England squad discussion

[GIMH]

A lot of open spaces in the squad you'd think

Personally think wilshere is rated beyond his levels of performance, plus I don't want any England players copping bans during the tournament for extra curricular activities

Gerrard settling into the deep lying role for yer scousers. Does that mean Lampard can play too?

Sterling and Henderson outsiders for the squad, Barkley from the blue****e.

Sturridge and Rooney nailed on up front and tbf that's a bloody good attack if they fire. Take Crouch as backup he's having a better season than Carroll

The John Terry thing won't go away and why would it when our defenders are ****e

Lallana's good season not slowing down so he's a must

Whatever happened to Scott Parker being the great hope?

Some random thoughts sorry

 

[grecian]

The Terry thing should go away, because it's retrograde in the extreme.

Lampard shouldn't go either, we have an abundance of decent young mid-fielders. To leave one out for a guy hideously past his best is just a joke. Sterling, Henderson, Lalanna, Barkley, OX?, Wilshere, should all be ahead of him, even *sighs* Cleverly. Carrick should also be ahead, but I wouldn't take him either. Jack keeps the ball, something we'll need.

I'm worried about Right-back, I'd be tempted to go for Chambers from Saints, simply because Walker and Johnson are crap. Gibbs to be back-up to Baines. Bye Cashley. Shaw, Jagielka, Lescott (urgh) and Cahill for centre-halves. Youth the way, get rid of the stench of failure from the so-called Goldens. Gerrard can probably go to Brazil I suppose

 

[GIMH]

Lampard will go but surely only as a sub

 

[grecian]

Lampard will go but surely only as a sub

Yeah, and what's the ****ing point of that. Honestly, he may (highly unlikely) pop up with a goal, but surely you want someone to come on and run at people in the heat.

I don't doubt you'll be right BTW, just think it's crap.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah probably agree tbh

 

[Pothas]

No way Crouch should go, honestly would rather take someone like Charlie Austin or Danny Ings than him and Lambert is clearly ahead.

 

[sledger]

Cleverly, Lescott, and Crouch should be nowhere near the squad as far as I'm concerned. Especially the first two. They are absolutely dreadful.

Not keen on Lampard going either. England are clearly not going to win the damn thing, so may as well have a go with some of the younger players. No point having players who have repeatedly failed to deliver denying others the chance to get some experience.

 

[sledger]

Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Barkley, Rodriguez, Sturridge, and Wilshere should all go, and feature prominently, for mine.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I see a lot of (mainly English) people talking about the "heat" in Brazil. Just curious, what makes you think it'll be that hot? I know Brazil is a big country with a variety of climates but even the hottest parts of the country won't be that hot in the middle of winter. Don't the big cities like Sao Paolo have an eastern Australia/California type climate? In which case it would be mild in the world cup months, like mid 20s.

edit: Just looked and the average high in Sao Paolo in June/July is 21 degrees. Not exactly the Sahara. One of your group games is in a northern, inland city though so that'll be pretty warm.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

21 is a sauna to us Brits though.

Being realistic they are just getting the excuses in early for our inevitable inept displays.

 

[sledger]

21 is a sauna to us Brits though.

Being realistic they are just getting the excuses in early for our inevitable inept displays.

Ha, yes, exactly. Absolutely right on both counts.

Yet, in spite of the excuses being put in early, there will still be huge moanings once we go out.

 

[Pothas]

It is going to be ridiculously hot in the first game.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I see a lot of (mainly English) people talking about the "heat" in Brazil. Just curious, what makes you think it'll be that hot? I know Brazil is a big country with a variety of climates but even the hottest parts of the country won't be that hot in the middle of winter. Don't the big cities like Sao Paolo have an eastern Australia/California type climate? In which case it would be mild in the world cup months, like mid 20s.

edit: Just looked and the average high in Sao Paolo in June/July is 21 degrees. Not exactly the Sahara. One of your group games is in a northern, inland city though so that'll be pretty warm.

Isn't it much more humid, though? Which feels warmer?

I know my Brazilian workmate from Sao Paulo only thinks Germany is livable in summer.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah it is the humidity, especially in the north.

Germany got a brutal schedule apparently.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I guess my objection isn't so much to saying 21 is "hot", but that this is going to be a super tough world cup for European teams because of the climate. I'd say it's hotter in France, Germany etc than in southern Brazil in the same time of year. Certainly in Italy/Spain. South Africa was colder though I suppose.

I looked up the climate in Manaus though where you guys play Italy and that's a proper tropical climate, 30-32 degrees every day the whole year round.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think again the humidity/dew point/whatever in winter is similar to eastern Australia and California, in the south. But yeah in the north it's much more humid.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Definitely an element of 'it's foreign so scary' in it.

 

[Pothas]

I think again the humidity/dew point/whatever in winter is similar to eastern Australia and California, in the south. But yeah in the north it's much more humid.

Yeah it is a giant country, conditions in the south should be no problem at all for anyone, but the conditions in the north will have a real impact.

 

[Uppercut]

The John Terry thing won't go away and why would it when our defenders are ****e

Can't believe I'm saying this to you but I reckon that's a bit harsh. For years I thought Cahill was your typical hack CB who had a decent run of goalscoring form and became permanently over-rated. But he's improved and is having a very good season, especially the past few months. Seems to have added Terry's traditional defensive qualities to his own more modern style.

Jagielka is just a good, solid defender. Maybe it says more about the horrid global decline in CB quality, but how many better ones are there than him in the Prem? He's better than all of United's and Liverpool's, and there's not that much in it with Chelsea's. I reckon Kompany, Mert and Koscielny are the only three that are better.

Those two kept it tight in qualifying too.

Full-backs are more of a concern. Walker is terrible. Johnson is painfully out of form. Cole's been dropped for a mediocre right-back. Baines is still to recapture his best form after injury. Seems to have all gone wrong in that position very quickly.

 

[Pothas]

Totally agree about the right back, Walker is so so bad.

Left back is still a strength though, England got more depth there than any other position.

Cahill is someone I am prejudiced against because he was so bad at Griffin Park last year and I can't look past that, agree Jagielka is fine.