Is this the best (most promising) England squad (inc manager) we've had?

[simplyared]

In terms of age and quality you'd have to go back a long while to match what we've got now imv.
Can't remember such an exciting set-up as we have now and the potential of the players we can choose from.
my line-up would be 4-3-3 as follows:

Pickford

Alex-Arnold
Mings
Maguire
Chilwell

Maddison
Ox-Chamberlain
Henderson

Sterling
Kane
Rashford

Are you as excited as I am looking at what's ahead? What would your line-up be?

 

[charlenefan]

In terms of age and quality you'd have to go back a long while to match what we've got now imv.
Can't remember such an exciting set-up as we have now and the potential of the players we can choose from.
my line-up would be 4-3-3 as follows:

Pickford

Alex-Arnold
Abraham
Maguire
Chilwell

Maddison
Ox-Chamberlain
Henderson

Sterling
Kane
Rashford

Are you as excited as I am looking at what's ahead? What would your line-up be?

Who?

 

[Davìd Moyéz]

On paper not one of that defence or midfield would even get into the most exciting team we've had this century to be honest.

 

[Posh Red]

Why is Abraham at centre back

 

[simplyared]

Who?

A slight mistake - corrected!

 

[simplyared]

Why is Abraham at centre back

Corrected!

 

[Classical Mechanic]

On paper definitely not. A lot of potential coming through though.

 

[B20]

Not really. Sven, hoddle and venables all had far more promising and exciting teams.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Mings? This is Tyrone Mings?

 

[Sassy Colin]

But...the Golden Generation

 

[charlenefan]

On paper not one of that defence or midfield would even get into the most exciting team we've had this century to be honest.

Indeed

The problem England have at the moment is while they probably have about 6 top class players (some with the potential to be WC) they're got just as much dross who will hold them back.

If you look back to the early 00's England had the likes of Ferdinand, Campbell, Terry, King and Carragher fighting over the two CB positions, they had Neville and Cole as the FB's, a midfield with the likes of Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes and up front depending on when in the early 00's you're looking at the likes of Sheringham, Fowler, Owen and then Rooney & Defoe. England had a much better group during that period

It's definitely better now than it has been since that group broke up though

 

[simplyared]

Mings? This is Tyrone Mings?

Sure is!

 

[11101]

Individually it's perhaps the worst team i can remember. Southgate does have them fairly well drilled though and the relative strength of the PL right now is helping, but i worry we will be badly found out at the Euros.

I want to know what happened to our World Cup winning U17s and U20s. I don't think any of them have made it through?

 

[Revan]

Player for player, the golden generation of last decade was far superior. In all honesty, only Kane (and based on setup, Sterling) would make the combined XI.

This team seem to be more exciting though, and more than the sum of its parts, with players complementing each other better.

 

[RedRonaldo]

On paper its probably one of our worst.

Like other has already said, the golden generation are far superior, if rate them player by player:

James 7 vs Pickford 7
Neville 8 vs Alex-Arnold 7-8
Rio 9 vs Maguire 7-8
Terry 9 vs Mings 7
Cole 9 vs Chilwell 7
Lampard 9 vs Ox-Chamberlain 7
Gerrard 9 vs Henderson 7
Scholes 9 vs Maddison 7-8
Beckham 9 vs Sterling 9
Owen 9 vs Rashford 8
Rooney 9 vs Kane 9

 

[Jeffthered]

No. No way.

Look at the debacle towards the end of the Nations League. And that is a competition no one even takes that seriously. And we seem to have forgotten our performance at recent Under 21s.

Our players are over-rated, and hyped up far, far, far too quickly.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Our attack and full-backs are fantastic.

Everything else though....

 

[Varun]

Player for player, the golden generation of last decade was far superior. In all honesty, only Kane (and based on setup, Sterling) would make the combined XI.

This team seem to be more exciting though, and more than the sum of its parts, with players complementing each other better.

Pretty much.

 

[Lay]

No?

England had a defence of Neville, Terry, Ferdinand and Ashley Cole at one point. Rooney and Owen, Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard, Joe Cole in attack and midfield.

 

[Nialinho]

Kalvin Phillips would be in the squad if Leeds had got promoted, he's exactly what this squad is missing. I'd probably have Tomori ahead of Mings and I think Grealish should have definitely got a call up.

 

[Zlatattack]

Golden generation were better - they just had poor managers.

Neville, Cole, Terry, Rio, Campbell, King, Carrick, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Beckham, Rooney, Shearer, Owen.

Albeit they did suffer from not having a decent LW.

 

[Nines]

Can't remember a more exciting squad than a midfield consisting of Ox, Hendo and Maddison? Were you born in 2010?

On a serious note I think the excitement is more aimed towards the younger talent coming through (Foden, CHO, Sancho) etc. and it feels like there has been a shift recently to start playing the youngsters more than past generations. Other countries however also have ridiculously talented squads coming through (France especially) and I personally don't rate Southgate all that much.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Midfield and defense is not that great. Attack is good though. Still England should be one of the favorites to win this summer. Spain, Germany and Italy are not that great anymore. Ronaldo is getting older so Portugal might not do well. France also do not look as strong anymore even if I hold them as the favorite to win it. Netherlands and Belgium are strong outsiders at the same level as England.

 

[The Cat]

Not really. Sven, hoddle and venables all had far more promising and exciting teams.

As an outsider I would have to agree with that. The only things those teams lacked was a bit more mental toughness and of course luck.

Really should have won something in the Gazza/Shearer/Beckham/Scholes/Gerrard etc days.

 

[balaks]

You are in a fantastic position in attack - two proper worldies in Kane and Sterling with the likes of Rashford there also who is also very promising.

The problems for me though are when you start looking further back - midfield is workmanlike with decent players but lacking a spark - defence and goalkeeper are dodgy in my opinion. I think opinions on England are currently inflated a bit because people do tend to focus on the attackers but you will struggle to be a really top team without a strong midfield and defence.

I think what really matters is not necessarily the standard of the players, I'd say even the poorer English players are still of a good enough standard to do well - it's the way those players work as a team that really matters. An average squad of players can go further than a team of top class players if they have a better team structure, are better coached and are harder working.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

In terms of age and quality you'd have to go back a long while to match what we've got now imv.
Can't remember such an exciting set-up as we have now and the potential of the players we can choose from.
my line-up would be 4-3-3 as follows:

Pickford

Alex-Arnold
Mings
Maguire
Chilwell

Maddison
Ox-Chamberlain
Henderson

Sterling
Kane
Rashford

Are you as excited as I am looking at what's ahead? What would your line-up be?

Are you serious? That’s a shite team and we have a bang average manager.

There’s an easier case to be made for it being our worst team, decade by decade, than our best.

 

[simplyared]

I can go along with Henderson not being the most exciting player in the prem but he still brings a lot to the table and sets the standard for the younger players and balances the team. Long term he wouldn't be an option.

 

[simplyared]

Are you serious? That’s a shite team and we have a bang average manager.

There’s an easier case to be made for it being our worst team, decade by decade, than our best.

Nothing wrong with Southgate. I'd choose Lampard before him but he won't be going anywhere for a good while. He's got those young players at Chelsea eating out of his hand right now. Half of his squad are potential England players (some of them already are). We can jazz the midfield up with Mason Mount if that would make you happier. Difference now compared with the so called golden years are that the players now are performing in an England shirt. C'mon some credit to the manager!

 

[Pow]

Tomori and reece james will nail down places.

 

[Sassy Colin]

On paper its probably one of our worst.

Like other has already said, the golden generation are far superior, if rate them player by player:

James 7 vs Pickford 7
Neville 8 vs Alex-Arnold 7-8
Rio 9 vs Maguire 7-8
Terry 9 vs Mings 7
Cole 9 vs Chilwell 7
Lampard 9 vs Ox-Chamberlain 7
Gerrard 9 vs Henderson 7
Scholes 9 vs Maddison 7-8
Beckham 9 vs Sterling 9
Owen 9 vs Rashford 8
Rooney 9 vs Kane 9

All those 9s and never got anywhere in any international tournament.

How about the Italia 90 squad? Some really good players who were the closest we ever got to a WC final since 66.

 

[2 man midfield]

Pickford James*

Alexander-Arnold Neville
Stones Ferdinand
Maguire Terry
Chilwell A. Cole

Henderson Gerrard
Rice Lampard
Maddison Scholes

Sancho Beckham
Kane Rooney
Sterling J. Cole

My Best current England XI on the left, and still only 3 manage to get into the golden generation side. I also don’t think Southgate is all that.

*Maybe doing James a disservice? Don’t remember what was evidently his best form in the 90s, but I do remember him dropping clangers every other week.

 

[Davìd Moyéz]

Nothing wrong with Southgate. I'd choose Lampard before him but he won't be going anywhere for a good while. He's got those young players at Chelsea eating out of his hand right now. Half of his squad are potential England players (some of them already are). We can jazz the midfield up with Mason Mount if that would make you happier. Difference now compared with the so called golden years are that the players now are performing in an England shirt. C'mon some credit to the manager!

Are they performing though? Very lucky in the world cup with who we played and we still came away having won 3, drawn 1 and lost 3. Not impressive in the latter stages of the nation's league. We've just lost a game against Czech Republic. The reason we're perceived as doing better now than the golden generation is that our expectations have been lowered.

I think our 2002 'golden generation' effort was at least on a par with 2018. Beat Argentina, strolled past Denmark in the first knockout game and gave (eventual world champions) Brazil a very good game where we took the lead and were ultimately knocked out by a fluke goal. Everyone got caught in the hype last summer but in reality we got out of a very straightforward group in second place after almost messing up in the first game, scraped past a poor Columbia side, beat an even poorer Sweden side and then choked in a very winnable semi-final.

 

[Swiss_Red89]

England really has a strong group of players. They kind of have an home euro next summer so the whole country will be buzzing. I really can see England win the cup next year, it's written in the stars with the whole "Football's coming home"- thing.

The best Lineup imo:
Pickford

TAA
Stones
Maguire
Chilwell

Henderson
Maddison
Ox

Sterling
Kane
Rashford/Sancho

I'm unsure between Rash and Sancho. They are different players, at their best i think they are on a equal level atm. It depends on form and strategy i think. If Sterling continues to punch his teammates that will solve the problem longterm.

Against smaller teams or while chasing a goal maybe a 4-4-2 can also be an option?

back 5

Sancho
Henderson
Maddison/Ox
Rashford

Kane
Sterling

It would be a bit open in the middle of the park but my god has this team firepower.

 

[Theonas]

Player for player, I think England had some better individuals but this is easily the best tactically coached I can remember. Thanks to mostly the quality of coaches in the PL now and the work Southgate has done.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Some good players but the manager is shite.

 

[Ekeke]

No. Mediocre manager same old overrated players. Mings at CB jesus christ

 

[prateik]

No. That team isnt very good.

The "golden generation" was far FAR better on paper. It just didnt work.

If this works well as a team, good.. but that XI isnt anywhere near the best England have had.. not even in recent times.

And I dont think squad will do any better.

 

[RedRonaldo]

All those 9s and never got anywhere in any international tournament.

How about the Italia 90 squad? Some really good players who were the closest we ever got to a WC final since 66.

Hence its player by player comparison only.
As a team, the midfield is not really balance, and they failed.
But player by player, almost everything position we have worldclass players there.

Italy 90 is pretty good too, but I prefer the golden generation.

 

[Red Devil's Advocate]

I think the current lot is overrated. Being judged solely because of that world cup run where they lost to the first decent team they met.

 

[Greck]

Not even comparable to the crop of youngsters we thought we had around 2010ish