I would go for Hart (Carson) Johnson Cahill Jones Baines (Richards) Downing Parker Barry Gerrard (Wallcot) (Milner) Welbeck Sturridge (Campbell) (Young) Then England to get beat 2 - 1 with Van Persie and Kuyt for them and Barry for us.
IMO the best XI from the squad he's picked would be: Hart Richards Cahill Jones Cole Milner Parker Gerrard Young Rooney Sturridge The midfield looks a bit light with no Lampard, Wilsherestill injured and Gerrard not having done much since returning fromhis latest injury. I'd like to see Walker, A. Johnson, Cleverley, Welbeck and Campbell play at some point but wouldn't want loads of changes to spoil the game.
I can never understand the point in Downing for England. He's a very similar kind of player to Adam Johnson but far less effective in my opinion. Yet every time an England game comes along Downing plays (under Capello that was thw case anyway) and Johnson is one of many players who has been on the international scene for ages but has hardly actually played.
He's quality for Man City*, and I put him there for England because he's less likely to 'go missing' in a big game as some might do. Also he can play as an out and out winger in a 4 which I'm not sure Adam Johnson can (he usually plays in a similar formation to ours) *He keeps some great players out of the Man City team, most of which people would say are better than anything we've got, but surprise surprise people will pretend the one who plays for England is crap.
Have we called up replacements? Not too bothered about Johnson anyway, IMO both Richards and Walker are better.
Hart Richards Jones Cahill Cole Parker Walcott Gerrard Young Welbeck Sturridge If he wants he can drop Gerrard back alongside Parker, move Young inside and Welbeck or Sturride wide left
Walker's out too(Walker, Johnson, Rooney, Cleverley and Bent have all now been withdrawn due to injury), Lescott was called up, but I'm not sure about the other positions.
I would go for Hart Richards Cahill smalling Baines Parker. Barry Johnson. Gerrard. Young Sturridge Best I can think of with all the injuries
-----------Hart--------- Richards Jones Cahill Cole ----------Parker-------- Johnson-----------Young ---------Gerrard-------- ---Sturridge--Welbeck-- Actually, scratch that, edit: -----------Hart--------- Richards Jones Smalling Cole -------Barry--Parker------ ---Johnson------Gerrard--- ----Sturridge---Welbeck---
As soon as The Verve music starts piping up on the opening credits, my heart drops. It's hard to get excited about watching an England game to say the least. Especially a friendly, midweek, right as the final important stretches of the domestic season are about to begin, with a stand-in manager, and an injury ravaged squad. I can only sigh and hope that Adrian Chiles doesn't 'umm' and 'arr' so much that I get that nervous twitch in my hand again. The guy is ****ing ****. At everything. Ever. Yeah, I just said that.
The willingness to include the likes of Bent, Zamora, Holt etc... worries me. I'd much rather have young players such as Sturridge, Welbeck and Campbell in there. I can't see Germany/Spain/Holland checking the Grant Holt's family tree to see if he is eligible to play for them. I suppose you may say the same for the likes of Welbeck, but at least they are young, are playing for top European clubs, and have potential to become top, top, players.
I'm going tomorrow, I'm taking two City fans, two Spurs fans and a bloke I've never met. We're going to try a three man chant of 'Wigley, Wigley, give us a wave'.
