England - The Future

It is the year 2014, the date is the 8 Jul and the English FA have shocked the footballing world by employing Opta Stats on a £4.1m per annum deal to manage the player selections for their senior International team.

A statement from the FA advised that players playing the top divisions will be considered for squad selections and after listening to the fans, players will only be considered pick-able if they have played a minimum of half their clubs leagues games.

The first 'test' of this new style squad selection will come in the form of a home friendly international against Egypt on the 3rd of September, followed by a very important Euro Qualifying match away in Slovenia.

Cynics within the footballing world have voiced nothing but doom for this project, but with the amount of money the FA are paying, they expect nothing but success.

The feedback from the fan on the street has been nothing but positive, claiming it will raise the domestic level of football, and from a fan's point of view 'no more old boys club players' will be picked. It will all come down to stats and then it will be down to the coaching staff to keep moulding what is expected to be an ever changing squad selection.

27.Aug.2014

"It is with great pleasure we the FA have announced the 1st squad to be picked via the 50% matches played and form rules, I am sure some of the names 'missing' will raise great concerns, but this is about getting the right people at the right time representing this fine nation"

"So with no further to do, here it is......the first England squad under Opta Stats:



"In summary, Harry Kane beats Wayne Rooney to a squad position, Wayne needs to get back to business for Man Utd and I am sure he will, but this squad is one too soon for him.

Joel Ward, Aaron Creswell and Marvin Sordell are all new to the International fold, but are here because as we stand are the in-form players playing in the English Premiership at the moment.

We ask the fans to get behind the team for this home friendly fixture against Egypt".

Good luck in the "Impossible Job". Curious to see how this works out.

14.Sept.2014

Not the best start to the new policy after a 2-2 home draw was followed by a 1-0 away defeat in Slovenia.

Daniel Sturridge and Harry Kane scored in front of 73,987 fans, but this was not enough to secure a win.

22 shots on goal in Slovenia were not enough for the net to bulge, and in fact saw the 3 lions lose 1-0 in front of 16,038 fans, this means England really need to win their next 2 qualifying games at home to Estonia and away in Switzerland.

OPTA STATS:

Club Caps Under New Regime:

Aston Villa 1 - Gabby Agbonlahor
Burnley 1 - Kieran Trippier
Crystal Palace 1 - Joel Ward
Derby County 1 - Jesse Lingard
Everton 3 - Gareth Barry, Leighton Baines, John Stones
Hull 1 - Michael Dawson
Liverpool 2 - Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson
Man City 1 - James Milner
Stoke 1 - Jack Bulland
Tottenham 1 - Harry Kane
West Ham 1 - Mark Noble

*Euro Qualifying Games Only.

The 2nd squad to be picked as follows:



With no place still for Rooney, a conversation took place with him and advised he needed to play better at club level before he would be picked for his nation.

Danny Drinkwater, Lee Grant and Tom Heaton were the brow-raisers in this squad, Raheem Stirling and Adam Lallana had played their way back into the squad.

This is an interesting story. Quite like the idea!

15.Oct.2014

A win and a draw has left the 3 lions in 3rd place, 1 point behind a qualifying slot and the final qualifier of the year at home to whipping boys San Marino.

87,272 fans saw the new look English side beat Estonia at home 3-1 with Daniel Sturridge, Danny Drinkwater and Harry Kane hitting the goals, then a stupidly entertaining match was held in front of 32,000 fans. 4-4 was the score away in Switzerland, Leighton Baines (2) and Harry Kane (2) were our goalscorers.

With what should be a win in their next game, the 3 lines 'should' be at worst 1 point off an auto slot to the finals.

OPTA STATS:

Club Goals Under New Regime:

Everton 2 - Leighton Baines (2)
Leicester 1 - Danny Drinkwater
Tottenham 3 - Harry Kane

*Euro Qualifying Games Only.

Third and final squad of the year:



Rooney out injured and still out of form, and Sturridge slightly unfit meant opportunities for other English strikers to stake a claim.

Calum Chambers has been in red hot form, along with Saido Berahino, Tom Heaton and Solly March proving you don't need to be a big name to get picked in the squad.

38 players have been picked so far in the first 3 squads of the year, proving not one position is safe.

A friendly away in Bosnia is followed by the San Marino home game and what should be 3 points.

Not bad, not great. Still a very interesting idea.

17.Nov.2014

A draw and a win this time round again, 15,292 fans witnessed a 1-1 draw in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Harry Kane giving the 3 lions the lead.

The main game was the home match against San Marino and what a debut for young Saido Berahino scoring 4 goals in front of a massive 86,118 fans. James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Leighton Baines also scored in a massive 7-0 win to move the country to 2nd place and an automatic sport for qualification.

OPTA STATS:

Club Assists Under New Regime:

Arsenal 1 - Danny Welbeck
Burnley 2 - Kieran Trippier (2)
Everton 3 - Leighton Baines (3)
Liverpool 4 - Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling (3)
Tottenham 1 - Harry Kane

That's it now for 132 days, the players can focus on their club careers and the country can chill out until March next year.

A very interesting save idea!

20.Mar.2015

First squad of the year:



Dany Welbeck and James Milner are the main omissions from the first squad of the year, whilst Wayne Rooney, and Fraser Foster make their way back into the squad.

Thomas Carroll, Jason Steele and Mike WIlliamson could make their first starts for the 3 lions.

A win can cement Englands chances of qualification and the home fans will expect a goal or two from Rooney on his return.

30.March.2015.

Another thumping win to keep the 3 lions on course for qualification, 7 goals and a clean sheet with an easy win.

Daniel Sturridge smashed in 4 goals, Wayne Rooney 1 on his return, James Ward-Prowse, and Raheem Stirling getting the goals to send the English fans off to the boozers in style.

Slovenia are up next at home and top the group, so a very important game to come, but with 3 wins from 3 qualifying games, 17 goals for and 1 against England will expect nothing but a win from that match.

Great results. Love seeing hattricks at international level!

02.June.2015

The following squad was the one brought together for the top of the table clash at home against Slovenia and a home friendly against Serbia.



Phil Jagielka was the biggest name to be cut from the squad, other than that questions were being asked within the media of Joe Hart being dropped for Fraser Forster.

This would be the biggest match so far for the new style FA squad picking experiment.