Your all-time England XI comments. by: RoyOfTheRovers
It has to be said that the Football England selection looks like a formidable side, but I think there could be one or two changes in there.
The 'Keeper could have been either Shilts or Banksy, but it probably won't matter that much to this side.
Ray Wilson or Kenny Sansom would have been my shout for left back, although that's probably because I haven't got a clue who Eddie Hapgood was.
[Hapgood was a brilliant left-back who played w/Alex James, Ted Drake, Cliff Bastin, etc., in the Chapman-managed fantastic Arsenal sides of the 20s & 30s. He's EASILY in the top-5 range of all time England great LBs. There's plenty of profile pgs. on Hapgood out there on the net.]
Dessie Walker should not be sat on the bench.
He should be either playing instead of Moore (Yes) or Franklin, or not on the bench at all.
[Walker was nowhere NEAR good enough of a center-half to displace either Franklin or Moore, IMHO.]
A better bench man for that job is definitely Kevin Beattie who could be magnificent in three or four different positions.
[Kevin Beattie didn't show enough at international level to be in an all-time England XI/squad ahead of the likes of Billy Wright, Terry Butcher, Dave Sexton, Brian Labone, Tony Adams, Harry Johnston, Stan Cullis, etc. IMO, I don't know if Beattie could crack an all-time top 20 center-backs Engl;and list, let alone the all-time squad.]
I'm not too sure about the exclusion of Matthews.
Why not play him on the right and move Finney onto the left? Charlton can then go inside to feel inferior & play alongside his mate Edwards.
[This actually isn't a bad idea, except I'd start Bryan Robson over "The Tank". &, yes, I actually SAW all of them play in ACTUAL matches.]
And, although it would be harsh to leave Greavesie out, how good would Beardsley
[Why wouldn't you play Keegan in this role ahead of "Peter Pan"? He wasn't the two-time EpotY for nothing, you know. Or you could move Charlton up to play here & start the likes of either Johnny Haynes, Raich Carter, or Wilf Mannion in central midfield.]
be, playing just off Tommy Lawton?
And... Gerry Francis was miles better than Bryan Robson,
[What EXACTLY was Francis miles better at doing on a football pitch than Robson? Robson was one of the greatest players & captains to ever lace up a pair of boots for the 3 Lions.]
he's going to love playing in that side.
[Btw, please don't take this the wrong way; we're just simply giving our opinions when all is said & done.]
