England squad for the World Cup

[New York Red]

What's your guess for the squad to go to South Africa? I really think for a few reasons it will be the most open for a while.

 

A combination of injuries, poor form, young players making a splash, players not getting games all make the picks pretty interesting.

 

I think the dead certs have to be:

 

GOALKEEPERS --

DEFENDERS -- Johnson, Terry, ACole

MIDFIELD -- Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Lennon, Milner

FORWARD -- Rooney

 

The contenders are all over the place though.

 

Goalkeepers

 

Hart -- In great form.

James -- Experience could matter. Third choice

Green -- I really rate him

Foster -- Just not playing. Is he worth the chance?

Robinson -- A long shot

 

Defenders

 

RFerdinand -- I'm not confident that he is coming back from this injury. He's been sh*t for a while now

Brown -- I think he's crap but he always seems to weasel his way in

Neville -- I wouldn't count that odious little tw*t out

Bridge -- By default. No depth there. He's rubbish.

Upson -- Probably. Fairly solid

Lescott -- Probably but his inclusion would show how weak England are at CB

Warnock -- He's in with a shout. Better than Bridge in my mind

Cahill -- May get there by default

Baines -- Done well. In with a strong shout

 

Midfielders

 

JCole -- Fitness will determine it. If he's fit he is in.

AYoung -- I'd have him in my squad.

Downing -- An outside shot. Doesn't do it for me.

Carrick -- I'd take him. Good alternative to Barry

Jenas -- He could be the final pick

Beckham -- Odds are he'll go. Good for the bench

 

Forwards

Walcott -- Injuries will kill him off

Agbonlahor -- Dangerous. A cert for me.

DBent -- Capello doesn't seem to like him. A long shot.

Crouch -- Not playing much but it doesn't seen to effect him. Definite yes for me.

Defoe -- A definite yes two months ago. Now not so sure.

Owen -- Mikey gets his heart broken. Paybacks are a bitch.

Heskey -- Capello likes him doesn't he? The most controversial member of the squad.

CCole -- Could come back from injury guns-a-blazin. If he's on form, he goes.

[Bailo]

Is it a 25-man squad? If so, I'd take:

 

GKs: James, Hart, Green

FBs: A Cole, Richards, Johnson, Warnock

CBs: Terry, Ferdinand (if fit), Upson, Cahill

CMs: Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Beckham

Wingers: Young, Milner, Lennon, J Cole

STs: Rooney, Bent, Crouch, Defoe, Agonbonlahor

 

Heskey, Brown will probably be there instead though.

[fyds]

Is it a 25-man squad? If so, I'd take:

 

GKs: James, Hart, Green

FBs: A Cole, Richards, Johnson, Warnock

CBs: Terry, Ferdinand (if fit), Upson, Cahill

CMs: Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Beckham

Wingers: Young, Milner, Lennon, J Cole

STs: Rooney, Bent, Crouch, Defoe, Agonbonlahor

 

Heskey, Brown will probably be there instead though.

I'd be surprised if your selection wasn't almost bang on the nose.

[Rimbeux]

Is it a 25-man squad? If so, I'd take:

 

GKs: James, Hart, Green

FBs: A Cole, Richards, Johnson, Warnock

CBs: Terry, Ferdinand (if fit), Upson, Cahill

CMs: Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Beckham

Wingers: Young, Milner, Lennon, J Cole

STs: Rooney, Bent, Crouch, Defoe, Agonbonlahor

 

Heskey, Brown will probably be there instead though.

 

GK, agree, but I think James may not play at all unless he moves as Pompey would have to give him another year

FB agree also, but I think Brown will get in over Richards

CBs I have Jagielka if he gets back fit and in form, he's got pace and is good at sweeping up, about the only alternative to Ferdinand

CM and wide men, I think you're right

Strikers I think Heskey will go and Cole has more chance than Bent

[johngibo YPC]

I'd be surprised if your selection wasn't almost bang on the nose.

 

Heskey is a cert to go.

I think Warnock will miss out. Probably to Bridge, although i would take Baines personally

Has Cahill been getting in the squads? I would have thought Lescott is ahead of him for versatility. Or Jagielka could go for same reason if he can get fit

Walcott will go i imagine

[Chili Palmer]

Its hard to find anything that I care less about tbh.

 

 

[Bailo]

GK, agree, but I think James may not play at all unless he moves as Pompey would have to give him another year

FB agree also, but I think Brown will get in over Richards

CBs I have Jagielka if he gets back fit and in form, he's got pace and is good at sweeping up, about the only alternative to Ferdinand

CM and wide men, I think you're right

Strikers I think Heskey will go and Cole has more chance than Bent

Jagielka isn't a bad shout, depends how well he comes back from the injury. As too with Lescott, though his form has been woeful for Citeh.

 

I don't get Capello's dislike of Bent, think he's a very good striker.

 

Heskey is a cert to go.

I think Warnock will miss out. Probably to Bridge, although i would take Baines personally

Has Cahill been getting in the squads? I would have thought Lescott is ahead of him for versatility. Or Jagielka could go for same reason if he can get fit

Walcott will go i imagine

yeah, Bridge will probably go instead of Bridge, but I think Bridge is muck. Baines isn't a bad shout for his set piece delivery.

 

Cahill has been in a few squads, he can score as well.

 

Walcott shouldn't be anywhere near the team, injury-prone and even Arsenal fans are tired of his no end product.

[Conrad]

Not that I rate him, but Wright-Phillips will be in with a shout?

 

Think Hart is a better bet than Green as first choice GK. Don't rate Green highly.

[CarraLegend]

Is it a 25-man squad? If so, I'd take:

 

GKs: James, Hart, Green

FBs: A Cole, Richards, Johnson, Warnock

CBs: Terry, Ferdinand (if fit), Upson, Cahill

CMs: Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Beckham

Wingers: Young, Milner, Lennon, J Cole

STs: Rooney, Bent, Crouch, Defoe, Agonbonlahor

 

Heskey, Brown will probably be there instead though.

 

It's gonna be a miracle if Capello wins the world cup with that lot. You think on the face of it theres some very good players like Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, maybe Ferdinand but when you see the whole squad listed then boy is it ordinary, at least compared to some others anyway.

[Bailo]

It's gonna be a miracle if Capello wins the world cup with that lot. You think on the face of it theres some very good players like Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, maybe Ferdinand but when you see the whole squad listed then boy is it ordinary, at least compared to some others anyway.

I don't know, I'm worried. Rooney could have a very good tournament, with the easy group England have. Beyond the four you mention and Terry, GK is a weak link, but Beckham is still pretty good, Milner is coming into his own, Lennon's pace if nothing else give FBs problems and with Johnson behind him it's quite attacking.

 

England could get on a roll in the group quite easily. That said, I'd say semis then glorious failure against Germany or France.

[Hassony]

since when is it a 25 man squad? I though it was 23?

[Rimbeux]

It's gonna be a miracle if Capello wins the world cup with that lot. You think on the face of it theres some very good players like Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, maybe Ferdinand but when you see the whole squad listed then boy is it ordinary, at least compared to some others anyway.

 

 

I dont know about that, the relative to others pretty much every country will have a few ordinary players going and maybe even one or two starting. Two big signs are the GK and lack of depth in striking, however it will come down to 14 to 18 players keeping fit and playing well, and England are more than capable of that, half a dozen will be there doing nowt but training. Still think there are better teams though

[Gilps]

since when is it a 25 man squad? I though it was 23?

 

It is. Which means losing a striker and either a centre mid or centre back. Probably a centre back, with Wes Brown doubling up as 2nd choice RB and 4th choice CB.

[Stevie H]

since when is it a 25 man squad? I though it was 23?

yeah, thought it was still 23. always used to be 3-8-8-5 in terms of positions.

[Bailo]

In that case, I'd cut Cahill and Agbonlahor.

 

Makes it seem even madder people are campaigning for Hargreaves to be in the squad, let alone the team.

[Gilps]

Although having said that, I can see England (as usual) going overstocked with defenders and understocked with wingers or forwards. So bBased on 23, I think it probably will be

 

GKs: James, Green, Foster

FBs: Johnson, Brown, Cole, Bridge

CBs: Terry, Ferdinand, Upson, Lescott

CMs: Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Carrick, Beckham

Wingers: Lennon, Milner, Cole

STs: Rooney, Heskey, Crouch, Defoe

 

Makes it seem even madder people are campaigning for Hargreaves to be in the squad, let alone the team.

 

Versatility thing, isn't it? In theory he can be back up RB and CM, freeing up another slot.

[Bailo]

Versatility thing, isn't it? In theory he can be back up RB and CM, freeing up another slot.

In theory I could be backup LB or LM AND I think I've played more professional football than Hargreaves has over the last 2 years.

[Gilps]

In theory I could be backup LB or LM AND I think I've played more professional football than Hargreaves has over the last 2 years.

 

I wasn't saying I agreed with the argument.

[Bailo]

I wasn't saying I agreed with the argument.

Oh I know - it just annoys me the Hargreaves campaign. I know we're guilty of over-rating injured players, but how anyone knows he's going to come back at all, let alone be good enough to walk back into the England team, after 2 years out of football I don't know.

 

Bizarrely for me, I think it does a lot of disservice to Carrick, who is at least as good if not better.

[Hassony]

Hargreaves is very over rated, and I had that view long before he joined united

[Walrus]

-----------------James

G. Neville-Sol Campbell-Ferdinand-P. Neville

Beckham-Nicky Butt-Danny Murphy-Scholes

------------Owen--Heskey

 

Think they should be fine with those XI players. Maybe add Walcott in as a sub.

[MarkD]

23-man squad;

 

Keepers; James, Hart and Green (3)

 

Defenders; Johnson, Terry, A.Cole, Cahill, Warnock, Upson, Brown, Lescott or Dawson (8)

 

Midfielders; Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Barry, Milner, Lennon, Carrick (7)

 

Attackers; Rooney, Defoe, Carlton Cole, Heskey, Walcott (5)

 

Milner covers the f/b spots; Lennon/Walcott the wide slot with Walcott an extra forward to cover Defoe.

[Tones]

No Owen?

[Nebraska Red]

I still live in hope that the World Cup gets cancelled and our players get a whole summer away from football.

[New York Red]

Is it a 25-man squad? If so, I'd take:

 

GKs: James, Hart, Green

FBs: A Cole, Richards, Johnson, Warnock

CBs: Terry, Ferdinand (if fit), Upson, Cahill

CMs: Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Beckham

Wingers: Young, Milner, Lennon, J Cole

STs: Rooney, Bent, Crouch, Defoe, Agonbonlahor

 

Heskey, Brown will probably be there instead though.

 

I like tthat squad a lot.

 

Walcott, if fit, would probably go instead of Bent. I think Joe Cole wouldn't be up to scratch and Warnock is a bit of a stretch. That would get it down to 23.