Player Ratings - England Euro 2020

[BowOwl]

The key bit for me is 90% of this squad could be the World Cup squad. 
That is where Southgates/FA's plan is really due credit (hate to praise the FA). They are aiming to peak by then. Problem is anything other than a Final is a huge failure considering the money and resources involved to build up to it.

 

[mcmigo]

No one had a bad tournament - some fantastic performances with the vast majority at the very top of their games.

 

Special praise for the 2 centre backs who were as good anyone in the tournament.   A brilliant combination of McGuire who drives and battles, and Stones who didn't break sweat the whole tournament , so composed.  The goalie was the best I have seen him in his career.

 

We look in good shape but I do worry about the depth behind the goalie and Kane - we drop off a cliff quality wise outside of those two in those two crucial positions.  I am pretty comfortable with the depth behind the rest but those two need wrapping up before the world cup.

[Ellis Rimmer]

Just a thought, most of the defensive minded players getting good praise. If we had a more attacking outlook then surely their job would have been harder?

[0wl18]

7 minutes ago, Ellis Rimmer said:

Just a thought, most of the defensive minded players getting good praise. If we had a more attacking outlook then surely their job would have been harder?

It’s widely believed we play the way we do because our defence is regarded as our weakness. I think this tournament puts that to bed and, gives us license to be more expansive.

[mcmigo]

44 minutes ago, Ellis Rimmer said:

Just a thought, most of the defensive minded players getting good praise. If we had a more attacking outlook then surely their job would have been harder?

Thought in all knockout games bar Italy we played on front foot, evidenced by 8 goals in 3 knockout games.

 

 

[fudge27]

Be intersting with the world Cup. 

 

Squads back down to 23 I'd imagine. 

 

TAA, Greenwood should be pushing by then 

 

Big 18 months for Tomori, Dele, Loftus-Cheek 

 

Then there's always 1 or 2 come from nowhere. 

 

Be some big selections to make. Hopefully another English club can win champions league before then too, feel that big game experience real helps in such tournaments 

[Bannofan]

The team has played so much better than in the World Cup..it just goes show how much of a false narrative it was to say that we were good in the WC, especially defensively.

 

Pickford, Stones and Maguire have been considerably better . I still think it is where we need to get better if we are to be consistently around the last four in tournaments. I would argue that both Stones and Maguire are not good enough in possession at the back, and you can see that by the way the Danish and Italian CB's started off attacks with excellent quick, confident passing. I would be interested to see if Rice moves into that position in the future to be honest. 

 

Speaking of those teams,  If we are talking about the best keepers of the tournament , I would have Pickford behind Donnarumma, Schmeichel and Sommer of Switzerland. He was good, but just doesn't seem 'safe' enough. 

 

Our fullbacks are beyond reproach really, Shaw I always suspected would come good once he properly dedicated himself to the game, and Walker was excellent. The back ups are not too shoddy either, I reckon if Chilwell had got a game he would have performed as well. I can't see where TAA gets into this squad, and there are other knocking on the door such as Justin, Wan Bissaka and Lamptey. 

 

Defensive midfielders seemed to work, but I don't like it. I just think we could do better. I want to see Bellingham in there sooner rather than later.  I'd like to see Rice become a CB as we are thin on quality there, and Bellingham and Phillips to develop a partnership IF we insist on playing two in that role.

 

Going forward , well we are ridiculous. An embarrassment of talent. All I would say is that if Kane is insistent on dropping into midfield to play killer balls in - which he did so well - we need to convert Sterling to an out and out striker, or find the next Michael Owen/ Ian Wright/ Jermain Defoe to play that out and out attacking role. I'm not sure DCL is the man for that,

 

The squad overall is so much better than WC 2018, BUT we still had players like Coady, White and DCL in there that would have been a serious down grade on the first choices. We are also very thin on the ground on keepers..I mean, Ramsdale, FFS.