The England Squad thread

[GodsGift]

Squad to face Lithuania and Italy:

Goalkeepers Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City)

Defenders Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Forwards Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)

--

Disappointed to see no John Stones or Berahino.

 

[merseyboyred]

I don't get 3 left backs. Why? Could've given a spot to one of the forwards who's in better form than Sturridge or Welbeck.

Really light in central midfield options too. Henderson by far the standout.

 

[Madejski]

Poor team, though saying that, I can't think of many alternative options.

Still don't know how Smalling can get in the team, Carrick is better but I thought the plan was about building a team to last Euro 16 and WC 18 and i'm not sure he'll make either tournament. Also what has Andros Townsend done in the last year?

 

[Whitechapel]

Our midfield options at the moment aren't too great.

 

[Tilbury]

I don't get 3 left backs. Why? Could've given a spot to one of the forwards who's in better form than Sturridge or Welbeck.

Really light in central midfield options too. Henderson by far the standout.

3 left backs and no Bertrand

 

[GodsGift]

I never thought I'd say this but Ashley Young probably deserves a spot as well.

 

[Murphy]

Smalling and Shaw? Also Ross Barkley as well who's had a dreadful year.

Christ.

 

[merseyboyred]

3 left backs and no Bertrand

Or Ashley Young!

I get that he's trying to keep as settled & consistent a squad as he can, bu he could still keep the base of that with other options in who should really be given a try. Like only taking 5 CMs ( and only 4 who can play the deeper roles, including Milner) when he'd most recently been playing a system that uses 3/4!

 

[Shrimpurh]

On form right now I'd rather keep Smalling in over Jones, Ashley Young has a right to be pissed off missing out over Andros Townsend. Danny Ings deserved a place as well I think over some shit i.e Theo Walcott

 

[ForeverUnited]

Great to see Harry Kane in, not many in that line up that deserve it more.

 

[Murphy]

On form right now I'd rather keep Smalling in over Jones

What an utterly depressing statement that is.

 

[Cashis]

Smalling is dog turd.

 

[Shrimpurh]

What an utterly depressing statement that is.

haha I know but I actually think Smalling over the past few games has looked OK..Phil Jones is just a clumsy oaf who looks like his got a catastrophic mistake in him every time his within 5 yards of the ball

 

[Shrimpurh]

Don't know why we don't just start again with the whole squad for the next world cup we always persist with the shit as it's going to get us qualified we should start building the team for the next world cup now, Shaw, Stones etc may not be good enough now (though still good enough to qualify) but they need games to improve. Hart, Clyne, Stones, Cahill, Shaw, Hendo, Wilshere(when fit, if ever) Rooney, Sterling, Welbeck, Kane.... At the moment that would be XI going in the next WC so that's the team I'd start playing together now. What is the point in Michael Carrick or Jagielka playing in these 2 games??

 

[CFC91]

3 left backs is daft, especially when it doesn't included the one who has probably been best of the lot this season in Bertrand. Austin and Ings deserve a chance for me too.

 

[Humongous Fungus]

We won't be winning any trophies any time soon.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Shaw and Barkley should be with the U21s. If you're going to stick U21 players in there then at least use ones that deserve it. Kane does, and I would take Stones over just about any CB we have right now.

I never thought I'd say this but Ashley Young probably deserves a spot as well.

Unless Hodgeson is going to copy Rodgers again and use wingbacks, I don't see the point of taking Young.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Two ex Orient loanees in the squad.

Mind you, I thought Downing and Noble have probably done enough this season to deserve a call up. Young certainly deserved a call up. Austin can feel hard done by, as can Bertrand.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Downing got a call up for the Scotland game IIRC and was useless.

 

[Super_horns]

Thought we might see a few more newer names given one game is a friendly but I guess Roy will go with the tried and tested...

 

[Murphy]

Selecting Downing against Scotland was a pointless exercise anyway. Most of his good form, especially in the earlier part of the season came when he was playing just behind the striker(s) didn't it? If you select him, then don't play him in the position where he's best suited and had his good form, then what's the bloody point?

 

[Modernist]

Just when you think the England team couldn't look any worse.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

Is it really that bad? I'm not sure it is. Granted it's unlikely to be a squad that would worry the likes of Germany and Brazil, but we've got a few decent young players in that squad who could be big players for England over the next ten years or so.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Selecting Downing against Scotland was a pointless exercise anyway. Most of his good form, especially in the earlier part of the season came when he was playing just behind the striker(s) didn't it? [...]

Which is where he played against Scotland...

 

[Murphy]

Which is where he played against Scotland...

Is it? I thought he played on one of the wings against Scotland?

If I'm wrong I retract what I said! Although still seems a little pointless calling him up for just the one international period.

 

[JJH]

What has Barkley done this season to deserve a call up?

Also - two different players and positions, but I'd have Bertrand in over Smalling or Jones, who both always seems to squeeze their way in, and what's it's always based on I'll never know, because it surely can't be performance.

Bertrand has been a huge part in the best away defensive record in the country.

 

[merseyboyred]

There are already 3 LBs JJ, I reckon Bertrand could probably be ahead of one of them, not a CB!

 

[Leewilson]

Bloody England, just as we start to uncover good players in one area we go shit again in another.

CB has been our strongest position for years and now we're finally unearthing some exciting midfielders, we've decided to completely close up shop on producing any good defenders. Cahill aside, that defence is just not up to par.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Can't believe the flack that Smalling is getting (while actually I can because he is English and plays for united) .A couple of poor games aside he has had a very good season. Kept Kane in his back pocket when he man marked him last weekend. Certainly had a better season so far than the other Centre back options. I would have preferred Stones over Jones or Jagielka though. Jenkinson should have been picked ahead of the awful Walker as well.
Left back is a tricky one with Bertrand and Cresswell unfortunate and Barkley should be put with the u21's.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Can't believe the flack that Smalling is getting (while actually I can because he is English and plays for united) .A couple of poor games aside he has had a very good season.

I actually agree with this. I don't think he's a world class defender by any stretch of the mind, but he's solid enough, decent on the ball, could have worse options.