England's prospects at Euro 2016? (1 Viewer)

[Gazolba]

Well we qualified with a perfect 100% record and you cannot do any better than that. Admittedly the group was not the strongest but in the past we have slipped up against many lesser teams. My big concern is what team Hodgson will pick. He always seems to play the safe option rather than risking the younger up and coming players. For instance, I would not have Rooney in my starting eleven. He never shines in major tournaments and England's record is better without him in the team.

 

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[LastGarrison]

Chances of actually winning it are slim, however, I disagree about Hodgson playing safe and personally I think he is constantly giving opportunities to younger players and I think the average age of our squad will be quite young.

We have a distinct lack of truly world class strikers but with Rooney, Kane, a fit Sturridge and a fit Welbeck they each provide something completely different so you never know.

 

[covmark]

We have a better chance than the Dutch.
It annoys the shit out of me how much stick England are getting after breezing through an easy group. I dread to think of the reaction had we had a shocker like Holland or lost twice like Germany, or got beaten by Slovakia like Spain did.
They're through with 10 out of 10 and I think we could do well next year.

 

[Captain Dart]

Englands qualifying group was very weak & current results mean very little.

My gut tells me that something should be done about the current practise of friendly's to make them mean something when the better teams play each other. Currently they are treated as unimportant training exercises which use large numbers of subs. Consequently they are not very interesting.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

I have seen very little of it but they can only beat the teams that are against them, the odds will have improved with the Dutch not qualifying as on their day they can beat anyone or stink the place out!

 

[stupot07]

The standard is lower than the World Cup, so I expect us to get out of the group but get knocked out in the Quarters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors

 

[covmark]

The standard is lower than the World Cup, so I expect us to get out of the group but get knocked out in the Quarters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors

I agree, the additional 8 teams to qualify has definitely watered the competition down. A 16 team Euros was strong compared to the world cup. Not any more though.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

I agree, the additional 8 teams to qualify has definitely watered the competition down. A 16 team Euros was strong compared to the world cup. Not any more though.

It is almost harder not to qualify than qualify and even when you get there only eight teams go out in the group stage.

 

[Juggernaut]

Knocked out as soon as we face a team that's half decent, as always.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

I predict total mayhem in France.....3 "home" nations plus possibly Eire....cheap & easy to get to....messy...very very messy.

My prediction on the pitch....England to lose on pens in the QF's.....to Wales

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Knocked out in the last 16 or quarter final

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Semi out on pens to Germany or Spain

 

[CJ_covblaze]

With the structure it would be very difficult for England or any of the other bigger nations to not get through the groups. Two draws and a loss could be enough. I genuinely think that we are on par or better than most of the teams there. If I had to pick the semi final line up now I would say Germany, Belgium, France and one from us, Spain & Italy.

I also wouldn't take too much from the upcoming 4 friendlies. Tough games but it's a chance for Roy and the other three managers to try a few things out.

 

[ccfctommy]

He's gotta be playing near enough the best team in these friendlies. We should get to the QF stage at least.

 

[Juggernaut]

It all depends on how Hodgson approaches it for me. He should have used the last few qualifiers for tampering around with the squad and use these friendliest against the strong sides to play how we would in tournaments.

If he approaches this tournament the same as he did in 2012 and 2014 then we are going home at the first phase again. We can't keep playing 4-4-2, it's dead as a dodo at international level and he needs to grow a pair of bollocks and drop Rooney.

If i were to pick an 11 now is choose a 4-3-3 formation (a flat three across the middle) and play on the counter attack, we need to drop our ego a bit, we're not a same level team as Spain, Italy, Germany etc. When we play these teams we need a plan.

Hart; Clyne, Stones, Smalling, Bertrand; Henderson, Carrick, Delph; Walcott, Sturridge, Sterling.

That's what I'd go for, pack the midfield, use carrick's intelligence, let Henderson and Delph be his legs and play on the counter. When we play sides who aren't as good as us swap Wilshere for Delph

 

[CJ_covblaze]

Agree with most of that. I would say though that we are on the same level as the Spanish and Italians though. Three pretty well matched teams there on paper and on the last few results bar the odd blip.

 

[Juggernaut]

Hope Joe Cole can find a bit of form, that number 10 spot is bang up for grabs.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

For my team I'd pick
------Hart
Clyne--Smalling--Stones--Shaw (Baines if still injured)
----------Carrick
------Wilshere--Barkley
Sturridge---Kane----Walcott

The front three is largely about who is in form by the time the tournament comes around, I'm tipping Sturridge and Kane to come into form and Walcott to continue his form. Have Sterling as an impact sub off the bench.