Six for England...

[NewquayFox]

6 yes 6 current City players representing our Country in the last 24 hours, how good are we now and remember that we have a few more playing for others as well but thankfully not feckin Scotland.... 

[urban.spaceman]

And to think I got excited back in the day because the England U21s were coming to Filbert Street with LCFC represented by Trevor ****ing Benjamin. 

[urban.spaceman]

(It was that long ago that John Terry was the Captain and Jermaine Defoe scored)

[stripeyfox]

29 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

And to think I got excited back in the day because the England U21s were coming to Filbert Street with LCFC represented by Trevor ****ing Benjamin. 

you and me both mate, you and me both

 

[Mint23]

Was that against Mexico? I seem to remember wearing Ponchos and sombreros with a few mates in the kop being very drunk and about 21!

 

[Danizen]

5 minutes ago, Mint23 said:

Was that against Mexico? I seem to remember wearing Ponchos and sombreros with a few mates in the kop being very drunk and about 21!

 

Yeah it was. 

 

An England player scored a bicycle kick but I can't remember who it was and can't be arsed to google it.

[Fox92]

1 hour ago, urban.spaceman said:

And to think I got excited back in the day because the England U21s were coming to Filbert Street with LCFC represented by Trevor ****ing Benjamin. 

I can remember once getting excited because Ian Walker got picked. Shows how far we've come now to have regulars.

[HybridFox]

Darius Vassell was a marquee signing as an ex England player.

 

Brilliant that we actually have active representation now. Remarkable really

Edited 23 March 2019 by TK95

[Guest seanfox778]

3 hours ago, Fox92 said:

I can remember once getting excited because Ian Walker got picked. Shows how far we've come now to have regulars.

I was young then at the 2002 World Cup. I kept imagining a scenario where David Seaman and the other keeper (Nigel Martyn maybe?) got injured and Ian Walker saved the day and led England to glory. Walker would’ve saved that Ronaldinho free kick 

[Tuna]

I'm proud to see Leicester players representing England at senior level.

[StriderHiryu]

England looked frightening tonight too. Sancho is incredible for an 18 year old, and Hudson Odoi dangerous when he came on. Both ahead of Harvey Barnes who most fans think is one of the best prospects we've produced in years. The years of being a laughing stock are over, and the investment in youth has paid off. Southgate deserves massive credit.

 

England's weakness now I feel is central midfield as Dier and Henderson are for me "jobbers" that do have their place but I don't think playing both is the right move. If England can sort out that position a tournament win is possible. Maybe they can for more of a Rodgers style 433 with one holding midfielder and two attacking central players, possibly including Maddison? I think we might see it (even if it's without Maddison) at some point.

[Goober]

A Dier-Henderson midfield 2 is even worse than the Ndidi-Mendy 2 for me. Don’t complement each other at all and I have no idea what Dier offers, he may prove me wrong but in no way is he being picked on merit currently. I have grown to like Henderson over the last 12 months though, he stays in there for me.

 

Id like to imagine that someone like Maddison or Grealish will be brought into that midfield role eventually. They’ll both need to find consistent form at the top level first tho 

Edited 23 March 2019 by Goober

[Sly]

 

 

The  younger generation in that department looks good though. Madders, Foden, Greilish, Loftus-Cheek, Choudray, Gibbs-White, Cook, Smith-Roe, Ali, Maitland-Niles, Mount, McGuane, Ronaldo-Viera, Oxford, Bennetts, Dowell, Onomoh.

 

A lot of those aren’t as pedestrian as our current centre midfield pairing. 

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

Dier has been selected in more Southgate teams than any other player, he clearly rates him. 

[walkerleeds]

Foden and Winks are the two central midfielders England need to get in the team the next couple of years. We've got a decent chance at world cup 2022 if they do. 

[rachhere]

6 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

England looked frightening tonight too. Sancho is incredible for an 18 year old, and Hudson Odoi dangerous when he came on. Both ahead of Harvey Barnes who most fans think is one of the best prospects we've produced in years. The years of being a laughing stock are over, and the investment in youth has paid off. Southgate deserves massive credit.

 

England's weakness now I feel is central midfield as Dier and Henderson are for me "jobbers" that do have their place but I don't think playing both is the right move. If England can sort out that position a tournament win is possible. Maybe they can for more of a Rodgers style 433 with one holding midfielder and two attacking central players, possibly including Maddison? I think we might see it (even if it's without Maddison) at some point.

Our weakness in the World Cup I feel was a lack of depth in the squad, so whilst players like Harvey might not be in the first XI could still see him playing an important part. Definitely need to work on that midfield though...

 

we were there last night and the confidence Hudson Odoi had when he came on was ridiculous. Sarri is crazy for not playing him more. 

[LinekersApples]

35 minutes ago, walkerleeds said:

Foden and Winks are the two central midfielders England need to get in the team the next couple of years. We've got a decent chance at world cup 2022 if they do. 

And Rice 

[wardyfox86]

Rice, Maddison and Foden in that 3 is exciting, if a little too attacking and maybe a little weak.

 

Loftus-Cheek instead of Maddison maybe as it didn't quite click with both him and Foden in the u21s in the week. It was congested and both wanted to play in that gap in front of the opposition defence. 

[StriderHiryu]

2 hours ago, rachhere said:

Our weakness in the World Cup I feel was a lack of depth in the squad, so whilst players like Harvey might not be in the first XI could still see him playing an important part. Definitely need to work on that midfield though...

 

we were there last night and the confidence Hudson Odoi had when he came on was ridiculous. Sarri is crazy for not playing him more. 

I think England were very fortunate in the World Cup with the draw we received. The two teams that could actually play football beat us fairly convincingly three times and for the most part we relied on set pieces to beat other teams rather than opening them up. Getting to the semi finals is no joke though, so it should not be dismissed, but the gap between us and Belgium and Croatia was obvious to see. But what is great to see is that the England team under Southgate continues to evolve and Sancho already makes the team a lot more creative, and Sterling has improved significantly this season with his goal scoring ability now kicking in. Imagine if England had someone like Youri Tielemans right now? They would walk into the team and IMO a creative all round midfielder like that would almost complete the puzzle. I'm still not convinced by Pickford in goal, but he did have a good World Cup when he was there.

 

Anyway despite this I expect England to mount a serious challenge at the Euros next season, even if we don't win it.

[Aus Fox]

3 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

I think England were very fortunate in the World Cup with the draw we received. The two teams that could actually play football beat us fairly convincingly three times and for the most part we relied on set pieces to beat other teams rather than opening them up. Getting to the semi finals is no joke though, so it should not be dismissed, but the gap between us and Belgium and Croatia was obvious to see. But what is great to see is that the England team under Southgate continues to evolve and Sancho already makes the team a lot more creative, and Sterling has improved significantly this season with his goal scoring ability now kicking in. Imagine if England had someone like Youri Tielemans right now? They would walk into the team and IMO a creative all round midfielder like that would almost complete the puzzle. I'm still not convinced by Pickford in goal, but he did have a good World Cup when he was there.

 

Anyway despite this I expect England to mount a serious challenge at the Euros next season, even if we don't win it.

Agree about the gap with Belgium, but if Harry Kane had squared it to Sterling we go two up against Croatia and they don’t come back.

Our players are young, I believe last night was the first time we’ve have two 18 year olds on the pitch at the same time. 

Without being the classic England build up and we should win this, but as we develop no one will want to play us at a major tournament.

We have the potential to be better than team of 98.

And with two Leicester players in the squad and 4 more in the u21s the future bright for club and country.

[Raw Dykes]

9 hours ago, Goober said:

A Dier-Henderson midfield 2 is even worse than the Ndidi-Mendy 2 for me. Don’t complement each other at all and I have no idea what Dier offers, he may prove me wrong but in no way is he being picked on merit currently. I have grown to like Henderson over the last 12 months though, he stays in there for me.

 

Id like to imagine that someone like Maddison or Grealish will be brought into that midfield role eventually. They’ll both need to find consistent form at the top level first tho 

Agreed. Henderson is a decent player. Impressed in the last tournament. I don't rate Dier. Never looked good when I've seen him play, and looks thick as pigshit. Much like for Leicester, I think a quality creative CM is the last missing piece of the puzzle for England.

[Osavo]

I think at the moment England's ideal midfield three (when fit) should consist of one holding player (Henderson or Rice) and two box-to-box, more attacking players (Alli and Lingard). Would also look to potentially bed a younger, creative midfield player in there as the players become more used to the system, and when we are playing against weaker sides. There's so many options coming through for that spot too - Maddison, Foden, Winks, Mount. 

 

Such an exciting time to be an England fan though. The pace and confidence of our team right now is fantastic. Hats off to Southgate. 

[StriderHiryu]

9 minutes ago, Osavo said:

I think at the moment England's ideal midfield three (when fit) should consist of one holding player (Henderson or Rice) and two box-to-box, more attacking players (Alli and Lingard). Would also look to potentially bed a younger, creative midfield player in there as the players become more used to the system, and when we are playing against weaker sides. There's so many options coming through for that spot too - Maddison, Foden, Winks, Mount. 

 

Such an exciting time to be an England fan though. The pace and confidence of our team right now is fantastic. Hats off to Southgate. 

Yep that's what I would go for too. I suppose the only issue then is how to counter teams like Belgium and France when we get to them. France actually play a fairly boring style of football but when you have Mbappe, Kante, Pogba, Varane, Griezemann, etc, etc it's a tough team to stop. Croatia outplayed them for large periods of the World Cup final but France were clinical when it mattered. Belgium play the way you've suggested but have Hazard, Tielemans, De Bryune, Mertens, etc. IE the better players to play it.

Anyway if England's problem is "what to do when up against the top teams in semi-finals and finals" then that's quite a good problem to have IMO !

 

 

 

Edited 23 March 2019 by StriderHiryu

[AjcW]

I wouldn’t worry too much about Dier, the fact that we went from slow and crap to having some tempo and range when he went off speaks volumes... I think Southgate is searching for a reason to drop him and may have found it.

 

I think Henderson gets far too much stick mind. Some of the balls he was popping forward in the second half were excellent. He just looks worse when there’s someone next to him who is defensive also. As the defensive one of the three after Dier went off he was able to sit back and dictate play from deep. 

 

Dier has to go.... but as long as we can get two attack minded players next to Henderson I’m happy with him there until Rice and Foden are experienced enough to start tournaments 

Edited 23 March 2019 by AjcW

[Oxfordfox83]

This might be one for the Unpopular Opinions thread, but...

 

I think the England team will end up being hamstrung by Harry Kane. No doubt the boy can strike a ball, but he lacks the discipline to play centre forward in a low-possession team, and he is too selfish to play anywhere else. If we’re only getting a handful of breaks forward, his presence early in the move will slow everything down, and when we get to the box he won’t be there. Also, while he’s playing, Rashford (who has temperament and talent) will be played in bit parts or out of position. 

 

My only criticism of Southgate’s WC campaign was that he kept playing Kane throughout, even after the second game when he offered nothing except penalties.

 

I hope I’m wrong and Southgate manages him, but it’s worrying to me that he’s captain when there’s so much missing from his game. Rest of the team, classy CM aside, shaping up really well!