-
Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.
**Official** English Football Season 2023/24
- Thread starter Furball
- Start date
International tournaments are easily the best thing about football so I quite happily take the occasional international break as a cost for that. Sure they probably don't need a friendly but there are really so few of them now that it doesn't make much difference.
Have sometimes thought having a big block at the end of the year might be better but everyone would probably just moan about that as well.
Have sometimes thought having a big block at the end of the year might be better but everyone would probably just moan about that as well.
grecian
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
do you think we feel this way because we don't support one of the so-called big teams? and that reflects in the media that just sucks the respective ****s of those teams,
I mean in a World of utter over-reaction and hysteria over every little thing, I find the shrug shoulders attitude of the media over so many retired players simping for their club fans, by saying how they didn't mix with their opponent clubs in England tournaments quite astounding.
I personally am so ****ing livid about it, all the criticism of sven and Fabio for wasting a so-called golden generation, when those ****ing generation couldn't give a **** about England, and were more interested in their sad cliques for their clubs.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
One day Southgate may actually get some credit for developing a culture where that sort of nonsense is no longer prevalent.
Socerer 01
International Captain
it helps that the current set of players are less of bellends unlike the older gen
Furball
Evil Scotsman
I don't mind international breaks too much and don't object to qualifying games etc. But when managers and players are (rightly) complaining about there being too much football, having a friendly against Australia or France in October is ludicrous.
I would have thought international games would give you a welcome break from having to watch rangers
Furball
Evil Scotsman
Fortunately we've sacked that dunce Beale.
Skipper Pup
U19 Vice-Captain
Depends if its a culture that has bred success.
This Southgate era is all for nothing if they don't win something, the talent pool is too good.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
We might do, and we're probably among the favourites. But there are other good sides too, and our talent pool, although pretty good, isn't as massively above what's available to other strong sides as some would have us believe. Depening on your definition of 'world class', we probably have five players who may deserve that label; Bellingham, Stones, Walker, Saka and, maybe, Kane. Then you have the blokes who are perfectly serviceable at this level but not as good as some would have you believe; Foden, Grealish, Rashford and Rice spring to mind. And some of those are competing for the same places anyway. Actually I'd include Pickford with them, although I know that's not a universally held view. And then you have the the weaker positions alongside Stones and at left back, and some would argue that having those sort of question marks over 50% of your defence is a bad thing. I mean it's way better than some England sides that I've seen. But to listen to some people, you'd think that the players available are on a par with peak France, Germany, Brazil or Holland. Which isn't quite the case.
Last edited:
Socerer 01
International Captain
maybe Kane?
he’s the best striker in the world after Haaland cmon
he’s the best striker in the world after Haaland cmon
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Do you reckon? I mean, you might be right, but I've heard plenty of folk opine that he's not as good as he was and relies on penalties to keep his scoring rate up. And I couldn't claim to know who else might be out there in other countries who might be better nowadays. I do think that there's a tendency to over-rate the players who we see (or saw in Kane's case) on MOTD and under-rate players elsewhere that we aren't so familiar with. Obviously he's good, don't get me wrong.
Magrat Garlick
Rather Mad Witch
there aren't really other good international sides in Europe atm tho
Germany don't have a defence
Italy might have to go through the playoffs
France are ageing and collapsing under their own contradictions
Spain just called up a 16yo striker
Netherlands are a joke
Croatia can't wheel out 40yo Modric again
Germany don't have a defence
Italy might have to go through the playoffs
France are ageing and collapsing under their own contradictions
Spain just called up a 16yo striker
Netherlands are a joke
Croatia can't wheel out 40yo Modric again
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Fair question. If you're right about 6 or so for any given position, then yes, almost certainly.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Talk me through the France thing please (obvs not the ageing bit, as I get that).
Furball
Evil Scotsman
I'll just bang the 'Deschamps is a clown' drum I've been banging for 8 years.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
What makes you say this? As to my mind they all absolutely are as good as they're made out to be. Maybe not Rashford. The other three are generational talents. And Rashford can be but seems to have purple patches followed by lean spells.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Just what I've seen of them playing for England. They're fine, and I'm not saying we shouldn't pick them, but Foden and Grealish haven't done anything for the national side that I'd describe as 'generational talent'. But perhaps Rice is, on second thoughts.