Hopefully they can win the world cup play off but its not been a great showing. The standard of coaching must be looked at, no composure on the ball or control of the midfield in any of the games. Its also important to remember before people write off this group that they are missing Jimmy Jay-Morgan, Ndala and Lewis Miley.
every year group gets written off on here. Talent isn't an issue. Just always odd when it's used like it is here or when certain players are prioritised and given lots of chances, despite fairly uninteresting skillsets.
I can’t understand why you would go for a more attacking starting team but play Chiwome (who has really struggled to hold the ball up and link play in this tournament imo). A partnership of Golding and MLS was quite surprising too. Trying to recall the last age group where we looked so out of sync with regards to a team game plan. Maybe the 98’s who actually qualified in a 5th place WC play-off.
I don't know, as far as tournaments go it's one of the worst sides I can remember watching when it comes to technical ability and attacking talent. Even the much hyped Nwaneri looked like he couldn't trap a bag of sand most of the time. The 2000s had a pretty big yield to senior status really. You are right though in that even when we do really well in a tournament most of the players will not make the grade. We won this competition in 2010 and most notable player from that group was Ross Barkley. You then get players like James Maddison who wasn't capped until u21 level that become better than most of the players that have success with the youth teams.
The 2010 group wasn’t that bad. Barkley, Butland, Coady and Johnstone all went to senior tournaments - through Barkley was the only one who ever got on the pitch.
Coady, Johnstone and Butland have 22 caps between them which is the same as Foden has alone at 22 and one less than Sancho has. I think when all is said and done a number of the 2000 group will have at least 50 caps for England.
Foden feels like he has more than 22 caps. I feel like he will get 50 and Guehi and even Gallagher have a chance. Honestly not sure if Sancho or anyone else will - someone like Gibbs-White will get caps but I’m not sure he will become a regular. I wonder what year will get more 50 caps. 1999 or 2000. Rice is only 9 away and will very likely get it. Mount has a chance but he could struggle to get back after loss of form and likely risky move this summer. If James could stay fit he would be in with a very good chance but he can’t and that could cost him.
We lost a few 2000 WC winning options because they were always going to struggle to translate their game to English football. I am not sure Santi Gomes would have got anywhere if he had stayed in England either. I still quite like this squad. A few could move up to the U19’s if we don’t win the play-off game. I preferred the team when Kiano Dyer and Lewis-Skelly played midfield with a more attacking eight. Felt more balanced. A lot to be interested in. Lovelace not mentioned much but for example he will get game time in Scotland next season. Can see him doing quite well.
Lovelace was pretty good last night when he came on. I hope he starts in the play off even through if we do win that he won’t be released for the World Cup I suspect. We could see some of these 2006’s move up while Ndala returns to them to play friendlies if he is unable to play under 19 competitive matches.
One player who I’m surprised has been overlooked at this level is Lewis Orford. Scores goals from midfield and had a better club season than most of the players in the squad.
Yeah he's a good player, would've been a good replacement for Miley in terms of central midfield box to box play.
I think Rice is a good bet to become our most capped player of all time. He doesn't seem to get injured and looks to be a key player for years to come. James is hard to call. He only has 15 caps so far which is a great shame. He's our best player in my opinion but it feels like he's not really become an England player yet. Mount will be back and hit 50 easily. So many fans think he's terrible but Areta, Ten Hag and Klopp all want to sign him while Tuchel and Southgate love working with him. I think Lewis-Skelly will be played at full back in senior football like Hall.
I think it’s possible Kane could break Shilton’s record if he carries on past the 2026 World Cup but who knows but Rice if he stays fit he could get to Shilton’s but he would be about 33/34 before he could and that is quite a way in the future. If Stones can stay fit he could get 100 because of the lack of depth in his position but I’m not sure Sterling will anymore despite only being 18 off. Mount is for me just hard to predict. Some players just fall of a Cliff at the age his is now and don’t make it back. The real test will come in August and if he is called up then when presumably fully fit.
Stones has been an England player for 9 years. He's not even got 50 caps yet. I doubt he will reach 100
Yeah I don't think there's anything wrong with acknowledging the quality is quite poor, there's a couple of talents in there for sure but the overall level of the side, particularly in attack is as poor as I can remember. I said before the tournament their target should be to qualify for the world cup, and if they do that, they'll have done well. I do also think the downturn in quality of talent is a bit of an issue, of course not every age group will be great but I don't think 2004-2006 have been anything to shout about, especially in terms of attacking talent which I think you could argue we lead Europe in for a while. At least the 2007's seem to have a bunch of attacking talent, so maybe its transitory. Although my main concern is a regression in ability to control games, even the 07's really struggled for control in games in the montaigu, which is something that has crept back in to the England youth sides in recent years, I'd say the style has definitely gone backwards. Our midfields are very hot potato and we, especially against better teams struggle to control the tempo of games. For a while there we'd got past that and but the "traditional" England style has crept in. Whether that's a coaching issue (at least from a selection perspective Garry seems pretty limited), a talent production issue, or a talent ID issue i'm not sure. It probably hasn't helped Cobham, who reliably supplied at least a couple of stars to our youth teams has clearly had a bit of a downturn also, perhaps we are relying on them based on history a bit much here.
It means when they become 20-25 they mostly going to really struggle to break into the PL and the ones who will be mostly bench warmers used to be fill homegrown quotas. We have seen for the seniors how some year groups have barely provided many players. I suspect Southgate has correctly worked out future managers will be calling upon championship players as the Pl won’t have enough suitable.
I think this is alarmist on your part. Personally I'm not as negative about those groups even though when it comes to depth they seem to be lacking. There is plenty of talent in there that could go on and become top players Mainoo, Gore (who just won United's u21 POTY), Braybrooke, Alves, Lewis-Skelly, Ndala, O'Reilly, Miley, Gray, Dibling and so on. Then there's always some players that surprise like Maddison or Bowen. You only need 3 or 4 to make it and it's been a decent yield. Best case you have Mainoo and Braybrooke fulfilling their potential and along with Rice and Bellingham the midfield is sorted for years. Of course the worst case is possible too but optimism is better for the mental health. Southgate has to be hyperbolic in that situation because he's fighting for his own agenda in the wider context. Weird thing is I'm pretty sure that Southgate called up Jake Livermore from The Championship in the past, certainly he called him up when West Brom were bottom of the Premier League.
It appears to me that the profile has gone old school English to some degree with lots of physicality all over the pitch, not that the boys on their are not great players, and a 1-0 loss to France doesn’t make you a bad side. development is still such a huge factor at this stage, somebody on here mentioned Dyer who typifies youth football. Looked a very tidy footballer to me, and can get around the pitch as well, but didn’t get a kick hardly because of his physical stature. their are loads of good 2006 up and down the country who haven’t had a look in, who I suspect you will start to see integrated into squads for friendlies over the next couple of years as the late developers catch up, and this group will look a little different by U20. I think the English system is producing very good technical players, but the desire to be seen winning youth tournaments means some of them won’t surface until a few years later