We have some exciting young players coming through but it's all potential right now. Huge weakness in midfield, defense and goalkeeper. Can't argue we have some exceptional attacking talent though.
Who did nothing.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.
Sure its a good squad, as I've already said. But what exactly has this squad achieved? 4th in WC? Which was 1 round better than the golden generation who only managed to get into last 8 obviously. But it hasn't exactly achieved anything either. Personally I still preferred the gold generation, which kind of flopped obviously, but it has the real potential to be the best in the world at that time.Who did nothing.
Italia 90 squad
1 GK Peter Shilton
2 DF Gary Stevens
3 DF Stuart Pearce
4 MF Neil Webb
5 DF Des Walker
6 DF Terry Butcher
7 MF Bryan Robson (c)
8 MF Chris Waddle
9 FW Peter Beardsley
10 FW Gary Lineker
11 MF John Barnes
12 DF Paul Parker
13 GK Chris Woods
14 DF Mark Wright
15 DF Tony Dorigo
16 MF Steve McMahon
17 MF David Platt
18 MF Steve Hodge
19 MF Paul Gascoigne
20 MF Trevor Steven
21 FW Steve Bull
22 GK David Seaman
I don’t recall Seaman and J.Cole being in the same period. Goalkeeper and Dynamic wide players was always the issue with the golden generation. Also the lack of tactical flexibility, 442 should have been left alone with the players available but every manager insisted on it. With a modern 433, you could have used both Lampard and Gerrard alongside a Hargreaves/Carrick. Beckham could have been used in the KDB role too.No. The early-mid 2000s squad was miles better. Rooney, Owen, Gerrard, Lampard, J. Cole, Beckham, Scholes, Carrick, Lampard, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Terry, Campbell, King, Carragher, Neville brothers, A. Cole, etc
Miles better.
Seamanthat team would fecking smash this lot. If you wanna go more conservative in the middle replace one of Scholes/Gerrard/Lampard with Hargreaves or Carrick, it's still a battering.
G.Neville Ferdinand Terry A.Cole
Beckham Scholes Gerrard J.Cole
Lampard
Rooney
They are better players on the left but they never formed a good team (at least after Euro 2004). The current bunch are the best for 10 years and seem to have a manager who understand them and knows how to make them gel. They should have a decent chance of getting to the last 4 of the Euros.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
But in reality they were pretty meh.No. The early-mid 2000s squad was miles better. Rooney, Owen, Gerrard, Lampard, J. Cole, Beckham, Scholes, Carrick, Lampard, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Terry, Campbell, King, Carragher, Neville brothers, A. Cole, etc
Miles better.
Seamanthat team would fecking smash this lot. If you wanna go more conservative in the middle replace one of Scholes/Gerrard/Lampard with Hargreaves or Carrick, it's still a battering.
G.Neville Ferdinand Terry A.Cole
Beckham Scholes Gerrard J.Cole
Lampard
Rooney
Shows you how important the manager is.Hilarious how in the 2008 UCL final, half of the 20 starting outfield players were English yet that team couldn’t even make it to the Euros that summer.
Brown, Terry, Ferdinand, A Cole, J Cole, Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Lampard, Rooney
That’s without a peak Gerrard who was eliminated in the semifinal.
I don't think he's even saying the 9s are wrong. Those were fantastic players.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.
AgreedUntil you meet another decent team yes it is an out of this world most promising young team of forever and all times!. Lads, its Montenegro. Did ye get beat by the Czechs a couple if weeks ago?
I think mentality is a big factor for the 'golden generation', I dont think the players or the fans felt we were capable of mixing it with the top 4 teams in the world. We were quarter finals at best. We had an inferiority complex at that level.Golden generation had fantastic individuality but we're not cohesive as a team, had no rhythm or style, didn't have the mentality, lots of square pegs in wholes. They simply didn't work together for a variety of reasons and it showed on the pitch. They never really looked a "team" and all the hype because of individual talent at club level rather than what we actually saw on the pitch.
This team might not be as good individually but IMO perform much better as a team. Theres a clear ethos, a clear mentality, actual rhythm, actual direction. It's why Jordan fecking Henderson doesn't look totally awful when he plays for England, or Liverpool for that matter.
Sterling as a 10 and Stones as DM? That midfield would get schooled against any good team.Our midfield and defence is a bit suspect, maybe 4231 and fit sterling, rashford, kane and sancho all in the side.
-------- pickford
Taa-Maguire-tomori-chilwell
-----henderson-stones
--sancho--sterling--rashford
----------------kane
On paper the "golden generation" had great players, but if it were possible to have them play against the squad England has now, I would take the new team to win. Mind you, if the old team had a modern manager who could select a team to play in today's style it might not be so clear cut...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
Says it all about the way that team was managed. Talent was it was on a different level to the current lot. But as with any team, management and coaching is key.Hilarious how in the 2008 UCL final, half of the 20 starting outfield players were English yet that team couldn’t even make it to the Euros that summer.
Brown, Terry, Ferdinand, A Cole, J Cole, Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Lampard, Rooney
That’s without a peak Gerrard who was eliminated in the semifinal.
James won't get over TAA. I rate James but TAA is a generational talent.I love how our lads are being overlooked. This time next year all bar Tammy will be starting.
So's James, he was the star player of the most successful academy side for generations.James won't get over TAA. I rate James but TAA is a generational talent.
What that generation lacked though was quality quick dribblers with goal threat and ability to play in triangles and a nimble pivot too - though Hargreaves was good in big games tbh. Also distinct lack of attacking full backs.Hilarious how in the 2008 UCL final, half of the 20 starting outfield players were English yet that team couldn’t even make it to the Euros that summer.
Brown, Terry, Ferdinand, A Cole, J Cole, Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Lampard, Rooney
That’s without a peak Gerrard who was eliminated in the semifinal.
If that had been the team England put out everyone would have been mad about Hargreaves playing on the right and no Gerrard but they probably would have gone pretty far. Good dour international team with club partnerships, Rooney a handful as lone striker and Lampard and set pieces probably giving just enough of a goal threat.Hilarious how in the 2008 UCL final, half of the 20 starting outfield players were English yet that team couldn’t even make it to the Euros that summer.
Brown, Terry, Ferdinand, A Cole, J Cole, Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Lampard, Rooney
That’s without a peak Gerrard who was eliminated in the semifinal.
I believe Scholes had retired from international football by then?If that had been the team England put out everyone would have been mad about Hargreaves playing on the right and no Gerrard but they probably would have gone pretty far. Good dour international team with club partnerships, Rooney a handful as lone striker and Lampard and set pieces probably giving just enough of a goal threat.
I agree.What that generation lacked though was quality quick dribblers with goal threat and ability to play in triangles and a nimble pivot too - though Hargreaves was good in big games tbh. Also distinct lack of attacking full backs.
These are key elements in the fluidity of modern successful sides.
Someone like Scholes would love playing in the current set up..
Over Kane? Kane is absolutely on fire for England currently, he has 11 goals and 4 assists in 7 qualifying games so far, an average of slightly over 2 goals and assists per game!I love how our lads are being overlooked. This time next year all bar Tammy will be starting.