England Squad Selector

[IdliketoRogerMoore]

Townsends been shyte for 6 months how anyone would want to take him is beyond me!!!!!!

P.s Michael Owen would take zaha is he smoking crack!!!!

[LondonBristolian]

Erm.. at least 80% of the teams in Brazil won't be using a target man. Beyond Carroll, Lambert and Crouch not many in the Premier League. Of course the European leagues all play the English style so your point is proven. Silly me.

 

Well, of course they won't.  But that's because the higher the standard of the game gets, the less effective playing the percentages by hammering the ball up to the big guy up front and hoping it bounces in the right way becomes as a tactic.  The lack of target men in the Premier League or other top divisions is because generally those types of players don't progress beyond the lower leagues, not because they don't exist as concepts in other countries.

 

Similarly most defenders in most countries will be perfectly accustomed to playing against target men as they grow up as footballers coming up through the youth leagues or lower divisions and will have worked out how to neutralise them long before they break into the top-flight.  The absence of target men doesn't mean anyone'll be particularly surprised if a team has one - just that other countries don't persist with a style of striker that isn't very effective.  The idea that any team - foreign or otherwise - will find it harder to play against a big lump like Andy Carroll than the fast interchanging pace and movement of Sturridge and Sterling is just plain silly.

 

Obviously all teams need options and some teams are smaller or weaker than others so there's nothing wrong with taking a big striker as another option (though I'd suggest taking the big guy with 11 goals and 10 assists this season over the guy with 2 goals in 9 appearances) but the idea that foreign countries will be unduly confused or troubled by a big strong striker and that that somehow constitutes a tactical plan is exactly the kind of Charles Hughes-esque ill-thought through logic that's held the English game back for years.

 

Obviously our team is limited, whatever formation we use, we have to see even reaching the quarter-finals as a qualified success but we're not going to improve our chances by relying on a massive lump who has barely played this season over players who are playing well and in-form.

[chipdawg]

Welbeck will definitely go, will definitely play and will perform well. He proved again he has a big-game temperament having a decent game against Bayern last week

Also with regards Henderson, he's been very solid this season but he's barely troubled he national team so I can't see him making a late run for it now (was he in the last squad though?). Barkley will go though, looked very good against Arsenal on Sunday and could play in centre mid/out wide/ behind a striker. I think/would pick

Hart

Foster

Forster

Baines

Shaw

Jags

Cahill

Jones

Caulker

Walker

Johnson

Gerrard

Wilshere

Carrick

Barkley

Milner

Ox

Lallana

Welbeck

Rooney

Sturridge

Sterling

Lambert

I would actually maybe lose Carrick and take Delph or Henderson as a slightly different option in midfield, or even Townsend or Lennon given that Jones can play in midfield

From that I'd pick

Hart

Walker jags Cahill Baines

Gerrard Wilshere

Sterling Rooney Welbeck

Sturridge

Gerrards partner in CM and who plays wide are the conundrums IMO

[CITYAREREDANDWHITE]

I'd be very disappointed if Henderson doesn't go, and In my eyes he will defiantly go, and start alongside Gerrard as he does for Liverpool

[Murraysrightplum]

Frank Fielding to go????

 

[Monkeh]

wouldn't take wilshire completely overated, he give the ball away far to much doesn't provide many assists or scores many goals, henderson and gerrard all day long as a central pairing,

Welbeck seems to do well for england bit like Peter Crouch imo, Walker isn't even the best right back at spurs let alone england so he should be no where near the team ether,

 

Harte, Foster, Ruddy

Baines Jags Cahill, Jones, Clyne, Johnson, Cole

Henderson Gerrard the Ox, Lalana Barkley Milner (because he can play any postion) Stirling Barry (whose had a fantastic season for Everton)

Rooney, Sturradge Welbeck Lambert Rodregaz

 

Harte gk

LB Baine CB Cahill CB Jag RB Johnson

CM Gerrard CM Henderson

AML Stirling AMC Barkley AMR Rooney

CF Sturidge

 

play the liverpool way with gerrard protecting Henderson bang in the middle and barkley in a free role ahead of him with striling and rooney cutting in from the wings

[Murraysrightplum]

wouldn't take wilshire completely overated, he give the ball away far to much doesn't provide many assists or scores many goals, henderson and gerrard all day long as a central pairing,

Welbeck seems to do well for england bit like Peter Crouch imo, Walker isn't even the best right back at spurs let alone england so he should be no where near the team ether,

 

Harte, Foster, Ruddy

Baines Jags Cahill, Jones, Clyne, Johnson, Cole

Henderson Gerrard the Ox, Lalana Barkley Milner (because he can play any postion) Stirling Barry (whose had a fantastic season for Everton)

Rooney, Sturradge Welbeck Lambert Rodregaz

 

Harte gk

LB Baine CB Cahill CB Jag RB Johnson

CM Gerrard CM Henderson

AML Stirling AMC Barkley AMR Rooney

CF Sturidge

 

play the liverpool way with gerrard protecting Henderson bang in the middle and barkley in a free role ahead of him with striling and rooney cutting in from the wings

 

3 left backs? Really? Also need 4 centre back IMO and Jones isn't good enough. We are woeful at CB currently...

 

I would swap Barkley for Lallana, put him on the left and Sterling on the right and move Rooney more central. Totally agree with Gerrard and Henderson, looks the best central midfield pair.

[Monkeh]

3 left backs? Really? Also need 4 centre back IMO and Jones isn't good enough. We are woeful at CB currently...

 

I would swap Barkley for Lallana, put him on the left and Sterling on the right and move Rooney more central. Totally agree with Gerrard and Henderson, looks the best central midfield pair.

I think baines could play further up the field to be honest and Jones may be week but realistaclly who else is there at CB Terry won't go so we can't pick him and that really leaves culker who has been poor with cardiff and Smalling who has been poor with man u

[chipdawg]

wouldn't take wilshire completely overated, he give the ball away far to much doesn't provide many assists or scores many goals, henderson and gerrard all day long as a central pairing,

Welbeck seems to do well for england bit like Peter Crouch imo, Walker isn't even the best right back at spurs let alone england so he should be no where near the team ether,

Harte, Foster, Ruddy

Baines Jags Cahill, Jones, Clyne, Johnson, Cole

Henderson Gerrard the Ox, Lalana Barkley Milner (because he can play any postion) Stirling Barry (whose had a fantastic season for Everton)

Rooney, Sturradge Welbeck Lambert Rodregaz

Harte gk

LB Baine CB Cahill CB Jag RB Johnson

CM Gerrard CM Henderson

AML Stirling AMC Barkley AMR Rooney

CF Sturidge

play the liverpool way with gerrard protecting Henderson bang in the middle and barkley in a free role ahead of him with striling and rooney cutting in from the wings

Rodriguez is out for 6 months Monkeh so have a rethink of your striking options!

Also, while Clyne plays at LB a lot for Southampton, I'm pretty sure he started out at RB and is right footed, so not a terrible shout. I rate Walker more than Johnson though neither is exactly a great defender

[Monkeh]

Rodriguez is out for 6 months Monkeh so have a rethink of your striking options!

Also, while Clyne plays at LB a lot for Southampton, I'm pretty sure he started out at RB and is right footed, so not a terrible shout. I rate Walker more than Johnson though neither is exactly a great defender

when did he get injured? I've not watch alot of football outside of city recently (bar the odd liverpool game)

I'd take Johnson as he's the form player and has had a fantastic season, Clyne can play ether full back postion

[Murraysrightplum]

I think baines could play further up the field to be honest and Jones may be week but realistaclly who else is there at CB Terry won't go so we can't pick him and that really leaves culker who has been poor with cardiff and Smalling who has been poor with man u

 

Agree the CBs are all poor. I would take Terry (even though he's a****)

 

Not sure about Baines further up, yes he could play left midfield in a 4-4-2 but not left forward in a 4-2-4 (or 4-2-3-1). If Clyne can play RB then I'd take him....

[Murraysrightplum]

when did he get injured? I've not watch alot of football outside of city recently (bar the odd liverpool game)

I'd take Johnson as he's the form player and has had a fantastic season, Clyne can play ether full back postion

 At the weekend. ACL, out for 6 months.

[CITYAREREDANDWHITE]

Cyclone has always been a RB and always will be. Someone said Caulkers been poor for Cardiff, well they clearly know naught, been there 2nd best player this season behind Mutch.

[Monkeh]

Cyclone has always been a RB and always will be. Someone said Caulkers been poor for Cardiff, well they clearly know naught, been there 2nd best player this season behind Mutch.

yet cradiff have the seond worst defense and are bottom of the table

[Phileas Fogg]

yet cradiff have the seond worst defense and are bottom of the table

We have two of the top scoring forwards in the league and have mostly been at the bottom! Defense is a whole team effort, can't pin it on one player.

[joeyb]

My pick would be:

 

GK: Hart, Forster, Foster

 

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

 

MID: Gerrard, Wilshere, Carrick, Henderson, Barkley, Oxlade-Chamberlain

 

ATT: Rooney, Sturridge, Sterling, Lambert, Welbeck

 

 

Starting XI:

 

                    Hart

 

Johnson Jones Cahill Baines

 

           Gerrard Wilshere

 

    Sterling Rooney Lallana

 

               Sturridge

[Cunnyfunt]

None picking Jay Rodruigez says more, joint with Rooney on 15 and only Sturridge with more, yet all of them would take Welbeck.

 

Edit - None of them would take Shaw as well

Probably because Rodriguez is out for 6 months.

[The Bard]

I love this sort of stuff. Here's my two penneth.

 

Goalies - Hart, Forster, Butland

 

Hart number 1 - one of the best in the world. Number 2 has to be someone you can trust with some big match experience.  To me that is Forster as he has played Champions League and excelled. Ben Foster has some experience but is erratic in a David James kind of way so I'd leave him out.  3rd keeper either Ruddy or Butland if we want to give the Clevedon kid some big tourno experience.

 

Defence - Johnson, Jones, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines, Flanagan, Stones.  

 

I agree with an earlier poster that we can get away with 7 defenders, particularly if at least one of the midfielders can play at the back and that is the case with my selection. I'd rather take Nicky Hunt than Kyle Walker, so Johnson is a shoe in at RB.  Similarly Baines at LB and the centre back pairing is inevitable.  I used to think that Jones was slipping into mediocrity  but has played really well recently against Bayern and Olympiakos.  He would be first reserve centre half. I think he has played all across the back four within their last 4 games.  I'd then look to cover RB and LB with one player and to me, that has to be Flanagan who is playing well in pressure games which will do for me.  Cole isn't playing at all.  I'm not too sure about Shaw defensively, and he can't cover the right, so Flanagan wins that argument.  Lastly, a 4th centre half which I think should go to a promising player as this role is probably the least likely to get on the pitch as an outfield player. This is either Caulker or Stones and I'd go for Stones who has looked like a scouse Baresi since coming into Everton's side. He used to play right back too - he can't be worse than Smalling.  Poor Caulks - it was a good move for him to go to Cardiff until they got rid of a good manager. 

 

Midfield - Milner, Gerrard, Henderson, Carrick, Barkley.

 

Gerrard goes without saying. I'd take Carrick as his understudy but you can't play the 2 of them together - not enough legs and they are too similar now that Gerrard is playing a deeper role.  However, Carrick can also play Centre half if we suffer with injuries and suspensions.  Next to Gerrard in the team you must have someone who can dovetail with him and is hardworking and mobile and that is clearly Henderson.  They have an established and successful working arrangement and it would be folly to mess about with this in order to shoe horn in someone half fit like Wiltshire for example.  I'd take Milner as the 8th defender if you like - he is an excellent defensive player who can cover right back and play anywhere across the midfield, possibly being the alternative to Henderson.  A good sub to protect a lead, but not to start a game.  Barkley is flavour of the month but I'm yet to be convinced.  He is clearly talented, but Martinez has seen fit to take him off a lot in games (sometimes at half time).  He is hit and miss. However, for the experience of being at a tournament and as someone who may change a game coming off the bench he should go.  He is clearly part of our future.

 

Attacking midfielders/wingers -  Lallana, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Sterling, Townsend.

 

Lallana has probably been the best English player this season after Gerrard.  Properly 2 footed, adaptable, good vision, clever and with a clear understanding of his defensive responsibilities.  He is also a leader and brave (in the footballing sense).   If he has a good tournament England will.   Must start in the attacking midfield role IMHO. 

 

Sterling has been superb too and has consolidated the promise shown last season.  Despite being younger, he is a year ahead of Barkley in his development.  Oxlaide-Chamberlain is adaptable like Lallana and probably stronger defensively, but not anywhere near as good in terms of creativity and touch. Good player though.  Townsend is the best of the list of headless chicken speed merchants and deserves to go due to his impact in the last 2 qualifiers - could make a difference from the bench.

 

 

Strikers - Sturridge, Wellbeck, Lambert, Rooney

 

Sturridge and Rooney should clearly go as should Welbeck who might not be the best finisher, but has every other attribute needed.  He plays the wide striker role well and is defensively excellent.  He has the physicality to worry any defender as he should against Bayern last week. Should not be allowed near a penalty (neither should Sturridge).  Rooney is nowhere near as good as he is cracked up to be, but still is very good.  He seems to me to contribute most when asked to do something different.

 

There is a debate about which lump we should take - I'd go for Lambert as he is the best finisher out of Crouch and Carroll because he has improved continuously over the last few years and is always fit and available.  Carroll would just give away free kicks and Crouch is no real threat IMO.  Lambert can take a penalty. Very well.  Can see him being subbed for Welbeck or Sturridge if we are in extra time in a knockout game.

 

In the last game Woy tried to rotate a front 3 around with a midfield 3 and it didn't work largely as we had a lack of midfield movement and invention.  Things changed when Wiltshire went off and Lallana came on.  Like many I think we should borrow as much from Liverpool as possible and would stick Lallana in Coutinho's role and ask Rooney to play 'off' the left like he did when Manure won the Champions League and like Suarez does for Liverpool.  However, Rooney, Lallana and Sterling should be adaptable.  The important thing would be to keep Sturridge playing up top as much as possible.

 

                   Hart

 

Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines

 

       Henderson  Gerrard

               

Sterling    Lallana        Rooney

 

                Sturridge

[Robin1988]

Probably because Rodriguez is out for 6 months.

Amazing how they predicted his injury weeks in advance isn't it

[Murraysrightplum]

Pretty much agree with you there Bard.

[downendcity]

I love this sort of stuff. Here's my two penneth.

 

Goalies - Hart, Forster, Butland

 

Hart number 1 - one of the best in the world. Number 2 has to be someone you can trust with some big match experience.  To me that is Forster as he has played Champions League and excelled. Ben Foster has some experience but is erratic in a David James kind of way so I'd leave him out.  3rd keeper either Ruddy or Butland if we want to give the Clevedon kid some big tourno experience.

 

Defence - Johnson, Jones, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines, Flanagan, Stones.  

 

I agree with an earlier poster that we can get away with 7 defenders, particularly if at least one of the midfielders can play at the back and that is the case with my selection. I'd rather take Nicky Hunt than Kyle Walker, so Johnson is a shoe in at RB.  Similarly Baines at LB and the centre back pairing is inevitable.  I used to think that Jones was slipping into mediocrity  but has played really well recently against Bayern and Olympiakos.  He would be first reserve centre half. I think he has played all across the back four within their last 4 games.  I'd then look to cover RB and LB with one player and to me, that has to be Flanagan who is playing well in pressure games which will do for me.  Cole isn't playing at all.  I'm not too sure about Shaw defensively, and he can't cover the right, so Flanagan wins that argument.  Lastly, a 4th centre half which I think should go to a promising player as this role is probably the least likely to get on the pitch as an outfield player. This is either Caulker or Stones and I'd go for Stones who has looked like a scouse Baresi since coming into Everton's side. He used to play right back too - he can't be worse than Smalling.  Poor Caulks - it was a good move for him to go to Cardiff until they got rid of a good manager. 

 

Midfield - Milner, Gerrard, Henderson, Carrick, Barkley.

 

Gerrard goes without saying. I'd take Carrick as his understudy but you can't play the 2 of them together - not enough legs and they are too similar now that Gerrard is playing a deeper role.  However, Carrick can also play Centre half if we suffer with injuries and suspensions.  Next to Gerrard in the team you must have someone who can dovetail with him and is hardworking and mobile and that is clearly Henderson.  They have an established and successful working arrangement and it would be folly to mess about with this in order to shoe horn in someone half fit like Wiltshire for example.  I'd take Milner as the 8th defender if you like - he is an excellent defensive player who can cover right back and play anywhere across the midfield, possibly being the alternative to Henderson.  A good sub to protect a lead, but not to start a game.  Barkley is flavour of the month but I'm yet to be convinced.  He is clearly talented, but Martinez has seen fit to take him off a lot in games (sometimes at half time).  He is hit and miss. However, for the experience of being at a tournament and as someone who may change a game coming off the bench he should go.  He is clearly part of our future.

 

Attacking midfielders/wingers -  Lallana, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Sterling, Townsend.

 

Lallana has probably been the best English player this season after Gerrard.  Properly 2 footed, adaptable, good vision, clever and with a clear understanding of his defensive responsibilities.  He is also a leader and brave (in the footballing sense).   If he has a good tournament England will.   Must start in the attacking midfield role IMHO. 

 

Sterling has been superb too and has consolidated the promise shown last season.  Despite being younger, he is a year ahead of Barkley in his development.  Oxlaide-Chamberlain is adaptable like Lallana and probably stronger defensively, but not anywhere near as good in terms of creativity and touch. Good player though.  Townsend is the best of the list of headless chicken speed merchants and deserves to go due to his impact in the last 2 qualifiers - could make a difference from the bench.

 

 

Strikers - Sturridge, Wellbeck, Lambert, Rooney

 

Sturridge and Rooney should clearly go as should Welbeck who might not be the best finisher, but has every other attribute needed.  He plays the wide striker role well and is defensively excellent.  He has the physicality to worry any defender as he should against Bayern last week. Should not be allowed near a penalty (neither should Sturridge).  Rooney is nowhere near as good as he is cracked up to be, but still is very good.  He seems to me to contribute most when asked to do something different.

 

There is a debate about which lump we should take - I'd go for Lambert as he is the best finisher out of Crouch and Carroll because he has improved continuously over the last few years and is always fit and available.  Carroll would just give away free kicks and Crouch is no real threat IMO.  Lambert can take a penalty. Very well.  Can see him being subbed for Welbeck or Sturridge if we are in extra time in a knockout game.

 

In the last game Woy tried to rotate a front 3 around with a midfield 3 and it didn't work largely as we had a lack of midfield movement and invention.  Things changed when Wiltshire went off and Lallana came on.  Like many I think we should borrow as much from Liverpool as possible and would stick Lallana in Coutinho's role and ask Rooney to play 'off' the left like he did when Manure won the Champions League and like Suarez does for Liverpool.  However, Rooney, Lallana and Sterling should be adaptable.  The important thing would be to keep Sturridge playing up top as much as possible.

 

                   Hart

 

Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines

 

       Henderson  Gerrard

               

Sterling    Lallana        Rooney

 

                Sturridge

 

Bl00dy hell Bard, that is far too well thought out and constructive for this forum.

 

Hard to disagree with most of your suggestions. In the same way you suggest Barkley as being part of the future, I see Shaw in the same light so would probably take him, especially as he used to playing with Lallana.

 

Amazing to think that Merseyside could supply more than half the England team!

[Murraysrightplum]

If I was Hodgson I'd be begging John Terry to come back. Him and Cahill together are much better than GC and Jagielka. They were awesome last night.

 

The man is a vile ****** but he's the best we have at the moment...

[TBW]

Forster, Hart, Ruddy

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

Barkley, Carrick, Chamberlain, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Lampard, Wilshere

Lampard, Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck

[red mist]

I would like to see an old fashioned centre forward ie Carrol in the squad, just to upset those tip tappy continental or south american defenders, replacing Welbeck who could not score in a ..........

[North London Red]

Will be very interesting to see what Hodgson does regarding Baines, Shaw and Ashley Cole.

Whilst Cole hasn't been playing, that might actually work to our advantage if he is selected - so many times in recent tournaments, the players have looked absolutely knackered after playing twice a week from February to May. And Cole is probably the best defender of the three; if we're up against a decent attacking team (as we will be in our first two matches in Brazil) we will need our defence to be as strong as it can be.

Since his debut in Tirana 13 years ago Cole has only really made one big mistake in an England shirt (home game v Kazakhstan in 2008, for which he was absolutely castigated). For me he has to be in the 23.

[internetjef]

I love this sort of stuff. Here's my two penneth.

 

Goalies - Hart, Forster, Butland

 

Hart number 1 - one of the best in the world. Number 2 has to be someone you can trust with some big match experience.  To me that is Forster as he has played Champions League and excelled. Ben Foster has some experience but is erratic in a David James kind of way so I'd leave him out.  3rd keeper either Ruddy or Butland if we want to give the Clevedon kid some big tourno experience.

 

Defence - Johnson, Jones, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines, Flanagan, Stones.  

 

I agree with an earlier poster that we can get away with 7 defenders, particularly if at least one of the midfielders can play at the back and that is the case with my selection. I'd rather take Nicky Hunt than Kyle Walker, so Johnson is a shoe in at RB.  Similarly Baines at LB and the centre back pairing is inevitable.  I used to think that Jones was slipping into mediocrity  but has played really well recently against Bayern and Olympiakos.  He would be first reserve centre half. I think he has played all across the back four within their last 4 games.  I'd then look to cover RB and LB with one player and to me, that has to be Flanagan who is playing well in pressure games which will do for me.  Cole isn't playing at all.  I'm not too sure about Shaw defensively, and he can't cover the right, so Flanagan wins that argument.  Lastly, a 4th centre half which I think should go to a promising player as this role is probably the least likely to get on the pitch as an outfield player. This is either Caulker or Stones and I'd go for Stones who has looked like a scouse Baresi since coming into Everton's side. He used to play right back too - he can't be worse than Smalling.  Poor Caulks - it was a good move for him to go to Cardiff until they got rid of a good manager. 

 

Midfield - Milner, Gerrard, Henderson, Carrick, Barkley.

 

Gerrard goes without saying. I'd take Carrick as his understudy but you can't play the 2 of them together - not enough legs and they are too similar now that Gerrard is playing a deeper role.  However, Carrick can also play Centre half if we suffer with injuries and suspensions.  Next to Gerrard in the team you must have someone who can dovetail with him and is hardworking and mobile and that is clearly Henderson.  They have an established and successful working arrangement and it would be folly to mess about with this in order to shoe horn in someone half fit like Wiltshire for example.  I'd take Milner as the 8th defender if you like - he is an excellent defensive player who can cover right back and play anywhere across the midfield, possibly being the alternative to Henderson.  A good sub to protect a lead, but not to start a game.  Barkley is flavour of the month but I'm yet to be convinced.  He is clearly talented, but Martinez has seen fit to take him off a lot in games (sometimes at half time).  He is hit and miss. However, for the experience of being at a tournament and as someone who may change a game coming off the bench he should go.  He is clearly part of our future.

 

Attacking midfielders/wingers -  Lallana, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Sterling, Townsend.

 

Lallana has probably been the best English player this season after Gerrard.  Properly 2 footed, adaptable, good vision, clever and with a clear understanding of his defensive responsibilities.  He is also a leader and brave (in the footballing sense).   If he has a good tournament England will.   Must start in the attacking midfield role IMHO. 

 

Sterling has been superb too and has consolidated the promise shown last season.  Despite being younger, he is a year ahead of Barkley in his development.  Oxlaide-Chamberlain is adaptable like Lallana and probably stronger defensively, but not anywhere near as good in terms of creativity and touch. Good player though.  Townsend is the best of the list of headless chicken speed merchants and deserves to go due to his impact in the last 2 qualifiers - could make a difference from the bench.

 

 

Strikers - Sturridge, Wellbeck, Lambert, Rooney

 

Sturridge and Rooney should clearly go as should Welbeck who might not be the best finisher, but has every other attribute needed.  He plays the wide striker role well and is defensively excellent.  He has the physicality to worry any defender as he should against Bayern last week. Should not be allowed near a penalty (neither should Sturridge).  Rooney is nowhere near as good as he is cracked up to be, but still is very good.  He seems to me to contribute most when asked to do something different.

 

There is a debate about which lump we should take - I'd go for Lambert as he is the best finisher out of Crouch and Carroll because he has improved continuously over the last few years and is always fit and available.  Carroll would just give away free kicks and Crouch is no real threat IMO.  Lambert can take a penalty. Very well.  Can see him being subbed for Welbeck or Sturridge if we are in extra time in a knockout game.

 

In the last game Woy tried to rotate a front 3 around with a midfield 3 and it didn't work largely as we had a lack of midfield movement and invention.  Things changed when Wiltshire went off and Lallana came on.  Like many I think we should borrow as much from Liverpool as possible and would stick Lallana in Coutinho's role and ask Rooney to play 'off' the left like he did when Manure won the Champions League and like Suarez does for Liverpool.  However, Rooney, Lallana and Sterling should be adaptable.  The important thing would be to keep Sturridge playing up top as much as possible.

 

                   Hart

 

Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines

 

       Henderson  Gerrard

               

Sterling    Lallana        Rooney

 

                Sturridge

 

I would go for almost the same squad as you Bard, think i would take Smalling and Cole over Flanagan and Stones though.

 

If Wilshere gets fit and play himself into any kind of form id be tempted to take him over Milner/Barkley also

[Will Rollason]

                   Hart

 

Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines

 

       Henderson  Gerrard

               

Sterling    Lallana        Rooney

 

                Sturridge

 

Shall we take this as a template and mess about with it? I dont think many of us would have a problem with it?

[The Bard]

I would like to see an old fashioned centre forward ie Carrol in the squad, just to upset those tip tappy continental or south american defenders, replacing Welbeck who could not score in a ..........

 

I don't think the Italian or Uruguay defenders are 'tippy tappy'.  They could probably teach Mr Carroll a lot of tricks. They would probably prefer him to Danny Welbeck as Carroll is hardly bombing around everywhere.  This would mean they could really try out their repertoire of wind up routines and dirty tricks.

[DavidNoble]

Hart

Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines

Gerrard

Henderson Wilshere

Sterling

Sturridge Rooney

 

EVERYONE moans at the end of a tournament that we don't play as a 'team', so for me I would pick as much of the British Liverpool team as possible who are playing so well together at the moment and look set to win the english premier league. 

 

Controversial, of course, as it calls for the manager to choose team chemistry over individual ability but it'll be exactly what all the fans moan about not having when we got knocked out in the quarters again.

[Robin1988]

I don't think Wilshere has done anything this season to warrant a starting place in centre mid.