England squad of 23 for South Africa

[Tooting Gull]

I've had enough of four strikers and everyone getting injured, so it's three keepers, seven defenders, eight midfielders and five strikers. Loach is a personal preference, I know he won't go but I've seen a lot of the lad and I rate him above most of the others. If not, Joe Hart. Third keeper should be looking to the future. If Heskey isn't playing, Carlton Cole or Darren Bent come into it. If Joe Cole is fit, he gets nod ahead of Wright-Phillips.

Keepers: James, Green, Loach

Defenders: Johnson, A Cole, Terry, Ferdinand, Bridge, Woodgate (if fit, otherwise Upson), Cahill.

Midfielders: Lampard, Gerrard, Barry, Lennon, J Cole, Beckham, Carrick, Walcott.

Strikers: Rooney, Defoe, Heskey, Crouch, Owen.

 

[Walkers Cajun Squirrel]

We can take 25. So add a defender and utility man to that.

 

[severnside gull]

Not bad and not far away I reckon. Woodgate is never fit so yes,I would go with Upson, But suspect Lescott will oust Cahill before the end of the season.

Hargreaves is likely to oust Carrick who hasn't ever managed to produce consistant form at international level although he may "make up the numbers". Jagielka could be in the reckoning for a more defensive covering role - probably ahead of Owen in your list as we will load midfield ahead of forwards (no chance Owen will even be considered IMO). Add Ashley Young rather than team mate Agbonlahor (still not a natural goal scorer) so the final choice is Carlton Cole or Emile Heskey and I have a sneaky feeling that youth will prevail and Heskey's fears will be realised.

 

[sam86]

Walcott's going to have a bit to do to get into that squad. Milner's played/playing pretty decent.

 

[Freddo]

Keepers: James, Green, Hart

Defenders: Johnson, Richards, Terry, Ferdinand, Upson, Lescott, Cole

Midfielders: Walcott, Lennon, Lampard, Gerrard, Barry, Carrick, Milner, Young/J Cole

Strikers: Rooney, Defoe, Heskey, Cole, Crouch

That would be my 23. I'd take the likes of Richards and Lescott as they can play right, centre and left, centre respectively but this does mean Wayne Bridge misses out. If we can indeed take 25 then Bridge and either Young or Cole (the one that misses out originally) would be in.

But then I don't know where Beckham would fit in!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Walcott's going to have a bit to do to get into that squad. Milner's played/playing pretty decent.

What, the same Walcott whose brilliant hat-trick away to Croatia basically sealed England qualification?

He has absolutely NOTHING to prove, except his fitness.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

We can take 25. So add a defender and utility man to that.

Can we

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Also a fit Hargreaves wazzes all over Carrick.

There's always one who gatecrashes the squad at the last moment, I'm hoping it's Wilshere this time.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

So assuming we can take 25 as the Squirrel says:

Keepers: James, Green, Robinson

Defenders: Johnson, Richards, Terry, Ferdinand, Upson, Lescott, Cole, Bridge

Midfielders: Walcott, Lennon, Lampard, Gerrard, Hargreaves, Barry, Carrick, J.Cole, Wilshere, Milner/Young

Strikers: Rooney, Defoe, Heskey, Owen, Crouch

Heskey, Cole & Crouch are all too similar. Capello likes Heskey & Crouch's goalscoring record at international level is excellent. Owen has to go in my opinion.

Bridge is a waste of a player. If Cole gets injured both Lescott & Barry have played left-back for extended periods of their careers. I would much rather take someone like Jake Wilshere along for the ride like Sven did with Walcott. It's something Brazil do regularly

 

[HseagullsH]

Also a fit Hargreaves wazzes all over Carrick.

There's always one who gatecrashes the squad at the last moment, I'm hoping it's Wilshere this time.

Danny Seagull in sensible football related comment and not a weird sexually stimulated post shock horror!

 

[Ninja Elephant]

You can take 2 alternates who can come in at the last minute if someone gets injured, note Trevor Sinclair for Steven Gerrard in 2002.

My 23 would be;

Green, James, Hart
Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Woodgate, Upson, Cole, Bridge, Brown
Walcott, Lennon, Downing, Gerrard, Hargreaves, Lampard, Barry, Carrick
Rooney, Owen, Cole, Defoe

 

[ali jenkins]

When did they change the rules? Its a 23 man squad.

Id go for...

James, Green, Hart

A.Cole, Bridge, Rio, Terry, Upson, Lescott, Johnson, Richards

J.Cole, Young, Gerrard, Barry, Carrick, Lampard, Walcott, Beckham

Rooney, Crouch, Agbonglahor/C.Cole/Heskey/Owen/Defoe (2 of)

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Danny Seagull in sensible football related comment and not a weird sexually stimulated post shock horror!

Oh, sorry about that.....


erm.....



Lick the seam that runs down the middle of my ballsack?

 

[RM-Taylor]

David James
Rob Green

Glen Johnson
Micah Richards
Rio Ferdinand
John Terry
Matthew Upson
Joleon Lescott
Ashley Cole
Wayne Bridge

Aaron Lennon
James Milner
Steven Gerrard
Frank Lampard
Gareth Barry
Owen Hargreaves
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Ashley Young
Theo Walcott

Wayne Rooney
Peter Crouch
Jermaine Defoe
Darren Bent

 

[RM-Taylor]

Why do we need 3 goalkeepers anyway?

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Why do we need 3 goalkeepers anyway?

if one were to get injured, you'd have no back up on the bench!

 

[beorhthelm]

thats a good base, but Owen only goes is fit and in form, otherwise Agbonlahor or Cole. Milner is a shoe in for the utility spot mentioned, he's done everything right when given the chance.

Im really not sure about Beckham he does change the stlye of play but not always for the benefit, his passing is predicatable and Gerrard can do the running around midfield like an duracell bunny thing for a full 90 minutes.

Four strikers with Walcott isnt necessarily a risk this time.

we most definatly do not have space for Wilshere "long for the ride". there is simply no reason to take such a novice player with the pace and experience available elsewhere in the current squad. he'll get his chance in the next campaign.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Wilshere IS a left footed left midfielder though. And a good one at that...

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Why do we need 3 goalkeepers anyway?

if one were to get injured, you'd have no back up on the bench!

Just take two, and pick Phil Jagielka as one of the defenders.

Simples.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Did a bit of research and it's 23. So I'll trim my squad down to:

Keepers: James, Green, Robinson

Defenders: Johnson, Richards, Terry, Ferdinand, Upson, Lescott, Cole

Midfielders: Walcott, Lennon, Lampard, Gerrard, Barry, Milner, Hargreaves/Carrick/Wilshere

Strikers: Rooney, Heskey, Crouch Owen, Defoe

It's down to Hargreaves, Carrick or Wilshere. Hargreaves can fill in at right-back so might just swing it ahead of Carrick, but of course he needs to be fit. The choice would then be whether Capello thinks we have enough central midfield cover with Hargreaves, Lampard, Barry & Gerrard. If not, then take Carrick... otherwise take Wilshere