England National football team thread

[War]

England manager Fabio Capello could be succeeded by Roy Hodgson of West Bromwich Albion - News - MirrorFootball.co.uk

Although we all want Redknapp, i dont think Roy would be a problem either.

 

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Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones in England Under-21 squad - ESPN Soccernet

Good to see Frimpong in, it is imperative that Capello and the FA dont make him play for Ghana.

 

[War]

Sir Alex Ferguson slams FA treatment of Manchester United | Football | guardian.co.uk

England and Ghana in battle over Arsenal's Emmanuel Frimpong | Mail Online

As aforementioned, England HAVE to make sure his future is with the three lions and not Ghana.

Capello considers Kelly call-up | England Football Team News, Fixtures, Results | Sky Sports

Gary Neville: England players are terrified and live in fear of failure | Mail Online

I presume alot of people read this and well Comrade Neville has revealed what most fans thought all these years.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2030192/Fabio-Capello-set-turn-Manchester-United-kids-Euro-2012-qualifiers.html

Of all 4 of those fellas, at this stage presuming no injuries happen this weekend, Welbeck and Smalling should definitely be in the squad for the EURO qualifiers. Cleverley and Jones may not so much though.

 

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Bulgaria vs England | FATV exclusive - YouTube

 

[War]

BBC Sport - Manchester United's Phil Jones named in England squad

Basically the best England squad Don Capello could have picked, although i might have picked Dawson over Jaigelka.

Sad for Welbeck of course, since he was certain to get picked ahead of Defoe.

Will be very interesting to see how Capello lines up the mid-field in the absence of Wilshire. The performances of Cleverley in which his passing game has been really superb makes me think his chances of starting in ENG 4-3-3 formation is very good also.

I wouldn't be surprised if Capello starts Jones alongside Terry also.

Probable starting XI:

------------------------------------Hart----------------------------------------------------

Richards-------------Jones/Lescott----------Terry--------------------------------Cole

---------------------------------Parker----------------------------------------------------

-----------------Lampard---------------------Cleverley----------------------------------

Young------------------------Carroll---------------------------------Rooney-------------

 

[Auwais]

I actually rate Smalling slightly higher than Jones but it's a testament to Smalling's versatility and footballing brain that he's slotting in at right-back for us with ease.

Richards will get the nod but I'd be interested in seeing if Smalling could replicate his club form at RB onto the international stage. He's a far better defender than Richards.

Still not true holding midfielder, although if Hargo can get some games at City, he might get back into contention. A Cleverley-Wilshere double-pivot would've been interesting, alas Lampard will get another unchallenged chance in the side.

The injury to Welbeck's a shame as well, he's a much more technically proficient player than Carroll and would've given much more fluidity up front.

I think Don Capello will go for something like this:

Hart

Richards Jones Terry Cole

Parker Lampard

Young Rooney Downing

Carroll

I would like to see a side like this:

Hart

Smalling Jones Terry Cole

Parker Cleverley

Johnson Rooney Young

Carroll

Or maybe even move Rooney up front, drop Young behind and bring in Walcott or Downing.
​

 

[MasterBlaster76]

I can see England scoring a few tonight if Rooney/Young continue their form and the defence can be solid.

 

[Auwais]

Parker and Barry in central midfield.

 

[War]

Martin Samuel: England on the road and on Easy Street | Mail Online

I was about to come about and praise the ENG team performance, but then i read the above Martin Samuels article and this point we all should take to heart:

Of course, there could be a simpler explanation for Capello?s dramatic lurch from back-page jackass to football genius. It is September. England always look good in September.

Rooney scores and all is well. Consider this: Rooney?s last three goals for England have been on September 2, 2011, September 7, 2010 and September 9, 2009. If the FA could only find a way of having the World Cup put back three months, England would be a shoo-in.
But it won?t be, and neither will the European Championship. So here we go again. Barring a dramatic failure to launch in the final two group games, England should qualify for the competition in Poland and Ukraine without suffering the tension of a play-off.
And then the agony begins. We cross our fingers on the form and fitness of Rooney, and hope that players who look so fresh and positive now will not again limp into June gasping for breath and on a single good leg.

He is right so after seeing this cyle over and over in past world-cup and EURO qualifiers at this stage of the year (expect EURO 08 disaster) us fans should not get too overly excited just yet.

All i can say is that their were obvious positives. The front four with Rooney playing as the lone striker had a serious Barcelonaish look and play about them.

Bring Wilshire, Gerrard, Ferdinand and maybe Hargreaves back and that team will look superb - all we need to hope is that they dont choke come the finals next june.

I reckon also that we could be seeing a interesting battle for the position of who is England right-back. All of Smalling, Richards, G Johnson, Kelly and Walker all have great chance of making that spot their own come EUROs.

The Parker/Barry defensive mid-field pivot was interesting. Full strength i with Gerrard and Wilshire along with Hargreaves (potentially) back, i dont see ENG playing two DMs. But it certainly gives Capello another option of how the structure the mid-field against a big team in EUROs if the situation dictates it.

Lampard i would have to say faces a battle to get to EUROs if all players of fit now that he clearly is no longer a 1st XI player. A great season for Cleverly and a returning Hagreaves could really cause him to be dropped sadly.

Possible best ENG XI when the EURO starts (presuming and hoping all are fit)

Hart

Richards/Smalling Ferdinand Terry Cole

Hargreaves Wilshire

Walcott/Downing Gerrard Young

Rooney​

 

[Bevab]

By that time Ferdinand would not be enough to get in. He has been great, but now with other great CB's I don't think England needs Rio, especially as his form will dip from this season. It'll be interesting to add Hargreaves with Parker being more fit and better than him.

Lampard needs to be axed, he cannot expect playing time with Cleverly and others rising sharply.

Mine would be like this.

GK: Hart
DF: Richards, Smalling, Terry/Jones/Cahill, Cole/Baines
MF: Parker, Wilshere/Cleverely
WN: Walcott, Young
AMC: Cleverely/Wilshere/Gerrard
ST: Rooney/Bent

A nice team.

 

[War]

I wont write of Ferdinand and suggest he will be finished come the end of the season. He may very well retire from ENG duty after that, but for now unless he comes back and looks massively short of form i cant see the Terry/Rio partnership being separated just yet.

However the quality back-up is great news. Another defender we should watch is Woodgate, just like Hargreaves he is back playing and a good injury free season for me and he should be in the team. Since talent wise he only Terry., Ferdinand and Ledley King are on par with him as center-backs in ENG over the last decade.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Woodgate? I think that would be a step back considering the talented defenders coming through. There's no need to look back to the past with Woodgate when there's Smalling, Jones, Cahill and Lescott.

 

[shravi]

Parker and Barry in central midfield.

Missed the game. Were they bad or was it because they were boring?

 

[Dr. Pepper]

It's just a very uninspiring midfield on paper. To be fair though they did well, Parker was one of the best performers and Barry's assist for Cahill's goal was excellent.

 

[War]

Woodgate? I think that would be a step back considering the talented defenders coming through. There's no need to look back to the past with Woodgate when there's Smalling, Jones, Cahill and Lescott.

I dont see picking him as a back-ward step really regardless of the young defenders coming through. I am just concerned about picking the best players on form and as aformentioned if he can have a injury free-season we and Capello will have to take notice because he will exude the ability which has made his one of the most talented defenders of the last decade and he will be pretty hard to overlook.

But of course its early days and he would play injury free before we even serious ly contemplate picking him.