England's Best Midfielders

[waterbuffalo]

Okay, say we have a 4-4-2 formation,
which are the midfielders you would choose as the best England has produced all time, okay, since the 40's.

I grew up in the 70's so I don't know the best midfielders of the 50's and 60's, maybe the older posters saw some of them in action, remember, England only, so no bremner and souness and liam brady..

Who do you think the best midfielders england has had since 1950 were?

[Stanley]

Charlton, Ball, Bowles, Gasgoine, Hoddle for starters.

[waterbuffalo]

Charlton, Ball, Bowles, Gasgoine, Hoddle for starters.

What about scholes and platt?

[Stanley]

What about scholes and platt?

The ones I named are just my personal view. I'd put Platt below them. Scholes is a possible. Bryan Robson is up there with the best. Some would make a case for Becks too. Others might choose Brooking or even Gerry Francis in this prime.

[Shania]

Bobby Charlton,Colin Bell, Alan Hudson, Bob Hatton(lol), Trevor Brooking, Francis Lee


Way better than players nowadays. IMHO. If you take training facilities etc into consideration.

[Sotonsuperhoop]

My four would be (in no particular order)

Brooking
Charlton
Gascoigne
Robson

but could be

Francis
Bowles
Thomas
and Gillard (yes he did sometimes play left mid!)

[waterbuffalo]

My four would be (in no particular order)

Brooking
Charlton
Gascoigne
Robson

but could be

Francis
Bowles
Thomas
and Gillard (yes he did sometimes play left mid!)

aye dave thomas was a proper winger wasn't he
until now when I see Poland I cry.

I always liked Batty, cuz he was batty!

[waterbuffalo]

How bout Gascoigne, Hoddle, Charlton and Beckham?

[Morris]

What about Gareth Barry?

[Sotonsuperhoop]

What about Gareth Barry?

What about him?

[qprjeff1882]

Shaun Derry. Wayne Routledge. Hogan Ephraim. And er.......................Paul Bruce.

[Morris]

What about him?

[stan_bowles]

Gazza,Hoddle,Robson,Beckham.

[hermitage10]

Wilshere is certainly the future of our midfield, we need more people who are technically very good and comfortable on the ball.

[Stanley]

Gerrard is up there with most of the above names IMO.

Tony Currie too.

Amazing the amount of ex-R's that get on this list - and thats honestly with no bias.

George Best once said that Bowles was one of, if not THE most skillful players he'd ever seen.