England - the future....

[ZacNaloen]

Another point is that if you are going to move to a big club, there are far worse ones to go to as a young player than Arsenal. Wenger won't buy someone in their position without giving them a chance.

[Hoop Blah]

Another point is that if you are going to move to a big club, there are far worse ones to go to as a young player than Arsenal. Wenger won't buy someone in their position without giving them a chance.

He will give youngsters a go yes. It can take a long time to get games in such big squads though. You only have to look at how long it's taken Gibbs, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and even Walcott to start establishing themselves in the side, let alone in their favoured positions, to see a bit of that.

[TBM]

Take Chambers for instance - he has looked pretty good for Arsenal - very promising but a bit raw. Mind you, he's not playing in his preferred position.

Interesting you say this as he's played right back more times than he has centre half.....especially since Debuchy got injured.

But also he says this about himself


The former Southampton star, 19, came through the ranks at St Mary’s and spent most of the last campaign at right-back, but since his £16million arrival at the Emirates he has now twice played at centre-half.

During the Gunners’ 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield he was barely troubled alongside Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal in the middle of the backline.

And after the match, when asked what his best position was, Chambers replied: “I don’t know.

“I’m really enjoying playing at centre-half and it could be my position this year, I don’t know, but I feel confident there and I’m just hoping to play as many games as possible.”

[Royal Rother]

Ok thanks. I did think CD was his best / preferred position at Southampton.

[glass half full]

Pretty sure I could hear the England fans singing "You're British till you die".

Lovely stuff

Right after singing about how we wanted them to fukk off

Did I also hear strains of 'Cheer up. Mark McGhee...... ' ?

[Ian Royal]

Pretty sure I could hear the England fans singing "You're British till you die".

Lovely stuff

Right after singing about how we wanted them to fukk off

Did I also hear strains of 'Cheer up. Mark McGhee...... ' ?

Pretty sure it was 'Cheer up Gordon Strachen.'

[Royalclapper]

Interesting stuff from the FA on how they are hoping to improve the International team from youths up to the senior squad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30339482

There have been many other new dawn type initiatives announced and attempted before of course but it's pleasing to see there is at least some recognition that we need to vastly improve things. Hopefully by the next decade we might start fulfilling England's true potential and fielding a lot more truly international class players worthy of a top billing.

[Whatevs]

Interesting stuff from the FA on how they are hoping to improve the International team from youths up to the senior squad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30339482

There have been many other new dawn type initiatives announced and attempted before of course but it's pleasing to see there is at least some recognition that we need to vastly improve things. Hopefully by the next decade we might start fulfilling England's true potential and fielding a lot more truly international class players worthy of a top billing.

DNA...golden thread.....wristbands

[Hoop Blah]

That really does sound all a bit David Brent and I'm a bit sceptical about prescribing too much from the top but, as the BBC article mentions, it's very much what Belgium did to an extent Spain also as they tapped into the Barcelona way of doing things that Cruyff set up.

Having some continuity and direction might be what we need to turn decent talent at youth levels into better top level performances though. What we need to is ensure that some of the likes of Barkley, Sterling, Stones, Wilshire, Oxlade-Chamberlain and the next generation of Patrick Roberts and Loftus-Check etc really kick on to be world talents and not just decent Premier League players.

[Hoop Blah]

So there's been a fair amount on talk over the last days and weeks about the likes of Harry Kane getting in the next squads so I was just wondering who else is pushing themselves forward to nail their place as part of the next generation.

Upfront it seems we've got a little clutch of forwards coming through and showing some form. Not only is there Kane but Danny Ings is going to be knocking on the door and Berihino, Austin and Carroll have done enough to be challenging Lambert who's time is surely now up. Sturridge is back from injury just in time to get back in the squad and I can't see Wellbeck not keeping his place so there's some good competition forming.

I'm still not sure there are too many midfielders doing the same, especially with Wilshire yet again injured. Henderson is nailed on, but I'm not convinced by too many of the other options for the less attacking roles. Perhaps we'll see Milner partnering Henderson in the middle for the couple of games in March.

[TBM]

So there's been a fair amount on talk over the last days and weeks about the likes of Harry Kane getting in the next squads so I was just wondering who else is pushing themselves forward to nail their place as part of the next generation.

Upfront it seems we've got a little clutch of forwards coming through and showing some form. Not only is there Kane but Danny Ings is going to be knocking on the door and Berihino, Austin and Carroll have done enough to be challenging Lambert who's time is surely now up. Sturridge is back from injury just in time to get back in the squad and I can't see Wellbeck not keeping his place so there's some good competition forming.

I'm still not sure there are too many midfielders doing the same, especially with Wilshire yet again injured. Henderson is nailed on, but I'm not convinced by too many of the other options for the less attacking roles. Perhaps we'll see Milner partnering Henderson in the middle for the couple of games in March.

Its funny cos only a year ago we worried about England not having any forwards.

As for midfielders - how about Mason, from Spurs, he's getting more game time and could be worth a shout. You also have Jordon Ibe who's starting to get game time too....

[YateleyRoyal]

It's the defence I worry about going forward. Cahill suddenly isn't playing for Chelsea - could this be the beginning of his decline? Shaw, Jones and Smalling are all shite. Jagielka and Baines have been lacking in confidence for a poor team, and Stones has been injured. Chambers has blown hot and cold, Gibbs cant string a run of games together. I suppose having Walker back from injury and Jenkinson in good form is a plus, but it's pretty dire apart from that.

[Royal Rother]

I still think Jones can mature into a top central defender if not pissed about by his managers playing him all over the park.

[Whatevs]

I still think Jones can mature into a top central defender if not pissed about by his managers playing him all over the park.

Both Smalling and Jones are great athletes and very good in one on one situations. They just constantly make poor decisions and are both made of glass. Neither have had an extended run at CB next to some one top class (would have been Rio or Vidic in their case).

Cahill - rem thinking that the worst player in the Chelsea line up is the England first choice CB and being a little discouraged
Jags - good enough but not great
Shaw - he's not shit as mentioned above but there's no way you can trust anyone from current Utd side

[Royal Rother]

Cahill - rem thinking that the worst player in the Chelsea line up is the England first choice CB and being a little discouraged

I rather like that observation!

[Sanguine]

Stones is the man for the future, he has a bit of the Alan Hansen about him in the way he brings the ball out of defence. Agreed that our other options look week, and agreed that given a run in that position Jones should be the man to partner him; but he needs to focus on being a defender, on being another Rio.

Jordan Ibe, mentioned, looks exciting, but he only has 2 or 3 starts and is surely a year away from the squad even if his form continues.

In defence, how is Martin Kelly getting on at Palace? And Micah Richards in Italy?

We do have a plethora of young attacking players at our disposal at the moment, exciting times at least for the football we will play.

Good to see Lallana back in his Southampton form seemingly for good, he'll surely be a fixture in the England side now.

[Sanguine]

A way off, but a certain Brooklyn Beckham is in the Arsenal u-16 team, and was a sub for their u-18 team last week.

Clip on this link, remarkable similarity to his Dad's technique.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 49542.html

[TBM]

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City)

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)

[Hoop Blah]

Not too many surprises there.

Berahino, Chambers, Stones and Oxlade-Chamberlain (injured again?) not in but possibly dropping down to the U21s for the first 3. Walcott strolling straight back in might be seen as a bit of a surprise perhaps.

Interesting that he's included 3 left backs. Suggests he's struggling to decide on the pecking order on that spot.

[genome]

And Barkley. I've barely heard his name all season.