World Cup Group D - Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

[billyiddo]

Euro 96 squad :

Spoiler

[TABLE="class: sortable jquery-tablesorter, width: 100%"][TR][TD="align: right"]1[/TD][TD="align: center"]GK[/TD][TD]David Seaman[/TD][TD]19 September 1963 (aged 32)[/TD][TD="align: center"]24[/TD][TD] Arsenal[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]2[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Gary Neville[/TD][TD]18 February 1975 (aged 21)[/TD][TD="align: center"]10[/TD][TD] Manchester United[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]3[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Stuart Pearce[/TD][TD]24 April 1962 (aged 34)[/TD][TD="align: center"]65[/TD][TD] Nottingham Forest[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]4[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Paul Ince[/TD][TD]21 October 1967 (aged 28)[/TD][TD="align: center"]19[/TD][TD] Internazionale[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]5[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Tony Adams (Captain)[/TD][TD]10 October 1966 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]40[/TD][TD] Arsenal[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]6[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Gareth Southgate[/TD][TD]3 September 1970 (aged 25)[/TD][TD="align: center"]4[/TD][TD] Aston Villa[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]7[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]David Platt[/TD][TD]10 June 1966 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]58[/TD][TD] Arsenal[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]8[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Paul Gascoigne[/TD][TD]27 May 1967 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]38[/TD][TD] Rangers[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]9[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Alan Shearer[/TD][TD]13 August 1970 (aged 25)[/TD][TD="align: center"]23[/TD][TD] Blackburn Rovers[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]10[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Teddy Sheringham[/TD][TD]2 April 1966 (aged 30)[/TD][TD="align: center"]15[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]11[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Darren Anderton[/TD][TD]3 March 1972 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]11[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]12[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Steve Howey[/TD][TD]26 October 1971 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]4[/TD][TD] Saudi Sportswashing Machine[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]13[/TD][TD="align: center"]GK[/TD][TD]Tim Flowers[/TD][TD]3 February 1967 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]8[/TD][TD] Blackburn Rovers[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]14[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Nick Barmby[/TD][TD]11 February 1974 (aged 22)[/TD][TD="align: center"]6[/TD][TD] Middlesbrough[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]15[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Jamie Redknapp[/TD][TD]25 June 1973 (aged 22)[/TD][TD="align: center"]4[/TD][TD] Liverpool[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]16[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Sol Campbell[/TD][TD]18 September 1974 (aged 21)[/TD][TD="align: center"]1[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]17[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Steve McManaman[/TD][TD]11 February 1972 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]10[/TD][TD] Liverpool[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]18[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Les Ferdinand[/TD][TD]8 December 1966 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]10[/TD][TD] Saudi Sportswashing Machine[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]19[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Phil Neville[/TD][TD]21 January 1977 (aged 19)[/TD][TD="align: center"]1[/TD][TD] Manchester United[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]20[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Steve Stone[/TD][TD]20 August 1971 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]6[/TD][TD] Nottingham Forest[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]21[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Robbie Fowler[/TD][TD]9 April 1975 (aged 21)[/TD][TD="align: center"]3[/TD][TD] Liverpool[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]22[/TD][TD="align: center"]GK[/TD][TD]Ian Walker[/TD][TD]31 October 1971 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]2[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

13 players from 'smaller clubs' - 7 of which were starters, iirc

 

[AVB]

Imagine last August someone would say we would come above United and we would get as far as Spain I'd bite there hand off haha

 

[Hidden]

Unbelievable World Cup. I don't have a clue what to expect next.

 

[Jordinho]

Euro 96 squad :

Spoiler

[TABLE="class: sortable jquery-tablesorter, width: 100%"][TR][TD="align: right"]1[/TD][TD="align: center"]GK[/TD][TD]David Seaman[/TD][TD]19 September 1963 (aged 32)[/TD][TD="align: center"]24[/TD][TD] Arsenal[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]2[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Gary Neville[/TD][TD]18 February 1975 (aged 21)[/TD][TD="align: center"]10[/TD][TD] Manchester United[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]3[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Stuart Pearce[/TD][TD]24 April 1962 (aged 34)[/TD][TD="align: center"]65[/TD][TD] Nottingham Forest[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]4[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Paul Ince[/TD][TD]21 October 1967 (aged 28)[/TD][TD="align: center"]19[/TD][TD] Internazionale[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]5[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Tony Adams (Captain)[/TD][TD]10 October 1966 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]40[/TD][TD] Arsenal[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]6[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Gareth Southgate[/TD][TD]3 September 1970 (aged 25)[/TD][TD="align: center"]4[/TD][TD] Aston Villa[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]7[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]David Platt[/TD][TD]10 June 1966 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]58[/TD][TD] Arsenal[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]8[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Paul Gascoigne[/TD][TD]27 May 1967 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]38[/TD][TD] Rangers[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]9[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Alan Shearer[/TD][TD]13 August 1970 (aged 25)[/TD][TD="align: center"]23[/TD][TD] Blackburn Rovers[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]10[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Teddy Sheringham[/TD][TD]2 April 1966 (aged 30)[/TD][TD="align: center"]15[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]11[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Darren Anderton[/TD][TD]3 March 1972 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]11[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]12[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Steve Howey[/TD][TD]26 October 1971 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]4[/TD][TD] Saudi Sportswashing Machine[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]13[/TD][TD="align: center"]GK[/TD][TD]Tim Flowers[/TD][TD]3 February 1967 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]8[/TD][TD] Blackburn Rovers[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]14[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Nick Barmby[/TD][TD]11 February 1974 (aged 22)[/TD][TD="align: center"]6[/TD][TD] Middlesbrough[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]15[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Jamie Redknapp[/TD][TD]25 June 1973 (aged 22)[/TD][TD="align: center"]4[/TD][TD] Liverpool[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]16[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Sol Campbell[/TD][TD]18 September 1974 (aged 21)[/TD][TD="align: center"]1[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]17[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Steve McManaman[/TD][TD]11 February 1972 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]10[/TD][TD] Liverpool[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]18[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Les Ferdinand[/TD][TD]8 December 1966 (aged 29)[/TD][TD="align: center"]10[/TD][TD] Saudi Sportswashing Machine[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]19[/TD][TD="align: center"]DF[/TD][TD]Phil Neville[/TD][TD]21 January 1977 (aged 19)[/TD][TD="align: center"]1[/TD][TD] Manchester United[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]20[/TD][TD="align: center"]MF[/TD][TD]Steve Stone[/TD][TD]20 August 1971 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]6[/TD][TD] Nottingham Forest[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]21[/TD][TD="align: center"]FW[/TD][TD]Robbie Fowler[/TD][TD]9 April 1975 (aged 21)[/TD][TD="align: center"]3[/TD][TD] Liverpool[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: right"]22[/TD][TD="align: center"]GK[/TD][TD]Ian Walker[/TD][TD]31 October 1971 (aged 24)[/TD][TD="align: center"]2[/TD][TD] Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

13 players from 'smaller clubs' - 7 of which were starters, iirc

There are a lot of players there that would have gotten into the squads of the other major countries. Current one? Probably none.

 

[Neymar]

but those players you have listed have been a mainstay in what i would consider a terrible period for English national football - mind numbing boring football and only ever doing enough to scrape past teams we should be beating and folding when faced with decent opposition. i can't believe you are holding these players up as a benchmark!

they did the close to doing somewhat well though, despite never really performing that well. like i have mentioned before, had some refereering decisions or penalty shootouts gone their way, who knows. also a lot of the sides who win these tournaments often do not perform that well either. its really not too much unlike england. but thats football. a game decided by moments. and to do well those moments need to go your way.

 

[billyiddo]

There are a lot of players there that would have gotten into the squads of the other major countries. Current one? Probably none.

not disputing that, of course they were good players - im disagreeing with the idea that the only players good enough for England to build a competitive team with are those from the big clubs.

as shown by the Euro 96 squad - if you build a team with a group of players that compliment one another you'll do well, regardless of the stature of the teams you play for domestically (obviously you're not gonna win the world cup with a 23 picked from the Ryman league - no matter how well they are gelled :lol: but still, i think it's a valid point)

 

[Neymar]

not disputing that, of course they were good players - im disagreeing with the idea that the only players good enough for England to build a competitive team with are those from the big clubs

but how much more different could the squad or starting 11 have been? if we put any more mid-table side players in it, we'd become stoke.

people were calling for someone like barkley. but lets not forget, he can't even garuntee himself a starting spot for a non top-4 side

 

[billyiddo]

but how much more different could the squad or starting 11 have been? if we put any more mid-table side players in it, we'd become stoke.

people were calling for someone like barkley. but lets not forget, he can't even garuntee himself a starting spot for a non top-4 side

im more concerned with a players game and how he would compliment his team mates and the tactics/formation he is asked to play than what level club he is playing for.

Gerrard and Rooney both stuck out like sore thumbs in the Italy game IMV - they didn't suit what we were trying to do at all. had we replaced them with players who are a 'level below' them but more suited to the style of play/tactics etc then it would have meant the team as a whole would have likely been in better shape.

 

[THFC6061]

The FA have set up a moral-boosting post World Cup Finals match for England against Iceland.

If it goes well, we'll also play Tesco, then Asda.

 

[Neymar]

im more concerned with a players game and how he would compliment his team mates and the tactics/formation he is asked to play than what level club he is playing for.

i agree with this. and i'm probably with you in thinking that too often england managers have just picked the 11 best individuals over the past decade. but i really don't think this team could've been much different. we all have our individual preferences and tweeks that we would have made. but i dont think there would've been any significant difference in performance.

 

[billyiddo]

i agree with this. and i'm probably with you in thinking that too often england managers have just picked the 11 best individuals over the past decade. but i really don't think this team could've been much different. we all have our individual preferences and tweeks that we would have made. but i dont think there would've been any significant difference in performance.

cool


although i do think Lallana instead of Rooney would have seen a noticeable difference personally.

 

[Spurmac1974]

How Wellbeck started both games is totally beyond me, he offers absolutley nothing!

 

[billyiddo]

he was one of our better players :rio:

 

[Spurmac1974]

he was one of our better players :rio:

Who Wellbeck? How exactly, what did he offer? If he wasnt at Utd he would be nowhere near that squad.

 

[Jordinho]

A bit like Kuyt. Not enough goal threat to be a striker, not enough skill to be a winger. Runs around a lot though.

 

[billyiddo]

Who Wellbeck? How exactly, what did he offer? If he wasnt at Utd he would be nowhere near that squad.

yes he would be, he's a good player. he does a lot of the unfashionable work though so rarely gets credit. linked up well with Sturridge and Sterling and defended from the front, lot's of effort/never gave up/never went missing

 

[Spurmac1974]

A bit like Kuyt. Not enough goal threat to be a striker, not enough skill to be a winger. Runs around a lot though.

Seems to be one of Woy's favourites though, its hard to expect a team to play without fear though when their manager manages with fear!

 

[milo]

How Wellbeck started both games is totally beyond me, he offers absolutley nothing!

I think that he was far from being the worst English player in either game.

 

[thfcsteff]

Would Milner have provided more than Wellbeck given the role Wellbeck was playing? I think he might have. But again, if this is about the future then the experience will have done Wellbeck a lot of good hopefully...

 

[Huddy]

This is how I want to see England line-up against Costa Rica providing we stick with Roy's favoured 4-2-3-1.

________________Hart_________________

Johnson____Cahill______Jones_____Shaw

________Henderson__Wilshere_________

_____Sterling____Barkley____Oxlade_____

______________Sturridge______________

It's over now, time to give these youngsters as much experience as possible.