England's 23 Man Squad

[DJ Barry Hammond]

Suprised Warnock hasn't been given a go, I would have been happier with him as cover than Baines (but then maybe thats Carragher?) Bit of a conudrum today though, what with JJB's 20% off England shirts lasting to the end of the day, but the official squad and numbers being announced tomorrow. I so want Milner on the back of mine, but haven't a clue what number he would be given

[Bugg]

Bit of a conudrum today though, what with JJB's 20% off England shirts lasting to the end of the day, but the official squad and numbers being announced tomorrow. I so want Milner on the back of mine, but haven't a clue what number he would be given

Buy the shirt then get the numbers and name printed when they are announced

[Fosse Fox]

so u can solve the gerrard/lampard problem by telling one of them to stay back?

Or you can solve it another way by dropping the over-rated Chelsea midfielder. Frank is very lucky to be surrounded by so many truly gifted players at Chelsea where only a couple of them share his unmerited limelight.

You see, the goal machine that is Chelsea allows him to play in far more advanced positions than yer average fetcher-carriers and gives him license to indulge in his favourite past time - taking pot shots. Ever notice just how many attempts on goal Frank has in a bog standard home fixture - 5, 6, 7? Any advance on 7? Going once, twice, three times to the fcuk witted sports hack from The Scum!

It's Frank's impressive goal tallies at club level that make him a shoo in for England. The problem here of course is that Frank is not nearly so prolific at international level. Did you know that Lampard has not scored in an away game for England for nearly five years? But that's only half the story. If only Frank's England problem was just not scoring away goals.

Ever notice how in so many Engl;and games, low grade opposition dictate the play in the middle of the park for very long periods (sometimes for up to an hour or so)? Now I might be speaking out of turn here but isn't it the responsibility of your own midfield generalissimo to wrest control of the game away from lightweight one touch merchants from the back of beyond?

And woe betide us if we're involved in a penalty shoot out. His last two voids were not down to bad luck but bad technique - he drags his shots thus reducing power and accuracy.

Though I have some reservations about Joe Cole he would be more than a capable substitute (ie in the centre of the park - he's too slow down the flanks) for Lampard. If not him then some Barry - Gerrard combo. Get the picture?

You can bring Joe and you can bring Steve but don't bring Lampard.

He's that kind of smarty, fcuks up every party...

[dandannieldanok]

Or you can solve it another way by dropping the over-rated Chelsea midfielder. Frank is very lucky to be surrounded by so many truly gifted players at Chelsea where only a couple of them share his unmerited limelight.

You see, the goal machine that is Chelsea allows him to play in far more advanced positions than yer average fetcher-carriers and gives him license to indulge in his favourite past time - taking pot shots. Ever notice just how many attempts on goal Frank has in a bog standard home fixture - 5, 6, 7? Any advance on 7? Going once, twice, three times to the fcuk witted sports hack from The Scum!

It's Frank's impressive goal tallies at club level that make him a shoo in for England. The problem here of course is that Frank is not nearly so prolific at international level. Did you know that Lampard has not scored in an away game for England for nearly five years? But that's only half the story. If only Frank's England problem was just not scoring away goals.

Ever notice how in so many Engl;and games, low grade opposition dictate the play in the middle of the park for very long periods (sometimes for up to an hour or so)? Now I might be speaking out of turn here but isn't it the responsibility of your own midfield generalissimo to wrest control of the game away from lightweight one touch merchants from the back of beyond?

And woe betide us if we're involved in a penalty shoot out. His last two voids were not down to bad luck but bad technique - he drags his shots thus reducing power and accuracy.

Though I have some reservations about Joe Cole he would be more than a capable substitute (ie in the centre of the park - he's too slow down the flanks) for Lampard. If not him then some Barry - Gerrard combo. Get the picture?

You can bring Joe and you can bring Steve but don't bring Lampard.

He's that kind of smarty, fcuks up every party...

Haha what a pathetic diatribe, did Frank bang your wife or something? Surprised you're keeping up this wind-up spam, this must be you're 3rd different user account now?

[purpleronnie]

Anybody think Capello will leave after the WC?

[Guest ttfn]

Or you can solve it another way by dropping the over-rated Chelsea midfielder. Frank is very lucky to be surrounded by so many truly gifted players at Chelsea where only a couple of them share his unmerited limelight.

You see, the goal machine that is Chelsea allows him to play in far more advanced positions than yer average fetcher-carriers and gives him license to indulge in his favourite past time - taking pot shots. Ever notice just how many attempts on goal Frank has in a bog standard home fixture - 5, 6, 7? Any advance on 7? Going once, twice, three times to the fcuk witted sports hack from The Scum!

It's Frank's impressive goal tallies at club level that make him a shoo in for England. The problem here of course is that Frank is not nearly so prolific at international level. Did you know that Lampard has not scored in an away game for England for nearly five years? But that's only half the story. If only Frank's England problem was just not scoring away goals.

Ever notice how in so many Engl;and games, low grade opposition dictate the play in the middle of the park for very long periods (sometimes for up to an hour or so)? Now I might be speaking out of turn here but isn't it the responsibility of your own midfield generalissimo to wrest control of the game away from lightweight one touch merchants from the back of beyond?

And woe betide us if we're involved in a penalty shoot out. His last two voids were not down to bad luck but bad technique - he drags his shots thus reducing power and accuracy.

Though I have some reservations about Joe Cole he would be more than a capable substitute (ie in the centre of the park - he's too slow down the flanks) for Lampard. If not him then some Barry - Gerrard combo. Get the picture?

You can bring Joe and you can bring Steve but don't bring Lampard.

He's that kind of smarty, fcuks up every party...

You're an absolute fooking idiot.

I used to have some doubts, then I saw him play live, against City, about 3 years ago. He was everywhere and totally shat on us.

Fine, it's only City, but any half-regular watcher of Chelsea would tell you what an energetic and creative presence he is at the highest level.

And it's not like he just scores pot shots. His goal against Stoke at the end of last season was majestic.

And then there was this...

And many, many more beautiful goals.

Oh, and he was 2nd in world player of the year about 5 years back, voted for by players and managers, not the 'hacks'.

[Fosse Boy]

Anybody think Capello will leave after the WC?

For where?

You're an absolute fooking idiot.

I used to have some doubts, then I saw him play live, against City, about 3 years ago. He was everywhere and totally shat on us.

Fine, it's only City, but any half-regular watcher of Chelsea would tell you what an energetic and creative presence he is at the highest level.

And it's not like he just scores pot shots. His goal against Stoke at the end of last season was majestic.

And then there was this...

And many, many more beautiful goals.

Oh, and he was 2nd in world player of the year about 5 years back, voted for by players and managers, not the 'hacks'.

So your opinion of him is based on the fact he had a half-decent game against one of the worst Leicester XIs of certainly my lifetime, if not beyond that.

Also, runner up in World Player of the Year 5 years ago - so before even the last World Cup? A lot can happen in half a decade...

EDIT: Not necessarily disagreeing with you about Lampard but I just find your evidence a little flawed.

[Koke]

Frank Lampard has scored 20+ goals for the 497th consecutive season,. Yeah, let's drop our most prolific goal scoring midfielder who was also our top scorer in our last qualification campaign.

Dunno why people still take Chandler serious.

[Samilktray]

Frank Lampard > Steven Gerrard.

[Webbo]

For where?

He's been linked with Inter Milan.

[Fosse Boy]

He's been linked with Inter Milan.

Entirely possible in that case. Think a lot will depend on if he fancies coping with any inevitable media shitstorm/outcry from the uneducated "Ingurlund" masses that will occur if England don't do well. If he can't be arsed with that, he'll probably go.

[Guest ttfn]

For where?

So your opinion of him is based on the fact he had a half-decent game against one of the worst Leicester XIs of certainly my lifetime, if not beyond that.

Also, runner up in World Player of the Year 5 years ago - so before even the last World Cup? A lot can happen in half a decade...

True, but did you read all of what I wrote or just the bits you liked the look of?

I then went on to say that if you watch him regularly, you realise what a cracking player he is. It merely took that Leicester game (when he was far from 'half-decent') to open my eyes. I never said that was conclusive proof.

And as the previous poster said, he's just scored 20+ goals AGAIN from midfield. The guy's a class act, end of.

If Frank Lampard were any other nationality he would be rated far higher

[Koke]

Frank Lampard > Steven Gerrard.

Frank Lampard > Any other English midfielder

[Fosse Boy]

True, but did you read all of what I wrote or just the bits you liked the look of?

I then went on to say that if you watch him regularly, you realise what a cracking player he is. It merely took that Leicester game (when he was far from 'half-decent') to open my eyes. I never said that was conclusive proof.

And as the previous poster said, he's just scored 20+ goals AGAIN from midfield. The guy's a class act, end of.

If Frank Lampard were any other nationality he would be rated far higher

I did edit my post accordingly, obviously you didn't see it in time.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

For where?

So your opinion of him is based on the fact he had a half-decent game against one of the worst Leicester XIs of certainly my lifetime, if not beyond that.

Also, runner up in World Player of the Year 5 years ago - so before even the last World Cup? A lot can happen in half a decade...

EDIT: Not necessarily disagreeing with you about Lampard but I just find your evidence a little flawed.

Why does anyone need any firm evidence that Lampard is a class act - that much is FACT for all to see and know!

[Guest ttfn]

I did edit my post accordingly, obviously you didn't see it in time.

Sorry, I was already in defensive rant mode.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

For where?

So your opinion of him is based on the fact he had a half-decent game against one of the worst Leicester XIs of certainly my lifetime, if not beyond that.

Also, runner up in World Player of the Year 5 years ago - so before even the last World Cup? A lot can happen in half a decade...

EDIT: Not necessarily disagreeing with you about Lampard but I just find your evidence a little flawed.

Why does anyone need any firm evidence that Lampard is a class act - that much is FACT for all to see and know!

[Joe.]

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa)

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Scott Parker (West Ham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)

Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

Not much of a difficult decision for me, hopefully it ends this way. I think Dawson, Warnock, Parker, Huddlestone, Wright-Phillips and Bent are nailed on not to go. The last one worries me - I hope it's neither Adam Johnson nor Joe Cole. Fingers crossed Capello makes the right call here, I'd much sooner have both of those in the squad than an extra defender we could probably do without.

[Fosse Fox]

You're an absolute fooking idiot.

I used to have some doubts, then I saw him play live, against City, about 3 years ago. He was everywhere and totally shat on us.

Fine, it's only City, but any half-regular watcher of Chelsea would tell you what an energetic and creative presence he is at the highest level.

And it's not like he just scores pot shots. His goal against Stoke at the end of last season was majestic.

And then there was this...

And many, many more beautiful goals.

Oh, and he was 2nd in world player of the year about 5 years back, voted for by players and managers, not the 'hacks'.

You really do have a problem understanding the most simple arguments don't you my feeble minded friend? All your argumentation is based on his CHELSEA performances not on his showing for ENGLAND. OK let's look at what the cold international stats not your subjective club bullshit tells us:

Lampard hasn't scored for England since September last year.

Lampard didn't score for England for sixteen months up to March 2009.

Lampard also blanked for a full year after the 2006 World Cup.

Lampard blanked the entire 2006 World Cup finals, despite starting & finishing every game ( a full 8 hours on the pitch).

Lampard has scored nine goals for England in exactly four years and three of these have been from the spot - a strike rate of just under 1 in 4 (including the pens), about average for a midfielder.

Correction Lampard has scored ONE goal on foreign soil since September 2004 (5 3/4 years) - a penalty against mighty Kazakhstan.

As for finishing runner-up in FIFA's world player of the year in 2005 (the year Chelsea won their first title since 1955 - no coincidence of course) you may recall that another one dimensional English player called David Beckham also managed to achieve that. You may also recall that Lampard was the target of the Wembley boo boys for a considerable period and unlike John Terry this had nothing to do with his off field antics or his club affiliation but everything to do with his piss poor ENGLAND displays.

If Lampard was the truly great player you make him out to be he would be helping to carry England in the same way his Chelsea team mates carry him and this would be reflected not only in his personal ENGLAND goal tally but also in our results against the leading international sides.

[Tomassi]

David James - hopefully number 1 and his swansong

Rob Green

Joe Hart - should be Englands Number 1 after the World Cup

Ashley Cole

Glen Johnson

John Terry

Rio Ferdinand

Ledley King

Jamie Carragher

Matt Upson

Gareth Barry*

Joe Cole

Steven Gerrard

Adam Johnson - most exciting young England talent since Rooney, he must go!

Frank Lampard

Aaron Lennon

Theo Walcott - If Capello can somehow unlock his talent he could be the difference we are dying to see from him

James Milner

Tom Huddlestone - picked ahead of Carrick I reckon he has forced his way in at the last minute

Jermaine Defoe

Emile Heskey - still the only strike partner to get the best out of Rooney at International level, he simply has to go just for Rooneys sake

Peter Crouch

Wayne Rooney

Leaving Out:

Stephe Warnock

Darren Bent - Showed himself up at Spurs to be one-dimensional, Sunderland play to his strengths, something you wont see at internetional level.

Leighton Baines

Michael Dawson

Michael Carrick

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Scott Parker* - swap with Gareth Barry if injured

Delighted with James Milners form this season, he can cover right back/right mid, left back/let mid and of course central midfield, perfect utility man, and with Steven Gerrard also having experience at right and left back (albeit not much) thats the reason i've gone with just 7 defenders and a couple more potential matchwinners in the shape of Aaron Lennon, Adam Johnson, Joe Cole and Theo Walcott.

The left side has been a problem since Joe Cole got injured, lets hope he can reclaim some of his old form in time for the World Cup (if he makes the squad), as Steven Gerrard stays in the middle too much exposing the left back.

Whatever Capello picks, I'll be happy with, lets get behind the lads !!!

[Bert]

I think Carragher's going. Why coax him out of retirement, to leave him behind?

Parker, Dawson, Upson and Warnock haven't figured in any of the warm up games, so they're out, else surely he'd play them? For me that leaves 3 places to play for.

Heskey or Bent? For me it's Heskey. Why? Much more of a regular and whereas Bent has had a fantastic season, he's never scored for England. Rooney and Defoe are better finishers, and Crouch and Heskey are better target men.

3 places left.

These are basically between SWP, Huddlestone, Lennon, Walcott and Joe Cole, because I think Milner's done enough throughout season and is more versatile than any of the other four and Johnson will be our surprise package.

How do you look at it? SWP hasn't had a great season, but always seems to do something for England. Lennon's missed most of the season with an injury, as has Walcott, but Lennon for me has the better end product. Joe Cole, has missed a lot of the season too, but he can change a game in a flash and has big tournament experience, so for me he has to go.

That leaves Walcott, SWP, and Lennon and Huddlestone.

I'd opt for Lennon, as he seems that little bit more of a threat than the other two right now, and I can see Walcott going. If Barry fails to make it, Huddlestone should go instead. Both Walcott and Cole can play in behind the front man too, which is a bonus.

My squad:

Hart

James

Green

G.Johnson

A. Cole

Terry

Rio

King

Carragher

Baines

Gerrard

Lampard

Barry

Milner

Lennon

J.Cole

Carrick

A. Johnson

Walcott

Rooney

Defoe

Crouch

Heskey

[Mee]

I think Carragher's going. Why coax him out of retirement, to leave him behind?

Parker, Dawson, Upson and Warnock haven't figured in any of the warm up games, so they're out, else surely he'd play them? For me that leaves 3 places to play for.

Heskey or Bent? For me it's Heskey. Why? Much more of a regular and whereas Bent has had a fantastic season, he's never scored for England. Rooney and Defoe are better finishers, and Crouch and Heskey are better target men.

3 places left.

These are basically between SWP, Huddlestone, Lennon, Walcott and Joe Cole, because I think Milner's done enough throughout season and is more versatile than any of the other four and Johnson will be our surprise package.

How do you look at it? SWP hasn't had a great season, but always seems to do something for England. Lennon's missed most of the season with an injury, as has Walcott, but Lennon for me has the better end product. Joe Cole, has missed a lot of the season too, but he can change a game in a flash and has big tournament experience, so for me he has to go.

That leaves Walcott, SWP, and Lennon and Huddlestone.

I'd opt for Lennon, as he seems that little bit more of a threat than the other two right now, and I can see Walcott going. If Barry fails to make it, Huddlestone should go instead. Both Walcott and Cole can play in behind the front man too, which is a bonus.

My squad:

Hart

James

Green

G.Johnson

A. Cole

Terry

Rio

King

Carragher

Baines

Gerrard

Lampard

Barry

Milner

Lennon

J.Cole

Carrick

A. Johnson

Walcott

Rooney

Defoe

Crouch

Heskey

100% agree with this. I feel that with the pace of Lennon and Walcott, they will be able to tear down the wings. Also i am hoping that Fabio will pick Johnson, i just think he is a very young player who has a strong career ahead of him. We will see tomorrow though!

[Libertine]

Agreed with Bert's selection.

Hope he doesn't play Walcott on the wing, don't rate him there at all.

[SirBlueFoxington]

7 I'd leave behind:

Upson

Carrick

Walcott

Warnock

Bent

Parker

Huddlestone

Meaning my squad is:

Green

Hart

James

Terry

Ferdinand

King

Dawson

G. Johnson

A. Cole

Baines

Carragher

Lennon

Milner

Gerrard

Lampard

Barry

SWP

Joe Cole

A. Johnson

Crouch

Defoe

Heskey

Rooney

Same as this team, but swap Heskey and Bent around.

Also if Barry isn't fit then give Parker a chance.

[purpleronnie]

I'm probably the only one who doesnt think G.Johnson is any good, it may well be coincidence but every time I've watched him he's been awful, that match against holland I dont think I've ever seen such a bad performance. I'm sure he's good enough against the minows but I really worry about our defence, not just G.Johnson but all of them. I reckon spain, brazil, italy any decent attacking team will do well against us.