The Newest England Squad
Goalkeepers: Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Ben Foster (Manchester United, on loan at Watford), Chris Kirkland (Wigan).
Defenders: Gary Neville (Manchester United), Phil Neville (Everton), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Jonathan Woodgate (Real Madrid, on loan at Middlesbrough), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Micah Richards (Manchester City).
Midfield: Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Scott Parker (Newcastle), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Joey Barton (Manchester City), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham), Kieron Dyer (Newcastle).
Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Andrew Johnson (Everton).
I glad to see some new faces for this week's friendly with Spain.
Your thoughts?
posted by United We Stand @ 3:07 PM
11 Comments:
I think Kevin Nolan deserves a chance. And perhaps some of the under-21s like Richardson and Walcott. And that bloke at Birmingham, the midfielder that squares up like Scoles used to.
But from this squad I'd go with Robbo, then Gaz Neville, Rio, Woodie, and Richards, then Lennon, Gerrard, Parker, and Downing, then Roon and Crouch.
AND 12 midfielders.
Hargreaves should be match fit!!!
The good - I'm delighted that Macca has ignored the calls for Calamity to replace Robbo. Also high time that Woody, Gareth Barry and Scottie Parker were in the squad. They should all start.
The bad - If Becks is yesterday's man, why do Phil Neville and Jermaine Jenas still find a way into the squad?
The ugly - Joey Barton - would he make the squad of any other European side?
My starting 11: (4-4-3)
Robbo, Neviller, Woody, Rio, Barry, Hargreaves, Gerrard, Parker, Lennon, Crouchie, Roon.
I agree with most of your comments and I hated James more than anyone but he has been far better than Robinson recently.
Right off the bat I'll say that I'm not happy with the form Robbo's in. But as Bob reminded me, Robbo's still quite young and Robbo's got to be spooked by having to play with someone as backward as Michael Dawson. If there was someone who clearly stood out as better, I'd invite them instead. I think that Carson and Green should still be considered because they too are still young and goalkeepers mature later in their careers.
James might look better than Robbo right now. But so what? That's the Calamity pattern that we have lived through more than once and are all painfully familiar with: Six months of good shot shotstopping and a similar period where he's managed not to punch it into his own net several times. That's down to being allowed to find his level. You're making the same ridiculous judgement that the hacks are making by even considering inviting him back in--and you don't even have the excuse of a 24 hour news cycle demanding copy of any quality.
Anyone with more memory than a gypsy moth knows James isn't up to the scrutiny that an international career brings with it, and finally is enjoying a period of his career where he's less reviled than Myra Hindley. But you want to bring him back to the situation that always sets him up for failure. Just what kind of sadist are you?
Selecting David James is like picking the wings off a live fly or beating a chained dog: cruel.
Let him be.
I'll also second Bob's point about the lesser Neville and that sad waster Jenas. Neither were fit to wear an international jersey of any sort in the first place and their continued inclusion shows up Second-choice Steve's poverty of imagination and bodes ill for our hopes of getting through to the Euro tournament next summer.
And I'll add the point that England might be looking at a complete hiding facing Spain. With nothing at stake, the shaky mentality that the Spanish traditionally have won't come into play and the quality of Villa, Torres, Reyes, Fabregas, and Alonso should produce a scoreline the likes we haven't seen on English soil since Puskas and co battered England in the '50s.
The Birmingham player I'm thinking of is Gary McSheffery, but I don't know if he's English. If he is, a call-up is in order because he likes to set up in that space that Scholes made his own. He works hard and scores goals-in the championship anyways.
I agree with Gooner. Spain is the last side an underconfident England should be playing right now. They've got bags of quality, especially up front. Do any of you really relish the match-up between Micah Richards and Fernando Torres?
No, this is a hiding to nothing and it could get really ugly on Wednesday. I expect a thumping and for the hacks to be baying for Macca's blood. Isn't there some sacrificial lamb of a team (how about Albania?) who we could get our teeth into prior to March's test against Israel?
I agree with Gooner. Spain is the last side an underconfident England should be playing right now. They've got bags of quality, especially up front. Do any of you really relish the match-up between Micah Richards and Fernando Torres?
No, this is a hiding to nothing and it could get really ugly on Wednesday. I expect a thumping and for the hacks to be baying for Macca's blood. Isn't there some sacrificial lamb of a team (how about Albania?) who we could get our teeth into prior to March's test against Israel?
Just want my Gooner boys all back in one piece after this shower of a week.
Breaking news today: Crouchie is to be played as the lone striker against Spain this week, with SWP and Kieron Dyer playing as wide men. Also Robbo's been dropped in favor of Ben Foster. Grab hold of yourselves - should be a hairraising event.
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