Gribz 850 Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Devil's advocaat said: I've not seen much of Grealish, but I don't consider Kane to be someone that would scare me as a defender, aye he can finish, but he doesn't have frightening pace or the ability to bully either. The best comparison I heard was from someone who called him the next George Best ....The interviewer should have asked - But what about on the the park..... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 850 Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 5 hours ago, Scott7 said: Interesting topic. Strength in depth for England but not so much in the strikers. What’s Ings doing in that list? Calvin-Lewis is young. Rashford is inconsistent. Sterling’s a scoring winger which leaves Kane as the only out and out, bang it in the net striker. One more than Scotland has, I suppose. There are only eleven for each team on the park at one time so there’s no reason why the first eleven from a small country should not be able to compete with the first eleven from a larger country. In my teenage years Scotland had a comfortable lead in head to head victories. I couldn’t imagine Scotland being overtaken. I was into my twenties before I discovered otherwise. In B internationals and League internationals Scotland’s record was pretty decent but not so much in the under 23s. There’s the clue perhaps for what came about. Population numbers make it inevitable that though your first team might do all right your third eleven struggles and finding a fourth could be difficult whereas the big boys can find a hundred players without too much reduction of quality. Another factor in Scotland v England terms is the difference in demographics which gives England a pool of outstanding athletic talent. Will reply to you in the morning sir. your post deserves a reply. Unfortuntely I hit Vodka for the second time . Im working my way through this. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 850 Posted March 3, 2021 Author Share Posted March 3, 2021 16 hours ago, Scott7 said: Interesting topic. Strength in depth for England but not so much in the strikers. What’s Ings doing in that list? Calvin-Lewis is young. Rashford is inconsistent. Sterling’s a scoring winger which leaves Kane as the only out and out, bang it in the net striker. One more than Scotland has, I suppose. There are only eleven for each team on the park at one time so there’s no reason why the first eleven from a small country should not be able to compete with the first eleven from a larger country. In my teenage years Scotland had a comfortable lead in head to head victories. I couldn’t imagine Scotland being overtaken. I was into my twenties before I discovered otherwise. In B internationals and League internationals Scotland’s record was pretty decent but not so much in the under 23s. There’s the clue perhaps for what came about. Population numbers make it inevitable that though your first team might do all right your third eleven struggles and finding a fourth could be difficult whereas the big boys can find a hundred players without too much reduction of quality. Another factor in Scotland v England terms is the difference in demographics which gives England a pool of outstanding athletic talent. As promised. I see your point about Ings but he is on the list as current call ups (I think). He was dropped from my next list. Rashford - I really rate him. I hate player comparisons but he is very much like Anelka. The difference being the French mentality and thats why Anelka did so well. I think Rashford is too nice. Ole at the wheel wont help that as he was also too nice. 11 v 11 USA v Croatia (random pick) Population nothing to do with it mate. Its about talent and the governing bodies have to take responsibility into that. Funnily enough I had this conversation in a taxi not so long ago. The driver was from Pakistan who was a mad cricket fan and I asked why Pakistan doesnt have a football team with a population of 208 Million. B internationals - bring them back. I remember going to a Scotland v England B in the 80s at Pittodrie. Im sure it was Gascoignes debut. A but like the reserve leagues - bring them back as too many players can get frozen out with U21 league. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 6,016 Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 4 hours ago, Gribz said: Rashford - I really rate him. I hate player comparisons but he is very much like Anelka. I don’t see Anelka in Rashford but you’re right about management. Ferguson would have got another 30% out of him 90% of the time. US isn’t a proper soccer nation yet. Croatia v Germany is a better comparison. Croats’ first team competes and wins. Maybe the second team. I can’t be sure but I speculate Germany’ thirds would have it easier. (Why have I suddenly thought of Croatia v Pakistan at cricket?) Reserve leagues should be brought back, I agree. I doubt if there’s a public appetite for B internationals now. They flourished at a time when people had much fewer entertainment opportunities and the Scotland B team was as good as the first picks. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChelseaBoy 2,441 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 On 02/03/2021 at 06:01, Gribz said: I would say this current England squad would be the toughest any manager has had to pick. The amount of talent Southgate has is unreal. Its a shame a better manager isnt in charge to have these players. There was a good discussion on Talksport about it and who gets picked and who plays. I wrote down a provisional squad of 40 and Southgate will need to trim 17 off this. Keepers: Pope Heaton Forster Henderson Pickford Defenders / Full Backs: Stones Maguire Gomez Coady Mings Keane Dier Maitland-Niles Alexander-Arnold Tripper Walker Wan-Bassaka Chilwell Shaw James Midfielders / Attacking Midfielders / Wingers Henderson Rice Oxlade-Chamberlain Bellingham Ward-Prowse Philipps Sancho Saka Mount Grealish Madison Barnes Lingard Foden Greenwood Strikers / Forwards Kane Ings Calvin-Lewis Sterling Rashford No Hudson Odoi or Barclay who seem to turn it on for Southgate and will be in a squad. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 850 Posted March 5, 2021 Author Share Posted March 5, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, ChelseaBoy said: No Hudson Odoi or Barclay who seem to turn it on for Southgate and will be in a squad. Barclay could be there - another quality player. Hudson is whayyyy off. . Loftus Cheek is another - if he plays to his potential he is like a Vieira. But he never does it. Edited March 5, 2021 by Gribz 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChelseaBoy 2,441 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 11 hours ago, Gribz said: Barclay could be there - another quality player. Hudson is whayyyy off. . Loftus Cheek is another - if he plays to his potential he is like a Vieira. But he never does it. I think Hudson will still be picked by Southgate as he is playing regularly under Tuchel. He is certainly ahead of Lingard and from the list of midfielders there isn't too many out and out wide players like him. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
compo 7,052 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 at one time England had about half a dozen goalkeepers of international class now they have none 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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