Thats just about the worst England team in living memory! Milner - captain!!!!!!!!! The boy is total sh*te!! Get a grip man!
The problem isn't the selection, it's the choices available. I'd certainly add Lescott and Walcott and take out Smalling, Milner and Sturridge (god knows who I'd replace Sturridge with). But it would still be the weakest looking England team in living memory. But the key word may be "looking." All those young and/or unestablished players might be (almost) as much a pleasant surprise as the older/established ones were disappointments. I like the back seven (including Barry and Parker with the defenders and keeper). It's a question of whether you can get a group of forwards who can score.
Months later and we are back to the same question. Is Gerrard really fit and good enough to be an England starter let alone captain.
Gerrard's been our player of the tournament so far, some of his crosses David Beckham would have been proud of and his work rate has been brilliant - he's run himself into the ground essentially. Turned out to be a good choice for captain, before Euro 2012 I was all about Scotty Parker for skipper , whilst he's had a good tournament as well he's no mark on Stevie G
Well if most England fans had there way Gerrard would not even be there never mind captain. Just goes to show the level of stupidity among the majority of football fans and why a manager should never listen to what fans have to say.
A bit too far. Of course every Liverpool fan I know will blindly defend Gerrard to the death, but calling people stupid because they wouldn't start him? Ridiculous. He's coming towards the twilight of his career and is far from the player he once was. He has played well so far, I agree, but he's hardly been irreplaceable. When everyone is fit, Gerrard should have to prove he deserves to start ahead of Wilshere - something which will be close, as Roy will surely have to be looking at Brazil in 2014 after these Euros and Gerrard will have declined further still in two years' time. Short term option whilst Wilshere gets back his fitness and form, yes. Long term? No.
Well Imo anyone that wouldnt have Gerrard in the England team is clueless and I dont think Wilshire is fit to lace his boots.
Well that's preposterous. Wilshere was a better option than Gerrard when he was fit, but, as I said, he needs to show that he is over his injury. Remember, I'm a Shrewsbury fan, have nothing against Liverpool and will be able to give a more subjective view as I won't be clouded by bias. JOE HART FOR CAPTAIN!!!! Seriously though, would you start Gerrard post Euros with a view to playing him at the Brazil world cup when he'll be 34?
Gerrard is a good player, who in a few years probably will have adapted his game due to his age by 2014. I guess we have to ask, are the young midfielders and playmakers ready to step into his shoes? Also, is Roy Hodgson prepared to take a punt on a less proven player on a hunch that he might be our missing link? If the answer to both of those is no, chances are, Gerrard will go to Brazil.
I think Wilshere will be a better player than Gerrard by 2014 though. He may well have adapted his game, but considering how much of it is based on his stamina and power, he will simply not be the same player. We've seen a deterioration; he's no longer the world class 20 goals a season midfielder that he used to be. If I were Hodgson, I'd give them both game time to prove themselves, certainly. The likes of Rodwell, Cleverly and McEachren have promise for the future but are not ready to be starting for England yet. However, Parker is needed in the middle of the park as a disciplined, defensive player. Should Roy decide to go with a more fluid 4-2-3-1 formation and have Rooney up top, then it could be possible to accommodate both Gerrard and Wilshere, but I feel that's unlikely.
No. I agree that he will have to be moved on post Euros and Wilshire will replace him eventually but at the moment I think hes still a top player and Englands best central mid fielder.
When do we decide Rodwell, Cleverly, McEachrane etc are ready? The top few clubs have very high standards, hence why they bring in so many imports. We'll be waiting a long time for them to establish a new team of English players and we'll be ruling out players who may offer something we need. Henderson is in the squad and are Rodwell, Cleverley, McEachrane etc any worse? England aren't that good at the moment and players will be ready for England before they're ready for a top 6 club. Parker isn't much younger than Gerrard.
I think you can't include a player in the national team until they're playing regularly. None of those I mentioned are at that stage yet, although Rodwell was finally becoming an automatic starter for Everton this season pre-injury. Players all over need to be showing that they can cut it, week in, week out, before they should be in the national squad. I agree Henderson shouldn't be in the squad. He is a limited player and offers nothing, but we have been damned with injury this summer and I think a lot of players were reluctant to be on the standby list. I know Parker's getting on as well, but he is a little younger than Gerrard and is the only proper defensive midfielder we have. The thought of Gerrard and Wilshere in the middle of a 4-4-2 is too open and attacking, and we need someone to offer a little more protection in front of the back four. I know this should probably be on the post-Euros thread, but my 23 man squad - when everyone's fit - after the Euros would be this: ------------------------Hart---------------------------- --Walker--------Lescott----Jagielka------------Cole----- -----------------Wilshere--Rodwell---------------------- --Walcott-------------Rooney---------------Young------ ---------------------Welbeck--------------------------- with a bench of: Green, Ruddy, Richards, Cahill, Smalling, Baines, Gerrard, Parker, Chamberlain, A. Johnson, Cleverly and Carroll. All those players would be, in theory, quite able to compete at Brazil in two years. However, if Roy decides to go 4-4-2 (which I expect him to) then I'd probably start Parker in the middle ahead of Rodwell (which is what I was trying to say earlier) to prevent us getting overrun.
Gerrard could do a better job than Parker at the 'Parker role'. He's that good. If you're binning one midfielder off for Wilshere, who hasn't played any football in over a year, it should be Parker who has looked his age this tournament unlike Gerrard.
