England Euro 2012 squad [Merged Threads]

[brakespear]

Terry being picked is bad enough but Downing? Joke decision.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Hart
Johnson Terry Cahill Cole
Parker Lampard
Walcott Oxlade-Chamberlain Downing
Carroll​

Bring it on.

 

[Munkfish]

Downing should do the right thing and pull out of the squad becuase he knows hes f***ing shit.

Do the right thing Downing.

 

[The Fifth Column]

I look at that squad and the words that spring to mind are, 'workmanlike, industrial, capable', unfortunately the words I want to have in my head are, 'flair, excitement & class'. It's a team more than capable of winning any given game but alas it doesn't strike me as a squad likely to sustain a serious challenge. Add in the depressing and violent host nations and a lack of real support and I think this tournament will run to form and we will be out at the group stages.

 

[brightonmark1234]

downing is rubbish and i would swap crouch for Carroll

 

[MJsGhost]

Silk purse / sow's ear...

It is what it is - England will get to the quarter final (semi if they over achieve) because the quality just isn't there...

I'm looking forward to the tournament anyway - watching the likes of Spain, Germany, Netherlands...

 

[Wilko]

A fresh start, a new era, time to freshen up and let the youngsters prepare for world cup 2014:

Terry
Lampard
Gerrard
Downing



I would not have taken ANY of them. They have had several tournaments to prove themselves and failed so why will itbe any different this time?

 

[kevo]

I don't think Hodgson realises how difficult it is for a lot of fans to support a team that has John Terry in it.

 

[Barn Door Billy]

We should have followed the example of france and had a complete clearout of the old guard and brought in newer, younger, experimental players...but oh well. On the whole im pleased with theappointment of hodgson and i remain hopeful that he can work some 'magic' with what he has got. The fact remains that we simply dont have a quality pool of players who perform at international level.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I don't think Hodgson realises how difficult it is for a lot of fans to support a team that has John Terry in it.

This!

 

[keaton]

Oh dear. Are you saying Lescott is better than Kompany?

No, he's not English.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

f***ing Downing. What has he ever done to be an international player. But almost worse than that is Jordan Henderson is a standby?!! Is Roy trying to make amends with Liverpool or something?!

 

[Brightonfan1983]

To coin a phrase, "FFS, Downing?"

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

And I am gutted Terry is in the squad. Sincerely hope he's not captain. I'm a big Roy fan but that would make me doubt him.

 

[Silent Bob]

Downing should do the right thing and pull out of the squad becuase he knows hes f***ing shit.

Do the right thing Downing.

Maybe someone will take it upon themselves in training?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Maybe someone will take it upon themselves in training?

Hopefully Terry, injuring himself in the process.

 

[severnside gull]

Holt could have given the team something else.

a red card?


seriously................... I understand that people hate John Terry but I struggle to believe that he is anything other than the best English centre back by a country mile. I'm not overly impressed by the press mischief making over Ferdinand - he is injured (even Ferguson says he couldn't play the games required under tournament conditions). Other than that, defensively we have very few options because we have very few players of true quality - Hodgson can't do anything about that. We are lucky that we have the best keeper in the competition - he might need to be on top form!.
In midfield we are uninspiring but again I can't see that Hodgson had many real options other than the choice between Downing and Johnson. One plays regularly for his club and has been in reasonably consistent form while the other is a bit part player. For a competitive tournament it makes sense to balance risks and it could be said that he has taken a major gamble by including Oxlade-Chamberlain. Personally I think it might prove a brilliant move if he now has the strength to give the lad meaningful game time. Up front there had been a rumour that Bobby Z would be in - it would have been a surprise after a truly awful season - but Carroll ahead of Crouch isn't a major surprise if, again, it could be seen as a gamble. Like Holt there is the risk that his reliance on muscle might attract extra attention from referees but he has been in decent form recently and selecting a youngster who will attract public criticism ahead of a relative elder statesman whose previous selections have always attracted criticism might be seen as a no-lose decision.

We are not overly blessed with outstanding talent or technical ability at present and we are low on confidence and public support. We are not going to win the competition - we never were. Hodgson's task is realistically to get out of the group stage and to perform with some confidence and hopefully to give some glimpses of better times to come. It will be interesting to see if he is given any chance to do well but given the immediate press response I don't fancy his chances which is a shame because with him at the helm I think we might be able to make some inroads into transitioning to a more technical approach.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Johnson hasn't played much, especially in the last third of the season, before that he was often coming off the bench and making a good impact. But when you've got Milner in there who must have played even less, Downing and Carroll who have been in and out (and not very good), the argument that he's not played regularly doesn't hold water.

At least he'd be fresh!

Milner is there purely for versatility, presumably. I like James Milner though, he has a lot of energy and does a lot of work for the team. If anything, his inclusion should have allowed an additional striker to go, I wouldn't have bothered with Leighton Baines, we have Lescott to cover left back with plenty to cover centre back and Milner has played as a full back Internationally before. I think Milner was basically guaranteed a place because of his versatility.

 

[Nathan]

No major shocks for the squad, although not sure what Downing is doing near the England team, I wouldn’t even sell him an England top if I worked in JJB sports!

 

[Basil Fawlty]

What does Micah Richards need to do get into the England squad?! Does he need to sleep with another players wife or something? I feel really sorry for him.