Portsmouth v Arsenal: no English players started

[CB_NO3]

I noticed last night that there was no English players playing in the game tonight from the start. I wonder if this is a first in the EPL. Anyone know?

[18Craig75]

Almunia!

On a serious note, Richard Hughes...never realized he was Scottish. Is he any good, don't recall him ever being quoted for Scotland?

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

Sums English football up for me, how on earth they can get away with it is unbelievable, regardless of injuries or suspensions they should be made to play at least 2 home based players

[GieTheBaTaeReilly]

A first according to the beeb.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8429047.stm

Also, Hughes has played 5 times for Scotland, first cap vs Estonia in 2004 and I think he scored agaisnt the Faroes at some point.

M

[CheesyHibby]

Totally agree and this is possibly why they have failed so much in recent tournaments internationally (hopefully continuing in the summer :pray:) packed full of foreign players, foreign managers and foreign money.

[CropleyWasGod]

Sums English football up for me, how on earth they can get away with it is unbelievable, regardless of injuries or suspensions they should be made to play at least 2 home based players

Why?

[hibbie02]

Totally agree and this is possibly why they have failed so much in recent tournaments internationally (hopefully continuing in the summer :pray:) packed full of foreign players, foreign managers and foreign money.

Yup and this is why they should fall flat on their faces in S Africa. Once you take away the genuine stars, there is very little else left in the squad to worry about. Nae decent GK cover for James who is old and injured. Apart from Cole and Lennon, they are probably ok on FBs. At CH Ferdinand is crocked, King is a one game in 3 sort of player and Terry has rediscovered the art of total crap. There are very few capable English CHs to step in. In midfield they are probably okay, but Lamps and Gerrard are not exactly on form. Up front they are probably okay if Rooney stays fit, as they have players to play with him. If he goes then you have all sorts of funny combinations. So you can put together a good team, but with very little depth of squad.

[LamontHFC©]

Yup and this is why they should fall flat on their faces in S Africa. Once you take away the genuine stars, there is very little else left in the squad to worry about. Nae decent GK cover for James who is old and injured. Apart from Cole and Lennon, they are probably ok on FBs. At CH Ferdinand is crocked, King is a one game in 3 sort of player and Terry has rediscovered the art of total crap. There are very few capable English CHs to step in. In midfield they are probably okay, but Lamps and Gerrard are not exactly on form. Up front they are probably okay if Rooney stays fit, as they have players to play with him. If he goes then you have all sorts of funny combinations. So you can put together a good team, but with very little depth of squad.

I hope your right.

[Scouse Hibee]

Yup and this is why they should fall flat on their faces in S Africa. Once you take away the genuine stars, there is very little else left in the squad to worry about. Nae decent GK cover for James who is old and injured. Apart from Cole and Lennon, they are probably ok on FBs. At CH Ferdinand is crocked, King is a one game in 3 sort of player and Terry has rediscovered the art of total crap. There are very few capable English CHs to step in. In midfield they are probably okay, but Lamps and Gerrard are not exactly on form. Up front they are probably okay if Rooney stays fit, as they have players to play with him. If he goes then you have all sorts of funny combinations. So you can put together a good team, but with very little depth of squad.

What!! Maybe relevant if the world cup was starting this week,you talk about injuries, loss of form and areas were England are probably okay!! Man for man the England squad is on a par with any squad in the world. In any tournament if you can get the majority of your player playing to their maximum potential you have a chance. You could probably look at players all over the World today and talk about loss of form and injuries and write them off in the same vein.

[Pretty Boy]

What!! Maybe relevant if the world cup was starting this week,you talk about injuries, loss of form and areas were England are probably okay!! Man for man the England squad is on a par with any squad in the world. In any tournament if you can get the majority of your player playing to their maximum potential you have a chance. You could probably look at players all over the World today and talk about loss of form and injuries and write them off in the same vein.

:agree: England have a very decent chance of going the distance in the World Cup. First 11 v first 11 there aren't many teams better than them.

[woodythehibee]

Almunia!

On a serious note, Richard Hughes...never realized he was Scottish. Is he any good, don't recall him ever being quoted for Scotland?

he's played for scotland a few times i think. Probably under berti vogts...

[hibbie02]

:agree: England have a very decent chance of going the distance in the World Cup. First 11 v first 11 there aren't many teams better than them.

Exactly. I do agree that form and injuries are temporary and there is time to get key players back before the WC. Equally there is time for other injuries and form loss. My point was that the best team practically picks itself (when fit) as the alternatives are vastly inferior.

[AK86]

What!! Maybe relevant if the world cup was starting this week,you talk about injuries, loss of form and areas were England are probably okay!! Man for man the England squad is on a par with any squad in the world. In any tournament if you can get the majority of your player playing to their maximum potential you have a chance. You could probably look at players all over the World today and talk about loss of form and injuries and write them off in the same vein.

I,m not so sure about that
James, King, Crouch..........etc ..........dont think the Brazilians (or Dutch) would see them anywhere near their squads

[Haymaker]

Totally agree and this is possibly why they have failed so much in recent tournaments internationally (hopefully continuing in the summer :pray:) packed full of foreign players, foreign managers and foreign money.

I had to research this and found that up until 2008 (as the data doesnt go any futher yet!) germany had more foreign players in their league than Ingerlund who had the second most out of the top european nations. Hasnt stopped the Germans from reaching finals and semi's on a consistent basis.

The problem isnt the number of foreign players in a league, its the QUALITY of the home players and that puts the problem at the doorstep of the EFA and their dithering over changing the academy structure rules and adopting the same structure as most other top world nations have been using for up to 40 years with great effect..

[renato]

Just thinking back to the 3 foreigner rule in the early 90's.....every top team had to think really hard about which foreigners they wanted at the club, and accordingly the 3 they brought in were generally top class.

Barca had the likes of Hagi, Romario and Stoichkov.....Man U had Schmeichel, Cantona and Kanchelskis......Milan had Savicevic, Desailly and Boban (and before that Gullit, Rikaard and Van Basten!)......all top drawer.

As a result, the young guns coming through got a lot more game time and the national coaches had an awful lot more talent to choose from, and a lot more playing at the top level.

It may just be me but if I was an Arsenal fan, I wouldn't be happy having no English identity in the team, successful or not. Imagine Hibs not having a Scottish player in the first 11 :bitchy:

Would love to see a 6 national and 5 foreigner rule, although I'm sure when Uefa investigated this a while back it was a no go?

[Haymaker]

Would love to see a 6 national and 5 foreigner rule, although I'm sure when Uefa investigated this a while back it was a no go?

Employment Law stops that.

[ScottB]

I had to research this and found that up until 2008 (as the data doesnt go any futher yet!) germany had more foreign players in their league than Ingerlund who had the second most out of the top european nations. Hasnt stopped the Germans from reaching finals and semi's on a consistent basis.

The problem isnt the number of foreign players in a league, its the QUALITY of the home players and that puts the problem at the doorstep of the EFA and their dithering over changing the academy structure rules and adopting the same structure as most other top world nations have been using for up to 40 years with great effect..

Not quite, as you also have to factor in where the nations top players are plying their trade, so stength of home league / nationality make up doesn't always matter, the Irish league could be full of foreigners and it wouldn't matter a jot, since their best ones are all in England. I'd imagine a fair few of Germany's squad all play in better foreign leagues too.

Where as Beckham aside, all the players the English can pick from are based in England, making them especially sensitive to the player make up of their leagues.

[Hibernating (Im a stoopid yam tramp)]

They call these clubs "English" but in reality they are not English.

[millarco]

Not quite, as you also have to factor in where the nations top players are plying their trade, so stength of home league / nationality make up doesn't always matter, the Irish league could be full of foreigners and it wouldn't matter a jot, since their best ones are all in England. I'd imagine a fair few of Germany's squad all play in better foreign leagues too.

Where as Beckham aside, all the players the English can pick from are based in England, making them especially sensitive to the player make up of their leagues.

Only Ballack and Hinkel play in non-German leagues.

[NOLA]

Who cares? Arsenal are my english/non english team, salam maleakem:wink:

[Haymaker]

Only Ballack and Hinkel play in non-German leagues.


:agree:

[Haymaker]

Not quite, as you also have to factor in where the nations top players are plying their trade, so stength of home league / nationality make up doesn't always matter, the Irish league could be full of foreigners and it wouldn't matter a jot, since their best ones are all in England. I'd imagine a fair few of Germany's squad all play in better foreign leagues too.

Where as Beckham aside, all the players the English can pick from are based in England, making them especially sensitive to the player make up of their leagues.


Germany has a very decent league yet the overwhelming amount of German players are based in Germany and has (at 2008) 49% foreign participants. Yet they continue to succeed in International Football.

EPL is a decent league and has (at 2008) 43% foreign participants and every player bar Beckham is plying his trade in the EPL. 10 members of the Chelsea/Utd CL final were English IIRC. Yet England have continued to fail to impress at international football.

In my opinion the problem is not the foreign nationals plying their trade it is purely at the feet of the EFA who will not change and employ a different method youth football which most other european countries (Holland leading) did several decades ago.