2025/26 James Garner

[Kevsleftpeg]

(For what it's worth I rate Anderson much much higher than most people on this forum I think - I genuinely think he might be a top 10 CM in the world and people underrate him because he plays for Forest, same way other fans do the same thing with Pickford)

That's insane. I think he needs to play because he's a much more natural midfielder than Rice, his touch, passing and vision are a lot better so he stands out as against other English midfielders but I don't think he's that special on a world level.

 

[blulouie]

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.

The 2 seasons before that period Garner had 2 long spells out with back problems.
Now he's overcome them we are starting to see what he is , a class act.

Thats Englands record over the past 5 years in major tournements.
Barring a penalty shootout and coming up agst the Worlds best team there'd be a few winners medals for the senior side.

Not shabby at all for as you say England midfielders being so bad.

 

[Pabbers]

The 2 seasons before that period Garner had 2 long spells out with back problems.
Now he's overcome them we are starting to see what he is , a class act.

View attachment 348668
Thats Englands record over the past 5 years in major tournements.
Barring a penalty shootout and coming up agst the Worlds best team there'd be a few winners medals for the senior side.

Not shabby at all for as you say England midfielders being so bad.

Yes, and it kind of backs my point up mate.

We just fail to get over the line, close to but not quite enough.

 

[blulouie]

Yes, and it kind of backs my point up mate.

We just fail to get over the line, close to but not quite enough.

Dont think we are actually too far off it mate tbh.
As I said a penalty shootout and we'ed be at it.
Spain went years like this as did France.

 

[Pabbers]

Dont think we are actually too far off it mate tbh.
As I said a penalty shootout and we'ed be at it.
Spain went years like this as did France.

I agree mate, we are closer than ever.

In the end we just could not get over the line, Italy - I think we showed our in-experience and poor tactics from the manager, yet was still close.

Against Spain I feel we lost due to them being much technically better, and having more match winners.
The best midfielder in the world went off injured...they replaced him and still gave ours the run-a-round.

We are better as a team now than before, so that gets us further.....but I feel we rely too much on Kane - Our only real true World class match winner.

Rice & Kane go off.....who do we have that can beat Spain, France etc !?!

 

[MACCA75]

Rice is a brilliant player. Okay, he’s no Xavi, but he’s a top class centre midfielder - bizarrely still underrated a bit like Gareth Barry was.

 

[blulouie]

I agree mate, we are closer than ever.

In the end we just could not get over the line, Italy - I think we showed our in-experience and poor tactics from the manager, yet was still close.

Against Spain I feel we lost due to them being much technically better, and having more match winners.
The best midfielder in the world went off injured...they replaced him and still gave ours the run-a-round.

We are better as a team now than before, so that gets us further.....but I feel we rely too much on Kane - Our only real true World class match winner.

Rice & Kane go off.....who do we have that can beat Spain, France etc !?!

Pickford

 

[GoldenToffee]

His place in the squad is surely assured now.

MOM against Uruguay, other players given an opportunity against Japan and the team was already down before Garner came on and played 20 minutes only.

Wharton played a mere 45 minutes against Uruguay.

It's looking like Rice and Anderson to start, but a poor first game and I can see James getting his chance in the second game.

But who knows? If Forest go down and we finish in Europe, maybe he could yet earn a start.

 

[brettangellnightporter]

Yes, and it kind of backs my point up mate.

We just fail to get over the line, close to but not quite enough.

So not winning a competition means you're not top level? Ok

 

[hetion]

That's insane. I think he needs to play because he's a much more natural midfielder than Rice, his touch, passing and vision are a lot better so he stands out as against other English midfielders but I don't think he's that special on a world level.

I know I rate him a lot higher than most. I just really see it when I watch him, he can do it all. We'll see how he's rated after he's been on a top team for a couple of seasons.

May also be slightly helped by there maybe not being that many stand out CMs worldwide at the moment. Pedri, Valverde, Rice, Neves, Kimmich definitely, then you have the tier below of players like Guimaraes, de Jong, Tchoameni, Camavinga which I'd probably put him in.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Rice is a brilliant player. Okay, he’s no Xavi, but he’s a top class centre midfielder - bizarrely still underrated a bit like Gareth Barry was.

He's a good player and can be effective. Brilliant I would reserve for higher level players.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

I know I rate him a lot higher than most. I just really see it when I watch him, he can do it all. We'll see how he's rated after he's been on a top team for a couple of seasons.

May also be slightly helped by there maybe not being that many stand out CMs worldwide at the moment. Pedri, Valverde, Rice, Neves, Kimmich definitely, then you have the tier below of players like Guimaraes, de Jong, Tchoameni, Camavinga which I'd probably put him in.

Guimaraes and De Jong are better players than Rice.

 

[Swartzy]

Guimaraes and De Jong are better players than Rice.

I think he's talking Anderson.

Not sure how you don't rate Rice though.
The lad carries every trait in a CM.
Bruno is brilliant but you would lose more from missing Rice then Bruno.

Maybe it's because it's expected of him now and he doesn't carry a flashy name..

 

[Pabbers]

I think he's talking Anderson.

Not sure how you don't rate Rice though.
The lad carries every trait in a CM.
Bruno is brilliant but you would lose more from missing Rice then Bruno.

Maybe it's because it's expected of him now and he doesn't carry a flashy name..

Maybe in a physical forward league, but not international and CL stage, thats less about the physical side.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

I think he's talking Anderson.

Not sure how you don't rate Rice though.
The lad carries every trait in a CM.
Bruno is brilliant but you would lose more from missing Rice then Bruno.

Maybe it's because it's expected of him now and he doesn't carry a flashy name..

He's not great at passing, can't dribble and can't take the ball off the back four. Did you not watch him play for England at the last tournament. It was a constant debate about his inability to take the ball on the half turn. Bruno is slower for sure but is a much better all round centre mid. Scores, creates, tackles, runs the game. Different level to Rice. More like a Fabregas.