Who should start on Saturday? The 11 that Hodgson is planning on starting against France so they have game time together or give players on the fringes a chance to prove they should be starting? Hart or Green? Jagielka or Terry? What would your 11 be?
Hodgson should start what he believes is his strongest team that will be available for the opener, in my opinion. I probably won't agree with it though, as I don't agree with quite a number of the squad that he's called up.
I have to say, PNP that I agree whole-heartedly with you on this! Hopefully by the time World Cup qualifying comes around, Roy will have more of an idea who should be playing!
Am going to the game; taking my lad for his first England game. Can't help but feel underwhelmed at the prospect of it all though....4-4-bloody-2, sit deep and break with long balls to Carroll <yawn> As soon as we play any quality, we'll be found out i'm afraid. Still, I'm still going to wave the flag.
I think Welbeck will play this one and I think it will be close to the team that will start the first game. It has to be really as there aren't any other opportunties to get the first team playing together before france. I would like to see Welbeck up top with Gerrard and Lampard behind him. Young and Chamberlain on the wings (though im sure it will be walcott) and then Parker holding with cole, terry cahill and johnson at the back! Should be interesting!
I think it will be: Hart Johnson, Cahill, Terry, Cole Gerrard, Lampard, Jones, Young Rooney, Carroll Maybe I'm reading too much into the numbers though... in fact I really hope I am!
I think we should line-up like this to play to our strengths. Hart Johnson Terry Cahill Cole Jones. Parker Walcott. Gerrard. Young Carroll Gerrard is not a holding player but running off Carroll he would be a huge threat. Parker and Jones would give us a very solid backbone. Walcott and Young offer the pace and trickery with Johnson and Cole supplying crosses for Carroll. We have the players to suit those positions throughout the squad. Rooney can easily slot into the Gerrard, Walcott, Carroll or Young role above. The formation is also easily adapted to 442. I am bored of the usual crap we are served up from England. Surely the answer can not keep being Downing on the left wing because he's left footed and 'looks' pacey. He can deliver a decent cross but most of the time he's got his head down and pings it too early. He lacks the belief and confidence to make the right decisions and become a serious international player. I really believe we have enough quality to do some damage but we constantly handicap ourselves with poor naive tactical displays. We play like a counter attacking team but soak up way too much pressure that better opposition punish us and we lose the plot. England are at their best when we have no fear and go for it. Euro 96 Holland game and 5-1 against Germany are great examples. Essay complete bruvs
Imsaintsme talks a lot of sense. Even with the lacklustre squad Hodgeson has selected thats not a bad side if they can all hit it off. Hopefullly Jones can have a Hargreaves style tournament because Parker is going to need some help in there. I am sure the withdrawl of Barry is nothing but a blessing in disguise.
Hart Johnson---Cahill---Terry---Cole Jones---Lampard Walcott---Young---Downing Carroll I'm not a huge fan of that, but I think that's what Roy will go for with the Chelsea lot back and making a few changes from last time.
Imsaintme may have the team right, with the possible exception of Jones. Who I'd start (with any players not injured) Richards Lescott Jagielka Cole Parker Jones Walcott Rooney Young Welbeck Lescott and Jagielka because they played very well against Spain. (You can make an argument for Terry and Cahill, since they play with Cole.) Rooney, Young and Welbeck because they have experience playing well together (as opposed to experience playing badly together, like Carroll and Gerrard).
I'd assume that Gerrard would start, as he's captain (i'd pop him in place of the now injured Lampard)
What a depressing line up..... Carroll is a complete donkey, Walcott and Johnson can be guaranteed to be useless in tandom. I'm sure Cole and Young will work fine and I also like the idea of Jones and Parker together. Just switch Carroll for Welbeck or even Defore, Carroll is truly that bad.
I can see your point of view and I'm sure there's no bias involved swapping Welbeck for Carroll. I also used to think Carroll was a donkey but his most recent performances for Liverpool have changed my opinion. He's looked bad this season because to be frank...Liverpool have been sh*te. However Carroll literally wins everything in the air and I can tell you first hand if your a centre half going up against a man you can't win the ball from without fouling it affects your play and forces mistakes. We need that. The same theory applies to Walcott but applied to his pace. Yes he's a bit of a headless chicken but defenders hate players running at them with pace. It forces them on the back foot and with the craft of a Gerrard, Young or Rooney we have a great mix of abilities up top to compliment each other and create space. Walcott won't really be the main supply point as our fullbacks can do that. Walcott running on to Carroll flicks though could be lethal. For me Welbeck has not got the right attributes to lead the line yet. He's a damn good impact player but he's not the answer to our first few games in the euros.
I know i'm biased but I honestly think we'll end up seeing Welbeck and Rooney start up front together, both complement eachother well and their link up play is very good. Carroll was piss poor against Norway, I still think he is a donkey, a couple of good end of season performances aren't going to change my mind just yet.
But it's easy to counter playing against someone like Walcott, you just drop deeper, Walcott has no moves, he can't beat players if he can't use his pace.
That's kind of my point re Walcott. I'd rather the likes of Evra were forced to drop deeper due to the threat of Walcott than a Milner being penned back to track Evra. It immediately gives us an advantage. I do agree that Walcott often flatters to deceive but I'm trying to put a positive spin on our team. I'd actually happily have the ox on the right flank in place of Walcott.
Seems reasonable. He could play the AM role as he can play there and Roy knows that. Is Rooney allowed to play in these friendlies? Not that he'd be llikely to anyway, but it could be useful to see the disappointment coming.
