So after last night what do you think our best/most likely squad be for the Euros? For me: Playing 4-2-3-1 Hart Johnson, Ferdinand*,Terry, Cole Parker, Barry A. Johnson, Gerrard (capt), Downing Rooney Second string/cover Green/Fielding Richards, Smalling or Jones , Cahill, Baines Lampard, Milner Walcott, Wiltshire, Young Sturridge Obviously depending on injuries. I think Ferdinand might be a big doubt so would use Smalling and Jones in the squad if Ferdinand doesnt make it (Cahill slotting into starting line up). Sturridge would start the games where Rooney is suspended. Would also consider dropping Lampard for either Oxlade-Chamberlian/Welbeck/Carroll or even Campbell to give us more attacking options. Think this gives us flexibility (Dowing and Johnson can push up to 4-3-3), has plenty of experience, and a lot of pace. We are likely to play 4-2-3-1/4-3-3, its what Harry Redknapp likes. Would consider dropping Lampard as we have a lot of options both for holding midfield (Barry, Parker, Gerrard and Milner would all start ahead of Lampard for me), and the same with the attacking midfielder (Gerrard, Milner, Whiltshire, Young and Downing all able to play there). Ultimately think that the lack of true goal scoring forwards will be our undoing. Rooney drops to deep when leading the line for my liking, and dont think we have an out and out scorer anywhere else. Your views?
I'll have a go at a quick 23, though I'll probably miss someone. This is if everyone was available: GKs: Hart, Robinson*, Foster* Defenders: Terry, Cahill, Jones, Smalling, Richards, Walker, Cole, Baines Midfielders: Parker, Wilshere, Lampard, Barry, Young, Walcott, Adam Johnson, Milner Strikers: Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Carroll *Robinson and Foster have both asked not to be considered any more, but I think it's weird because right now we have a big goalie problem beyond Joe Hart and they are in my opinion the next best keepers we have. I've left Ferdinand out of defence because even though I like his defensive style I just think he's injured far too often these days and can't see him getting a run in the Man United team. Likewise with Gerrard in midfield. I've put Carroll in there because the other options are quite similar to Welbeck and Sturridge wheras Carroll gives us something different even if he hasn't been brilliant for Liverpool so far.
I'd be wary of taking any U23s to the Euros if they're just going to be backups. Oxlade-Chamberlain in particular I think will gain far more tournament experiance from PLAYING in the Olympics alongside the likes of Beckham and Bale than he would from sitting on the subs bench at the Euros. As the FA has control of the Olympic squad they should be looking to use it to get as many of the fringe England players that experiance as possible.
My starting line up would be: Hart Richards. Terry. Cahill cole Parker. Barry Johnson. Rooney. Young Sturridge Squad (other than above) Gk: green and ??? Def: smalling, Johnson, jones, Baines Mid: Gerrard, wilshere, Walcott, downing For: welbeck, bent Probably missed someone, but I wouldn't take lampard, Ferdinand crouch or defoe. Go for a younger looked squad, I can't see us winning with the usual faces so take a leap of faith and give the youth a chance.
Wilshere was meant to be our biggest hope this time last year but injuries have bugged him all year. If he can get fit he could be great for us.
Personally I think wilshere is over-rated. If he wasnt English no one would say he is as good as they do.
I think the complete opposite. People go on about how many amazing young players the Germans have but if you're English you don't count as good.
Hart, Foster Richards, Walker, Cahill, Jones, Smalling, Jagielka, Cole, Baines Lennon, Walcott, Gerrard, Parker, Wilshere (Lampard if injured), Barry, Johnson, Milner, Young Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Carroll
A lot of people are picking Barry over Lampard. I'm not saying he's crap but Barry is the kind of player England fans would see as crap, a bit like Ashbee in his early days here. I think the fact that Lampard is over 30 and part of that 'golden generation' makes people dislike him rather than what he actually does on the pitch.
The problem area is the strikers isn't it, I don't see Bent firing us to success at the Euros for starters. Carroll hasn't progressed with Liverpool, they were ready to ship him out during the January transfer window, but I'd sooner take him than Crouch, who is not the right choice for the future, though Harry would use him short-term no doubt. Frazier Campbell could be a dark horse if he can keep getting on the pitch and scoring for Sunderland. The ITV crew thought Sturridge had a good game the other day but all I saw was him miss a very easy chance, he has to go though because he is the best we have of his type, I'd sooner have him in the team than Bent for sure. It looks like Walcott is the wild-card striker, I've slagged him off on here before but maybe played through the middle and full of confidence with an up-and-at-em manager rather than Crapello he could have the pace and finishing ability to do the business and he is the right age, definitely would not play him on the wing though where he is a waste of space a lot of the time. I'd pick Welbeck and Walcott as our two strikers, I don't think we would be suited to playing one-up without Rooney though he will give that option if selected and we make the latter rounds, and these two lads are the ones for the future, with Sturridge as back up, and Carroll for the battering ram option. The rest of the squad looks a lot easier to sort out.
Hart, Foster, Oxley Rosenior, Chester, Hobbs, Cooper, Dawson, Turner, East, Bradley Stewart, McKenna, Harper, Atkinson, Barmby, Emerton Cullen, Fryatt, Mclean, Simpson, Campbell
GK: Hart, Ruddy, Stockdale DEF: Richards, Walker, Terry, Dawson, Cahill, Johnson, Cole MID: Jones, Parker, Gerrard, Wilshere, Milner, Lampard FOR: Sturridge, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Johnson, Young, Rooney, Bent (Welbeck if injured) Starting line up of: Hart Richards Terry Dawson Cole Jones Gerrard Wilshere Sturridge Young Rooney
I can see what you mean, but the only people that talk about Wilshere are the English. I recall Pep Guardiola saying after their game with arsenal that they have players better than him in their b team. I think Wilshere is a good player I just don't think he is the superstar people make out.
1.Hart 2.Walker 3.A.Cole 4.Gerrard 5.Jones 6.Terry 7.A.Young 8.Parker 9.Rooney 10.A.Johnson 11.Wilshire 12.Richards 13.Foster/Green 14.Gibbs 15.Smalling 16.Cleverley 17.Oxlade-Chamberlin 18.Rodwell 19.Holt 20.Bent 21.Welbeck 22.Robinson/Carson 23.Sturridge Give as much youth as possible a chance and try and build for 2014. Picked Grant Holt because they isn't a target man who is in any kind of decent form
I wonder if there will be a shock like Grant Holt going, I remember Steve Bull being picked for World Cup Italia (I think, it could have been Mexico in 86 maybe) and he wasn't too bad in the few games he played in friendlies, he'd never played at the old division 1 level either.
Bull was a superb player. It's inconceivable today that someone of his quality wouldn't play in the top flight - even back then it was odd. But there's no doubt he'd have scored a lot of goals in the top flight, and indeed in international football if Lineker hadn't been around.
To a point yes, but there's always one or two that everyone treats as though they're already better than Messi even though they've never played a first team game. Rooney when he was 16 was one, I know he's gone on to become a top player, but even about four years ago he was still missing key parts of his game (mainly as the lone striker he was playing he lacked goals). Walcott when he was still at Southampton is another that was given similar treatment and he's still way below what people were making him out to be even at that age.
