Is this the worst England team in years, Where is the buzz?

[Zexstream]

Is this the worst England team in years?

Are people

Have to say im not getting the buzz about this world cup and England`s chances in this world cup.

People I speak to don't seem that bothered, there isn't the Euphoria about the team and the tournament that we would come to expect, certainly hardly any St George`s flying, No constant adverts telling me to tank up with beer, even the weather is rubbish! No songs in the charts, nothing!

I look at the England team and I don't see anything that excites me, no player that stands out, and the manager is just meh!

I dont expect them to qualify and even if they do scrape through I cant see them going on to win the world cup. In years gone we always had hope we could produce some magic, the team had quality and was world class.

Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic, too much of the dreadful season under Moyes has rubbed off on me, but im just not feeling it !

With all that said, they will probably win it now!

Still feeling all very;

 

[KishanS]

I Think they should just go all out for it this World Cup. We literally have nothing to lose, there isn't much expectation of England to win it anyway, so just go all out for it.

 

[Steven Seagull]

We've got a couple of teenagers who are amongst the most exciting in Europe for their age and position, but we're tactically poor with the ball and often short of ideas. I'm not really sure Hodgson is the kind of manager to improve our attacking play.

We're short of star quality in too many areas and while you might hope for one young/inexperienced player to have a great tournament it's a bit unlikely to see 4 or 5 doing so.

 

[redtilldead123]

Have 3 or 4 pints before the game that should set you up for a bit of cheering, you'll be up to 5 or 6 by half time and 8 or 9 by full time and it'll be all good

 

[KishanS]

Have 3 or 4 pints before the game that should set you up for a bit of cheering, you'll be up to 5 or 6 by half time and 8 or 9 by full time and it'll be all good

Best way to enjoy anything.

 

[stepic]

the buzz previously has just been ridiculous optimism; the England team hasn't really been good enough for a long time to win the WC. i think people are just more realistic this time round, which is far better. the tournament will be more enjoyable for most people as a result.

i actually think the team isn't too bad - not necessarily for this WC but for the Euros in 2 years time and the next WC. despite that, i still think the team will perform better in Brazil than in South Africa, although you couldn't really get much worse really than that showing 4 years ago.

 

[Dirty Schwein]

England as a team know how much pressure is normally piled on for these tournaments and everytime the players play like they've bottled it so this time, a lot of time has been spend downplaying their chances from within the camp to give the players a bit of leeway I reckon.

 

[eddiebb]

This 'short of star players' stuff is bollocks. If you look at all the world cup winning teams through history, I should wager that the most any of them has had is 5-6 really world class players, with a lot of squad players and journeymen making up the rest.

 

[Nanook]

Shawn Wright Philips, Heskey, Upson, Green, Dawson and fecking Warnock went to the 2010 World Cup, this squad is much better.

 

[Sammyjunn]

IMO this is the best in years, you know have flair/technique, and power in a perfect balance. Players who have balls and try something like Sturridge, Sterling. Lallana is very creative, but the team is also very pacey. If you play Gerrard next to Wilshere, you have midfielders who will fight, are very clever and are sort of box to box. With Lallana behind, who can put Sturridge in front of the goal in no time, England can do great things. I hope that Roy can do it.

 

[Morpheus 7]

I have a feeling that England will have a good World Cup.
Everybody has such a low expectation, this is the first time I can remember that.
In the media, usually anything less than semi finals is disappointing.

The pressure is off, look how close Liverpool were to winning the league this year.
There was no pressure, then they beat City and the pressure mounted and they collapsed.
You will always do better when everyone dismisses your chances.

The problem has never been lack of quality in the England side, they just never gelled and played well as a team.
Playing a lot from Liverpool's midfield makes sense.
It depends how brave Roy gets?
If he sticks with Lampard and Gerrard then don't expect much. It's never worked IMO, if Roy goes with Barkley it will be interesting. Teams will not know what to expect from England's midfield. Sterling, Henderson, Wilshere, Barkley and Lallana?

He should play with speed and youth in my opinion. It would be good to see England do well.

 

[Fred the Red's left foot]

in 2012 against Italy we had a midfield 4 of Milner/Gerrard/Parker/Young , there is no chance our team is so poor this year.

I think most people are just sick and tired of the crap way the team is run/managed, seeing the same old shite and the same old faces. Its happening again with Rooney, most people want him dropped, but he will 100% start, stink out the joint, and then that will wind everyone up, and hence the negative spiral continues.

 

[Chorley1974]

After the shambles of last time, and the near death of the "Golden Generation" means that for once the fans have realistic expectations, and aren't even that confident of making it out of the group. The press are also playing the low expectations card for the time being, any decent performance, and if we make it out the group they'll revert to type.

 

[Wumminator]

This is the best squad we've had in years.

 

[Gio]

Shawn Wright Philips, Heskey, Upson, Green, Dawson and fecking Warnock went to the 2010 World Cup, this squad is much better.

We always look back and go "eugh Trevor Sinclair/Danny Mills/Darius Vassell/Carlton Palmer", but in a few years time we will look at this England squad and cringe at a couple of the fringe players.

Fundamentally I think there has been a levelling out of expectations ever since 2006. Apart from a few qualifiers in 2009, England just haven't appeared even fleetingly competitive at the top end of international football.

 

[Amar__]

You have very good squad this time, but again I am not expecting much from you.
The reason is that most of those players will for some reason perform way bellow their level and that Hodgson will pick wrong players in almost every game. Gerrard is also big problem but people will still continue to praise him because he will tackle players John Terry esque and will pick assist or two from set piece even though you will be outplayed in midfield against any decent midfield(see 2010).
Also Glen Johnson will be big problem if Roy pick him as a starter, especially with lack of top class centre back(s).

 

[Dominos]

This is the best squad we've had in years.

We've had Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney at their peaks for most of the last decade. This a squad lacking in top quality without a doubt. Maybe we don't have that many really poor fringe players (2010) this time but I'd much rather have a top heavy squad quality wise going into a major tournament.

 

[Cina sucks]

This is the best squad we've had in years.

Yep. We just aren't getting carried away. Usually, we (England fans) get blamed for claiming that we "Will win the World Cup" etc. This is not true, most England fans I know are realists - we're happy that our boys are going to the finals and we'll take every game as it comes.

It's our media who are w*****s. They make us out to be the next Spain and then they'll slate us when we don't win!

Anyway, I can't wait!

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

I personally feel this is a pretty good squad, with a number of top young players. Not sure how we'll do in this world cup, but the future looks bright.

 

[DM07]

The squad is definitely better than WC 10 or Euro 12 but its no where near the England squads of the early noughties. England back then had world class CBs in Rio, Sol, Terry, etc., A great winger in Becks, brilliant CMs at their peak in Gerrard and Scholes, Strikers like Owen, and a world class full backs in Neville and Cole.

The low expectation is more because of the style rather than players. Everyone knows Hodgson ain't the manager to lead England to success.

 

[B20]

It's the worst in many years.

What counts in its favour is that it may have more hunger and team mentality as there is a good selection of players on the up who may yet become genuine top players for whom the world cup could be part of making their name.

This team has a much better chance of becoming a homogeneous team in the absence of a star clique and the pressure to fit players in where they aren't suited.

 

[Zak Smith]

It's comfortably the worst in years, even the majority of the quality players we do actually have are coming into the tournament lacking match fitness. The exciting players are all too young as well.

 

[Swaggy S]

There was at least a glimmer of hope in the last World Cup but with Hodgson there is nothing, he is terrible, I have no confidence in his managing ability whatsoever.

 

[Bruno8]

This England team has lots of good potential but there is a high possibility they wont go beyond the group stage

 

[Sarni]

This is the best squad we've had in years.

You were clear favourites in 2006 for many with three of the best defenders in the world (Cole, Terry, Ferdinand), two of the best midfielders around in top form (Gerrard and Lampard) as well as one of the best forwards in the world (Rooney). The current side is far from that level and has very few standout players, Italy and Uruguay have equally good if not better sides in your group and don't get me started on Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Spain.

 

[Wumminator]

Clear.... favourites?

 

[Zexstream]

Looks like even Italy are a bit Meh at the moment.

They struggled tonight and they were very poor against the Irish.

 

[rcoobc]

You were clear favourites in 2006 for many with three of the best defenders in the world (Cole, Terry, Ferdinand), two of the best midfielders around in top form (Gerrard and Lampard) as well as one of the best forwards in the world (Rooney). The current side is far from that level and has very few standout players, Italy and Uruguay have equally good if not better sides in your group and don't get me started on Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Spain.

Clear.... favourites?

that made me laugh.

I think he has a point though, if he meant "clearly one of the favourites" A lot on the caf seem to under rate the England squad back then. Or maybe, just take the piss out of England for expecting.

I thought that team was capable of winning the champions league, and therefore the world cup. Had we somehow beaten brazil, we could have done it. If it had gone to extra time though, wed still have lost. I think the last 10 minute we looked dead

 

[Sarni]

that made me laugh.

I think he has a point though, if he meant "clearly one of the favourites" A lot on the caf seem to under rate the England squad back then. Or maybe, just take the piss out of England for expecting.

I thought that team was capable of winning the champions league, and therefore the world cup. Had we somehow beaten brazil, we could have done it. If it had gone to extra time though, wed still have lost. I think the last 10 minute we looked dead

They were second favourites in nearly all bookies behind Brazil (I checked, thought they were ahead of Brazil in some) they were the two strongest teams. Germany didn't have a particularly impressive team back then, France were a bit of a mess and surprised everyone by reaching the final, Italy were obviously among the favourites but just behind England and Brazil.

Clear favourites was wrongly put but they were definitely among the top 3 teams with the shortest odds, far from it now. I'd say there are probably 10 better teams at the tournament - Brazil, Spain, Germany and Argentina have far better teams and would batter England 9 times out of 10 and I'd argue that Italy, Japan, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, France, Portugal, Belgium and Holland have a better chance to impress even if they might not have better teams (although all but a couple of them have better players).

 

[Dave92]

I think the reason there isn't the same enthusiasm is just due to down to the fact we know not to expect that much with bringing a much younger squad, previously we've brought younger players and just had them sit on the bench for the apparent experience (Walcott?). The much tougher draw in the group stages hasn't helped also.

 

[rcoobc]

Wait I just realised I'm talking about the wrong fecking competition. I dunno anymore. I'm out of it.

2002 I was talking about 2006 I don't think we'd have won it. Even though we did have a better team.

 

[Steven Seagull]

This 'short of star players' stuff is bollocks. If you look at all the world cup winning teams through history, I should wager that the most any of them has had is 5-6 really world class players, with a lot of squad players and journeymen making up the rest.

I think 6 world class players is quite a significant number. If we had 2-3 it would be nice.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

I think it's a better squad than the one in 2010.

Upson and Carragher in defence, David James and Rob Green as the keepers, Heskey up front. I thought that was a really shite squad.

 

[Dave92]

I think it's a better squad than the one in 2010.

Upson and Carragher in defence, David James and Rob Green as the keepers, Heskey up front. I thought that was a really shite squad.

Much easier group back then though, this group has 3 top quality teams, any mistakes could be easily punished, last time USA were our only threats.

 

[A1X]

This England squad includes Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Glen Johnson. It's not a question of "is this the worst England team" but "by how far is this the worst England team".

 

[CassiusClaymore]

Yep. Team and manager.

Be a huge achievement to get out of the group imo. Already whinging about humidity.

 

[Lynk]

Is this the worst England team in years?

Are people

Have to say im not getting the buzz about this world cup and England`s chances in this world cup.

People I speak to don't seem that bothered, there isn't the Euphoria about the team and the tournament that we would come to expect, certainly hardly any St George`s flying, No constant adverts telling me to tank up with beer, even the weather is rubbish! No songs in the charts, nothing!

I look at the England team and I don't see anything that excites me, no player that stands out, and the manager is just meh!

I dont expect them to qualify and even if they do scrape through I cant see them going on to win the world cup. In years gone we always had hope we could produce some magic, the team had quality and was world class.

Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic, too much of the dreadful season under Moyes has rubbed off on me, but im just not feeling it !

With all that said, they will probably win it now!

Still feeling all very;

What?

 

[jeff_goldblum]

This England squad includes Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Glen Johnson. It's not a question of "is this the worst England team" but "by how far is this the worst England team".

Two of those (Johnson and Milner) went to the last world cup as nailed on starters though. With the exception of our first choice defenders and deep-midfield options I think it's all round a stronger group of players. The likes of Sterling, Lallana, Welbeck and Barkley are all better options than Milner, Lennon, SWP and Joe Cole who were our wide/attacking midfield options in 2010.

edit - also Oxlade-Chamberlain

 

[Lynk]

This England squad includes Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Glen Johnson. It's not a question of "is this the worst England team" but "by how far is this the worst England team".

I think you're forgetting the previous World Cup. Heskey and SWP starting. David James in goal, Carragher at right back, Matthew Upson playing against Germany. England might be shite this time around but it's better than 2010.

 

[JulesWinnfield]

This England squad includes Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Glen Johnson. It's not a question of "is this the worst England team" but "by how far is this the worst England team".

None of those players are even bad. Milner's trusted to start many of Man City's big game and has been an important member of their title winning squad, Henderson was a crucial starter in the team that finished 2nd, and Johnson although in extremely poor form at the moment the reputation that he's always been a terrible player really holds no basis at all.