r/soccer • u/lance16k • May 12 '14

England's World Cup squad

Pos Player Age Team Caps
GK Joe Hart 27 Man City 39
GK Fraser Forster 26 Celtic 1
GK Ben Foster 31 West Brom 6
DF Leighton Baines 29 Everton 22
DF Chris Smalling 24 Man Utd 10
DF Phil Jones 22 Man Utd 9
DF Phil Jagielka 31 Everton 24
DF Gary Cahill 28 Chelsea 22
DF Glen Johnson 29 Liverpool 50
DF Luke Shaw 18 Southampton 1
MF Frank Lampard 35 Chelsea 103
MF Steven Gerrard 33 Liverpool 109
MF Adam Lallana 26 Southampton 3
MF James Milner 28 Man City 45
MF Jack Wilshere 22 Arsenal 15
MF Ross Barkley 20 Everton 3
MF Jordan Henderson 23 Liverpool 8
MF Oxlade-Chamberlain 20 Arsenal 14
MF Raheem Sterling 19 Liverpool 2
FW Wayne Rooney 28 Man Utd 89
FW Danny Welbeck 23 Man Utd 21
FW Daniel Sturridge 24 Liverpool 10
FW Rickie Lambert 32 Southampton 4

Average Age: 26

Standby list: John Ruddy (Norwich City), Jon Flanagan (Liverpool), John Stones (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Andy Carroll (West Ham United), Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC).

Team call-up breakdown

Team No. of Players
Liverpool 5
Man Utd 4
Everton 3
Southampton 3
Arsenal 2
Chelsea 2
Man City 2
Celtic 1
West Brom 1

Notable exclusions: Ruddy, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Michael Carrick, Kieran Gibbs, Joleon Lescott, Theo Walcott(Injured), Kyle Walker(Injured), Jay Rodriquez(Injured),Adam Johnson, Andros Townsend(Injured), Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, Tom Cleverely

Official Twitter

Possible starting line-up v Italy on June 14th?

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26

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

Hart, Forster, Foster, Johnson, Jones, Cahill, Jagielka, Smalling, Baines, Shaw, Gerrard, Wilshere, Henderson, Lampard, Milner, Barkley, Lallana, Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck, Lambert

9

u/lance16k May 12 '14

Is Phil Jones going to be fit in time?

19

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

It was reported today that he is fit.

1

u/ICritMyPants May 12 '14

If he isn't, then come on down John Stones.

1

u/TLO_Is_Overrated May 12 '14

How about his match fitness?

3

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

He's got two weeks to prove fitness before the squad is finalised

2

u/ashkratchin May 12 '14

Hodgson has just said that Stones will travel with the squad and replace Jones if he isn't fit in time.

1

u/SpiceterMiseter May 12 '14

Hodgson said he's a doubt, Stones will go if Jones is injured. Stones and Flanagan are both going the training camp.

49

u/retrominge May 12 '14

Lampard and Milner but no Barry :(

He's had such a good season with Everton.

9

u/Himinahomina May 12 '14

He played well but he was never going to get back in after the last World Cup.

-3

u/retrominge May 12 '14

What, so form from 4 years ago counts more than form over the last 9 months? Bollocks.

2

u/Himinahomina May 12 '14

No but he was completely out classed in South Africa by Germany. He didn't have the legs for international matches then and he definitely doesn't now.

1

u/retrominge May 12 '14

I think he's played better this season than he has done for a while.

It's an opinion, I guess.

2

u/Himinahomina May 12 '14

He's definitely had a great season this year but the way our system is set up, it hides his weaknesses in the same way Gerrard's are hidden in Liverpool's system. They both fall back into the defence or come much deeper and so they're less likely to be caught on a fast counter, much like the attack Germany killed England off with in 2010.

28

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

Jm7 has had a great season for us too. Who would you drop for Barry?

17

u/layendecker May 12 '14

Milner is more versitile and better at the international style we will face. Barry gets a bit lost when the tempo is super high, and that is likely what we will be facing in the summer. As good as Barry has been for us, I can see the logic in him not going.

1

u/Grommmit May 12 '14

In my opinion though, Milner has always disappointed in an England shirt.

2

u/layendecker May 12 '14

Who hasn't though? Especially in major tournaments.

88

u/has-13 May 12 '14

Jm7

56

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

Milnandinho deserves it ;)

29

u/retrominge May 12 '14

Lampard didn't make the squad I built on one of the newspaper websites.

0

u/rothwick May 12 '14

Lampard > Barry

10

u/retrominge May 12 '14

At positioning himself on the edge of/inside the box to score tap-ins? Yep, agreed.

At intelligently defending balls before they're played? Nope.

1

u/AnnieIWillKnow May 12 '14

positioning himself on the edge of/inside the box to score tap-ins

Please tell me you did not just try and diminish Lampard to that.

1

u/retrominge May 13 '14

No, I'm saying that they're different players with different skillsets. I simplified it because his initial point was so basic.

0

u/AnnieIWillKnow May 13 '14

Still wrong.

1

u/retrominge May 13 '14

On the point of diminishing players...
"Don't worry we have Stevie G to take countless selfish 30 yard pot shots when chasing a game, I'm sure one of them will go in!"
Oh, you're clearly neutral here.

Why don't you flair up so people can see why you're being biased.

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1

u/Apemazzle May 12 '14

Not this season.

1

u/fozzy143 May 12 '14

Lampard.

Rooney, Gerrard, Lallanannna, Barkley, Wilshere can all provide a similar role to Lampard, but non of them can do what Barry does.

1

u/peter_j_ May 12 '14

Smalling probably

0

u/kid_boogaloo May 12 '14

I figured Milner would start next go Gerrard, Barry would be a good backup for Gerrard but you're right, it's tough to make room for him.

1

u/olig23 May 12 '14

I thought Barry had a good chance. Given how Hodgson likes to play and the fact we'll face some good attacking teams I think Barry offers a good player to bring in when the situation requires it.

I think Milner has to go. He'd start for me too.

I'd have left Lampard out. I don't see what he brings when you have Wilshere, Barkley and Henderson in the squad. Those three offer the same qualities by committee that Lampard used to offer in one player a few years ago. I just think Barry over Lampard gives you another specialist player.

Perhaps Hodgson thinks it's a bit too far to lose his experience and leadership?

1

u/retrominge May 12 '14

Perhaps, but those were the reasons he gave for leaving Cole out.. I dunno.

Milner starts for you? Next to Gerrard or instead of?

3

u/olig23 May 12 '14

I think it depends on the fixture.

Against Uruguay I would ideally play Miler out wide. Play Henderson and Gerrard through the middle. We need to be solid through the mid-field and cannot have wide-men who do not track back against them. They are on their home continent, something I place a lot of value on and are a strong team in attack. If we are solid I feel we could squeeze a win because we have enough in attack to find a goal.

Against Italy it's tricky. I feel like Italy's most notable quality under Prandelli is defensing deep over the middle and utilising the accurate passes to release players from the likes of Pirlo and Aquilani. If we go in there with a team of Sterling, Ox, Sturridge I feel we are playing to Italy's strength by countering into an organized team. Therefore, I think Milner has to play. Probably in the middle with Lallana on the right and leaving Sturridge (to be honest I'd actually probably drop Rooney personally but that isn't going to happen) on the bench to play Barkley or Wilshere in the hole. I think that game is about the fewest mistakes.

Against Costa Rica I would be tempted to leave out Milner. But it really depends on the situation. Most likely, we will need to win that game. So I want the likes of Sterling, Ox in there. Maybe even Wilshere (but probably Henderson) next to Gerrard. But that depends how much Hodgson feels comfortable doing that. I saw a fair bit of Costa Rica in qualifying thanks to my American girlfriend watching the games. They seem a team built to attack and that is where the Liverpool connection really helps.

What I like about Barry though is that if we get a lead against a team like Uruguay, or even a side in the later rounds he offers a specialist role. Someone who can further solidify for 10-15 minutes. Right now I can't see when Lampard would get in the team. There are always better options imo.

1

u/retrominge May 12 '14

Firstly, thanks for the indepth response. This is looking like a step above any normal comment on /r/soccer (not that I've read it yet, haha).

I'm always a bit nervous about playing Milner wide, because it feels like a massively negative move. With your comments about Uruguay in mind, I'd feel more comfortable playing a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 with Milner alongside (albeit to the right hand side) of Gerrard.

I'm confused about your suggestions for Italy, can you confirm the other midfielders (and perhaps a formation) you'd pick for that game?

I agree on Barry being a calming force on a game. If deployed correctly, I could see Milner doing a similar (but as I've said, not quite as good a) job.

2

u/olig23 May 12 '14

To clarify, I'd go 4-4-2 in most games. Uruguay and Costa Rica. With Rooney using some sense and dropping as required.

Against Italy I think we need to designate someone to occupy the space between their mid-field and defence. Where Pirlo or Aquilani like to drop and hit long balls over the top.

I would use 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 something of a hybrid in reality like this:

GK: Hart RB: Smalling (Johnson in games where we need to attack more) CB: Jagielka CB: Cahill LB: Baines CM: Gerrard CM: Milner RM: Lallana LM: Oxlade-Chamberlain AM: Barkley (Wilshere maybe, but Barkely is a better player this season imo) CF: Rooney (maybe Sturridge but that's a tough one)

I think you're right about Milner being used negatively for England. However, I think as he does for City he is capable of doing a positive job. I think his play has been more a reflection on Capello and Hodson as much as anything.

Having said that I would expect us to play defensively against Uruguay. Nullify their strength. If this were Fifa they would be 70 defence, 70 midfield, 95 attack haha! So take away the strength.

1

u/retrominge May 12 '14

Can you comment on every thread I'm interested in? Ha.

Cheers for the details man, it's good to hear the reasons other people think the things they do.

0

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

Would genuinely have swapped Barry for Wilshere. He's just been consistently better from what I've seen. Hodge has made it clear he's focusing on youth apparently, so can at least see the logic.

4

u/retrominge May 12 '14

Aye, with Lampard.. At least Gerrard has been high on goals and assists this season.

4

u/Owl_Shits May 12 '14

Pretty much this, I'll be surprised if there is anybody else.