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The fact that they played in the derby - no, but the fact they play for the best two teams in England - yes! x

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comment by Sideshow (U11809)

I would play:

Hart
Richards Cahill Terry Cole
Carrick Lampard
Walcott Rooney Sturridge
Rooney
_________

Good team sideshow

comment by Sideshow (U11809) posted 9 minutes ago

What would you're first 11 be ?
I'm assuming only Man Utd & City players
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Nope

Just United's

Amos
Jones
Smalling
Rio
Fryers
Scholes
Carrick
Cleverley
Young
Rooney
Welbeck

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comment by bloodred- (U1222)

Rio and Terry cant both go. You cant have friction between arguably the two most influential voices in the dressing room. What will probably happen is that the England camp will get divided into team Terry and team Rio, and that would be a disaster.

I think one of them should go, and although I think Rio is the better defender, it should be Terry. Reason being because the Euros is a possible 6 games in 3 or so weeks. Is Rio up to that? He's barely managed 2 a week for United in the past couple of years.

I'd take: Lescott, Terry, Cahill and Smalling. Also Jagielka if we are taking 5.
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Couldn't agree with you more, Bloodred. Rio may possibly be the best defender in England - but he has been very injury prone recently and I'm not sure I trust his ability to get through the whole tournament. He's probably not worth the risk if we are deciding between him and Terry. Terry meanwhile, has been a rock of late (outside of his stupid dismissal against Barca), and tends to play even when he is injured. That sort of fighting spirit can be invaluable during an international tournament.

Having said that - Hodgson will have to talk to both of them, as well as the other available players to see what they really think and who they are comfortable playing with. England may be fortunate in that centre back is the one position we are blessed with alternatives. Our pool is very shallow in almost every other position.

Has it occurred to anyone else that Rio might not be the only player to have a problem with Terry?

If Rio has a genuine problem with Terry, then it isn't just borne of fraternal support; we have to assume that Rio thinks he is a racist bigot.

If Terry is a racist bigot, what makes you think that any of the players regardless of race want to rub shoulders with him?

Terry is slow and in his last high pressure game, he got himself needlessly sent off. After Terry spoke out in the last tournament questioning Capello's decisions, why would any right minded manager include him in the squad?


If Rio is left out because of injury issues, that is understandable.
But Terry has become a liability, on and off the pitch. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Chelsea tried to flog him in the summer.

Those of you who think he should still play for England need your heads checking x

X

Totally agree

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Sideshow - I agree, he's been a consistent performer in a defence that concedes on average 2 goals a game at their home ground. That's the kind of consistency most teams are trying to avoid x

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Sideshow - and here's me thinking you were going to make a case for the idea that the three English chelsea defenders had the experience, quality and familiarity to play well together under any manager in any system he might choose... that kind of adaptability would be useful playing for England.

The reason why chelsea have stopped conceding goals is because they are now playing very defensively, and that works... sometimes. It's also the reason why the number of shots on target per game has reduced to a handful, in every game that isn't against relegation fodder.

Now look at united and City, the derby aside, look at how many more shots on target these teams generate, and look at how fewer goals they concede.

Terry and Lampard aren't gonna play at the top into their late 30s like united's golden generation; they just don't have the technique and vision to achieve that. They don't have the right qualities. They're over the hill. They're done x

Actually Lampard might be OK if he drops into a deeper midfield role, so scratch that, and sub Ashley Cole into that last paragraph x

Hart
Walker Smalling/Cahill Terry Cole
Carrick Lampard
Walcott Rooney Young
Welbeck

That would be England's best team IMO.

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Sideshow don't worry about it. I don't see anything wrong with your team aside from the inclusion of Sturridge. Maybe Smalling over Cahill also but that's debatable.

I like how they're using the league card. How did the Manchester teams do in the cup competitions this season? Euro 2012 is after all a cup competition.

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Young is a... good player. He links up very well with Rooney and Welbeck at club level which would be very useful in International level.

Sturridge on the other hand links up well with no one...

Ashely Young is better than Sturridge.

Sturridge never passes, just runs around in circles, then shoots wide.

Young usually plays well for England, creates a bag full of chances.

My team would be:

Hart

Richards
Lescott
Smalling
Cashley

Walcott or Lennon depends who is on form
Carrick
Lampard
Young

Rooney
Welbeck

Sideshow - if you think I'm bias in favour of united, I should probably inform you that I'm a City fan. I'm not bias, I just know quality when I see it, and I don't want the England team built around an average side that got lucky against Barcelona x

What happened to City in the Champions League X?

x.

Saìn† Mal - City were knocked out in the group stage with the joint highest points ever recorded for a third placed team.
How are Chelsea doing in the league, they must have champions league football secured for next season this late into the season, yes? x