It's been said before, but if we have a squad that is mostly fit then we're among the favorites if not thee favorites to win it.
It's been said before, but if we have most of our best players fit then we'll be one of the favorites if not thee favorites to win it all.
It would be one hell of a year if U17's follow the U20's and become World Champions. The media would go into meltdown about giving young English kids an easier pathway to gain first team football more so than now after the U20's win. If we have a near full strength squad then it's a serious ambition and target.
It'll be very tough of course but if we have key players there including future England senior stars Hudson Odio and Jason Sancho we could well do it (I think). We've got players to come back in, that missed out last time because of injury and maybe one or two others could make a claim before the squad is decided (late though it is).
Angel Gomes back in plus the availability of more quality options in central midfield and England will have a very good chance of causing people to wheel out that hackneyed cliche about buses come 28 October.
It's a big "if" though. It isn't hard to imagine a few crucial players being pulled out by their clubs, is it?
Ryan Sessegnon not going is a given, Gibbs-White and Kane Wilson may be pulled out, the rest I'd be optimistic about unless they make an unlikely first team breakthrough. The FA did a good job of getting players released for the U20 tournament.
If he's at Fulham then he won't go, but if he transfer to one of the big clubs then I wouldn't rule him out - Spurs who are linked wouldn't be depending on him in his first season.
They're not going to buy him for silly money and then see him as an expendable/unneeded member of the squad (hopefully).
I think if he does sign for a big club this summer, it's more than likely that he'll return to Fulham on loan.
On the basis of the last euro and the qualifiers before, will be key to have our best central midfielders available : Oakley Boothe Kirby McEachran + Gomes. Then Sancho of course, and Phil Foden. Panzo at the back. If those ones are here we will win it.
Would be interested to see some of the biggest Football League talents in the squad, though don't think I will. (Notably Morley from Rochdale and Styles from Bury)
I wouldn't be too surprised if Liverpool's Curtis Jones got a "shock" promotion to the higher age group for the WC.
I really don't know what the favourite 11 would be... Foden, Sancho, Gomes, Hudson-Odoi all need to be playing in my opinion, but in this 4-2-3-1 system, it doesn't work out, unless Gomes is holding but that isn't his key main role...
It's basically the role he's played for England so far, but not so much holding as one of a fairly even midfield two. I think the first-choice midfield and attack are reasonably settled at the moment: Gomes and TOB in midfield, and then Foden, Sancho, and Hudson-Odoi behind Brewster. Panzo and Guehi are probably the only other players who can be fairly confident of being first-choice in the absence of R. Sessegnon.
He's an early 2001, it'd be a surprise if he did get in, although I generally share your views that he's a fine talent. Best chance is if other players are held back, but the queue of attacking midfielders ahead of him makes it an initial tough ask.
the best game I've seen from this team was against Romania, 90% possession and a chance every 3mn, Hudson-Odoi was playing upfront on his own, with Gomes behind him, Oakley Boothe McEachran Foden Sancho, Panzo Latibeaudiere in central defense.
England use McEachran as a deeper midfielder than Chelsea do, and he was excellent in that role at the Euros. Can't see Cooper changing that, he's very important to the balance and control of the group, Gomes is the only player who could unseat him, and ideally you'd have both doing their thing alongside each other.
Would make no sense, excellent at the euros to keep the ball and distribute from deep, and very good qualifying campaign. No chance. Could lose his place for Kirby maybe but would at least make the bench.
As I've said for some time (before the Euros) sadly McEachran isn't up to it. And the Euros confirmed it (if confirmation were needed). He needs chopping out. Denny is another one. A World Cup would be wasted on them. Jones could do that job better. And it would be great experience for him.
Especially with the likes of Nya Kirby, Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White possibly involved... Also, is it only me that thinks Oliver Skipp has a lot of potential, although he's one of the youngest?
Morgan Gibbs White didn't do better than McEachran with England. Kirby has probably more potential but the last games he played for England McEachran looked more composed. Given how well he performed at the euros it would be bizarre to drop him. Gomes different position.