The England Thread

[Matteh]

same situation has Rooney but he is still holding out hope for him, why not do the same for King, instead he picks Hargreaves urghhhh

It's like Beckham at the last one....
If he didn't pick Rooney everyone would slate him for it...King isn't in the same league as Beckham, Rooney so he's gone for a totally fit replacement.

I still can't get over Walcott (13 games + 8 subs - 4 goals for Southampton this season)

 

[Barney Rubble]

So who would you take instead of Terry, Cole, Campbell. Bridge, Rooney and Owen? Carrick is all class I don't think we have to worry about him. Not seen much of Lennon really, Downing looks decent enough but we'll see. The Walcott one is so absurd it might just work! Hargreaves, meh.

I wasn't saying I'd take anyone over those six. I was more trying to point out the lack of options we have. If a few of those six don't make it, we're pretty buggered.

 

[aussie]

Well we have plenty of centre halves but only one Rooney.

i'm not suggestig he is in the same league as Rooney, but he should be looking to pick the best 23 man squad right & holding out hope for King & picking him even as a mid-field option would have been better than going back for Hargreaves. Or even Kevin Nolan..

Look thankfully its Sven's last tournament in charge..

 

[Pedro Delgado]

I wasn't saying I'd take anyone over those six. I was more trying to point out the lack of options we have. If a few of those six don't make it, we're pretty buggered.

True but that's not really Sven's fault. He has to give the best players the chance to play. Bent and Defoe don't fall into that catagory for me, going with a fast young unkown is quite the gamble but going with Bent and Defoe wouldn't get me excited either.

Intrigued rather than miffed, me, but then logic's never been a strong point for me neither.

 

[aussie]

I still can't get over Walcott (13 games + 8 subs - 4 goals for Southampton this season)

yea if he wanted to go for someone youngster Ashton would have been a better call, Walcott could have been given a go after the World Cup, he better had do something sensational if he gets a run..

 

[steds]

picking him even as a mid-field option would have been better than going back for Hargreaves.

Should be Nolan, never mind ****ing King.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

i'm not suggestig he is in the same league as Rooney, but he should be looking to pick the best 23 man squad right & holding out hope forKing & picking him even as a mid-field option would have been better than going back for Hargreaves.

Look thankfully its Sven's last tournament in charge..

Sven clearly sees King as another centre back, of which we have many. If we're talking King the utility midfielder Carrick is ahead of him anyway plus we're not exactly short in midfield with Cole, Gerrard, Becks, Lamps, Jenas, Downing....erm Hargreaves.

Sven has done very well, we've qualified for all touraments and done pretty well at them. If we make the quarters/semi's I'll be happy.

 

[Matteh]

Sven clearly sees King as another centre back, of which we have many. If we're talking King the utility midfielder Carrick is ahead of him anyway plus we're not exactly short in midfield with Cole, Gerrard, Becks, Lamps, Jenas, Downing....erm Hargreaves.

Sven has done very well, we've qualified for all touraments and done pretty well at them. If we make the quarters/semi's I'll be happy.

I guess Hargreaves is in because he can play literally everywhere behind the front two making him the ultimate squad player.

 

[aussie]

If we're talking King the utility midfielder Carrick is ahead of him anyway plus we're not exactly short in midfield with Cole, Gerrard, Becks, Lamps, Jenas, Downing....erm Hargreaves.

fair enough but in the case of quality subs for Lamps & Gerrard we are short in mid-field though. Think about it during the tournament Sven will subs one of them & who will come on Jenas & Hargreaves?, wtf can they do. In that situation i'd say Sven is better off bringing Cole in the centre & putting Downing on the left.

Reason like this make me lose hope in England winning the cup because when our central mid-field big two get subbed the backup for them are crap. Lets say Nolan or a fit Dyer was selected instead of Jenas & Hargreaves one could have said ok they are not as good as the big two but they are fair replacements..

Sven has done very well, we've qualified for all touraments and done pretty well at them. If we make the quarters/semi's I'll be happy.

yes our record in tournaments under him is not bad, but he still makes some questionable selections & persist with crap blokes. I'd rather a manger who can make us do well in tournaments & pick the BEST players.

 

[aussie]

I guess Hargreaves is in because he can play literally everywhere behind the front two making him the ultimate squad player.

true but he has never done anything that special anywhere across the mid-field that i can remember..

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Players totally unproven at any level: Walcott

Players with relations to great West Indian cricketers: Walcott

 

[luckyeddie]

Walcott ahead of Defoe, Vassell, Bent, Johnson - what?!

That's been on the cards for a week.

I personally think that it is a very brave mood indeed, and one that could pay off handsomely.

Boy. I said that with a totally straight face.. All right, typed it with a totally straight face... Blaze, can I borrow your old facey keyboardy smashy avatar?

 

[sledger]

yea if he wanted to go for someone youngster Ashton would have been a better call, Walcott could have been given a go after the World Cup, he better had do something sensational if he gets a run..

ashton is hardly young. But hes just another battering ram, walcott has finesse, but its a mad selection.

 

[roseboy64]

ENGLAND'S PROVISIONAL SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Robinson (Tottenham), James (Manchester City), Green (Norwich) Yee haa

Defenders: G Neville (Manchester United), R Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), A Cole (Arsenal), Campbell (Arsenal), Carragher (Liverpool), Bridge (Chelsea).

Midfielders: Beckham (Real Madrid), Carrick (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich) , Jenas (Totenham), Downing (Middlesbrough), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham).

Forwards: Rooney (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Walcott (Arsenal).

I won't question the inclusion Jenas or Hargreaves although I would levae one of them out for Phil Neville or King,someone who can handle Carrick's role. I really would question though the selection of Walcott. Surely Defoe or Bent deserves to be there. Even Johnson is a better shot. I surely hope Engalnd don't pay for Sven's illogicalness.

 

[Scaly piscine]

ENGLAND'S PROVISIONAL SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Robinson (Tottenham), James (Manchester City), Green (Norwich) Yee haa

Defenders: G Neville (Manchester United), R Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), A Cole (Arsenal), Campbell (Arsenal), Carragher (Liverpool), Bridge (Chelsea).

Midfielders: Beckham (Real Madrid), Carrick (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich) , Jenas (Totenham), Downing (Middlesbrough), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham).

Forwards: Rooney (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Walcott (Arsenal).

To be honest this is a lot better than I expected... It's still light on forwards, don't really need Hargreaves or Jenas - I'd rather pick 23 that can make a difference in some sort of situation rather than have lots of backup for every position on the pitch, we're supposed to be going there to win it, so gamble. Walcott can come on with 20 minutes to go and do a job because he's so quick and he's got the fearlessness of youth - in international football extreme pace or extreme height is priceless.

 

[roseboy64]

Hmm strange.

 

[Anna]

Players who are 100% fit and are only there because there's no-one better: Green.

*Humph* Bet you've never seen him play!!!! He's far more consistent than James'll ever be.

Players who are totally unproven at international level: Walcott.

Yes, but remember that the opposition won't have a clue which'll (hopefully) play into our hands.

Players who have fitness or form doubts: Terry.

From the sound of it, Terry'll be fine in a week or so, so I wouldn't have him down as a doubt

 

[Matteh]

Players with relations to great West Indian cricketers: Walcott

Doesn't help his football skills though

 

[roseboy64]

I won't question the inclusion Jenas or Hargreaves although I would levae one of them out for Phil Neville or King,someone who can handle Carrick's role. I really would question though the selection of Walcott. Surely Defoe or Bent deserves to be there. Even Johnson is a better shot. I surely hope Engalnd don't pay for Sven's illogicalness.

Had a rethink. Should have left out a midfielder and put in another forward. Bent or Defoe, makes no difference. Hargreaves is a utility player so he stays. Lennon can create mor eimpact than Jenas so he would have been left out for me.

 

[roseboy64]

Doesn't help his football skills though

No one's doubting his skill just his ability to deal with the WC.