Thetownend.com

http://www1.skysports.com/FIFA-World-Cup-2014/england/squad-selector

I managed to pick about 7 players before realising I had the option to select Gabby Agbonlahor and gave up.

Butland Foster Hart

Baines, Shaw, Cahill, Cole, Gibbs, Jagielka, Jones.

Gerrard, Barkley, Lallana, Milner, Morrison, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Townsend, Wilshire, Lampard

Ings, Lambert, Rooney, Sturridge.

I'd rather not include Rooney because he's a lazy fat cunt, but he's scored 20 this season so kind of has to go.

So just the 4 x left backs then. Is that one for each game, with one to spare?

4 left backs?

I don't like the right wing. I'm a liberal.

Hart, Forster, Foster

Johnson, Baines, Cahill, Jagielka, Shaw, Jones, Smalling, Walker

Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner, Wilshire, Barkley

Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck, Carroll

Townsend is injured.

Wayne and Adam?

Luke and Adam, Wayne has been poor.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27340785

Praise the Lord

Squad

Hart, Forster, Foster

Johnson, Flanagan, Cahill, Jagielka, Smalling, Baines, Cole

Sterling, Milner, Gerrard, Lampard, Wilshire, Barkley, Henderson, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, 

Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck, Lambert

Starting X1

                       Hart

   Johnson  Cahill   Jagielka  Cole

                     Gerrard

   Sterling  Rooney  Henderson  Welbeck 

                   Sturridge

I don't understand the hatred of Rooney

Probably stems from his little outburst at the fans last WC.  And the fact that he gets paid £300k per week.  A bit of a symbol of the bloated wank that is prem football.

I'd have Leighton Baines at left back over Ashley cole.

Wouldn't have Smalling anywhere near an England squad.

Hart Green Foderingham

Johnson Cole Shaw Jagielka Cahill Baines Stones Terry

Sterling Henderson Gerrard Lalana Wilshire Barkley Milner The Ox

Sturridge Rooney Lambert Carroll

Hart Foster Ruddy (no Forster he's massively overrated and never leaves his 6 yard box, plus his distribution is terrible.)

Jagielka, Cole, Shaw, Cahill, Baines, Smalling, Lescott & Stones for experience - The defence is the hardest only really Jagielka, Cole, Shaw, Cahill and Baines are really worthy but I'd probably include Smalling too. Glen Johnson can't defend & Jones has been exceptionally poor. and don't fancy either of them playing so would pick a squad based on 3 at the back.. I'd probably put Lescott ahead of Jones.

Gerrard, Sterling, Henderson, AOC, Lallana, Wilshere, Carrick & Milner - absolutely no way Cleverley!

Rooney, Sturridge, Wellbeck & Lambert

Isn't he just this generation's John Barnes?  Great player for his club, but repeatedly fails to turn up in major competition for England.

Just like the rest of them!

Can ou think of an England player who has come back from a tournament with his reputation enhanced?

Except Owen!

Can you imagine the strange colour that Rooney will turn in Manaus?

It's going to need players who can deal with possession based football....the best English qualified player in the Prem, for that, is Leon Britton, predictably he gets nowhere near a cap, another who is schooled in the importance of possession is Nathan Dyer, again predictably nowhere near a cap.

Ditch trying to match far better sides playing tippy tappy football. Play to your strengths. Keep it tight at the back and fire it into the box.
Take Carroll and play him. Fuck Rooney.

Hargreaves...

Yeah, hargreaves was excellent in 2006. Nicky Butt had a great tournament once. Think he made Pele's team of the tournament (or something)

Two fair and interesting shouts who then went backwards after.

True!

2002.
Ferdinand did well at that World Cup and then went to Manchester United for 30m.

Yep and Sol Campbell made the team of the tournament that year too.

Hart, Ruddy, Foster

Smalling, Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Stones, Baines, Cole
Poor choices at right back but very little else to choose from.

Henderson, Gerrard, Barry, Sterling, Lallana, AOC, Milner, Wilshire

Rooney, Welbeck, Carroll, Sturridge, Lambert

Never understood why you have to take 3 keepers...

That surprises me DV, I didn't have you down as a Lambert fan.
I don't rate him, although I don't think I have ever forgotten the fact Jerel Ifil marked him out of a game whilst he was at Rovers.

One pitch, one bench, one injury cover.

I think FIFA make you have three keepers. North Korea tried it on last time, registering two keepers and a striker who could play keeper. But that striker then had to play as keeper and only as keeeper

Don't think he's ever scored at the CG.
I remember a game at the Mem, he did fuck all, barely moved then blasted one in the top corner from about 35 yards.

He offers something different and he can take bloody penalties, worth an inclusion just for that!

I know it's in the rules you have to take 3 keepers but no idea why, how often does a team use all 3 keepers? You'd need one to get sent off and one injured.

Plus, Jagielka has played in goal before! Seems a waste of a pick to me a third keeper...

Hart, Foster, Butland

Baines, Cahill, A.Cole, Jagielka, G.Johnson, Jones, Lescott, Shaw.

Barkley, Gerrard, A.Johnson, Lallana, Lampard, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling.

Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Lambert.

England could do with another player like Gordon Nisbet....Nisbet, started his career at WBA, as a keeper, playing in the top flight, but converted to right back, playing for a few clubs, but he's probably best remembered at Argyle.

Every team needs a Jorge Campos...GK/Striker!

Scored over 30 goals in his career!...Over 10 more than Ben Hutchinson..

Or even José Chilavert...who score over 40!

His freekicks were amazing.

Hart, Foster, Forster

Baines, Shaw, Cahill, Jagielka, G.Johnson, Walker,  Lescott

Barkley, Lallana, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling, Carrick, Wilshere - if fit, Barry

Welbeck, Sturridge, Lambert, Defoe, Rodriguez

Rodriguez did his ACL didn't he?

Nobody has Huddlestone, I know he's not featured but he's been miles ahead of Carrick this season, given it's a 'pick your squad' I expected to see him in at least once.

So for me...

Hart, Ruddy, Foster

Baines, Shaw, Cahill, Jagielka, G.Johnson, Walker and Jones if fit simply due to versatility

Gerrard, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling, Henderson, Huddlestone, Wilshere, Milner, Barkley

Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck, Lambert

Lambert did, however, score that cracker against Town at the Memorial that denied us promotion for a week.

A couple of years before I remember Lambert coming on for Stockport and being absolutely rubbish (3-0 win, Town scoring three in as many minutes)

Shame that Rochdale fan who came on here telling us he was joining Swindon (or something along those lines) was wrong.

Ashley Cole is the first casualty and Luke Shaw is 'on the plane'.

I wouldn't say cole was a casualty. Like shaw is much better cover

He was in the running, therefore a casualty.

I wholeheartedly agree with Hodgson's decision. Many coaches would have taken him regardless.

Is Shaw a better left back then Cole though, right now?

Lambert came on and scored against us in the League Cup for Southampton 3 years ago.

Lallana was the best player on the pitch that night too. Maestro

Probably don't watch enough of the Premiership to give worthwhile opinions.

All I want is the best 23 players to be selected. Sod reputations, sod building for the future, this is the World Cup not the early rounds of the league cup where you can blood a few youngsters in order to gain experience.

Luongo to go with Australia? Hmm...

Baines will be first pick. Taking the up and coming star as cover rather than a bit part has been is clearly the right thing to do.

I've watched 4 live Premiership matches this season and they've all been forgettable.

So I would be struggling to pick a squad, although it would have Gerrard and Sturridge in it

What's the point of a 2pm press conference to announce the WC squad when 'Sky Sources' are leaking bits and bobs already.

No Cashley, no Ruddy, no Kyle Walker

I take it lampard is going then?
Another one that I wouldn't take.

True but if the same old faces werent good enough 4 years ago ( and 4 years prior to that ) they wont be good enough now, just older

Agree, it should totally be on performance which is why I'd take the likes of Barkely, Shaw, Henderson. The fact they are young isn't a factor for me.

He bloody shouldn't be!

You've got to have some experience in a squad....Woy, will likely have 6 players who appeared in 2010, of those Joe Hart was the 3rd keeper, that means 17 who've no experience of a WC.

Lampard barely plays for Chelsea these days right?

I suppose at least he would be 'fresh'. I wouldn't take him personally. Is Wilshere fit?

Why do you? Experience of failure. Build for the future, and then next time there will be plenty of experience if its important. We're not gonig to win it so look forward not back.

Kyle Walker has gone backwards hasn't he? Does he still get a game for Spurs?

He's been injured for the last couple of months (and before that, was pretty rubbish defensively)

Spain's 2006 campaign was largely seen as a failure, yet 4 years later, they won the thing. Players like Puyol, Xavi, Casillas had been around for a while by then.

The fact that 17 players are going to be new to this means that there'll be plenty to carry this experience forward, if they're good enough.

Walker, is just the sort you don't want to take to a WC....a useful boy domestically, because he has pace and power, but repeatedly gives the ball away and makes errors of judgement. Glenn Johnson looks like the pick, on the basis there's no one better...

Johnson has also had a reasonable season for Liverpool as well.

For reasons I'm not entirely sure of, but I suspect are to do with sponsorship, the Squad is being revealed (well the bits that haven't been leaked) at the  Vauxhall car factory on the A505 in Luton.

Perhaps Jeds pub could offer to do the catering, sure the Journos would appreciate the work of 'one of Birminghams top chefs'

Vauxhall have been sponsoring England for a fair few seasons as main sponsor, I get emails all the time offering me cheap England tickets (or free) since I bought a new Astra last year.

I believe Liverpool have the 8th worst defence in the Prem....Glenn is a very average player, but there's no one better in his position atm

12th best = Reasonable! :)

Agree though, can't even begin to think of another English RB, Jenkinson? Its a shame Seamus Coleman isn't English.

A couple of times in the qualifiers we ended up with certainly Smalling or maybe Jones in there...definitely  :headhurts: stuff.

He could just borrow the tactic Taylor employed in 1992, and not actually take a Right Back, David Batty, Carlton Palmer and somebody else (I forget who) deputised over the three group games.

Amazing we didn't get past that stage, it really is

Clyne of Southampton?

Not a bad shout.

Flanagan at Liverpool and Stones of Everton could be left field choices.

and left back Keith Curle refused to play there although when selected knew he may have had to.

That the Euro you're thinking of?  He also used Keith Curle.

In the qualifiers for the 94 WC we had....Lee Dixon and David Bardsley....I'm struggling to think of who Bardsley played for...poss QPR. Didn't do much better then, in fact the last time we failed to qualify, but had shed loads of players to pick from.

Yup, those awful awful Euros.

Good knowledge on Bardsley, I seem to recall he also picked Earl Barrett at RB at some point during his reign. That truly was a 'Golden Generation'

I cheated a bit but here was the lineups for 1992

v Denmark (0-0)

GK    1    Chris Woods
RB    2    Keith Curle    Booked 9'    Substituted off 62'
CB    4    Martin Keown    Booked 7'
CB    5    Des Walker
LB    3    Stuart Pearce
RM    8    Trevor Steven
CM    7    David Platt
CM    12    Carlton Palmer
LM    16    Paul Merson       Substituted off 71'
FW    10    Gary Lineker (c)
FW    17    Alan Smith
Substitutions:
MF    15    Neil Webb       Substituted in 71'
MF    18    Tony Daley    Booked 57'    Substituted in 62'

v France

GK    1    Chris Woods
SW    12    Carlton Palmer
CB    4    Martin Keown
CB    5    Des Walker
CB    3    Stuart Pearce
RM    8    Trevor Steven
CM    19    David Batty    Booked 69'
CM    7    David Platt
LM    11    Andy Sinton
CF    10    Gary Lineker (c)
CF    20    Alan Shearer

v Sweden

GK    1    Chris Woods
RB    19    David Batty
CB    4    Martin Keown
CB    5    Des Walker
LB    3    Stuart Pearce
RM    18    Tony Daley    Booked 10'
CM    15    Neil Webb    Booked 81'
CM    12    Carlton Palmer
CM    7    David Platt
LM    11    Andy Sinton       Substituted off 76'
FW    10    Gary Lineker (c)       Substituted off 62'
Substitutions:
MF    16    Paul Merson       Substituted in 76'
FW    17    Alan Smith       Substituted in 62'

Just been tweeted Lambert is in the squad FWIW.

And Lampard allegedly!

Lampard is in then... after the worst season of his career. If Cole isn't going, there is no way Lampard should be.

Carroll is a better option than Lambert imo. I understand why woy has gone with the latter though.

No shocks and fairly predictable. No glaring omissions IMO

Disagree completely. Think Lambert is a much better all round player than Carroll. As good in the air and a better goalscoring ratio. (although Carroll is more of a target man I guess)

Carroll is the sort who really gets on referees backs and is likely to give away more free kicks than score goals. Lambert must be flying high confidence wise so I think its the right choice.

Lampard though .... :no:

your last point is why I think Carroll is the better option. If the game dictates he can come on and bully the opposition. Don't think Lambert is anywhere near as good in the air either. Carroll is the best around at that. Who is the better player is debateable, Carroll without doubt offers something different to Lambert though.

Agree.

It also serves to highlight what limited attacking options we have.

Debating between Carroll and Lambert - they're both absolute horse shit.

Can only talk about what is available at the time DMR

Full list, don't think it's been posted yet.

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Fraser Forster (Celtic).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Chris Smalling (Manchester United).

Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Attackers: Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).

Standby: John Ruddy (Norwich City), Jon Flanagan (Liverpool), John Stones (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Andy Carroll (West Ham United), Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC).

Woy has also confirmed that Stones will be in squad if Phil Jones ain't fit.

Fingers crossed

Fair point about the fact he could bully the opposition. Just think he's a bit of a camel whereas Lambert at least looks like a footballer.

However Carroll's header against Sweden was sweet!

Quite pleased with that squad...it's as good as it's gonna be I think.

A blend of young talent and experienced pro's.

Although, I'd probably have left Lampard out and taken Butland over Forster..

Chris Smalling FFS

Smalling is the most bizarre pick for me.  I kow that it's unlikely that he'll play, but surely Stones should have that slot? Stones has at least been playing regularly, and has played right-back too so offers the same cover.

Lampard I can kind of understand as there's so little experience in the squad that we need a few older heads around the place, but I'd have preferred Cole to be there rather than Lampard.  In theory Lampard should be able to 'manage' games better than some of the other CMs.

Up front we're so, so weak.  Sturridge is a certain starter, and then Rooney I'd imagine will be squeezed in with Lambert and Sterling offering alternatives based on what is happening in the game.  Any injuries to the main two and we're in big trouble, though!

I'd go with:

Hart
Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines
Henderson, Gerrard, Wilshere
Sterling, Rooney, Sturridge

Unless Roy goes 4-4-1-1 in which case I think Milner and Lallana will come into the wide midfield spots with Gerrard and Henderson in the middle.

Not very inspiring...

Evidently in a minority of 1, but I still think Super Frank is the boy.

> Gerrard?

At the last Euro, England's most completed pass, was Hart to Carroll.... :)

The requirements in Brazil, are pretty much alien to English footballers....getting out of the group wiould be a major achievement.

I'd start

         Hart
    Jags     Cahill
Johnson          Baines

   Gerrard  Henderson

Lallana Rooney  Sterling

          Sturridge

Though this would require a degree of positional discipline from Rooney, something he often seems to lack.

With Italy and Uruguay in our group I think 3rd in the group is a good achievement.

Yeah.....beating Costa Rica, is a decent challenge, should it be achieved then it's probably as good as it'll get.

There is just the off chance that as Italian football is in a bit of a mess atm, this could be one of those years when the Azzurri, descend into farce. Having said that, their domestic game being wracked by scandal etc, normally means a win or at least a final appearance.

Regarding lampard. I think he's going as cover for Gerrard to do the sitting role. Think Barry is better at that role personally but Frank is good dead ball and can do his more familiar role too, which he was so good at previously. Climate won't help him though.

On a par, when he's at his best.

Gareth Barry is an embarrassing sideways pass merchant.

Like Michael Carrick, but with less composure.

I think taking both Gerrard and Lamps makes sense as long as they don't play in the same side.

As Arriba said, I think Gerrard will be first choice and Lamps will be there as cover.

A lot of people sprouting shit about Danny Welbeck going..

Personally, I don't think 8 goals in 21 games is that bad..

We'll win the group.

won't get out of the group

One of those players who seems not to do much - except score!

Deserves his place, I suppose

Yeah I kind of agree...the most natural finisher we have is Defoe, but contrary to what Woy said, I think he cut his ties when he decided to play in the MLS..

Still, I'm a fan of Welbecks....unpopular opinion.

Talking of the MLS, I noticed Bradley Wright-Phillips scored a hat trick in the MLS and has 11 in 12 starts or something.

Which says a lot about the standard over there in yankee land.

Prediction -
Win 1-0 against Italy
Draw 1-1 with Uruguay
Win 1-0 against CR

Also...Obafemi Martins has 4 goals and 6 assists this season!..

Bradley Wright-Phillips and Thierry Henry...not a strikeforce one would expect.

I actually have no idea how good or bad our squad is and how it squares up to the opposition.

Then again one of the squad is from the SPL as well, players plying their trade in Scotland and the US probably says something about our lack of strength in depth.

the Celtic keeper? Has been pretty impressive this season I believe.

But yes, probably our weakest International squad for a while. 

He'll just be going for the plane ride...

Draw
Loss
Win

Will that be good enough to get out of the group?

Good shot stopper, doesn't command his box or come for crosses as much as some. Bit like Shay Given in that. Not necessarily bad but it's a different style of play that the defence need to be aware of, not a like-for-like replacement for Hart who's a lot more of a modern goalkeeper.

That said, his kicks go miles. Could play some serious route 1 if we'd taken Carroll and Crouch.

                      Hart
                Jags      Cahill
     Johnson                      Baines
         Wilsh/Hender       Gerrard
       Barkley    Rooney     Lallana
                    Sturridge

Subs: Lambert, Wilsh/Hender, Milner, Lampard, Stones, Sterling, Foster

Draw 0-0
Draw 1-1
Win 2-1

Will come down to Goal Difference & we will go out

I still think Forster is hugely overrated and built his reputation on a few Champions league games. I would guarantee if Wes went to Celtic he'd suddenly get rave reviews, Scottish football is just such a poor standard. A player who spends most of his time playing bottom half championship/league 1 standard teams shouldn't be in the England reckoning.

Draw 0-0
Lose 1-0
Win 2-0

Out on GD.

Personally gutted Adam Johnson didn't get a look in, good form last few months of the season and I think deserved a place on the standby list - no wingers on it, and none with a left peg!

Anyways I think England will win 1, lose 1 and draw 1 in the group - no idea the results though, draw v Italy, win v Costa Rica and lose to Uruguay!

Bit of fun...

I voted Spain for home kit and USA away...

http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/03/world-cup-2014-every-kit-from-every-nation-but-which-ones-are-your-favourites-4687632/