Englands 11 for the World cup

[Chris]

I know its a fairly easy thread as we know which England players are guaranteed to start, but if you was Capello, how would you go about picking the best squad and which formation? I have discussed it and changed my mind many times, but now the final 23 is known, it might make it a bit easier. I'd go for

Green
Johnson Rio Terry A.Cole
------------Barry--------
Lampard----------Gerrard
Lennon --------------------J.Cole
-----------Rooney---------------

This squad has to be based around Wayne and this worked so well with United this season. Gerrard and Lampard can push up when required with Barry (or Carrick, whoever starts) sitting back. Its a shame for England that Hargreaves didn't play this season as he could have played the Barry role much better. The only other alternative for me is:

Green
Johnson Rio Terry A.Cole
Lennon Lampard Gerrard J.Cole
Rooney Defoe

Lampard and Gerrard, when played like this, does not work. I'd play Wayne and Defoe as a partnership before any other as I think Crouch is better as an impact sub. Heskey can fuck right off!

[20Times]

Mine would be:

Hart
Johnson Rio Womanizer Arse Hole
----------- Barry------------
--------- Lampard Gerrard---------------
------- Lennon------ J.Cole---------
----------- Rooney-------------

I've Chose Hart over Green or James because I think he is more talented than Green and for me James has a too high risk of calamity and I'd trust Green and Hart more with a back pass in the World Cup than I would with James
If England use the 4-3-3/4-5-1 system that United employ then it could be very rewarding. If Cole manages to get the right sort of delivery into Rooney then England can punish teams like Valencia and Rooney do at club level, and Lennon's pace is enough to tear any defence apart.

[Dan United]

Hart


Johnson Rio Terry Cole

Barry
Lampard
Lennon Milner

Cole
Rooney


With Gerrard an alternative option for Lampard/Milner/Cole/Lennon



For me that is the most creative team. Leaving Gerrard out is hard, but he would just step on other players' toes.

[Dan United]

Ah, just realised why you all put those dashes on your formation, spent ages spacing that out!!!

[chrispiano]

_________James________
Carragher_Rio_Terry_A. Cole
________Barry/Carrick______
Lennon___Lampard___J.Cole
_________Gerrard <---------^
_________Rooney_________

Despite Carragher being shit and a twat, i'd rather him defending any day than Johnson after the groups. I agree about Hargreaves he's the only defensive midfielder that England had because Barry and Carrick aren't really. If we had Brown at right right and Hargreaves at defensive mid our first 11 would look able to stand toe to toe with any other to be honest.

[ericactor1]

James

Johnson--Rio---Terry--Cole

Milner--Barry--Lampard--Gerrard--Cole

Rooney

[Stew]

Jun 2, 2010 14:07:01 GMT chrispiano said:

_________James________
Carragher_Rio_Terry_A. Cole
________Barry/Carrick______
Lennon___Lampard___J.Cole
_________Gerrard <---------^
_________Rooney_________

Despite Carragher being shit and a twat, i'd rather him defending any day than Johnson after the groups. I agree about Hargreaves he's the only defensive midfielder that England had because Barry and Carrick aren't really. If we had Brown at right right and Hargreaves at defensive mid our first 11 would look able to stand toe to toe with any other to be honest.

That's probaably the best England can put out. As an outsider looking in, if you guys go into a match against serious opposition with Johnson at right back he will be ruthlessly exposed. Spain, Argentina etc would target him again and again. Decent right winger, desperate right full back.

[kearnsey6]

It really is a shame for England {nevermind United!} that Hargreaves couldn't get fit for this, because i genuinely think he'd be the man that unites the team like he did in 2006. I think Capello uses Barry where he'd wish to use Hargreaves aswell, and he could even be played on the right in my formation to add even more balance.

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

-------Johnson-------------------------Ferdinand---------Terry-----------------------------Cole---------------

--------Lennon--------------------------Barry-------------Lampard----------------------Milner----------------


-----------------------------------------Gerrard------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

I think if Hargreaves was fit he'd either play in Barry's space or Lennon's. One of the main reasons apart from being a good player and having a great season, that Milner plays is the fact that he balances the team really well. Which is exactly what Hargreaves could have done. such a shame

[NR7]

chrisp's team (Green instead of James) is England's best bet of standing a chance against better oppositions like Brazil, Spain et al. Johnson would get absolutely slaughtered by any decent winger.. Stevie Me is best used in his natural position and Joe Cole is not too shabby at LW either. In the group stages, Capello may use a 4-4-2 but from the knock-out round onwards, it has to be a 4-5-1..

[ericactor1]

Don't think Capello will go for 4-4-2. Maybe in the group stages. But as the competition progresses I think you'll see a 5 man midfield with either Lampard or Gerrard playing of Wazza.

[Chris]

England squad numbers

1. David James
2. Glen Johnson
3. Ashley Cole
4. Steven Gerrard
5. Rio Ferdinand (capt.)
6. John Terry
7. Aaron Lennon
8. Frank Lampard
9. Peter Crouch
10. Wayne Rooney
11. Joe Cole
12. Robert Green
13. Stephen Warnock
14. Gareth Barry
15. Matthew Upson
16. James Milner
17. Shaun Wright-Phillips
18. Jamie Carragher
19. Jermain Defoe
20. Ledley King
21. Emile Heskey
22. Michael Carrick
23. Joe Hart

Read into that what you want

[Raf's Hairdryer Treatment]

Green
Carragher - - - Dawson - - - Terry - - - Cole
Carrick - - - Barry
Lennon - - - Lampard - - - Milner
Rooney

I've never seen Gerrard and Lampard play well together so I'll pick the only system I can think of that will bring out the best in Rooney without one of them in it.

[Rob]

Jun 6, 2010 16:15:43 GMT Raf's Hairdryer Treatment said:

Green
Carragher - - - Dawson - - - Terry - - - Cole
Carrick - - - Barry
Lennon - - - Lampard - - - Milner
Rooney

I've never seen Gerrard and Lampard play well together so I'll pick the only system I can think of that will bring out the best in Rooney without one of them in it.

To be honest, the above system looks good, but because Capello saw Johnson score a "good", goal, then I am pretty certain he is going to perservere with Johnson on the right, with Carragher as CB with John Terry. Should we play Argentina anytime in the tournament, we need to make sure that our left-side is well and truly covered, because Messi will run us ragged should Ashley play his natural game and start to attack.

[icelandicdevil]

I'm not english, and honestly hope they don't get too far in the competition, but I'm a obv a huge follower of english football so I've actually thought a little bit about the best team to put out there:

----------------------Hart---------------
Carragher---King---Terry---Cole
-----------Lampard---Barry---------
Lennon-------Gerrard------J Cole
----------------Rooney----------------

Only quality striker is Rooney, and Gerrard is a bit of a headless chicken as a CM anyway, but lethal when on form as a AM playing off the striker so I've gone with a 4-2-3-1. Lampard could then play the same role he does at Chelsea, as a attacking box-2-box CM. Johnson can't be trusted to guard a toilet seat, so has to be left out against stronger opposition (although Carragher is a pretty shit RB as well). On the left Joe Cole is much better than Milner so is a shoe in there for me. Hart is the only quality keeper in the squad, but has very little experience, but I still think he is a no brainer over the decidedly average Green and the occasionally calamitous James.

[Kozzie]

As long as it has nothing to do with his personal life or money, I think ashley can be trusted. But I just don't see anybody who could defend against a good left winger on our team. Carragher is slow, and will foul when he starts to panic, and Johnson just can't defend in general. And it's not like we have a good, defensive red winger either. Milner might be able to do alright, but Lennon isn't exactly known for his defending.

Anyway, if Messi plays on top of his game, we're pretty much fucked.