Team For Brazil

Thought I'd start early with our possible starting XI for next years world cup, as we have one foot in Brazil and there has been lots of talk on formations/players etc.

Mine, although this will change:

Hart
Johnson
Cahill
Jageilka
Cole

Gerrard
Carrick
Wilshere

Rooney
Walcott
Wellbeck

I think this year could be Jenkinsons break through year.

I think a midfield of 3 is a little too light weight I actually prefer a 5 man midfield with two wingers.

Champagne_Socialist wrote:I think this year could be Jenkinsons break through year.

I think a midfield of 3 is a little too light weight I actually prefer a 5 man midfield with two wingers.

And no CF?

Stella wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:I think this year could be Jenkinsons break through year.

I think a midfield of 3 is a little too light weight I actually prefer a 5 man midfield with two wingers.

And no CF?

Like Spain??

But I was thinking of a 5 man midfield which included 2 wingers so a 4-5-1 with wilshere, carrick lampard and gerrard in the middle (the 3 best performing of the 4 players will start) with walcott on the right wing and on the left wing I am thinking it will be Callum McManamans year to shine. COuld even put Baines as a left winger as he is so good at attacking.

There is very little difference between a 4-5-1 and a 4-3-3 to be fair, nobody plays three centre forwards.

I'm not sure, if everybody is fit, I'd like to see:

Hart

Johnson
Cahill
Jagielka
Cole

Gerrard
Wilshere

Walcott
Rooney
LW

Sturridge

I'm really not sure about the left winger, not sure there is a lot of choice there.

Expect it to be:

Hart

Johnson
Cahill
Jagielka
Cole

Gerrard
Wilshere
Lampard

Walcott
Welbeck

Rooney

Just not sure that's best for England, Rooney isn't a good enough out and out forward, he needs to be played deeper to get the best out of him in my opinion, think Lampard and Gerrard is too slow of a combination, neither have the acceleration to quickly attack, same problem with Carrick, for me you can only play one of the three with a quicker central midfielder.

Would love to see Henderson make a break through into the England squad, I think if he keeps up his form from this year he deserves to be there, a much better option than Cleverley, he never stops working, great at pressing, got a good pass, good tackling and can also finish chances really well. I'm probably biased because I've seen him come on so much, but I'd be surprised if Hodgson hasn't taken notice of him, he'd suit his system a lot if he likes hard working players, would rather have Henderson than Milner for sure, especially a Milner without any first team football.

Hart

Johnson
Jagielka
Cahill
Cole

Gerrard (Deeper holding role)
Wilshere
Rooney

Walcott
Sturridge/Carroll/Lambert
Welbeck

Put Rooney in the centre of midfield alongside Wilshere, and have them both coming forward with Gerrard offering the protection to the CBs. The man up front could be any of those 3 listed above, or even Walcott if someone else gets picked wide right.

Nice team Duty.

Mine pretty similar to Duty's except for one change. I'd have Carrick in for Wilshere alongside Gerrard. I feel it'd be more beneficial to have him come off the bench as an impact player. I don't feel at the moment he's at the level to be starting for England, but would be an excellent player to bring on on the hour mark.

I don't see what's the point of playing Gerrard and Carrick, one of the main problems facing England right now for me is not enough attacking support which leads to an isolated forward and wingers. Carrick likes to sit deep and Gerrard does now as well, he doesn't have the pace to make bursting runs forward as he has done in the past. 

For me playing Carrick and Gerrard is nonsensical, it's either/or, they'd both fulfil the same role.

But that's where I see Wilshere coming into to the equation. No, Gerrard can't do it anymore for 90 mins but he can for 60. Then you have the option of taking him or Carrick off for Wilshere who has 30 mins to do what he does best.

Nathan Redmond shall fill the LW slot

Gerrard isnt best as the deepest player either. Needs someone in there with him, plus I think having two is a better balance. 

Hart 

Jones
Cahill
A better centre back to stand out
Cole

Wilshere
Carrick
Gerrard

Walcott
Rooney 
Welbeck

Id have Sturridge and (fitness permitting) Carroll there as striking alternatives. Id take Lampard, Cleverley, Milner then Ox or Barkley for the middle. 

Sturridge could of course prove himself impossible to ignore in the first 11, but he isnt yet a better forward than Rooney and doesnt offer the discipline or ball retention of Welbeck, nor the likely link with Rooney, and I dont think he yet has the threat of Walcott on the wing. 

Equally, I might consider one of Smalling or Jones for the centre back role in place of Jagielka, and possibly Smalling as right back against teams we will do more defending against as I think he adds more than Walker and Johnson. But that depends on appearances for United. 

Players like Lescott and Rodwell should have moved to get a chance of making the squad, especially as Lescott on form is better than Cahill and Jagielka. Redmond, Young, Caulker, Dawson, Jenkinson, Zaha, Townsend, Morrison, Barkley, Osman and plenty of others should be thinking that a notable season could push them in that squad.