- Dec 23, 2004
- 11,916
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According to the FIFA World Rankings, England are Europe's 5th best team. This (coupled with a small debate I'm having in the "Capello Is The Man" thread in Spurs Chat) made me wonder whether my opinion of England being little more than cloggers capable of serving up nothing better than their usual turgid football was wrong.
I thought I'd do a comparison of what I believe to be England's best side with the possible match-day squads of the top European teams - although I don't know anything about Portugal or France so haven't included them. Bear in mind that there is opinion involved here. I'm not producing what I think England will play at the Euros, but what I believe to be the best team, and the same goes for the others.
I thought I'd do a comparison of what I believe to be England's best side with the possible match-day squads of the top European teams - although I don't know anything about Portugal or France so haven't included them. Bear in mind that there is opinion involved here. I'm not producing what I think England will play at the Euros, but what I believe to be the best team, and the same goes for the others.
England
---------------Rooney----------------
Young-------Wilshere------Johnson
-----------Milner----Parker-----------
Cole----Ferdinand--Terry--Richards
-----------------Hart----------------
Subs: Carson, G. Johnson, Cahill, Gerrard, J. Cole, Lennon, Zamora.
Germany----------------------Gomez--------------------
-----------Götze------Özil--------Reus--------
--------------Khedira-------Schweini----------
Schmelzer---Badstuber---Hummels---Lahm
-----------------------Neuer--------------------
Subs: Zieler, Boateng, Höwedes, Kroos, Müller, Schürrle, Klose.
Spain
---------------Llorente------------------
Silva-------------------------------Mata
----------Iniesta--------Xavi------------
-----------------Alonso------------------
Alba--------Pique----Puyol------Ramos
------------------Casillas------------------
Subs: Valdes, Arbeloa, Albiol, Busquets, Fabregas, Pedro, Soldado.
Netherlands
----------------Huntelaar-----------------
Robben--------Sneijder-------------RvP
----------van Bommel-----vdV--------------
Pieters----Heitinga--Mathijsen-----vdW
---------------Stekelenberg---------------
Subs: Krul, Braafheid, Boulahrouz, de Jong, Strootman, Wijnaldum, Kuyt.
Looking at that, I think England's strengths and weaknesses compared to the others are pretty plain. Certainly, England ought to be solid. The defence is certainly better than the Dutch and Hart is on a par with the other 'keepers.
It's the midfield where England struggle. Milner and Parker is again solid and balanced, and between them they have a decent range of passing, but they lack the creative spark of the other central midfields on show. Bringing in Gerrard for one of them could provide creativity but would damage solidity more imo. The 3 behind the striker will cause teams problems with pace and trickery, but the lack of intelligence of the wingers is highlighted when you compare with the options that other teams have. Moreover, you worry what would happen if one of Wilshere or Rooney was out.
Overall, I'd say England are clearly capable of being a decent team, but are certainly the weakest of the 4 here - so perhaps the FIFA rankings are remarkably accurate, and at the same time, maybe a run to the semis of Euro 2012 is not out of the question! As I say, I know nothing of Portugal or France - perhaps these are better or on a par. What does everyone think?