England vs Holland

[Hoop Blah]

The trouble with that is he never scores.

Thats the only concern, granted.......but with 3 "forward" players infront of him hopefully that wont be an issue if they bang in from his assist

Rooney should be the one to be penciled in for that forward role though.

He's not at his best upfront and the team should still be built around getting the best from him for the next generation as despite some of the criticisms he really is a world class player.

Rooney in front of Wilshire and AN Other with Young on one wing and Oxlade-Chamberlain on the other will be an interesting attack. Who plays ahead of Rooney is a bit of a worry for me, although I see Sturridge as the best of the pack coming through at the moment.

I'm quite excited about the next few years of development for the England team because there's a new generation coming through and seeing how that fits together is more interesting than watching the same old faces plod along.

[Hoop Blah]

Makes sense

I just wouldn't feel comfortable if Robben was running at our team and he came up against Wilshire in that dangerous position in front of the back 4 - would rather it were Barry and Parker with Wilshire sat just in front then have Ronney, Walcott, Young up top

I know what you mean.

When Barry first came back into the England team his upbringing as a defender shone through in the defensive awareness he showed as a midfielder.

Would Wilshire have that? No, I don't think he would but I think the games moving on again at the moment and having that one defensive minded midfielder is going to be a bit old hat over the next few years (unless your Spain perhaps).

[comeonyouroyals]

My team would be


Hart

Richards/Walker Cahill Lescott Cole

Parker Wilshire

Sturridge Rooney Young

Welbeck


Ruddy
Jones
Barry
Gerrard
Oxlaide-Chamberlin
Walcott
Bent

I would happily swap Gerrard for Rooney and Rooney up top to replace Welbeck.
This line up gives us enough people to chase down oppostion with Welbeck, Parker, Rooney and Wilshere having great engines but also gives us enough techincal players with speed to be decent in attack.

[TBM]

A fit Rio Ferdinand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a fit Cahill/Lescott

[RobRoyal]

A fit Rio Ferdinand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a fit Cahill/Lescott

Good point, lets build a time machine and go back to 2002...

[JimmytheJim]

My team would be


Hart

Richards/Walker Cahill Lescott Cole

Parker Wilshire

Sturridge Rooney Young

Welbeck


Ruddy
Jones
Barry
Gerrard
Oxlaide-Chamberlin
Walcott
Bent

I would happily swap Gerrard for Rooney and Rooney up top to replace Welbeck.
This line up gives us enough people to chase down oppostion with Welbeck, Parker, Rooney and Wilshere having great engines but also gives us enough techincal players with speed to be decent in attack.

This, but with Johnson in for Oxlade-Chamberlain, and possibly bring Johnson in as a starter instead of Sturridge. And more defenders on the bench.

[TBM]

Johnson is shit though

[peterroyal76]

Hart
Walker Ferdinand Cahill Cole
Jones
Gerrard Wilshere
Rooney Welbeck Young

[comeonyouroyals]

My team would be


Hart

Richards/Walker Cahill Lescott Cole

Parker Wilshire

Sturridge Rooney Young

Welbeck


Ruddy
Jones
Barry
Gerrard
Oxlaide-Chamberlin
Walcott
Bent

I would happily swap Gerrard for Rooney and Rooney up top to replace Welbeck.
This line up gives us enough people to chase down oppostion with Welbeck, Parker, Rooney and Wilshere having great engines but also gives us enough techincal players with speed to be decent in attack.

This, but with Johnson in for Oxlade-Chamberlain, and possibly bring Johnson in as a starter instead of Sturridge. And more defenders on the bench.

See I limited the defenders on the bench as Lescott can fill in at lb and so can Barry, Jones can cover cb or rb or dm and Richards can cover Cb and Rb, also think Walker has played some games at Lb so could cover there.

[comeonyouroyals]

A fit Rio Ferdinand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a fit Cahill/Lescott

I agree but I'm going with how the situation is as of right now, who knows if Ferdinand will of found his form/fitness come the Euros and same goes for Terry all though I think he is likely to recapture his form.

[Hoop Blah]

Why does everyone put Wilshire in a defensive position?

He can't tackle

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thefootballt ... m_for.html

This view on what Scholes has brought to Utd, and could for England, could apply quite happily to Wilshire too (not that he's quite got Scholes total awareness when at his best).

[RoyalJames101]

Hart
Richards Jones Smalling Baines
Parker
Wilshere Cleverley
Sturridge Rooney Young


In a few years, this could be a decent side.

Oxlade-Chamberlain and Welbeck around the team too.

[comeonyouroyals]

Hart
Richards Jones Smalling Baines
Parker
Wilshere Cleverley
Sturridge Rooney Young


In a few years, this could be a decent side.

Oxlade-Chamberlain and Welbeck around the team too.

In a few years there is no way Parker should be near the side!

[Starfish]

A fit Rio Ferdinand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a fit Cahill/Lescott

I agree but I'm going with how the situation is as of right now

Why did you include Wilshere then?

[comeonyouroyals]

A fit Rio Ferdinand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a fit Cahill/Lescott

I agree but I'm going with how the situation is as of right now

Why did you include Wilshere then?

caught me out there, but after Ferdinands performance today against Spurs I would be tempted to put him back in my team.

[Handsome Man]

It will probably be...

Hart

Johnson
Cole
Terry
Ferdinand

Lampard
Gerrard
Milner
Barry
Parker

Rooney

[Hoop Blah]

So, it's 6 weeks or so since this was last bumped. That's 6 weeks of City falling away, United almost completing another Premier League win, an up turn in form for both Arsenal and Chelsea and cup successes for Liverpool. In the meantime Spurs have fallen away quite dramatically.

Bent and Wilshire now seem to have missed the plane for sure now, and some of the young guns haven't quite held up their form or kicked on as perhaps we'd hoped. At same time some of the old guard have stamped their authority on the Premier League (Ferdinand, Terry and Lampard have looked a lot better recently with returns to their respective teams and Crouch has popped up with a corker to remind everyone what he's capable of) and even Carroll seems to be playing a bit better.

Thoughts on the England squad if you had to pick it now?

[GSY-Royal]

Keepers:
Hart
Foster
Stockdale

Full-backs:
G. Johnson
Smalling
Cole
Baines

Centre-backs:
Terry
Cahill
Ferdinand
Lescott

Central midfielders:
Parker
Gerrard
Barry
Lampard

Wingers:
Young
Walcott
Oxlade-Chamberlain
A. Johnson

Forwards:
Rooney
Sturridge
Welbeck
Holt (deserves it)

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Forwards:
Rooney
Sturridge
Welbeck
Holt (deserves it)

Not exactly going to have the opposition quaking in their boots is it?

[Barry the bird boggler]

Crouch over Holt for me.