June 24, 201412 yr Just glad to be a 12 year old and watching us win it in 66 on the telly, I doubt I will be around for the next time we win it. Still, I watched Bolton all over Europe and I never thought that would happen, so who knows.
June 24, 201412 yr Doubt you'll be around. I won't be around never mind you and I'm 25 years younger than you.
June 24, 201412 yr Not having Wisdom in that list. He's bobbins. Agreed along with Flanagan, Jones, Smalling, Gibbs, Clyne. The defence as a whole looks shockingly bad on that list!
June 24, 201412 yr Agreed along with Flanagan, Jones, Smalling, Gibbs, Clyne. The defence as a whole looks shockingly bad on that list! Compared to what ??
June 24, 201412 yr Author Agreed along with Flanagan, Jones, Smalling, Gibbs, Clyne. The defence as a whole looks shockingly bad on that list! They all have 4 years to develop - when they will all be in their mid twenties with about six or seven premier league seasons under their belts. Wisdom is only 21 and has captained England at pretty much all age groups other than the senior team. Flanagan played in the Liverpool first team when he was 18. Jones was signed by whiskey nose for £16.5m because of his potential. For me, Clyne has been the second best right back in the premier league this season. I'll give you that Gibbs and Smalling have a lot to do.
June 24, 201412 yr A lot can happen in a short space of time http://www.anorak.co.uk/371278/sports/in-2007-the-daily-mail-predicted-this-england-team-only-arsenals-walcott-made-it.html/
June 24, 201412 yr A lot can happen in a short space of time http://www.anorak.co.uk/371278/sports/in-2007-the-daily-mail-predicted-this-england-team-only-arsenals-walcott-made-it.html/ Haha one of em is retired!
June 25, 201412 yr The trouble with all this, is the assumption that these young players will improve in the next 4 years, when the actual reality is that most do not.
June 25, 201412 yr Haha one of em is retired!Michael Johnson, had a lot of issues from all accounts. Kellet and Threkald in the list please.
June 26, 201412 yr World Cup 2002 was the chance and with a fully fit squad I reckon we would have won it. Looking back we had Nicky Butt, Danny Mills and Trevor Sinclair as regular starters in that tournament. Euro 2004 was the other one with the squad we had should have won it the way the tournament panned out. Unfortunately looking at what is on offer right now and what is coming through I am not holding much hope out for the next 6-10 years unless some players develop dramatically and they learn to play as a unit.
June 27, 201412 yr I don't get this worry about the kids "coming through" in the next few years Folk said that there were no decent youngsters 2 years ago and then all of a sudden everyone is wanking over the "young lions" Opinion by large was to blood them to get experience as our seasoned brigade weren't gonna do owt in this WC. To a large extent that's been done There was never the caveat that they must win the tournament too. So why a sudden issue? If giving them tournament experience was so that in 2-4-6 years they are better equipped then surely it's job done ain't it? We'll only find out if they're better for it at the time, so why are we suddenly papping it now?
June 27, 201412 yr Compared to what ?? Compared to good players. None of them will be good enough to make a difference for England.
June 27, 201412 yr I don't get this worry about the kids "coming through" in the next few years Folk said that there were no decent youngsters 2 years ago and then all of a sudden everyone is wanking over the "young lions" Opinion by large was to blood them to get experience as our seasoned brigade weren't gonna do owt in this WC. To a large extent that's been done There was never the caveat that they must win the tournament too. So why a sudden issue? If giving them tournament experience was so that in 2-4-6 years they are better equipped then surely it's job done ain't it? We'll only find out if they're better for it at the time, so why are we suddenly papping it now? for once, he's right
June 27, 201412 yr Opinion by large was to blood them to get experience as our seasoned brigade weren't gonna do owt in this WC. To a large extent that's been done There was never the caveat that they must win the tournament too. So why a sudden issue? If giving them tournament experience was so that in 2-4-6 years they are better equipped then surely it's job done ain't it? We'll only find out if they're better for it at the time, so why are we suddenly papping it now? It's not just about giving them a game though, it's about having some sort of philosophy about how we approach these games. I don't see any more structure to the team, or any more ability to retain possession, than we had at the last World Cup. Some of the selections were puzzling to say the least. Lallana will be 30 by the next World Cup, hardly a 'young lion' and yet he only started one of the three group games, despite starting two of the three friendlies prior to the tournament. If Hodgson wasn't planning on playing him, why bother taking him? I'd have expected us to get out of the group as a minimum. Four points would probably have seen us achieve that but we couldn't even deal with a half-fit Suarez, or a half-arsed Costa Rica. Edited June 27, 201412 yr by COYW
June 27, 201412 yr It's not just about giving them a game though, it's about having some sort of philosophy about how we approach these games. I don't see any more structure to the team, or any more ability to retain possession, than we had at the last World Cup. Some of the selections were puzzling to say the least. Lallana will be 30 by the next World Cup, hardly a 'young lion' and yet he only started one of the three group games, despite starting two of the three friendlies prior to the tournament. If Hodgson wasn't planning on playing him, why bother taking him? I'd have expected us to get out of the group as a minimum. Four points would probably have seen us achieve that but we couldn't even deal with a half-fit Suarez, or a half-arsed Costa Rica. I disagree You don't change philosophy and approach at a tournament AND with the less experienced players...you take them to a tournament so they experience it (and that doesn't even mean just playing); then from that you develop a culture from what they've learned If they already had the correct philosophy we'd have done better wouldn't we The improvement and change starts here...from what we have taken on board We've never done it previously and improved as we've taken squads to "win it" not to prep for the future; you seem to want instant improvement from lads without the experience - which defies the logic of getting it in the first place Lallana will be 30 in 4 years....so what?
June 27, 201412 yr I disagree You don't change philosophy and approach at a tournament AND with the less experienced players...you take them to a tournament so they experience it (and that doesn't even mean just playing); then from that you develop a culture from what they've learned If they already had the correct philosophy we'd have done better wouldn't we The improvement and change starts here...from what we have taken on board We've never done it previously and improved as we've taken squads to "win it" not to prep for the future; you seem to want instant improvement from lads without the experience - which defies the logic of getting it in the first place Lallana will be 30 in 4 years....so what? But we did change our approach at this tournament. Sterling didn't start either of the friendlies he was eligible for before the World Cup and yet he started the first group game. Wouldn't it have been better to try to develop some sort of pattern of play in the friendlies, rather than treating the World Cup as some sort of training exercise? Lallana won't be a 'young lion' at the next World Cup will he? Or Lambert for that matter. If the idea was to give the next generation a game, why bother taking them? Particularly if neither of them really featured. I'm sick of hearing the same old excuses about focussing on the next tournament. If there were any signs that we were able to even get the basics right, defending, retaining possession, even deciding which position to play our best players in, i'd be encouraged, but there aren't.
June 27, 201412 yr It's not just about giving them a game though, it's about having some sort of philosophy about how we approach these games. I don't see any more structure to the team, or any more ability to retain possession, than we had at the last World Cup. Some of the selections were puzzling to say the least. Lallana will be 30 by the next World Cup, hardly a 'young lion' and yet he only started one of the three group games, despite starting two of the three friendlies prior to the tournament. If Hodgson wasn't planning on playing him, why bother taking him? I'd have expected us to get out of the group as a minimum. Four points would probably have seen us achieve that but we couldn't even deal with a half-fit Suarez, or a half-arsed Costa Rica. why?
June 27, 201412 yr But we did change our approach at this tournament. Sterling didn't start either of the friendlies he was eligible for before the World Cup and yet he started the first group game. Wouldn't it have been better to try to develop some sort of pattern of play in the friendlies, rather than treating the World Cup as some sort of training exercise? Lallana won't be a 'young lion' at the next World Cup will he? Or Lambert for that matter. If the idea was to give the next generation a game, why bother taking them? Particularly if neither of them really featured. I'm sick of hearing the same old excuses about focussing on the next tournament. If there were any signs that we were able to even get the basics right, defending, retaining possession, even deciding which position to play our best players in, i'd be encouraged, but there aren't. You say same old excuses of preparing for the next tournament but this is the first time I can recall hearing it. Lambert was taken as the "other option" up front; not to give experience for the future And as for Lallana, he was picked to go on form. Don't we normally moan when it's just the big club players that aren't playing well that get picked? It worked ok for Toto schillaci didn't it? Anyway Lallana is young in terms of experience at that level and he won't be over the hill at 28 (euros) or 30 (next WC) so I don't see your point.
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