Posted February 27, 201411 yr Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich City). Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Steven Caulker (Cardiff City), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur). Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal). Forwards: Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Jay Rodriguez (Southampton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United). Three left-backs picked for the squad. Will be interesting to see if Cole gets a game. Again, Hodgson has picked Cleverley. Why?
February 27, 201411 yr No surprises there. Apart from the fact Cleverley shouldn't be anywhere f**king near the squad. And Cole was picked simply because England don't have anyone else decent in that position.
February 27, 201411 yr No surprises there. Apart from the fact Cleverley shouldn't be anywhere f**king near the squad. And Cole was picked simply because England don't have anyone else decent in that position. Leighton Baines and Luke shaw are both good players
February 27, 201411 yr Leighton Baines and Luke shaw are both good players Yeah what I meant was if they didn't choose Cole they'd only have 2 left-backs. Can't think of anyone else who is good enough.
February 27, 201411 yr United players are lucky to be anywhere near that team with the way they have been playing of late. All of them have been awful. Cleverley and Milner still getting picked ahead of others is really starting to annoy me now. Cleverley does piss all ever, and him getting in the side is proof that Hodgson doesn't actually watch him and he is only getting picked because he plays for United. Seriously what does Cleverley actually do ? people moan about Mikel but at least he does a job for us. Cleverley looks confused every second he is on the pitch. Milner doesn't even play for City and when he does he just runs around like a headless chicken, he also offers bugger all to England. A hard worker with little to offer, i have seen tons of those players as a football fan. Personally i think Jonjo Shelvey and one of Adam Johnson or Nathan Dyer should have come in for those 2.
February 27, 201411 yr Cleverly? Eh?! Not sure what Defoe has done to warrant a call up with his whopping contribution of 1 league goal this season. Is Huddlestone not fit, surely he deserves to be in there ahead of Cleverly. Has Townsend done much to deserve a call up in recent weeks or is he still living off the glory of one good England performance about 4 months ago? Johnson, he's only played one game in about 2 months if not more and that's when Liverpool conceded 3 at home against Swansea. So yeah. as usual, lots of players where you have to question the merits of their call ups.
February 27, 201411 yr How Barry doesn't make it is baffling. Fabian Delph should be there as well, he's had a great season. I would take out Cleverley and Carrick for those two personally. I would also rather have Townsend there than Johnson, at least Townsend plays well for England and he was doing well for Spurs before getting injured.
February 27, 201411 yr Tom Cleverley Christ he is the definition of a nothing player. I remember arguing with Utd fans in 2010 when for some reason there was hype about him and i was saying he was very average and would get found out eventually. I guess i was right.
February 27, 201411 yr http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/367458/Tom-Huddlestone-s-MUM-hits-out-at-England-s-squad-selection-and-SLATES-Tom-Cleverley
February 28, 201411 yr I saw Cleverley a few times when he was on loan at Watford. It was probably 4 or 5 years ago and he was brilliant, he was brilliant but it was in the Championship. I went to a few of the games and he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch . Now when I see him play for United he's so average. When I see him play now its almost as if he's worse than when I saw him years ago. He just seems scared to be in possession. I want him to be a good footballer purely from an England point of view but it isn't happening and its a disgrace that he's in the recent squad, even more of an injustice if he's in Brazil in the summer
February 28, 201411 yr I remember posting last season on Livermore when he was at Spurs. I thought he was poor but now from what Ive seen of him at Hull I've been impressed. He's not a world beater but he's better than Cleverley and Milner
February 28, 201411 yr Cleverly ahead of Barry is an absolute joke. Smalling and Milner are less baffling but still surely there are better options out there.
February 28, 201411 yr What's Steven Caulker done to deserve a call up apart from play in one of the worst teams/defences in the league?
February 28, 201411 yr The only one that really dissapoints me is Smalling, he's never really looked the part - he might make it if he got a decent run oif games in one position. I think Roy's right in that its not all about form, if it were then niether Cole or Lamps would be in there. Some of the names being suggested above - Barry and Huddlestone, have had chances and never looked near international class, yes they're playing well at the moment but both for lesser teams (big fish in a small pond maybe?). Mainly though, what I wanted to say is this........ I really rate Milner, I always have done, I'd have loved us to sign him when he went to Newcastle and again when he went to Citeh. Yes he gives 100% every game and that seems to be his biggest failing, because of that people seem to completely overlook his ability. I think he's just the sort of squad member we need at the world cup. There I said it, I feel better for saying it as well. Before you all destroy please remember that I also saw Wednesdays game as Dave worst of the season!
February 28, 201411 yr I remember as a kid hearing a football chant that went " If Marriner plays for England so do i " an obvious slur on how bad Paul Marriners ability or rather inability to play football was. Two words RICKIE LAMBERT. When is Woy going to stop shovelling out the same sh*t, the answer to that is simple NEVER. Ole pigeon face was quoted atleast four months ago as saying " there will be no new faces brought into the squad for the world cup ". Is this man for real, can a so called professional manager really see that far into the future to know 110% that there was not going to be a new enigma explode out of nowhere and dazzle the premier league? As it happens he wasnt wrong, but the point being is all of the above posts. Sure we all have one or two players we disagree on being selected, some for more colourful reasons than just ability. All in all we have more chance of the Danish national team getting a last minute call into a competition and going on to win it, than we do this team of misfits lifting the World Cup. We can still dream.
February 28, 201411 yr The only one that really dissapoints me is Smalling, he's never really looked the part - he might make it if he got a decent run oif games in one position. I think Roy's right in that its not all about form, if it were then niether Cole or Lamps would be in there. Some of the names being suggested above - Barry and Huddlestone, have had chances and never looked near international class, yes they're playing well at the moment but both for lesser teams (big fish in a small pond maybe?). Mainly though, what I wanted to say is this........ I really rate Milner, I always have done, I'd have loved us to sign him when he went to Newcastle and again when he went to Citeh. Yes he gives 100% every game and that seems to be his biggest failing, because of that people seem to completely overlook his ability. I think he's just the sort of squad member we need at the world cup. There I said it, I feel better for saying it as well. Before you all destroy please remember that I also saw Wednesdays game as Dave worst of the season! If Milner had any real ability he would be scoring and creating a lot more than he does, he doesn't do either right now. He is a very average player and next to Ashley Young he was our worst player in the 2012 Euro's.
February 28, 201411 yr I may be deluded but I'd be very tempted to go with a team along the lines of: Hart Walker, Cahill, Terry, Shaw Henderson, Milner Sterling, Lallana, Townsend Sturridge Obviously, JT isn't going to play but he would be a good experienced head amongst the younger players. Walker at right back is a bit of a gamble but Shaw looks a real prospect. Henderson has done really well for Liverpool and we will need plenty of energy and work rate in there. I know a lot of people slag Milner off, but I like him a lot. He's a real hard worker and can play a bit too. Lots of pace on the wings and Lallana is a very clever player. Sturridge seems to know where the net is. Just a thought...
February 28, 201411 yr I may be deluded but I'd be very tempted to go with a team along the lines of: Hart Walker, Cahill, Terry, Shaw Henderson, Milner Sterling, Lallana, Townsend Sturridge Obviously, JT isn't going to play but he would be a good experienced head amongst the younger players. Walker at right back is a bit of a gamble but Shaw looks a real prospect. Henderson has done really well for Liverpool and we will need plenty of energy and work rate in there. I know a lot of people slag Milner off, but I like him a lot. He's a real hard worker and can play a bit too. Lots of pace on the wings and Lallana is a very clever player. Sturridge seems to know where the net is. Just a thought... Interesting team but it's never going to be picked as Roy clearly favours certain players and all the while Gerrard is still available for selection he is always going to get into the team. For the right back position I actually think Southampton's Nathaniel Clyne is worth a look at some point. Despite not having much competition for the role Johnson has never really made the role his own and I just don't rate Kyle Walker at all personally. Based on current form I would probably go with something like: Hart Clyne, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines Henderson, Gerrard Lallana, Rooney, Oxlade-Chamberlain Sturridge Far from perfect but I think a team like that could give a lot of international sides a run for their money.
March 1, 201411 yr Shaw, Walker, Lallana , Henderson ,Townsend, Oxlade Chamberlain, Clyne All players with a lot of potential (apart from Walker - not good enough imo) - none of them will realistically start at the world cup Denmark is a preparation match for the WC - its very rare England get to play as a team close to the WC Now isn't a time to give youngsters a chance. Now is a time to set up as though we are challenging to win the tournament
March 1, 201411 yr Shaw, Walker, Lallana , Henderson ,Townsend, Oxlade Chamberlain, Clyne All players with a lot of potential (apart from Walker - not good enough imo) - none of them will realistically start at the world cup Denmark is a preparation match for the WC - its very rare England get to play as a team close to the WC Now isn't a time to give youngsters a chance. Now is a time to set up as though we are challenging to win the tournament I kind of agree, it's a bit late to be doing this now. In his time as manager i don't think Hodgson has done enough to get the next generation of English players through. He has still been picking the players that have had more than enough opportunities in the past 10 years. What he should have done in the last 2 years is get these younger players into the team, and not just the ones that play for the top clubs either. Edited March 1, 201411 yr by Scott Harris
