Provisional squad:

Robinson (Tottenham), James (Manchester City), Green (Norwich); G Neville (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Cole (Arsenal), Campbell (Arsenal), Carragher (Liverpool), Bridge (Chelsea), Beckham (Real Madrid), Carrick (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jenas (Tottenham), Downing (Middlesbrough), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Rooney (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Walcott (Arsenal).

Standby:

Carson (Liverpool), Young (Charlton), Reo-Coker (West Ham), Defoe (Tottenham), Johnson (Crystal Palace).


This selection is CRAP, albeit with a high waffle factor, because it would be fine if the cretin wasn't only taking 4 BLOODY STRIKERS, 2 OF WHICH ARE INJURED. Ditch Hargreaves, add Defoe, you dozy armpit. Or even Sheringham. Yes Tommydski, I'm hearing you.

Thoughts?

Exactly my first thoughts. Only 4 strikers, 2 are injured, 1 has never played a premier league game, and the other is doesn't tend to score goals.

Jenas and Hargreaves are very ordinary players who aren't likely to do anything match winning.

Sven does it again. CRAP.

si-maro wrote:Provisional squad:

Robinson (Tottenham), James (Manchester City), Green (Norwich); G Neville (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Cole (Arsenal), Campbell (Arsenal), Carragher (Liverpool), Bridge (Chelsea), Beckham (Real Madrid), Carrick (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jenas (Tottenham), Downing (Middlesbrough), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Rooney (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Walcott (Arsenal).

Standby:

Carson (Liverpool), Young (Charlton), Reo-Coker (West Ham), Defoe (Tottenham), Johnson (Crystal Palace).


This selection is CRAP, albeit with a high waffle factor, because it would be fine if the cretin wasn't only taking 4 BLOODY STRIKERS, 2 OF WHICH ARE INJURED. Ditch Hargreaves, add Defoe, you dozy armpit. Or even Sheringham. Yes Tommydski, I'm hearing you.

Thoughts?

Given that I'm 1/2 Scottish and 1/2 French, I get an immense amount of enjoyment from seeing Ingerland get beaten. However, this year they have an extremely strong squad and have a genuinely good chance of winning. The fact that Wayne Rooney's probably not going to be fit in time is a big blow though.

Also, where the fuck is Shaun Wright-Phillips? He is an excellent player.

Here's the formation I'd play:

Robinson - Goalie
Neville - Right Back
Carragher - Centre Half
Terry - Centre Half
A. Cole - Left Back
Carrick - Holding midfield role
Beckham - Right Wing
J. Cole - Left Wing
Gerrard - Centre Midfield
Lampard - Centre Midfield
Owen - Striker

If that didn't work, I'd take Carrick off and put that big gangly fucker Peter Crouch up with Owen.

Gerrard and Lampard should be given as much freedom to go forward as possible.

i'm absolutely baffled by defoe being left behind.
two injured men are better than defoe, who has actually had a pretty decent international track record? how is that again? i suspect he's going to play cole and lennon quite far forward to compensate. it might be okay, i think those two are dangerous going forward. i'll bet alan smith is upset, he's the only injured engish striker not going to germany!

it's not the worst england team i've seen (carlton palmer isn't in it) but i don't expect much. i suppose anything but a complete kicking will be a pleasant surprise, which may make it quite watchable. england were the under-dogs in '66 too i suppose. mind you, comparing today's players with booby moore and geoff hurst is downright embarrassing for everyone concerned.

honestly, i'm watching the USA matches because eddie lewis is the only leeds player at the world cup. that's the first time that's happened in a long time.

Well it's not like he had anyone else...

NOT CRAP.

Something that I never fail to enjoy hugely is watching the England football team get beaten. Any tears from the players will (of course) be a bonus.

England being knocked-out at the earliest opportunity?

NOT CRAP.

right, i've managed to build a fair team from eriksson's squad.
fuck knows if walcott is going to be any good but i'm not playing world's tallest man (tm) peter crouch or either of the cripples if i can help it. beckham is on the bench and if he wants to make a difference he'll have to work for it. bring him on with twenty minutes to go and see if he can create some chances.



i started off kidding but now i'm serious. i would honestly play this team. any opposing team that can hold off joe cole and aaron lennon for ninety minutes would have to be pretty amazing. it doesn't really matter who you play up front since we're resigned to playground football no matter who we choose - either the tall kid that no-one likes (crouch) or well, the actual schoolboy (walcott). carragher and a. cole can push forward to support lennon and j.cole and we still have campbell, ferdinand and terry to cover. i don't think anyone would argue with lampard and gerrard in the centre.

This team looks pretty good, but it could really use a big left-handed bat and another starting pitcher.

Adam CR wrote:NOT CRAP.

Something that I never fail to enjoy hugely is watching the England football team get beaten. Any tears from the players will (of course) be a bonus.

England being knocked-out at the earliest opportunity?

NOT CRAP.

You like hospital food, mate?

[Screws face up like Rooney making love to a 50 year old prostitute.]

So, who is strong enough to challenge your side?