*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I don't think we could pay the numbers Madrid do for players. Our revenue is far too low, and the wages demanded by the players would be way too high due to the British income tax.

I think the most we ever paid for anyone was (officially, depending what you want to believe about the Tevez deal) Aguero, yeah? That wasn't even over 40m.

 

[Uppercut]

I don't think we could pay the numbers Madrid do for players. Our revenue is far too low, and the wages demanded by the players would be way too high due to the British income tax.

I think the most we ever paid for anyone was (officially, depending what you want to believe about the Tevez deal) Aguero, yeah? That wasn't even over 40m.

British income tax is lower than Spain's.

I think quite a few clubs would be happy to pay those fees for Bale, Ronaldo, Rodriguez etc. The Spanish clubs aren't getting the big names by outbidding everyone else.

 

[Furball]

Tbf, golden or not it was, on paper, an England side of quality we could only dream of now

James was average - keeper was the weak spot
Neville - class
Campbell/Terry/Ferdinand - clas
Cole - best in the world at that point
Beckham/Gerrard/Lampard/Scholes - all class but clearly couldn't all fit into the same side
Rooney/Owen - class

Sadly they all peaked separately, didn't work as well as a team as you might (or might not) have suspected and the backups were by and large not of the same quality

Was it a golden generation? Probably not but on paper the best England side of my time.

England's Euro 96 side would wipe the floor with any subsequent England team.

 

[Furball]

I think Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard could've worked, it's just they didn't know what a 4-2-3-1 was back then.

Was interesting, was watching some build up of the England Germany game in 2010 on youtube a month or so back, and they didn't really know how to describe Germany's formation, which pretty much became bog standard for all of Europe for the next 3/4 years and probably already was then.

France, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain all played 4-2-3-1 at Euro 2000.

edit: there's a case for describing Arsenal's Invincibles formation as 4-2-3-1 as well.

As for the 3 at the back debate, Barcelona have basically been playing it since Guardiola took charge. Any team with attacking full backs will essentially play 3 at the back when they're in possession.

 

[King Pietersen]

England's Euro 96 side would wipe the floor with any subsequent England team.

Seaman

Neville
Southgate
Adams
Pearce

Anderton
Ince
Gascoigne
McManaman

Sheringham
Shearer

Great side. First tournament I remember Euro '96. I was only 6 at the time, and remember getting back from a holiday on the day of England-Scotland, so that Gazza goal is one that always sticks in my memory. Remember staying up and watching England hammer Holland too, that was such a good game. The England-Spain game was then incredibly tense, and we actually managed to win on Pens, and then the bloody Germans knocked us out on pens, with Southgate missing at the end. Such good memories from that tournament!

 

[sledger]

France, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain all played 4-2-3-1 at Euro 2000.

edit: there's a case for describing Arsenal's Invincibles formation as 4-2-3-1 as well.

As for the 3 at the back debate, Barcelona have basically been playing it since Guardiola took charge. Any team with attacking full backs will essentially play 3 at the back when they're in possession.

France only really played that way half the time though. In the second half of most of their matches they played with 2 or 3 up front. I seem to remember their tactics for every match seemed to be bring on 2 or more of Wiltord/Trezeguet/Anelka around the 55-60 minute mark.

 

[sledger]

Also, urgh Darren Anderton.

Only played so much Because Venables and Hoddle, being Spurs men, loved him. He was useless.

 

[Cabinet96]

France, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain all played 4-2-3-1 at Euro 2000.

edit: there's a case for describing Arsenal's Invincibles formation as 4-2-3-1 as well.

As for the 3 at the back debate, Barcelona have basically been playing it since Guardiola took charge. Any team with attacking full backs will essentially play 3 at the back when they're in possession.

Hah, I was thinking this just the other day.

 

[sledger]

Arsenal's invincibles formation was a strange one really. It was far more than just the 4-4-2 it was often made out to be, but I'm not sure I would have it down as a 4-2-3-1 either. Bergkamp, Pires, and to some extent Henry seemed to just have a free role to go anywhere. Pires is always thought of as having played really high up the pitch for Arsenal as well, and whilst he certainly scored lots of goals and got loads of assists, he could often also be seen dropping really deep alongside Viera/Gilberto/Edu/Parlour and starting attacks from well within Arsenal's half.

I know he's highly rated and all, but to me he still doesn't get the recognition he deserves. Absolutely my favourite ever player bar none.

 

[sledger]

Also, this:

WAG.

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah I watched the DVD of the season yesterday and the day before and I genuinely think he might've been as good as Henry that year.

 

[GIMH]

England's Euro 96 side would wipe the floor with any subsequent England team.

(Thanks KP)

All my ratings refer to that specific point

Seaman > James

Neville 96 < Neville 04
Southgate < Terry
Adams > Campbell (not entirely convinced with this one for the respective point in their careers)
Pearce < Cole

Anderton < Beckham
Ince < Gerrard
Gascoigne > Lampard
McManaman < Scholes

Sheringham < Rooney
Shearer > Owen

The key for me is simply that the midfield in 04 has better players but the square peg round hole issue. IMHO. I agree that 96 is a better team but IMO 04 had better players, just.

 

[GIMH]

96 had better depth in most positions too. Robbie Fowler and Les Ferdinand were the reserve strikers if I'm not mistaken whereas in 04 it was Darius Vassell and Emile Heskey

 

[sledger]

I'm not sure I would go that far, but I think the gap between them was far narrower than most people would perhaps believe.

Edit: @ Cabinet

 

[sledger]

(Thanks KP)

All my ratings refer to that specific point

Seaman > James

Neville 96 > Neville 04
Southgate < Terry
Adams > Campbell (not entirely convinced with this one for the respective point in their careers)
Pearce < Cole

Anderton < Beckham
Ince < Gerrard
Gascoigne > Lampard
McManaman < Scholes

Sheringham < Rooney
Shearer > Owen

The key for me is simply that the midfield in 04 has better players but the square peg round hole issue. IMHO. I agree that 96 is a better team but IMO 04 had better players, just.

The Ince of 96 and the Gerrard of 2004 would be a pretty formidable partnership imo. If only, etc...

 

[sledger]

96 had better depth in most positions too. Robbie Fowler and Les Ferdinand were the reserve strikers if I'm not mistaken whereas in 04 it was Darius Vassell and Emile Heskey

Yes, and the only impact they had all tournament was the latter really stupidly giving away the freekick that Zidane scored from, and the former missing the penalty that sent us out.

Sven bringing on Vassell to replace Rooney and partner Owen up front against Portugal was an absolutely terrible tactical decision come to think of it, since Vassell was just a downmarket Owen and all either of them could do was run and finish. Couldn't hold up the ball or pass. Might have had a chance if he bought on Joe Cole, or dare I say it, Heskey. Or even Kieron Dyer.

 

[GIMH]

The Ince of 96 and the Gerrard of 2004 would be a pretty formidable partnership imo. If only, etc...

Agree. Wonder if they ever played together in midfield for Liverpool.

 

[sledger]

Agree. Wonder if they ever played together in midfield for Liverpool.

Gerrard's first season was Ince's last with Liverpool iirc, so I guess there's a decent chance that they did.

 

[Uppercut]

Was Neville 96 really better than Neville 04?

Also, why did Southgate start? They should have just transplanted the Arsenal back four in. No way they'd have been able to make that good a defensive unit in a pre-tournament two-week training camp.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Southgate was very underrated, I loved him. Not a typical English centre half.