#618

If anything, the two exercises at Wembley have driven me even further from caring much about England.

I find it faintly ludicrous that Southgate gave a debut to a centre forward who has 0 Premier League starts and that after the Brazil match he talks about impressive resilience, guts and spirit rather than anything on a technical level.

I find it ridiculous that the nation with the richest league in the world has found itself in the situation of having to use its international side in much the same way as a club side by bringing players through the ranks and relying on potential because the pool of available talent is so shallow. England are effectively now doing what Wales or Northern Ireland have had to do for years, blooding youngsters based on performances at younger age levels.

Whilst goalless draws against Brazil and Germany are fair results, they are friendlies. Didn’t England win in Berlin fairly recently? And beat Portugal before the Euros? Friendly results and performances largely mean very little when it comes to competitive tournaments.

And whilst there is clearly a lot of talent around those younger age groups, so much of it is simply potential. How many players in the past have shown loads of promise in their late teens / early 20s and then not pushed on to be the top players they looked like becoming. Micah Richards, Walcott, Wilshere, any number of goalkeepers.

I’m not saying that a number of these youngsters won’t go on to fulfil their potential, but hanging hopes on them feels pretty dangerous and isn’t the greatest indictment of where English football is right now.

Not really sure why I am posting this here, probably ky a bit of a reaction to a lot of what I have read elsewhere.

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#619

Holgate!

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#620

he’s fucking decent mate. I’d be tempted to bin off the brothers clog - Jones and Cahill, and have a back three of ball playing centre half’s - Gomez, Stones and Holgate

3-5-2

Pickford

Stones
Holgate
Gomez

Trippier/Rose (wb’s)

Dier

Alli
Wilshire

Rashers
Kane

#621

That moment when even the dogs can’t hear your dog-whistling…

#622

Is this Wilshere thing a long form joke?

7 Likes
#623

not really man, no. he’s lost his way really, but if he can force his way back into the Arsenal team and has a good run of form, then surely he’d be a much better option than the extremely limited Livermore and Henderson for that cm slot.

if you’re gonna win things, you need creativity and guile the middle of the park. the last two games have proved that we simply don’t have that option at the moment. Wilshire has these qualities in abundance my man

#624

Harry Winks? Wilshere’s passing was really limited at Bournemouth last season.

#625

Wilshere hasn’t done anything for 3 years plus. Winks is a comfortably better footballer. I’ll shit down everyone’s chimney if he goes to Russia

2 Likes
#626

forgot about Winks, didn’t I! re not doing anything for 3 years, that is simply not true. he’s been tremendously impressive in Europe this season, approaching somewhere near his best form - but I fully expect you to counter this argument by saying the opposition they’ve faced are pure toilet, as you do.

re the winks/wilshire debate, if you’re saying that winksy is ‘a comfortably better footballer’ then please, do yourself a favour and learn football dude. this is nonsense

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#627

Crikey.

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#628

Jack Wilshere is unfortunately a product of his coaching. At 18 he probably was as talented as any English player since Rooney. But under Wenger he’s not reached anywhere near his potential…as I said earlier he was poor at Bournemouth last season… endlessly cutting onto his left and chipping nothing balls towards the forwards.

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#629

I don’t know that it’s just down to coaching, I think it’s fair to question Wilshere’s attitude and motivation at times.

In terms of natural technique and ability, Wilshere shold have been the lynchpin of England’s midfield for the past four or five years. He’s naturally a better player than Lampard or Gerrard were - I remember him going toe-to-toe with Iniesta and Xavi at the Emirates as he was coming through at Arsenal and looking a natural in that kind of company.

But, for whatever reason, he hasn’t pushed on and finds himself in Arsenal’s second string at the moment. It’s an absolute crying shame for someone with his ability.

I think he IS a better player than Winks (who does look like he has a lot about him) - but if you were to ask me which I’d rather have in my side, it would be Winks absolutely every time right now because he is an infinitely more effective midfielder than Wilshere has been for a number of years.

2 Likes
#630

Oh yeah for clarification cokey Jack is absolutely a more naturally gifted footballer than winks. But so are Chris waddle and ravel morrison, doesn’t mean they’re better as of right now, or warrant a place anywhere near the England team in 2017

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#631

He’s not the only Arsenal player to stagnate in terms of development, though. It probably is fair to question his attitude, but I think the club also contributed it to being a perfect storm for him to underachieve.

#632

Not sure about this though. Hugely technically talented…but hasn’t developed any tactical/game management skills at all. He’s like the anti-Eric Dier.

#633

Ravel Morrison has been tremendously impressive in Liga MX this season, approaching somewhere near his best form. But I fully expect you to counter this argument by saying the opposition they’ve faced are pure toilet, as you do.

9 Likes
#634

Was thinking during the commentary last night that if Glen Hoddle joined in an England training session he even still would embarrass everyone there.

And that’s before he opens his mouth!

hqdefault

1 Like
#635

aprende futbol

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#636

This was part of the point I was trying to make, though not very well obviously

#637

Eric Dier/England mids need to be coached how to play on the half turn in midfield and actually carry the ball forward a few yards rather than knocking straight back whilst pretending to be Xavi or something.

Wilshere for all his faults can at least do this without shitting himself.

1 Like