Your England World Cup Squad!

I thought I'd start this thread because with the injuries we have now I wanted to know who everybody thinks should be in the world cup squad. Let's make it even more exciting by giving reasons for controversial or out of the ordinary choices.
Before I start mine I will say that I will include ashley cole and aaron lennon even though they are injured because I'm pretty sure they will both make it.

GK:
Green (No' 1), Hart, Robinson (I havn't picked James because he is old as fuck and will have low morale after being relegated and he makes horific mistakes at important times.)

Def:
Glen Johnson, Brown, Ferdinand (cpt), Terry (should be cpt), Shawcross (looks like lescott won't be fit), Upson, Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines.

MIdfield:
Lennon, Bentley ( because everytime he comes on for spurs he makes a huge difference), Gerrard, Lamps, Barry, Carrick, J Cole, Downing (purely for his pace and crossing ability)

Forward:
Rooney, Crouch, Bent (you can't ignore 22 league goals for a club like sunderland), Defoe (Carlton Cole if he isn't fit).

I'm currently unavailable through injury so you will have to make do with rooney instead

GK

James, Hart, Green

Defence

Johnson, Neville G.*, Ferdinand, Terry, Shawcross, Upson, Baines, Warnock

Midfield

Wright-Phillips, Milner, Carrick, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Downing, Young

Forwards

Rooney, Crouch, Bent, Cole C.

Now, justification for the inevitable "Why is 'player x' omitted when he's the best player 'position y'?"... They aren't fit and won't have retained full sharpness before the tournament arrives, or else have barely figured regularly in the starting XI for their teams since the new year and don't look like doing so in the few weeks left of the season. How many times in the past have England selected the big names, regardless of form and fitness? That's right, every bloody time. How many times has that worked out well for us? Absolutely frigging none, that's how many. No Defoe, no Lennon, No Cole's A or J, no Bentley, no Brown, and no Lescott (Who I wouldn't have taken anyway, since his performances for England thus far have sucked somewhere between "Arse" and "Monkey Balls", depending on whether you measure suck in metric or imperial.). Some players in my 23 are coming back from injuries, yes, but the key factor is they're already back in the first XI on a regular basis and improving with each game. Bear in mind, any of the players mentioned who get a knock which keeps them out for 3-4 weeks between now and May? Gone and replaced with someone fit to play. No hesitation, no excuses, no pandering to star names, gone.

* Please read before launching anti-Neville rant: Is Neville uglier than a frog licking piss off a nettle? Yes. Does he play for Man Utd? Yes. Is he whiny and annoying? Yes. Does he use every single dirty, cynical and underhanded trick in the book to get the better of the innumerable EPL wingers who are quicker than him? Yes. Do even United fans (like myself) find his persistent rants in the press and pestering of referees annoying? Yes. Now... Name another English right-back with his wealth of experience, absolute dedication to winning, ability to play in various defensive roles, ability to whip in a high quality cross from deep and ruthless determination to ensure the team he plays for doesn't concede a goal... (who's available for selection, Liverpool fans. Everything I've written could just as easily apply to Carragher, after all. )

I see what ur saying. Ur choice of goalkeeper is understandable but I think we need to keep green for the sake of continuity and I see hart as our next number 1 and think going to this world cup will give him invaluable experience at a major tournament and paul robinson is experienced in an england shirt and therefore a great number 3 keeper. The only reason I didn't include gary neville is that if we come up against brazil or prtugal or france or spain, he has to play against either ribery, robinho (who is amazing for brazil) ronaldo etc and he will struggle through pace alone. Although I agree that the reason we have been shite in recent tournaments is partly down to including unfit out of form 'stars', if we didn't take players who were out of form we would have no gerrard or lamps who to me are integral. Milner is still unproven in an england shirt and I like the thought of him being a squad member, we are yet to see whether he can cope with the pressures of a major tournament, not to mention the fact that nobody knows his best position yet. The only other thing ill say is an unfit ashley cole is still as good as any other england "! Apart from baines in my opinion so he has got to go.

I do however think that capello will do exactly as u said and include only in-form and fit players and we will probably have a better chance that way. I'm typically english and would still pick that same team everytime lol.

Goalkeepers

Hart, Foster, Robinson

Defenders

Terry, Ferdinand, Warnock, G Neville, Baines, Jagielka, Stearman, Dawson

Midfielders

Lampard, Barry, Gerrard, Carrick, Young, Downing, Milner,

Forwards

Rooney, Bent, Defoe, Agbonlahor, Crouch

Ferdinand is captain, although I would make Lampard captain.

A bloody good coach for the penalty taking. Otherwise QF's then goodbye.

Goalkeepers

Banks, Springett, Bonnetti

Defenders

Cohen, Wilson, Armfield, Byrne, Charlton J, Moore, Flowers, Hunter

Midfield

Ball, Charlton R, Stiles, Peters, Connelly, Eastham

Strikers

Hurst, Hunt, Greaves, Callaghan, Paine

Let's face it, it's the only time we're going to win it as FIFA hates England.

Let's hope we don't go with just four strikers again and that we DO practice penalties.

I'm presuming everyone fit so only the one surprise which someone else has already done.

Green, Foster, Hart.
Johnson, Terry (plus armband), ferdinand, upson, baines, a cole, g neville (say what you like he can play anywhere across the back), shawcross.
Barry, gerrard, lampard, milner, carrick, wright-philips, walcott.
Rooney, crouch, defoe, carlton cole, bent.

Penalties are a must, they'd be mad not to practice these this time around. I'm sure Capello will have every possibility covered by the time the finals start, although I still don't think they'll win it. Quarter finals again for me, no further.

Of course I hope I'm wrong, I just think there are at least three teams better than England - Brazil, Spain and Holland.

The group we're in for me has got its pitfalls too. We should come through it unbeaten, but USA is a tough game. Lots of premier league experience and quality in their side, with the likes of Donovan, Hahnemann and Howard.

I've included Richard Stearman of Wolves in my squad because he has been a regular at Under 21 level, and I don't think Lescott will be fit, so Stearman is a good backup. Phil Jagielka might be a surprise, but if he's fit, he can play in either defence or midfield so gives us more options.

I've left out Wright-Phillips because I've been disappointed with his performances, and Aaron Lennon might not be fit either.

I've gone with five strikers because I think England have made huge mistakes in past tournaments under Eriksson not selecting enough attacking options.

And I want Lampard as captain. One of my favourite players.

(25-03-2010 21:28 )m100 Wrote:  Let's hope we don't go with just four strikers again and that we DO practice penalties.

I'm presuming everyone fit so only the one surprise which someone else has already done.

Green, Foster, Hart.
Johnson, Terry (plus armband), ferdinand, upson, baines, a cole, g neville (say what you like he can play anywhere across the back), shawcross.
Barry, gerrard, lampard, milner, carrick, wright-philips, walcott.
Rooney, crouch, defoe, carlton cole, bent.

You saved me the trouble of writing out a squad, because i agree with nearly all of those.

Apart from: Calamity James for Foster (yeah i know that he can be a nightmare, but no more so than Foster. Plus there's a distinct lack of experience in your goalkeeping trio)

But you don't need to try and justify Neville, if anybody's bought himself a seat on the plane in the last few weeks, it's definitely him.

(and that's from a Chelsea fan, who really doesn't like Utd very much )

The penalty issue is quite an interesting one. That's why I think leighton baines is a definite. He takes great penalties. Defoe, lamps, gerrard, barry and baines are all exceptional penalty takers so we have our 5. You also have rooney (has missed a few), bent ferdinand who can all take good penalties and green who has saved many a good penalty. I think its all to do with pressure and nerves and we all know that England don't usually cope with that well. I am going to be positive this year and say we have a very solid defence, loads of goals in the forward department and 2 of the best cm players in the world so we have a chanve guys!! :s

Gread thread

Goal Keepers - James, Green, Hart

Defenders - Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, Baines, Lescott, Carragher (Get him out of retirement, don't think he has had a great season but he would be great cover)

Midfielders - Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Young, Lennon, Carrick, Milner, Wright-Phillips

Forwards - Rooney, Heskey, Bent, Defoe, Crouch.

Say what you about Heskey but the other forward always loves playing with him.