alistair No, the likes of Foden, Rice, Bellingham, Saka and Trent/Rhys James will only get better.

Maybe, but not necessarily - look at how Trent has gone backwards this season for example. Also it doesn’t seem obvious they’ll improve enough to the extent that they either become better than the players they’re replacing, or to change us from close but no cigar, to tournament winners.

Will James and Trent become noticeably better than Walker has been for England in recent years? Will Saka become noticeably better than Sterling has been over the years? Rice probably isn’t too far off his top level already. Bellingham is an exciting talent, sure, but not necessarily enough to turn us in to tournament winners.

Kane/Rooney etc. level world class forwards are generally harder to come to by than good wide players, and there currently don’t appear any obvious candidates to replace them waiting in the wings. Similarly with CB there don’t seem any obvious improvements coming through at the moment. Henderson has also actually generally been good for England. Basically the spine of the team seems like it will be lacking for a bit.

alistair Rhys James

Plays for Wales surely?!

    alistair Is right. James is a beast already and sorely missed for this. Onto the Euros we go…

    hugopal you’ve also got the likes of Philips, Maddison, Rashford, Grealish and Ben White who will be hitting their peak at the next Euros. Worth looking at the 21’s for the talent below that in Smith Rowe, Gallagher, Guehi, Gordon, Palmer, Ramsay and Harvey Elliott (who has really come on this season)

      alistair you’ve also got the likes of Philips, Maddison, Rashford, Grealish and Ben White who will be hitting their peak at the next Euros.

      Rashford should have been used more this tournament, also maybe Maddison though there wasn’t much room for him - but none of the rest seem likely to be improvements on what we currently have.

      alistair Worth looking at the 21’s for the talent below that in Smith Rowe, Gallagher, Guehi, Tomori, Gordon, Cole Palmer, Jacob Ramsay and Harvey Elliott (who has really come on this season)

      I’m aware of all those players. Elliott could be in contention for an England role someday at least, but the rest don’t seem world class potential or like adding much extra.

      I agree, Elliott aside, the rest are bang average.

        I hope someone is taking concrete steps to remove NATIONAL TRAITOR Gareth SHITCUNT from his post.

        Like actually throwing him down some concrete steps, for instance.

        Bringing off the best player,Saka + putting on Rashford with a couple of minutes left was pathetic.I thought Greizmann was brilliant for the French.Possibly there best player in the tournament so far.

        What are the odds on a Morocco v Croatia final?

          Hursty Best I’ve seen is 16s. William Hill have got them at 9-1!

          So is FIFA just pushing Argentina through now? Because that wasn’t a penalty.

            alistair What is the keeper supposed to do? He’s entitled to the space and the ball was already cleared from danger, wouldn’t have scored if he’d stayed up.

            Good run, but that’s embarrassing defending from Croatia - what piss-poor attempts at two tackles there.

            Got two lucky ricochets. When its your night…

            Full commitment, rode the luck and in the back of the net