2025/26 James Garner

[Kevsleftpeg]

I said he's the best 100m player over here, that's the price tag. Whether you think that price is right or not is a different matter. He is the best of the group that have cost that, and every team would jump at the chance to take him..

Not sure what going back to former players in different eras has anything to do with now ?

Also mate, when you see Rice have a great game, you have now lost your right to keep claiming Moyes made him the player he is..

That's never happened for England.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Just shows how bad the English midfielders currently are.

I like Garner, but 12 months ago NOBODY was really talking like this about him.

We just lack technically gifted midfielders / players in this Country, and imo is why we fail to get over the line and win stuff.

We have Declan Rice though, apparently the best midfielder in the world. Bellingham can also play CM too apparently when he obviously can't. Neither can control a game.

 

[Swartzy]

You just need to look at the squads around the other nations, they was just better.

We way over-rate those players.

If you was to do all time Serie A, La Liga, Budasligue teams...none of these players get in....they dont even ALL get in the Prem one.

look at spain for instance
Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets all at one club..

Look at all the other big teams, there players played globally.

International footy bores the hell out of me nowadays, stats have become the be all and end all.

Even watch the younger England teams, we play like we've been coached by Crabs

 

[hetion]

He'll be the first name on the team sheet but he's always bang average for England and will get schooled by the first decent midfield he plays as per usual. He can only play in big spaces when the game is stretched because he's primarily an athlete. But English people love this type of midfielder which is why we never do anything in international football.

How has he been arguably the best player in the league this season then while playing for Arsenal who consistently face the lowest blocks in the league with the least amount of space...?

 

[Swartzy]

Is Foden a midfielder or a forward?

Foden doesn't deserve the shirt at the moment

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Ok, well my first post on it was to highlight England midfield is not that great, compared to other nations, technically we lack at the very top level.

It's why IMO we just cant get over the line in winning.

You're 100%. Players like Henderson and Rice don't get picked for other teams in midfield or of they do, like Gattuso, they are told not to get in the way in possession. The last World Cup the pundits where continually talking about Rice's inability to take the ball of the defense on the turn. Which is a basic midfield skill. He can only play the way he's facing and his passing range is very limited.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

How has he been arguably the best player in the league this season then while playing for Arsenal who consistently face the lowest blocks in the league with the least amount of space...?

He hasn't. It's a complete myth.

 

[Swartzy]

He'll be the first name on the team sheet but he's always bang average for England and will get schooled by the first decent midfield he plays as per usual. He can only play in big spaces when the game is stretched because he's primarily an athlete. But English people love this type of midfielder which is why we never do anything in international footbal

Rice is brilliant but not all fans love this way of playing. This is why Football kills me now, it is all about athletes and like I said 'Stats'
We have killed exciting Individual quality..

The likes of Grealish have no place in our modern game, but that's why we love him..

 

[Pabbers]

look at spain for instance
Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets all at one club..

Look at all the other big teams, there players played globally.

International footy bores the hell out of me nowadays, stats have become the be all and end all.

Even watch the younger England teams, we play like we've been coached by Crabs

Even look at the 4th, 5th, 6th choice midfielders in that Spain era....Xabi Alonso & Fabregas...Arteta never got a sniff and he was great for us and the prem.

Germany = Ballack, Hamman, Mathaus (ballon d'or winner), Schweinstiger...then Lahm

Italy = Pirlo, Gattuso, Albertini, Di Bagio, Zambrotta, Baggio,

France = Zidane, Viera, Petit, Deschamps, Pires, Karebeu, Djorkaeff, Makelele, Ribery, Nasri, Diarra

Portugal = Rui Costa, Figa, Soousa, Conceicao, Deco, Ronaldo, Moutinho


I'm not sure Englands is even in the top 3, just in the above European teams.

 

[Pabbers]

You're 100%. Players like Henderson and Rice don't get picked for other teams in midfield or of they do, like Gattuso, they are told not to get in the way in possession. The last World Cup the pundits where continually talking about Rice's inability to take the ball of the defense on the turn. Which is a basic midfield skill. He can only play the way he's facing and his passing range is very limited.

That's it....as good as we see Rice is on the prem...he would be found wanting in any other top nation.

Its his size, pace and power that works in the prem...he is way way behind technically, maybe even 10 technically better than him in the prem..

 

[Pabbers]

How has he been arguably the best player in the league this season then while playing for Arsenal who consistently face the lowest blocks in the league with the least amount of space...?

So what though ?? Thats the prem....his style fits the prem very well.

The world cup won't be the same.

He is more of an athlete than a top technician....the technician at Arsenal who starts every game, is back up for Spain.

 

[Swartzy]

Even look at the 4th, 5th, 6th choice midfielders in that Spain era....Xabi Alonso & Fabregas...Arteta never got a sniff and he was great for us and the prem.

Germany = Ballack, Hamman, Mathaus (ballon d'or winner), Schweinstiger...then Lahm

Italy = Pirlo, Gattuso, Albertini, Di Bagio, Zambrotta, Baggio,

France = Zidane, Viera, Petit, Deschamps, Pires, Karebeu, Djorkaeff, Makelele, Ribery, Nasri, Diarra

Portugal = Rui Costa, Figa, Soousa, Conceicao, Deco, Ronaldo, Moutinho


I'm not sure Englands is even in the top 3, just in the above European teams.

They were all the players I grew up loving.
Rui Costa was my dream signing and I would watch Fiorentina just because of him, players like Pirlo another level.
but one thing, bar Italy in that group they all moved to different leagues, which we held off from..

look at Ballack at Chelsea compared to Ballack at Bayern/Germany..

 

[Pabbers]

They were all the players I grew up loving.
Rui Costa was my dream signing and I would watch Fiorentina just because of him, players like Pirlo another level.
but one thing, bar Italy in that group they all moved to different leagues, which we held off from..

look at Ballack at Chelsea compared to Ballack at Bayern/Germany..

And that's just the midfielders....the attackers and defenders that Italy, France & Spain Germany produced was frightening.

England always struggled with keepers too.

Seen one the other day.....Serie A ALL time 11....and Totti & Del Piero DONT get in, that's how strong that league was for years.

 

[Swartzy]

And that's just the midfielders....the attackers and defenders that Italy, France & Spain Germany produced was frightening.

England always struggled with keepers too.

Seen one the other day.....Serie A ALL time 11....and Totti & Del Piero DONT get in, that's how string that league was for years.

Mate, Hats off to you. you have run my brain ragged. Basically everything you say I agree with, I am just looking at things from a different perspective.. We as a country have killed our own game..

Who didn't grow up loving foreign clubs, when Italian football hit the screens in the 90's it was a breathe of fresh air.
The best thing for the Premiership was a Foreign manager in Wenger coming over with a different outlook other than our structured game..

We train to much talent out of a player, where these other nations embrace it..

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

And that's just the midfielders....the attackers and defenders that Italy, France & Spain Germany produced was frightening.

England always struggled with keepers too.

Seen one the other day.....Serie A ALL time 11....and Totti & Del Piero DONT get in, that's how strong that league was for years.

Yep, I've said this for years. England have had decent results in the last few tournaments but the performances have generally been absolutely wretched, like unbelievably bad. We've been flattered by easy draws and generally get beat by the first decent team we play. The midfield in particular just can't control a game. It couldn't even when we had Lampard and Gerrard because for all their undoubted qualities, they're just not playmakers. They don't have the close control or the subtle passing that the top european and south american midfielders have.