I'm optimistic about our kids coming through. I think we'll be fine for years now. May take a couple of years for it to have an impact but I'm more optimistic now about our future than I have been for years.
And it should be noted that the core of the England first team is still quite young. I think they were the youngest or second youngest team at the Euros.
And that's not including players who are coming through the successful youth teams, or even the likes of Loftus-Cheek, who is a real prospect, Gomez, Abraham, etc.
Didn't realise they're all that young! Even more impressed now.
Brilliant performance from someone who one year ago was regarded as a terrible Defender with £50m being a joke of a transfer value
Well on the way to being World Class himself now for me!!
Agreed. Always rated him and watching him play for City this year he's been excellent. Still only 22.
Yeah could never understand the criticsm last season and is one of the problems that needs to be removed from English Football... both press and fans were quick to jump on his back and not give him at least one season to adjust to playing for a high profiled club let alone deal with being such an expensive player (something the players have no actual say in!!)
Also I know its difficult for subs to have an impact on a game (something harder when its a friendly where so many changes are made) yet think we looked better with Abraham and Trippier instead of Rashford and Walker
Also I know its difficult for subs to have an impact on a game (something harder when its a friendly where so many changes are made) yet think we looked better with Abraham and Trippier instead of Rashford and Walker
Agreed re this and the point about Stones. But we all know there's not greater sin for an English center half than being caught on the ball in your own third. Even though his technical ability is very good, and he certainly showed glimpses of his defensive ability last year and in his final year with Everton.
I've always rated him going back to his days as an England youth international. I know he was decently rated at Chelsea at the time when the influx of money meant it was impossible for youth players to get anywhere near the side. He was also pretty highly rated at Southampton and had one or two really good seasons of them. He's always had problems with injuries, but it was still strange for me when he went to Swansea, and then moved to Burnley. Thought he would be moving up, not sideways/down.
Was chuffed when Philipe Auclair on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast talked about the fact that he really rates him. I was starting to think I was the only one.
He's another Cleverley (Yes I know he's in this squad) yet he's playing for England cos he somehow gets in the Man Utd squad, if he left then he'd disappear from the England squad for a few years!!
Special mention for Dier who I think has looked excellent tonight, both in winning it back and in his passing. He has all the tools to be a really, really good player. He looks much better when not playing with Henderson because they both like to take up similar positions.
Draw was a fair result I thought... Germany looked dangerous yet no different to Queens Park Rangers when they visited the Valley with the famous Jackson winner (i.e. plenty of position yet no end product); they had a 10min spell where they should have scored but we saw that out
England on the other hand looked good on the counter but no end product in the slightest; would love to see the same eleven start against a strong Brazil team but there will probably be a bit of rotation
Dull second half. Can't really get too excited about the future.
Come off it he won the free kick and was the only one near the ball for the final shot, it wasn’t that awful of an effort given the reaction time he had to hit it.
Comments
I've asked my boy a dozen times who these people are?
My football knowledge is shocking these days.
Cheers Roland.
Brilliant performance from someone who one year ago was regarded as a terrible Defender with £50m being a joke of a transfer value
Well on the way to being World Class himself now for me!!
A Les Berry for the 21st Century
Guardiola influence and a bit more maturity.
I've always rated him going back to his days as an England youth international. I know he was decently rated at Chelsea at the time when the influx of money meant it was impossible for youth players to get anywhere near the side. He was also pretty highly rated at Southampton and had one or two really good seasons of them. He's always had problems with injuries, but it was still strange for me when he went to Swansea, and then moved to Burnley. Thought he would be moving up, not sideways/down.
Was chuffed when Philipe Auclair on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast talked about the fact that he really rates him. I was starting to think I was the only one.
He's another Cleverley (Yes I know he's in this squad) yet he's playing for England cos he somehow gets in the Man Utd squad, if he left then he'd disappear from the England squad for a few years!!
Dull second half. Can't really get too excited about the future.
England on the other hand looked good on the counter but no end product in the slightest; would love to see the same eleven start against a strong Brazil team but there will probably be a bit of rotation
I thought Pickford, maguire, RLC and Vardy played well.
Much better football being played. Good building blocks for the future.
Gomez did not look out of place at all