England 2021

World Cup semi-finalists and that Euro Nations cup semi-finalists(but a letdown that summer) so they have plenty to live up to.
For a change.
If the Euros were in 2020 then both Kane and Rashford would not be fit or fully fit.
Qatar WC qualifiers to come this autumn, not a tough group for us again but who knows when they get played.*
Phil Foden nailed on to start, surely.

*Actually scratch that, i think? the qualifiers are linked up to the Euro Nations groups with runners-up going into a playoff.
Our group is us/Belgium/Iceland/Denmark but i dont even know if it goes ahead with football leagues kicking off later in 2020 due to the virus.
The England website has got us playing Croatia(revenge),Czech Rep and the winner from the playoff path C all at Wembley in June 2021, but who knows.

 

Central midfield is always a concern for me. In the bigger games against the better nations, like Croatia last World Cup, we don’t have anyone to control the game and dictate the play.
Croatia controlled the whole game when rakitic and modric got on the ball. We don’t have that and that’s what we miss and I still can’t see it anywhere. the squad definitely looks talented again but just missing that key component

 

Agreed. When was the last time we had a Gerrard, Scholes or Lampard? Depends what happens to Grealish I suppose - he puts a shift in for Villa, but could he do it for England if he moves onto a bigger club? He's not box to box enough for my liking. Same with Foden. I suppose the modern English game uses wingbacks up and down the pitch rather than central midfielders these days, but as you say, this is where we come unstuck against European teams who don't use that format.

 

I read somewhere that Pep said if foden wants it he can be the best central midfielder in the world and I can see it. He’s quick, can pass the ball, get out of tight spaces etc. He is the ultimate central midfielder we need for me. If pep can see it and play him there he would be one similar to, dare I say it, iniesta. We would just need someone next to him who never gives the ball away. A Xavi type or a Kroos for Germany. They are the ultimate central midfield. Tempo dictators.
I can’t see who can do that?

 

Not Ross Barkley