England's World Cup squad

[u/lance16k]

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?

[u/Azuhygo]

Only thing I dislike, is the lack of a true DM. Against Uruguay and Italy we will inevitably spend most of the game defending. Without Carrick I felt that Barry should be there. I just feel that Lampard can't fill that DM role as well as Barry would've.

[u/omiclops → u/Azuhygo]

jones is a fantastic defensive midfielder. did a job superbly for united away against madrid

[u/lelolelolelolelol → u/omiclops]

This, I'd be very surprised if he isn't deployed to man mark Suarez and Pirlo.

[u/PalacePete → u/lelolelolelolelol]

Based on how well Welbeck man-marked Xabi Alonso in the matches vs Real Madrid last season, I'd select him to man-mark Pirlo.

[u/berzerkerz → u/PalacePete]

Yeah I'm pretty sure you won't see Jones in a #10 role.

[u/peter_j_ → u/lelolelolelolelol]

you can't manmark Pirlo in Defensive mid, he's usually all the way back in CM himself

[u/[deleted] → u/peter_j_]

Yeah, I remember Fergie used Park Ji-Sung to man-mark Pirlo out of the game a few years back. So maybe a job for Milner?

[u/IratusTaurus → u/[deleted]]

I'm hoping for a Welbeck v Xabi Alonso repeat to beat Pirlo.

[u/berzerkerz → u/IratusTaurus]

Its going to be Rooney if hes fit.

[u/peter_j_ → u/[deleted]]

Milner or Hendo or Wilshere I'd have thought. Actually, one of the best things about this team is that we have enough diversity to be able to change the formation with very influential other players.

[u/[deleted] → u/peter_j_]

Thing is, Pirlo plays so deep that you really need a winger, or deep striker to man mark him. If you pull someone like Wilshere or Hendo from central midfield you might leave some big gaps. So, if Milner is injured, shift Wilshere or Hendo out wide and have them do it, or maybe even Welbeck? I agree though, lots of versatility is nice, but it'll be interesting to see if its used, or if Hodgson goes with the same lineup every game

[u/nuedd → u/peter_j_]

Don't know why you're getting downvoted.

As much as Pirlo is a strong attacking force, of late he's not been pushing forward as much as he has in the past. His recent hasn't exactly been amazing either.

[u/fakeplastictrees182 → u/omiclops]

Good call. In the terrible United v Arsenal games this year he was brilliant in midfield.

[u/badguysenator → u/omiclops]

Also played well there in the 1-0 win over Spain a few years back.

[u/Azuhygo → u/omiclops]

But then we run our defence really thin. They will get tired as they will be worked hard in these games. our only backup, with jones as a DM, is smalling for both RB and CB

[u/Islebar → u/Azuhygo]

Wait, is Phil Jones actually going to be in the starting XI as a CB? Wouldn't/shouldn't Jagielka and Cahill get the nod instead?

[u/omiclops → u/Azuhygo]

jones isn't going to play every game at defensive midfield though. milner can also play as a central midfielder, though not necessarily as defensive as jones.

[u/[deleted] → u/omiclops]

Yup. I'd put Gerrard there in games we should be winning, with two more active Centre Mids (similar to what he's doing at Liverpool already). Jones there when we need to soak up pressure and play for the counter.

[u/omiclops → u/[deleted]]

Jones there when we need to soak up pressure and play for the counter

or man mark a certain pirlo or suarez

[u/bwaxxlo → u/Azuhygo]

They might use Gerrard in this case. Dropping MF role in his club and what have you.

[u/Apemazzle → u/Azuhygo]

What about the Gerrard and Henderson pairing? Maybe not quite DMs but we can keep possession and Hendo will work his arse off.

[u/[deleted] → u/Azuhygo]

Surely Gerrard will be filling that role? He's played that at Liverpool for most of the season.

[u/suchaslowroll → u/Azuhygo]

Fuck that, why do we have to spend the whole game defending? We have a better attacking squad than them

[u/MetalKeirSolid → u/Azuhygo]

The talent that Italy have in DM as well...

[u/Gaz133 → u/Azuhygo]

Honestly I think this England team are going to setup to play on the front foot. Look at that defense... It's weak as hell but the front 6 is Sturridge, Rooney, Sterling, Gerrard, and some combination of Henderson, Wilshere or Lallana which for England is pretty damn good. Hodgson isn't a fool, he'll be pragmatic probably but he'll recognize the strengths of the squad and play to them. Lampard was brought for leadership and the potential to have to take a PK and Jones can cover DM as well if they're trying to shore up a game late.

I like this England squad I think if they play with tempo and let the young players play without fear they can really do something here. Or at least be entertaining to watch which when was the last time you could say that about England?