacked right now with talent. Lingard May aswell announce his internatial retirement now. Can’t see Ali getting game time again also. 2018 seems like such a long time ago now with those 2 both starting.

Reece James and Max Aaron’s May want to look and see if they’re eligible for different counties too because Trent and AWB got that RB position tied down for 10 years.

CHO will be wondering about his opportunities too. Saka can be an attacking LB and compete with Chilwell. Some good prospects coming through.

Hudson Odoi is in a better position than Grealish, he's only 19 and has a long history with the England set-up. They tend to favour these players so he'll get a lot of chance to prove himself I think. Personally I think he's as big a talent as Sancho and Foden but he's been derailed a bit recently.

Grealish's reputation isn't the best with England because of his off-pitch antics and this lockdown drunken business won't help. I think he'll be in the squad a lot going forward though.

 

[Steve Bruce]

Just rewatching the Man City Liverpool game, it's the first time I've really watched Foden closely, but he does look good. It got me thinking that actually there's a wealth of young talent coming through for England at the moment.

Forwards

Mason Greenwood age 18
Jadon Sancho age 20
Marcus Rashford age 22
Rhian Brewster age 20
Reiss Nelson age 20

Midfielders

Callum Hodson Odoi age 19
Mason Mount age 21
Declan Rice age 21
Phil Foden age 20
Jude Bellingham age 17

Defenders

Trent Alexander Arnold age 21
Bukayo Saka age 18
Max Aarons age 20
Reece James age 20
AWB age 22
Fikayo Tomori age 22

That's all I can think of off the top if my head (had to google the ages though!) but that's a very impressive list and there's bound to be ones that I have missed.

Looks overloaded with full backs and lacking on CBs, but all the same good times ahead for England?

Williams is another full back that looks very good.

But then you can include those just a few years older like

And James Garner to Captain the side from midfield, with Dean Henderson in Goal.

Our Williams at left back

 

[anant]

Add CHO to that although i guess those 3 will have the advantage of playing together at club level.

I think you're right about Kane, my biggest pet hate in football is player's past their peak playing on reputation, especially when the team is evidently more balanced and fluid without them.

Yeah obviously. Too soon to say that all 3 of Sancho Greenwood and Rashford will be WC at that time. If CHO is better then, let him get the chance.

But surely, Kane shouldn't be the one leading the line. The English side looks less fluid with him in the side. He may be the best striker, but as a team, England look a bit meh with him at the top

 

[balaks]

Some very strong attacking players - England's problems will be in central defense and more importantly in midfield. Foden looks like he could be very good indeed but he is going to need support in there.

 

[VP89]

Currently I think England are on course to have one of the best or the best team in the world, on paper. It's just ridiculous on the options they have (not speaking for years in the future but specifically for the next Euro or World Cup).

Foden, Greenwood, Rashford, Maddison, Trent etc. are just going to evolve to bigger levels if anything. I struggle to think of other nations that can offer as many alternatives tactically as we can and still field a world class side.

We can do a 352, 433/4321 and can juggle between world class forwards with a false 9 or a focal point in Harry Kane up top. We have the likes of technical grafters on the wing (Grealish) or explosive wingers like Rashford. The balance of talent at England's disposal is something I can't see in other nations. France is an obvious choice, but apart from them I don't see much.

Some very strong attacking players - England's problems will be in central defense and more importantly in midfield. Foden looks like he could be very good indeed but he is going to need support in there.

Maguire/Gomes pairing is very strong. If we play 3 at the back I'd imagine AWB would be a big upgrade on Kyle Walker as the third center back and this is before we look at rising talents in Tomori or Reece James.

As for midfield, yeah it's a tad light for now but Foden-Maddison with Henderson holding is very strong and then you wonder where Ox would go, who is very good when fit.

 

[M16Red]

i think Bukayo Saka will be used as a LW nxt season more - he has just to many attacking skills to be a LB.

If you believe the media, Liverpool have a whole team full of Wonderkids. Like Elliot who apparently is home grow out of Fulham

 

[Dancfc]

Yeah obviously. Too soon to say that all 3 of Sancho Greenwood and Rashford will be WC at that time. If CHO is better then, let him get the chance.

But surely, Kane shouldn't be the one leading the line. The English side looks less fluid with him in the side. He may be the best striker, but as a team, England look a bit meh with him at the top

I agree but the problem is we've seen it all before, for some reason manager's just won't be proactive in dropping big names instead they wait until the situation is completely untenable (Rooney case in point).

I remember watching Kane's ghost display vs United getting worked up knowing he'd have been rushed back half fit for the Euro's.

 

[Class of 63]

Henderson
TTA Wan-Bissaka Mengi Williams
Garner Rice
Foden
Sacho Greenwood Rashford

Just need to get Harry Bassett out of retirement to Manage 'em, and the World is England's lobster​

 

[Mb194dc]

Doesn't matter how golden the generation is, mental side is the problem. England are doomed to fail at major tournaments. Need get someone in to change the mentality or will never win anything. Southgate is not that man, glorious failure is the best we can hope for.

 

[anant]

I agree but the problem is we've seen it all before, for some reason manager's just won't be proactive in dropping big names instead they wait until the situation is completely untenable (Rooney case in point).

I remember watching Kane's ghost display vs United getting worked up knowing he'd have been rushed back half fit for the Euro's.

Yeah, I think we're saying the same thing. You guys stick with a past-it player for far too long. Or, for some reason, you pick up a player due to his club performances despite him not fitting your system and not performing up to mark - case in point Sterling

 

[balaks]

Henderson
TTA Wan-Bissaka Mengi Williams
Garner Rice
Foden
Sacho Greenwood Rashford

Just need to get Harry Bassett out of retirement to Manage 'em, and the World is England's lobster​

Top 4 great - behind that ehhh…… oh dear.

 

[tenpoless]

Great talents you have.
Just make sure not to shout "football is coming home" the next time you do something good in the World Cup and you might win it.

 

[The Boy]

Henderson
TAA Gomez Maguire Shaw
Grealish Henderson
Foden
Sancho Greenwood Rashford

​

I'd like to see Southagte experiment with something like this heading into the next Euros, maybe not England's strongest team at the moemnt but bags of pace, technical skill and confidence and then imagine being able to bring on Sterling, Kane, Mount or Maddison etc

​

 

[Ibi Dreams]

Doesn't matter how golden the generation is, mental side is the problem. England are doomed to fail at major tournaments. Need get someone in to change the mentality or will never win anything. Southgate is not that man, glorious failure is the best we can hope for.

I don't think Southgate's 2018 side had a poor mentality. I think it will ultimately be down to the mentality of the players rather than one man who picks the team.

It's early days for a lot of those players, but some of the more established ones like Rashford and Sancho do look like they can deliver when it matters. I think Wan-Bissaka is strong mentally too, rarely seen him switch off and he's bossed some big games for us

 

[red4ever 79]

I like Henderson, Trent, Sancho, Rashford, Greenwood and Foden. Still light in midfield and CB quality for me