*Official* England Squad Thread

[sledger]

Woooah dear..

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'm pretty good at reading, thanks. Not minds though.

 

[aussie]

Green
Hart
Robinson/James

Terry
Ferdinand
Johnson
Cole
Brown
Upson
Bridge

Lampard
Gerrard
Lennon
Milner
Beckham
Carrick
Hargreaves
Walcott
Barry

Rooney
Defoe
Crouch
Owen/Heskey/Bent

Damn son all this Milner love. Now no J Cole for him?, now way man..

 

[sledger]

If Joe Cole is fit he must go in my opinion.

 

[Ikki]

England don't play 4-4-2. But I do agree with Aussie; wouldn't want Beckham being used next to Lamps.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

If Joe Cole is fit he must go in my opinion.

I agree, but Milner ahead of him at the moment. He needs game time to change that. Should leave Chelsea (for various reasons, including that).

 

[sledger]

I agree, but Milner ahead of him at the moment. He needs game time to change that. Should leave Chelsea (for various reasons, including that).

Should both be picked for mine.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Should both be picked for mine.

Both picked, yes. But Milner can feel aggrieved if Cole slots in ahead of him, IMO. That's as things stand, of course. Things could change drastically between now and then. Cole might have a Mokoena of a season for Chelsea.

 

[Uppercut]

Bent and Defoe? Not in my mind. Bent must have at least 5 inches on Defoe. That said, Cole probably has about 10 on him.

But seriously, Bent is a strong guy with good touch, composure and aerial ability. The only thing Cole is better at than Bent is being tall, and Darren can't help that much.

Unlike sledger I'm a huge fan of Bent, but his hold-up play is weak. He looks like he'd be good at that role, but he's not. At Spurs he played alongside Defoe or Keane and flopped, at Sunderland he plays alongside Kenwyne Jones and has been a roaring success.

Capello likes his target men, and if Heskey goes down he'll have to change the entire system to accommodate Bent. Cole's not half the player Bent is, nor is Heskey, but Capello likes his players to fit his system rather than the other way round.

 

[aussie]

England don't play 4-4-2. But I do agree with Aussie; wouldn't want Beckham being used next to Lamps.

Well TBF. ENG certainly do line-up like a 4-4-2, on TV on Sky when they show formations thats how it looks too. But yea its evident in play they look like a 4-2-3-1 i'd say...

---------------------------------------------------------Heskey--------------------------------------------------------------

Gerrard--------------------------------------------Rooney------------------------------------------Walcott/Lennon

------------------------------------------Barry-----------------------Lampard---------------------------------------------

Both picked, yes. But Milner can feel aggrieved if Cole slots in ahead of him, IMO. That's as things stand, of course. Things could change drastically between now and then. Cole might have a Mokoena of a season for Chelsea.

Milner shouldn't be battling J Cole for a spot though. Cole regardless of the fact that he is not a regular 1st team player for Chelsea ATM, he offers so much more than Milner it aint funny. He is fit again, so Cole is must pick.

Miler as i've suggested before can't go unless one of 4 wingers in Cole/Walcott/Lennon/Becks gets injured. But the idea of him MAYBE going ahead of Carrick is defiantely an option, based on how he goes for remainder of the season for Villa in his new central mid-field role - but not one i am too fond of ATM.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Unlike sledger I'm a huge fan of Bent, but his hold-up play is weak. He looks like he'd be good at that role, but he's not. At Spurs he played alongside Defoe or Keane and flopped, at Sunderland he plays alongside Kenwyne Jones and has been a roaring success.

Capello likes his target men, and if Heskey goes down he'll have to change the entire system to accommodate Bent. Cole's not half the player Bent is, nor is Heskey, but Capello likes his players to fit his system rather than the other way round.

Now we're talking. I agree with all of this, except he wasn't that bad at Spurs. I'm still not convinced by Cole's fitness though. If he proves his fitness I can definitely get behind his selection, but if not, and you're going for the best of the rest, it's Bent for mine.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Milner shouldn't be battling J Cole for a spot though. Cole regardless of the fact that he is not a regular 1st team player for Chelsea ATM, he offers so much more than Milner it aint funny. He is fit again, so Cole is must pick.

Miler as i've suggested before can't go unless one of 4 wingers in Cole/Walcott/Lennon/Becks gets injured. But the idea of him MAYBE going ahead of Carrick is defiantely an option, based on how he goes for remainder of the season for Villa in his new central mid-field role - but not one i am too fond of ATM.

Thankfully Capello doesn't see it the same way. You don't pick a player after a long layoff, purely because of what he did in the past. That player has to prove that he's still capable of the things that got him where he was in the pecking order. And Beckham is not a valid winger option.

 

[aussie]

Thankfully Capello doesn't see it the same way. You don't pick a player after a long layoff, purely because of what he did in the past.

Ha well of course Capello couldn't pick Cole in the recent WCQ because he was still injured & not had full game time. I'm fairly certain J Cole will be involved in all of ENGs friendly's this year.

That player has to prove that he's still capable of the things that got him where he was in the pecking order.

So since he has returned for Chelsea has he not done that?

And Beckham is not a valid winger option.

Because?.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Ha well of course Capello couldn't pick Cole in the recent WCQ because he was still injured & not had full game time. I'm fairly certain J Cole will be involved in all of ENGs friendly's this year.

Because that's obviously the point I'm making.

Sarcasm.

So since he has returned for Chelsea has he not done that?

No, because he hasn't played enough.

Because?.

I'll put it this way. I'd be thrilled to see Beckham deployed as a winger, if I'm the opposition.

 

[aussie]

No, because he hasn't played enough.

Him not playing enough or being a regular 1st team player doesn't mean he has lost anything. Watching him play since his return that clearly isn't the case.

Its just a tactical decision from Ancelotti ATM where in Chelsea's 4-3-1-2 formation, he has tended to rotate Deco & J Cole behind Drogba/Anelka. But ATM i think Cole has leapfrogged Deco, so i expect to see him starting more often from now on. Big Joe is quite fine, Milner can't touch him.

Capello will still pick Heskey & he hasn't exactly hend down a regular place for Villa, so if Heskey is getting that special treatment, Cole certainly should..

I'll put it this way. I'd be thrilled to see Beckham deployed as a winger, if I'm the opposition.

Ha well Becks wont be starting on the right. ENG will obviously have Walcott/Lennon running for the 1st 60-70 mins & Becks will likely come on, which will be dangerous for any opposition.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Him not playing enough or being a regular 1st team player doesn't mean he has lost anything. Watching him play since his return that clearly isn't the case.

I never said that's what it means. I said he can't prove he hasn't lost anything if he doesn't play regularly. Milner has been all class, playing regularly. And it's not like he's faltered for England either.

Capello will still pick Heskey & he hasn't exactly hend down a regular place for Villa, so if Heskey is getting that special treatment, Cole certainly should..

But Heskey's been playing for England, while Cole hasn't. Not sure what your point is.

Aside from that, Capello's made it clear that Heskey needs to play regularly, like everyone else, to get on the plane.

Ha well Becks wont be starting on the right. ENG will obviously have Walcott/Lennon running for the 1st 60-70 mins & Becks will likely come on, which will be dangerous for any opposition.

Any decent opposition should be able to deal with Beckham as a winger, all attributes considered. Sure, he has a great cross, but you need more than that to be a dangerous winger.

 

[GIMH]

Thankfully Capello doesn't see it the same way. You don't pick a player after a long layoff, purely because of what he did in the past. That player has to prove that he's still capable of the things that got him where he was in the pecking order. And Beckham is not a valid winger option.

****, I'll have to redo my squad. It had Lineker, Shearer, Banks...

 

[aussie]

I never said that's what it means. I said he can't prove he hasn't lost anything if he doesn't play regularly.

As i said Joe doesn't need to be a regular starter for Chelsea to prove that he hasn't lost anything. He & Deco could rotate spots between the rest of the season & he still has to go the WC. ENG aren't in position to consider not picking Cole.

Milner has been all class, playing regularly. And it's not like he's faltered for England either.

Just like in cricket domestic form doesn't = international success. This point as i've said before is specifically related to his his recent display as central-midfielder, since i'm not sure whether that new found versatility is a definite sign he can do that @ international level just yet.

Yea sure Milner has looked good in cameo appearances for ENG on the wing. But he should still be beind Walcott/J Cole/Lennon/Becks.

But Heskey's been playing for England, while Cole hasn't. Not sure what your point is.

Point is that Heskey aint that great even though he is playing for ENG. So if he aint getting regular 1st team football for Villa - but is basically a must pick in Capello's thinking. If J Cole a far more superior player who was 1st team regular just before injury - who has proven that he is still not losted anything since his return - should/deserves the same special treatment like Heskey.

Aside from that, Capello's made it clear that Heskey needs to play regularly, like everyone else, to get on the plane.

Yea he said that. But Heskey is key part of ENGs formation - not so much Villa's. Heskey is the one player where Capello will have to go againts his rules & understandably so.

Any decent opposition should be able to deal with Beckham as a winger, all attributes considered. Sure, he has a great cross, but you need more than that to be a dangerous winger.

What he has is good enough to make him a threat to any international team. That tactic with him coming on late in the game has worked very well for ENG in WCQ & for AC Milan. Any major team underating his effectiveness would be quite foolish..

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

As i said Joe doesn't need to be a regular starter for Chelsea to prove that he hasn't lost anything. He & Deco could rotate spots between the rest of the season & he still has to go the WC. ENG aren't in position to consider not picking Cole.

If he plays well. And. Therefore. Proves...hey, forget I said anything.

Just like in cricket domestic form doesn't = international success. This point as i've said before is specifically related to his his recent display as central-midfielder, since i'm not sure whether that new found versatility is a definite sign he can do that @ international level just yet.

Which is probably why I mentioned his England form too. But hey, forget I said anything.

Yea sure Milner has looked good in cameo appearances for ENG on the wing. But he should still be beind Walcott/J Cole/Lennon/Becks.

May sound sacrilege, but Milner is better than Walcott, for mine. More consistent than Lennon and Beckham is not a winger. Joe Cole, at his best, is one of my favourite players and a good option. But I like him on the left.

Point is that Heskey aint that great even though he is playing for ENG. So if he aint getting regular 1st team football for Villa - but is basically a must pick in Capello's thinking. If J Cole a far more superior player who was 1st team regular just before injury - who has proven that he is still not losted anything since his return - should/deserves the same special treatment like Heskey.

Heskey's done what he's been asked to do for England. The things that Heskey does - the intangible things - he does better than pretty much any other England-qualified option.

And all I'm asking for is that Joe Cole prove he hasn't losted (sic) anything. So what are you arguing about? Pick a personality and stick with it.

Yea he said that. But Heskey is key part of ENGs formation - not so much Villa's. Heskey is the one player where Capello will have to go againts his rules & understandably so.

It's good that you admit the importance of Heskey so soon after slagging it off. ITSTL though.

What he has is good enough to make him a threat to any international team.

Not as a winger.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

****, I'll have to redo my squad. It had Lineker, Shearer, Banks...

Roger Hunt IMO. Better pedigree. MBE, innit.