OT: I think England will do quite well at the 2016 Euros

While I appreciate that it is fashionable to despair of the England squad, I think it will be pretty respectable come 2016.

I'm using a 1 - 5 rating system for the players which I hope is reasonably objective.

5 is a player who would be a starter in most elite European teams, being teams that hope to win the Champions League and expect to make the semi-finals.

4 is a player who would be a starter in most premiership elite teams, being those who hope to win the league and expect to qualify for the Champions League.

3 is a player who would be a starter at most premiership teams but not the elite.

2 is not a premiership starter.

1 is not premiership squad.


Using the diamond formation as a template and assuming everyone's healthy:

Strikers: Sturridge 4, Rooney 4 (there's nothing wrong with Man U's attack), Wellbeck 3.5 - 4 (he is holding down a starting spot at Arsenal)

Point of the diamond: Sterling 5 (IMO he could get a game anywhere though Liverpool are not European elite), Lallana 4, Barkley 4 (again, I think would play in any Prem team)

Wings: Ox 4, Walcott 4, Milner 3.5, Townsend 3.5

Base of the diamond: Henderson 4, Wilshire 4 (both do start for premiership elite teams)

LB: Baines 4, Shaw 3.5

CB: Cahill 4, Jagielka 3, Stones 3, Chambers 4 (he is starting for Arsenal)

RB: Johnston 4 (he does start for Liverpool) Walker 3

Goal: Hart 4, Forster 3


CB aside, we have a 4 or 5 in all starting positions plus at least one reasonable back up. If it appears underwhelming at times, I think its because we are far more familiar with the failings of England than of the opposition. Spain and Germany aside, I am not sure there are that many European teams that would rank that much better. No a team to win the 2016 Euros but worth a cheeky punt on making the Semi's

 

I think we have a lack of 5's I think we are on the right track finally. Once Rolando enters the fray, we'll be unbelieveable. Then we will have one 5 and a 6.

 

Actually I was just thinking I should have rated Hart a 5 on the basis that he does start for Man City, who do hope to win the Champions League. Doesn't quite seem right though.

And yes we do lack 5's but then without having done a full review of all of the squads, I don't imagine there will be many that have more than 1 or 2

 

We are ****e

 

I think Lanchester Road Mental Hospital still has beds left for those that self admit themselves!!

 

Just thought I'd bump this from time to time so that I receive the full amount of credit and/or ridicule to which I am entitled when the results of Euro 2016 is known.

Still think England are going to be a very pleasant surprise. There's a lot of promise there. Equally important, no one else looks particularly invincible at the moment.

Spanish supporters think that Spain is in full scale crisis. Germany lost to Poland and had a bit of luck to draw with the ROI. Holland lost to Iceland. Belgium has been having a mare. It is seriously open to question whether Germany, Holland and Belgium will even qualify.

The only one of the traditional European powers to be doing at all well is Italy, who would have been lumped in with England as the weakest of the lot after the World Cup.

This is going to be England's best tournament since 66. You read it here first.

 

We will f**ing embarrass ourselves. Come back to this thread in two years and you will see I'm bang on the money.

 

Got to go with BRS and Mr Tiote, excluding 1966 we have underperformed far too often and will continue to do so, there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

 

It's going to be ridicule, definitely ridicule. It's England we're talking about not Germany. Plenty time for things to go wrong. And that's from someone whose glass is half full.

 

England have been Hodgsoned (that's international for Pardewed).

We're both on impressive winning streaks with overly criticised and under appreciated managers - but there's a hell of a long way to go and you just know there will be a few more bumps along the road.

 

Lol at Lallana - so not good enough, Andros Townsend is better than him!
Apart from LB the rest of the defence is woeful.
Barkley is the only player we have that could become a 5. Sterling is a 3 currently and if he keeps progressing then maybe he can become a 5 in a couple of years.

 

We are at least ten years away for doing okay, since we beat the champions quality side last night all of a sudden we are on the rods to success.

 

Lallana is quality.

Barkley, Sterling and of course the great Rolando Aarons will all be 5's and we will conquer the world. End of.

 

Personally do not rate him at all. Certainly not good enough for a top 6 team!

 

Sterling doesn't play for an elite European team but Hendo does? Ermmm hate to tell you but....

And we'll do what have done for years, sail through qualifying and fall flat on our faces against teams better than the Dog and Duck.

 

Indeed. The act of bottle jobbery when it comes will be exquisite and something to behold, perhaps even cherish.

 

I've watched the last couple of England games and was impressed with how well England played for 70 minutes.

It's a good attractive style of attacking football that RH has them playing and he's blooding the youth at quite a rate.

There is no reason to suggest that Glenn Hoddle will take over again, although I thnk he should

 

Read the definitions again.

Sterling doesn't play for a European elite team but Henderson plays for a premiership elite team: i.e., they both play for Liverpool, a member of the premiership but not the European elite.

 

We've got the ****est group since steps and you start getting carried away.

 

See I don't get this at all. He was one of the leagues outstanding players last year. He has moved to Liverpool and doesn't really get a game. Has been outstanding for England of late and particularly against the Scots when he came on. Not a world beater but certainly good enough to be in a top 6 team and top 4 squad.