England's best chance in a long while to be considered serious contenders for the World Cup in Qatar?
I look around nowadays and many of the youth set ups and beginning to win trophies and I'm looking at some really good talent that are playing for clubs of the highest pedigree in the Premier League and across Europe in some cases as well.
There are a number of quality players I can think of who are playing at top clubs right now who have been giving opportunities and have been exposed to first team football. The likes of Solanke at Liverpool, Abraham at Swansea, Ruben Loftus-Cheek at Chelsea, Eddie Nketiah at Arsenal have all been exposed to game time at the top level this season and some of whom in Europe as well. Personally, I think it's a really positive outlook for English football right now and I do seriously think if these players keep getting given the opportunities at top clubs to develop, then maybe by the time the 2022 World Cup comes around, these players might be ready to make a serious challenge of it.
So let's say these players stay at their respective clubs in 4 years time, the England squad would have much more depth to it in my opinion and could have some really good players at top clubs where they are now. Obviously, I'm aware not everyone will make it, but there is an opportunity surely for a lot of these players. Trying to exclude as many current England nationals as possible, this could be a potential line up for England?
Pickford
TAA Stones Tuanzebe Rose
Cook RLC
Sterling Alli Sancho
Solanke
That doesn't include some national players now that would be able to come in potentially and there are the likes of Walker-Peters, Abraham, Nketiah etc that aren't included in this line up.
Thoughts?
Is 2022...
posted on 10/6/18
This is my point by saying, could 2022 be a potential target for England to win something? Some of the prospects coming through look much better than some of the drivel we have now and I highly doubt we will be looking to pick from many players playing for the likes of West Brom, Leicester etc like we do now.
At the same time though, I expect Germany will have many up and coming players as well and I've heard Italy will have some top players by that point as well who will be playing at the top level. I suspect though we might have a good chance of being able to compete with these top nations however.
posted on 10/6/18
comment by JustYourAverageFan (U21016)
posted 16 hours, 5 minutes ago
I agree, England do struggle when it comes to tournaments, but a lot of these players have won tournaments however. The World Cup last year, the U17's World Cup, Toulan tournaments etc. Plenty of winners in that dressing room there already and many of them are at clubs who have high expectations and are likely to win trophies.
I know I didn't include them all, there are many available which is what makes this even better because I'd imagine the likelihood is, a fair few of them will make it at the top level imo. Also regarding Solanke over Kane, I mentioned in the OP that I'd be excluding as many current England nationals as possible to show you the kind of depth we would have. Hypothetically, if all of those players in that XI develop that aren't currently in the squad at the clubs they are currently at, alongside some of the current England players that we have now, we could have a real squad then and be serious challengers.
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Sorry i didn't read that bit, i skimmed the jist and the lineup although as it stands i'd have Tammy over Solanke. I agree with the article premises mind, after 2014 i gave up hope of ever seeing England win anything, what's been transpiring at youth level gives me hope.
posted on 10/6/18
Is solanke actually any good? Seems to just come on and kill Liverpool’s attacking threat.
posted on 10/6/18
England do have youngsters that can improve and have shown quality. I just hope the likes of Abraham's and RLC's chances get killed like a lot of good quality Chelsea youngsters. The likes of Chalobah and Ake that never got given a chance and they are decent players now in the PL.
Solanke still has a lot of work to do and at times seemed shot on confidence when playing in the PL. He works hard and has some neat touches on the ball and he is capable of linking the play quite well. His goal tally maybe doesn't reflect his ability on the ball and his work ethic imo. But at the end of the day, that's what you've got to prove. I think he will be a good striker one day under Klopp, maybe a season out on loan at a bottom half PL side where he play would do him the world of good, but Klopp doesn't seem very in favour of that kind of tactic.
posted on 10/6/18
The reason I ask is he’s heavily linked to Rangers and I’m not really sold on him.
But if klopp sees something in him then I’d be surprised if he’s not got it, he’s a good judge of outfield players
posted on 10/6/18
Tbf, it's not surprising to see a lot of young Liverpool players linked with Rangers with Gerrard being the manager up there. I'd be surprised if Solanke goes up there though, not really the standard he wants to be at considering the football he's been exposed to this season.
posted on 10/6/18
Solanke over Rashford??? Lay off the drugs.
posted on 10/6/18
Read the part just before the line up, which says, "excluding as many current England nationals as possible". The only reason I included that was to give an insight to the quality of depth that would be available to the England squad. As of now I'd expect Rashford to be in that England side in 2022, but some of those players in that XI might be as well.
posted on 11/6/18
Best of luck in future to English football team for men and women.
posted on 11/6/18
comment by JustYourAverageFan (U21016)
posted 19 hours, 21 minutes ago
England do have youngsters that can improve and have shown quality. I just hope the likes of Abraham's and RLC's chances get killed like a lot of good quality Chelsea youngsters. The likes of Chalobah and Ake that never got given a chance and they are decent players now in the PL.
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Chalobah isn't that good, he's probably punching above his weight being at Watford, let alone Chelsea.