England's provisional 30 man squad for World Cup

[Duckman]

England's 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup finals:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Scott Parker (West Ham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).

Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

So, thoughts, opinions, who should be in, who should be out? 

Peace

Duckman

[Rob]

Surprised that despite all the chatter about the likes of A Cole, J Cole, Walcott and Lennon being less than likely to be picked, they're in.

He chatted on for such a time about if players didn't play regularly then they wouldn't be in the squad.

I think that perhaps Carlton Cole and Bobby Zamora deserved a place in the team rather than Heskey, but I hate Barney anyways. Nice to see Dawson in the squad.

Warnock, Milner and Parker have definitely earned their places though.

[Rob.B]

OUT:

Stephen Warnock
Shaun Wright-Phillips
James Milner
Leighton Baines
Emile Heskey
Adam Johnson
Darren Bent

With the first team line up being,

David James

Ashley Cole
John Terry
Rio Ferdinand
Glen Johnson

Aaron Lennon
Steven Gerrard
Frank Lampard
Joe Cole

Peter Crouch
Wayne Rooney

[Rob]

Thanks, but no thanks. Milner, Baines, Warnock and Bent should be in the squad, whilst Bent and Milner should be in the main squad AT THE VERY LEAST.

[Duckman]

I see Baines and Warnock being dropped.  Barry might not make it due to injury.  If he does though there's no point taking Carrick too.

Bent won't make the final squad.

SWP will also be dropped.

Milner should be the squad - most improved player in the country this season.

Adam Johnson is just the kind of wild card flair player they should take.

The overall fitness of various players is going to be the main point in all of this.  King has started twice the number of games that Ferdinand has this season.  I'd be shocked if Rio was dropped but I don't think he's going to play much when the tournament gets underway.

Peace

Duckman

[Rob]

Bent's the second top highest scoring English player this season.

More than Defoe, more than Crouch. He deserves to be in the squad over Heskey as well.


At the moment, I have no quarrels with the provisional squad.

[Blake True]

Heskey?? Im sorry did he say HESKEY???  I ..... I......what? Are you fucking serious? Bent HAS to be in ahead of Heskey.  If I want a big guy up front winning the ball and playing in Rooney it's Crouch he's 8 feet tall!! He's got great feet and wierd elbows but he scores goals for England, something Heskey has only achieved on PES.  Bent is better cover for Rooney who, lets face it, is odds on to keep this run of injuries going.  Would u feel good seeing Rooney coming off and HESKEY coming on??  Milner should be in I thought Capello loved him so shows u what i know.  Overall its a good squad, I hope Dawson gets a game.

First Team to play America:

What Reaper said

[Cory]

No Ashley Young?

Fuck that, hes wayyyyy better than Adam Johnson and Joe Cole.

[Flins.]

I really don't understand peoples disdain for Heskey. People seem to focus on his goal scoring ability, Capello doesn't pick for that reason. Fact he is he is probably our best targetman, Carlton Cole & Zamora will replace him in the years to come but at the moment he is the player with the experience and the ability. Crouch is great, but Heskey is stronger, and better at holding up play. I would still pick Crouch over Heskey in my starting line-up, but Heskey certainly has he qualities, and in my opinion offers something that the other English strikers don't. Its also quite well known that other players like playing with him, players like him and Crouch attract alot of attention from defenders.

I do think that a Crouch/Rooney partnership is going to do well, Rooney has the reputation to worry most countries defense, and Crouch is an anomoly. The only problem with Crouch is that alot of referees are not used to dealing with players like him so we will be seeing alot of fouls given in favour of the opposition purely for the reason.

I would hope for these drops; Defoe, Walcott, Huddlestone, Wright-Phillips, Upson, Terry, Warnock.

Personal choice for the line-up being;

James
Carragher - King - Dawson - Cole
Barry - Gerrard
Johnson - Lampard - Rooney
Heskey

Have Johnson, Lampard, and Rooney inter-changing positions with Heskey holding up the ball. That attack would be immense. Gerard links the midfield to attack, basically dictates the pace, Barry links the midfield with the defense, becomes an extra defender & disrupts opposition attacks. King and Dawson is a bit fantastical as it would mean dropping the captain, but they work together everything week, they will be able to rely on each other. Full-backs need to be marking wingers, not interested in having them support the attack, would rather have them nulify any wide play which would compliment Barry attempting to disrupt any attacking play through the middle.

Capello will stick to a similar tactic that was palyed through-out the qualifiers, and more than likely go for the team Reaper posted.

[Cory]

Heskey makes everyone around him better, but the fact that he can't score is a problem.

Then again, Rooney should be the guy you want to fill the net, I agree on having Heskey. Obviously a tactical move.

[Jennifer]

No no, he makes everyone around him LOOK better because he's that dire.


In all seriousness... I can see the reasons for taking him. I think Crouch could fulfil a similar role and score goals at the same time, but I see why he's there.

[Blake True]

I can see why he's taking Heskey, its the same reason he's been in the England team for the last God knows how many years he holds the ball up and wins headers,  He's utterly terrible though i'm sorry but i just don't buy an international striker not being able to score goals

[Flins.]

But does it matter if he scores goals when he is a part of a successful team and one of the reasons the team is successful? If it helps... don't think of him as a striker 

[Cory]

Check teams like Italy.

Not a lot of scorers on their team, but they win.

Its all about the players that generate the best team play, and thats Heskey. Im not a fan of his, but hes amazingly strong, wins balls in the air, and is phenominal with his back to goal. Have him to the dirty work to make Rooneys life easier, and give Rooney the opportunity to make runs. Defoe will be a super sub, and when the other teams legs are tired, he'll be able to run up and down the pitch, and well Crouch.....no comment. Never liked the way he played, so no point analyzing it.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

Well first off the bat I am glad Cory isn’t selecting our squad...stick with Paul Peschicoldo mate lol. But then where the fuck Reaper is coming from, I will never know!

Your outs are crazy...Milner has been brilliant this season for Villa and should be on the plane as should Bent as well considering DeFoe is in bad form.  Adam Johnson as Duckman said is a bit of a wild card and a natural left..

Keepers all got to go...giving you 20 places left...

RB: Glen Johnson with Carragher as my cover
CB Terry and Rio with King and Dawson as my cover and Carragher if needs be for Kings knees
LB Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines
RM Theo Walcott with Milner as cover
LM Joe Cole with Adam Johnson as cover
CM Gerrard, Lampard, Parker and if Barry is out I punt for Carrick
ST Rooney Crouch, Defoe and Bent