World Cup 2010

[benhben]

I thougth Ashley Young would be a certainty to be in at least the 30 man squad. Young skillful and pacey, good delivery and can play left or right. Always thought Walcott is overrated and SWP has hardly played. Carragher is a joke addition and I doubt hell make the 23. Seriously hope Heskey doesnt go. Crouch Bent Defoe and Rooney isnt a bad four. I would have taken Agbonlahor though, just for his pace. May be usefull if were under the cosh and need to boot it long and get someone to run in behind a pressing defence.

[joey_big_nose]

If Barry is out Parker should definitely take his place. Bit shocked that Zamora does not even make the 30….

Best starting teams?

---------------------Bent

J Cole------------Rooney----------Gerrard

--------Barry/Parker---Lampard

-A Cole----Terry----Ferdinand----G Johnson

--------------------James

Problem positions are who is going to partner Rooney and how (442/4231?) and where Gerrard is going to play. Lampard looks very good in the deeper role so I think that is pretty settled. Emergence of Adam Johnson is great timing as we need better options on the left and right.

[Hughesy]

England's 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup finals:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, David James, Robert Green.

Defenders: Leighton Baines, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock.

Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Forwards: Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney.

Heskey, King, Warnock, Walcott (hardly played) shouldn’t even be close to that squad (my opinion)

Huddlestone Id take only if Barry is still injured.

Question marks over SWP, James, Carragher & Upson too.

Players very unlucky to not be given a chance - Cahill, Young, Agbonlawhore, Robinson & Zamora

[roversfan99]

Hart

G Johnson Rio Terry Cole

Huddlestone

Milner Gerrard Lampard A Johnson

Rooney

[cletus]

Not impressed with some of the guys on that list

Some should be no-where near getting on it & some are carrying injuries.

I predict England will reach 2nd round & get knocked out...... or reach quarter finals at an absolute push (not being unpatriotic, just being realistic)

Has anybody got the dates for Englands group matches?

[nellybc]

sat 12th june vs usa

fri 18th june vs algeria

wed 23rd june vs slovenia

Has anybody got the dates for Englands group matches?

[Amo]

Carragher, Walcott and J Cole stinks of big club bias by the England manager.

And Zamora should be ahead of Heskey by a mile.

[ewoodpo]

Cappello is a greasy Italian toss pot , where is his theory of picking players on form . Robbo must be gutted that he's missed out , he should have made the squad.

[Hughesy]

Capello said he would only pick fit and in form players - YET he picks SWP, Barry, Walcott, James & Carragher to just name a few!

[LeChuck]

If Barry is out Parker should definitely take his place. Bit shocked that Zamora does not even make the 30….

Best starting teams?

---------------------Bent

J Cole------------Rooney----------Gerrard

--------Barry/Parker---Lampard

-A Cole----Terry----Ferdinand----G Johnson

--------------------James

Problem positions are who is going to partner Rooney and how (442/4231?) and where Gerrard is going to play. Lampard looks very good in the deeper role so I think that is pretty settled. Emergence of Adam Johnson is great timing as we need better options on the left and right.

I'd like to see us play Rooney in the position he was playing from January - April, when he was up there with Messi as the best player in the world. He was playing as a lone striker then, with good support from midfield.

Also, Gerrard has been playing the old Alonso role for Liverpool recently, starting play from deep in midfield. He's been poor in front of goal this season so I'd play Lampard further forward and have Gerrard win the ball and create.

With that in mind, I'd go...

....................... Hart

Johnson ... Terry ... Ferdinand ... Cole

............. Gerrard ..... Barry

...Lennon ...... Lampard ..... Walcott

.................... Rooney

Milner for Barry if he's not fit. I don't even think Joe Cole will make the 23, let alone start. He's been turd since he came back from injury and we've got plenty of good wingers now.

[G Somerset Rover]

Either Robinson performed terribly in training during his one call up under Capello or the two of them had a big falling out. Surely they're the only justifiable reasons as to why Robbo has not been picked before Green and James. The former has been so average that I fail to see how we can trust him on the world's biggest stage. At least James has the odd stormer.

[modes98]

Robinson is probably wondering why he ever came to us to be honest. The WC was his one and only goal.

Well with more clean sheets than any other english keeper this season (13) you would have put him in straight away. Not even mentioning the fact that Green has been awful this season and James has been in and out of the team bottom of the league.

I hope to god he plays Hart in however many friendlies we have got and sticks with the kid. We know what Green has to offer and it's nothing to write home about. James is mostly solid but does make the odd clanger.

[BRFC1995]

so very happy to see mr bentley not included..........joining that big club really has boosted his status the way he thought it would then.

[jonv]

Robinson is probably wondering why he ever came to us to be honest. The WC was his one and only goal.

“I’ve booked my holidays…” Robinson stated, after Blackburn’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal ”…and if I am not number one then I don’t want to go.”

[American Rover12]

Was really optimistic about Cabbageman turning around the England camp and making it respectable again with his picking effective and in form payers and then trying to change the WAG and media circus that is the England camps, but when you pick players like Walcott, SWP, James, and leave out Robinson, then you've lost all credibility in my book. Gutted for Robbo who deserved a place at least in the three, if not the number 1 (although debatable)

[Laurence]

Green and James and not Robbo..................................Jesus!

Perhaps he should have let-in a few more goals

[Mozzer]

im sure i read that zamora cant train every day due to his injury thats why he aint in the squad - for me he would of well been in the squad ahead of players like heskey and darren bent - i feel carlton cole deserves it more then heskey also ..

nice to scott parker in the squad also - i think hes a top midfielder ...

adam johnson is a good decision also - exciting young player

im not surprised ashley young or agbonlahor arnt in the squad - i think young is slightly overated and agbonlahor is all about the pace ..

[Amo]

im sure i read that zamora cant train every day due to his injury thats why he aint in the squad

That doesn't make any sense because Ledley King is in the squad.

agbonlahor is all about the pace ..

Whereas Theo Walcott is.... what, exactly?

[sam_rovers]

Including Walcott and SWP is a baffling decision.. they are two of the most overrated players i've seen..

[grizfoot]

I don't see how they can call it a "suprise" world cup choices from Capello it was pretty much what I was expecting at least.

Keepers

Nobody really knows who England's Number 1 is, Green currentley holds the shirt but in my opinion he's the worst of the three that have been picked. If you go purely off form than you've got to go with Hart, although his lack of experience may work against him here. Personally I'd side with James, he's got that added experience and he's a top class keeper just hope he doesn't have any of his calamity moment. Feel sorry for Robbo he should at the very least be in the squad, he's been just as good as Hart this season in my opinion but it appears he won't be going.

Capello's Choice: Green, James, Hart

My Choice: James, Hart, Robinson

Defense

The left-back slot appears to be straight forward with Ashley Cole the firm first choice and either Baines or Warnock as back-up. The centreback position is a little more up to debate, despite Terry and Ferdinand not exactly having brilliant seasons I fully expect them to be the first choice centreback pairing. The inclusion of King and Carragher seems to suggest that at least one of them will be going to the world cup, King is quality player but he can't be relied on to be fit and that's not the sort of thing you want from a back-up centreback. I think Capello will go with Carragher and Upson, whom he seems to like as his two back-up centrebacks. I would personally put Jagielka in there as I believe he's a better defender than Upson and he can also add a bit of versatility as he can play right-back as well. Onto the main right-back slot and there's no really competition for this position and Glen Johnson will surely get the starting spot if he's fit. The likely inclusion of Milner who could also fill in at right-back will surely mean that England will onyl need seven defenders in the squad.

Capello's Choice: A.Cole, Baines, Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher, Upson, G.Johnson

My Choice: A.Cole, Warnock, Ferdinand, Terry, King, Jagielka, G.Johnson

Midfield

Probably the most difficult area to predict and it will be interesting to see who Capello takes here. Personally I think there's the obvious inclusions of Gerrard, Lampard and Milner but the rest are very much upto debate. The injury to Barry cast a doubt over his ability to take part and I personally wouldn't include him but I think Capello may take the risk and hope he's fit in time. For me I'd take Huddlestone who's had a terrific season for Spurs and is worth a place in the squad as a holding midfield. Carrick has had a poor season but he's had a few decent games in the England shirt and I fully expect him to be in the squad although I'd prefer to go with Parker who offers something a little different in central midfield if we need it. That leaves the wide positions to sort out firstly the right flank you've three very similiar players in Walcott, Lennon and Wright-Phillips. I'd have Walcott as first choice purely because the other two have had little football this season. Onto the left flank and I think we've now go two decent options in Joe Cole and A.Johnson who I'd both take. I'd opt for nine midfielders as it give us more options especially if we decide a five man midfield is the way to go.

Capello's Choice: Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Barry, Carrick, Walcott, Lennon, J.Cole, A.Johnson

My Choice: Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Huddlestone, Parker, Walcott, Lennon, J.Cole, A.Johnson

Forwards

There's no doubt who will carrying the main goal threat going forward for England, let's just hope Rooney is raring and ready to go. If we go with two upfront I'd like to see him partnered with Crouch who has a brilliant scoring record in a England shirt. Capello will probably take Defoe and Heskey as well but I'd take Bent instead of Heskey.

Capello's Choice: Rooney, Heskey, Defoe, Crouch

My Choice: Rooney, Crouch, Defoe, Bent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Depending on the game/situation we can either go 4-5-1 or 4-4-2, below is how i'd line-up with each formation.

4-5-1

------------------------- James -----------------------

--- Johnson --- Ferdinand ----- Terry ------ A.Cole ---

--------------- Lampard ------ Milner ---------------

-- Walcott ------------- Gerrard ------------ J.Cole --

------------------------------------------ Rooney ------------

-----------

4-4-2

------------------------- James -----------------------

--- Johnson --- Ferdinand ----- Terry ------ A.Cole

--- Milner ---- Huddlestone --- Lampard ---- Gerrard

----------------- Rooney ---- Crouch ------------------

[Tom]

I personally think it's a joke that fake hardman Carragher has been called up, he quits when it doesn't go his way then doesn't play friendlies but happens to be available for the world cup?

[Mozzer]

That doesn't make any sense because Ledley King is in the squad.

Whereas Theo Walcott is.... what, exactly?

yeh i know it doesnt make sense :/ ..i personally would of had zamora ...however ledley king is our 3rd best centre back if not 2nd soo maybe thats why he is there regardless if he can train

and walcott is all about the pace also - i personally wouldnt of taken walcott either - he hasnt done enough for arsenal to get picked for me ..

[des]

why has not our goal keeper been picked, he is better than green

[Inta Beaver]

I personally think it's a joke that fake hardman Carragher has been called up, he quits when it doesn't go his way then doesn't play friendlies but happens to be available for the world cup?

The problem is TCO that we don't have many center halfs who are fit, experienced and in form, if you retired from international football and then got the call, would you go? I'd prefer see him there than Lescot or Shawcross. He shouldn't have quit and he would of had alot of caps if he hadn't.

[DeadlyDirk]

So who do we have at the World Cup? Nelsen, Jacobsen, Grella, Emerton? Can't think of any others. Givet should go, Boumsong must have got a hell of a lot better since I last saw him. Salgado for obvious reasons should be first name on the Spain team sheet.

Still can't get over Robbo not even being considered it seems over the last 12 months barring one random callup, he's had a solid season and from what I can see has been more consistent than Green or James. Hart is the best option but he's so inexperienced, I'm extremely concerned about our starting goalkeeper that's for sure.