I missed this at the time (and don't have BT Sport) but it makes very interesting watching, especially given what's happened this time at the World Cup. Rio, Lampard and Gerard tell it as it was.
Interesting but can't help but feel a bit frustrated that they let club rivalries cloud the national team. It was such a waste of great talent...
Cheers for posting that. A very interesting watch. Just imagine how good the current team would be if we could pick just one of Scholes Gerrard, Lampard or Beckham.
Basically the rivalry created by sky sports to increase viewership of their programs had a detrimental effect on the national team
Either that or they weren’t as good a they thought they were. Hamstring by an appalling goalkeeper as well, and Gerard’s persistent aimless punting of the ball from bottom right to top left corner of the pitch.
A "bronze" generation maybe. The "golden" generation were those from countries who actually won world and euro cups: those who succeeded by playing alongside their fellow countrymen only.
They were quality players, of that there’s no doubt. You’ve only got to have watched Gerrard, Terry, Rio, Lampard, Scholes, Neville, Cole, Beckham, Rooney etc against top opposition in Europe. Personally I think bad management was the main reason we struggled. Sven wanted all of Gerrard, Lampard & Scholes in the team but he also wanted Beckham & then he wanted Owen in the team but Owen needed a strike partner which was Heskey & then Rooney who came on the scene. If you wanted 4-4-2 then for me you had to drop 2 of Lampard, Scholes & Gerrard as none were comfortable playing the holding role & none were left wingers. If you wanted 4-3-3 then you drop one of the 3 above & play the other 2 alongside a holding midfielder with Rooney to one side of Owen & another wide forward playing instead of Beckham. Either way it’d have meant dropping two stars for the good of the team instead of playing an unbalanced side which I don’t think he had the bravery to do. I don’t think the whole media circus & brand Beckham helped either. Beckham been captain & taking penalties when he did neither at club level & having the team built round him even when he wasn’t fully fit like in 2006 never added up to me
The current tactics would have suited that group of players. Rooney and Owen for Kane and Sterling. Lampard and Scholes for Alli and Lingard. Gerrard for Henderson. Cole and Beckham out wide. Terry, Ferdinand and Carragher at the back. Shame.
Henderson has been a revelation this tournament. Just shows what a bit of organisation and playing people in their correct positions can do. Having said that, I reckon the current England side plus Scholes would walk this World Cup.
Rooney for Kane would be madness, unless it is specifically the 2004 Rooney and even that isn't certain.
Yes, their 04/06 versions. I'd certainly take Kane over Rooney, but that set of players with the tactics we're using would have been very interesting. Still, look at Belgium tonight. All the talent in the world and lost to a better organised side.
Agree about England & that side playing 3-5-2, would’ve been interesting. Lots of quality as well as organisation with France, man for man I’d say France are better than Belgium. If you look at M’Bappe, Griezman, Kante & Varane that’s 4 of probably the best 20 or so players in the world, don’t think there’s another country on the planet with the quality & depth they’ve got