mg86 wrote:Hart
A Cole Lescott Cahill Baines
Parker Barry
Chamberlain Rooney Young
Defoe
No Gerrard????
IMO Roy can play it two ways: A) Try to get out the group and just see how far we can drag ourselves, or B) Throw everything at building for the future and risk being humiiated.
I just can't see him going down route B), he'll see this as a free tournament as long as he doesn't do anything to wind the press up. Can you imaging what the Sun will do if he starts with a 3-0 defeat against France.
So he'll be happy with a solid team to start with. I just don't see how he can play 4-4-2 with the squad he's picked, even though that's the formation I'd have imagined him wanting
So I'm thinking a variation on 4-3-3.
Hart
Johnson Terry Cahill Cole
Parker(Lampard if injured) Barry
Gerrard
Milner Welbeck Young
He'll stick with Terry, coz why else take him? Cahill is his Chelsea partner, so that makes sense. Cole is still our best LB and Johnson is the only choice at RB (I'm told he is better positionally that Richards anyway). Jones is only there for experience and training as FEC. The others are the backup in the squad
Lampard has settled into playing the more defensive/sitting role at Chelsea now he's getting old and slow(er) so there's experienced cover for Parker if he doesn't make a full recovery. Generally speaking Barry has done well for England. Milner can also cover the center if necessary.
Gerrard is captain, nuff said. If needs be they can drop Gerrard back if Rooney needs to drop into that role when he comes back, and Young can play there as well.
I think Roy will start with Milner to give support down the flank in what will be a tight opening game. Welbeck is in until Rooney is available, with Carroll & Defoe being the options off the bench. Young might well prove himself to be a genuine international class forward player (Good diver=possible penalties). I'm hoping they don't play Theo from the start. He'll be more effective, and it'll give him more confidence to come on for the last half hour. The Ox is his wild card, I don't think he'll be seen in the first game, unless it's the final throw of a wild dice. I honestly think Downing was the last squad entry and is only in as desperate cover down the flank - he's reasonably experienced, will hold a position, and 'won't let the team down'. I'd prefer him to stub his toe, so we can get Johnson in.
It's not a great squad, but it's a reasonable squad that won't upset his bosses,or the media. Plus he's semi gambled on a few names like The Ox, Jones, Carroll, and Welbeck.
The problem is, we don't have many better options he could have gone for.
I'd have picked Richards, but there are plenty of experienced pundits that query his positional play, and the fact he wasn't playing against QPR is seen as a negative. So I can understand Roy's choice.
I think Downing is the only actual mistake in the squad, when he hasn't picked Johnson, but again, he has played a role for England before (albeit a spectactularly ineffective role).
I still have this fear that Roy will find a wonderfully staid, boring, ineffective way to turn these players into a very flat, 2 dimensional 4-4-2 formation.
How about
Hart
Jones Terry Cahill Cole
Theo Gerrard Barry Downing
Carroll Defoe