Hart, Forster, Ruddy
Cole, Shaw
Cahill, Jagielka, Smalling, Jones
Johnson, Walker
Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana
Barkley, Wilshere, Lampard
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling
Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck, Rodriguez
My starting XI will raise some eyebrows but i think we have the players to play a 3-5-2 formation. Liverpool this season have at times played it to good effect in order to enable us to play both Sturridge and Suarez central. England have the same dilemma in that our best two players are the strikers. Both must play and should play central if we are to get the best from them. Furthermore, given the lack of quality in wide areas and the natural attacking full backs we have means wing backs is certainly possible. All this allows us to play 3 in midfield and hopefully we won't get run over like we did against Germany four years ago playing a mundane 4-4-2.
If the formation is surprising, then perhaps my choice for full backs will lead you to believe that i'm just stupid BUT hear me out. Raheem Sterling is a very very good player. He has played right back for liverpool a few times this season and has done very well. He has pace and energy so will be able to get up and down the touchline like cafu. Kyle Walker or Glen Johnson could play here but i'd rather see sterling given his fantastic form and sheer exuberance on the pitch. Why not give the kid a chance? Same goes on the left. Luke Shaw is a powerful attacking left back. He has shown that he loves to run with the ball down that left with space in front of him. Again, his youth and confidence, like Sterling will just bring so much enthusiasm to the team. Baines or Cole could play this role but again like Sterling, i would allow Shaw to show the world just how good he is.
Finally, i'm picking Henderson in midfield. I think his energy and running will be crucial not least because gerrard can't do that anymore and wilshere is a bit of a liability, bit also because, lets face it, we're england, we won't have much of the ball. I think his workrate will be invaluable. I'd want the option of bringing on the likes of lallana, barkley or lampard depending on the situation.
So the starting XI:
...................Hart...........................
........Smalling..Cahill..Jagielka......
.................Gerrard..........................
Sterling..Henderson..Wilshere..Shaw
............Rooney...Sturridge.............
England World Cup squad and XI
posted on 4/3/14
------------------------Hart------------------------
---Johnson---Cahill----Jags----Cole-------
--------------Gerrard----Wilshere-------------
-----Oxlade-------Rooney-------Sterling----
---------------------Sturridge---------------------
Despite all the hoo-ha, i still think Cole is the best LB we have in the league. Not convinced about Baines' defensive ability at all. As for his attacking threat, he has what, 1 assist?
Wilshere is touch and go. I wouldn't mind the Liverpool pairing of Gerrard and Henderson. Henderson has come leaps and bounds from his earlier Pool days. I personally wouldn't take Lampard to Brazil.
I've put Oxlade out right because Townsend has done nothing this season. Ox looks to be getting back to dangerous form. I suppose Sterling is flavour of the month on the wing as well. We have plenty of decent options, so this area will be a headache for Woy.
Rooney, i've placed just off the striker. I prefer him central than out wide. He can dictate the play and influence the game more in that advanced midfield position.
Sturridge is a no-brainer. Best English striker in the league. Has to start most of the games in Brazil.
posted on 4/3/14
comment by The Blue Kenyan (U1641)
posted 2 hours, 38 minutes ago
Defensively that formation looks poor, and does Sterling have the stamina to be running up and down the pitch for 90 minutes with a match every 3-4 days? Shaw probably does.
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Sterling defo does.
posted on 4/3/14
Am I the only one that wouldn't take Rooney, Cole or Wilshere?
Wilshere is a red card waiting to happen, and I am still yet to see him kick on from his early potential. In fact, I think he has gone backwards. Until he gets his head down and stops thinking he has made it already, he could go the way that Pennant did. All the talent in the world won't get you anywhere if you don't put in the hard work too.
Rooney has never done it at the tournaments. Whatever the reason may be, he just doesn't. I can also see him as a red card waiting to happen to when he gets frustrated. We will need all 11 players on the pitch if we are to stand even the remote chance of getting out of the group.
Cole is being kept out of the Chelsea team by a RB! A blooming RB for gods sake!! That says it all to me. Jose wouldn't be doing that if he felt Cole was still good enough.
The problem with England is that the managers never take the form players with them. They always take the ones who are supposedly the best, on form or not. If you took a squad who were paying fantastically for their clubs, their confidence would be at an all time high, and most likely to give them that little bit extra over the supposed best players.
My current squad based on form players would be:
Hart, Forster & Foster
Shaw & Baines
Clyne & Flanagan - Both excellent defenders, but are more limited going forward than Johnson or Walker. Only young, but will probably be squad members over the coming years. Time to take a risk.
Cahill, Jagielka, Caulker, Jones (maybe not on form, but we are a little short on CB's at the moment, and he will the number 1 CB for England for years to come)
Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Barkley, Barry
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling, Johnson
Sturridge, Rodriguez, Ings, Lambert
There is still time for Glen Johnson to rediscover his form after playing with injury for most of the season and take Flanagan or Clyne's place. Or even Kyle Walker if he ever takes his head out of his ar$e and rediscovers his form from a couple of seasons ago.
Townsend could still make it over Johnson in midfield. I just think he is quite a lucky player rather than a good one. But, every team needs a lucky player or two.
Lambert gives us that different option up front compared to Rodriguez or Sturridge. Carroll could make a late charge as the different option, but Lambert has been playing well all season.
Danny Ings is on fire this season, and could be that unknown quantity that the opposition wouldn't have a clue about. Ok, so he plays in The Championship, but so what. He knows where the goal is, and unlike Defoe (who also knows where the goal is), he is playing every week.
posted on 4/3/14
Danny Ings is on fire this season, and could be that unknown quantity that the opposition wouldn't have a clue about. Ok, so he plays in The Championship, but so what.
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There's a massive gap between the Championship and the PL, and then a big leap in quality from the PL to international class. Ings might be scoring freely in the Championship, but that means nothing at the International stage.
I get your point on Wilshere. He's done well in patches, but not sure he merits a WC place. There's no doubting his quality, and i'm not sure why his temperament is being questioned. The problem Wilshere is having is imposing himself in big games.
Rooney has to go. If you're questioning his tournament pedigree, you can question Gerrards as well. Both have failed to impress. However, Rooney is Englands best player and should go, without a doubt.
Cole, i think you have a point. No longer 1st choice, and past his best. But i don't think there's much better defensive and attacking LBs in the league. Baines is overrated and Shaw might be a bit raw to be 1st choice. I'd definitely take Shaw to the WC though.
posted on 4/3/14
comment by Serial WUManiser - The Chosen One (U1410)
posted 58 minutes ago
Danny Ings is on fire this season, and could be that unknown quantity that the opposition wouldn't have a clue about. Ok, so he plays in The Championship, but so what.
---------------------------
There's a massive gap between the Championship and the PL, and then a big leap in quality from the PL to international class. Ings might be scoring freely in the Championship, but that means nothing at the International stage.
I get your point on Wilshere. He's done well in patches, but not sure he merits a WC place. There's no doubting his quality, and i'm not sure why his temperament is being questioned. The problem Wilshere is having is imposing himself in big games.
Rooney has to go. If you're questioning his tournament pedigree, you can question Gerrards as well. Both have failed to impress. However, Rooney is Englands best player and should go, without a doubt.
Cole, i think you have a point. No longer 1st choice, and past his best. But i don't think there's much better defensive and attacking LBs in the league. Baines is overrated and Shaw might be a bit raw to be 1st choice. I'd definitely take Shaw to the WC though.
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There is a massive gap between the Championship and the PL and beyond. But, if you're confidence is high and you're banging them in, anything is possible.
Gerrard has been England's best player at the past two maybe even three tournaments. Strikers are supposed to score goals, and if they're not scoring, they need to contribute to the rest of the team. Rooney has done neither.
Wilshere is a head case! If he were playing in any other league to England, he would get sent of a lot! Because the English game is more physical than other leagues, he gets away with it. At an international tournament, he just wouldn't get away with it.
posted on 6/3/14
Hart, Forster, Foster.
Johnson, Walker, Baines, Shaw, Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Smalling.
Lallana, Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Townsend, Gerrard, Wilshere, Henderson, Barry, Barkley.
Rooney, Sturridge, Lambert.
Jones and Smalling will go due to their versatility.
Barry ahead of Carrick for me. Has been better this season and players should be picked on form.
Shaw ahead of Cole. May as well give Shaw the experience if Baines is first choice.
We need four fast, mobile wingers. I expect Hodgson to pick Milner, possibly ahead of Townsend, but I don't agree with it.
Assuming we play a 4-3-3, we only need 3 strikers as Sturridge and another (AOC or Sterling) can play either side of Rooney, leaving Lambert to come on if we are looking for a late goal. Defoe should be immediately out of contention now he has moved to Toronto, and Andy Carroll should have his own Cleverley-like petition if Hodgson starts talking about calling him up.
Starting 11:
Hart
Johnson
Cahill
Jagielka
Baines
Gerrard
Wilshere
Henderson
Sterling
Sturridge
Rooney
posted on 6/3/14
Maybe chuck in Welbeck ahead of Lambert, but his form doesn't justify his inclusion.
posted on 6/3/14
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posted on 6/3/14
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posted on 6/3/14
I put 5 midfielders because I can see us playing with 3 in the middle so we would need more than one back up