The Official *England's Journey to Brazil 2014* Thread

[Calder106]

First topic message reminder :

Wilshere out for 6 weeks according to BBC. Hairline fracture on foot. Considering Arsenal have been nursing him through the season because of his ankle injuries I think it would be a risk taking him (not questioning his ability) due to the tight schedule of games.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I know mon frere, I was just disagreeing with the man himself on the latter point.

Its a decision I can understand and was in favour in, but equally would have understood if he'd gone. I think its a sign of the man that Roy personally let him know beforehand.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Ruddy reportedly going, would've thought working with the England GK coach for the past two years would tip it in his favour

Only reported guy who is going who I'm against is Lampard

[Duty281]

Ah boring Roy - he leaves out Cole and Carrick, and goes for Barkley and Shaw. Doesn't seem very dull. Hope it doesn't backfire.

Henderson also in, apparently, along with Oxlade and Wilshere.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

What time is the announcement tomorrow?

Lampard in? I just don't understand what that is on the back of.

Duty, I've got a nicely depressing article for you: http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/may/11/steven-gerrard-liverpool

Sounds to me like a man mentally drained; I don't blame him. What does he need now? An intensive World Cup schedule full of high pressure games and constant media focus.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

"@TheRealAC3: I got the call from Roy and agree England team should be about the young players. I think it best I retire from England team now.

[Duty281]

Not hearing anywhere that Lampard is in; it would seem "boring Roy" has gone for the youth. And John Ruddy, if you believe the Daily Mail, isn't in, but Rickie Lambert is.

As for Ashley Cole - England's greatest ever left-back, the only one of the "golden generation" who lived up to the hype, and the best man in his position in the world for many, many years.

Farewell, sir.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

"@TheRealAC3: I got the call from Roy and agree England team should be about the young players. I think it best I retire from England team now.

Fair play, quite a decent reaction. Not massive on players retiring when they aren't picked but hes not wrong and won't be massively missed considering Baines, Shaw and a couple more can do the job there.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Cole: #Baines and #shaw are great players, proved this season, and are the future of this country, it was a pleasure to get #107 caps #eng #

[Duty281]

Ah, Oliver Holt says that Lampard is in. I see.

Would have taken Carrick over Lampard, if I'm being honest.

Lallana, Henderson, Oxlade, Sterling, Wilshere, Barkley, Shaw in the 23 if that journo is correct. That's positive.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yep a dignified exit for one who was an England great (in my book)

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I would urge caution, in 2010 many leaked squads were out there 

And then Shaun Wright Phillips got called up

[Duty281]

Too late, Olly, I'm already fabulously excited. Well not about Lambert...or Lampard.

No Kyle Walker, apparently, but room for Phil Jones.

No Cleverley or Young! That was still my nightmare.

[Guest]

Think Roy`s selections have been massively altered due to this media bombardment for youth. It's positive but also a risk. My issue or worry is, we have a manager suited to defensive, containment football, whereas we have a squad selected full of youth, inexperienced attacking players. I don't think its a good combination & we could be undone.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Rumours would suggest:

Hart, Foster, Forster/Ruddy
Johnson, Jones, Smalling, Jagielka, Cahill, Shaw, Baines
Ox, Wilshere, Lampard, Sterling, Lallana, Barkley, Gerrard, Henderson, Milner
Welbeck, Rooney, Sturridge, Lambert

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I feel for Cole, Carrick and Carroll, but I dont think any of the three that have been picked over them (Shaw, Lampard and Lambert) will play more than a combined 30 mins.

[Champagne_Socialist]

I have just got off the phone to Frank and I can confirm that Frank Lampard is in the squad.

[Duty281]

Rumours would suggest:

Hart, Foster, Forster/Ruddy
Johnson, Jones, Smalling, Jagielka, Cahill, Shaw, Baines
Ox, Wilshere, Lampard, Sterling, Lallana, Barkley, Gerrard, Henderson, Milner
Welbeck, Rooney, Sturridge, Lambert

Good enough to win the World Cup!  

Thinking Milner will be benched ti provide cover for the holding midfield role in the absence of Carrick, thus meaning Roy will probably start Sterling against Italy. To Hell with defence!

We're En-ger-land, and we're gonna score one more than you!

[Guest]

I remember Roy saying that for the players that weren't playing in his squad, he wanted seasoned professional who wouldn't cause trouble during downtimes & would support the youngsters. That's probably why Lampard is on the plane. Can take a penalty too.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I have just got off the phone to Frank and I can confirm that Frank Lampard is in the squad.

#itk

I do love Cole announcing his retirement on twitter with tweets containing emojis. What a time to be alive

[GSC]

I'd like to see Cole get a testimonial friendly. Love him or hate him he was England's best player of his generation and most consistent performer.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I can imagine you and him being friends...

I get the point, there isn't a young alternative really so professionalism should be taken in. Experience wont hurt. Think Carrick would be better in terms of playing needs but not massively and neither would likely spend much time playing.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

"@SkySportsNews: Sky Sources: Tottenham's Kyle Walker has been told he hasn't been selected for England World Cup Squad. #SSN"

Roy you beautiful man

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Regardless of the choice Id have made, I am very happy for Ricky Lambert. Seems a genuine bloke, good player and has worked very hard for it. Not one man who had as much emotionally riding on that; seeing him there will probably raise a smile.

[Hammersmith harrier]

I'm probably in the minority but I would have taken and started Cole, there isn't a single english player I have more confidence in to perform and despite not playing much he's still the best defensive full back we have.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Well, Lambert is definitely in the squad. I get the feeling Carroll was told a few weeks ago that he wasnt making it, hes looked a frustrated man recently.

[Duty281]

"@SkySportsNews: Sky Sources: Tottenham's Kyle Walker has been told he hasn't been selected for England World Cup Squad. #SSN"

Roy you beautiful man

Roy's Rio Reign starts here!

His name is Roy Hodgson and he dances on the sand,
Just like Alf Ramsey in an English land

[Duty281]

The Telegraph are gently hinting that Stones may have also made the final twenty-three, possibly at the expense of Jones or Smalling.

[GSC]

We can only hope because hes been much better than either

[Duty281]

14:00 today for Roy's squad announcement.

[GSC]

No Ruddy, Foster and Forster (that'll be easy) in.

[Guest]

I'm probably in the minority but I would have taken and started Cole

I would of taken him. If we are under cosh, defending a lead, i`d only have faith in Cole playing left back & seeing the game out. He proved hes still got it in knockout style or games that felt like that against atletico away n liverpool away. Baines is an ok defender but let's not forget he's hardly experienced at the top, top end of European football/ champs lge & has only played against minor international sides & scored one goal vs Moldova. Against Chile, which was a step up for him, he got caught out by Sanchez for the first goal too. Shaw is young, inexperienced & will be benched for most of the tournament anyway, so I don't really get the clamour for his inclusion.

[Crimey]

I would have taken Cole as well, then you can have Baines and Shaw in the Euro 2016 qualifying. If you had asked me a few months ago I would have said Baines and Shaw, but Cole came back into Chelsea's side and was fantastic defensively showing what he can offer even when he hadn't played a lot. I thought his form at the end of the season was brilliant. 

Luke Shaw isn't going to play, would have made more sense to be able to call on Cole if we needed to shut the doors.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

No Ruddy, Foster and Forster (that'll be easy) in.

People know my feelings on Foster, not only do I think he's not very good, it doesn't sit comfortably with me that he quit on his country and has come back cos there's a manager he likes now

Feel for Ruddy, missed the Euros cos of a broken finger and now the world cup cos of a deserter

[owen10ozzy]

Did my telegraph predictor and I have:

Group A: Brazil 9pts Mexico 4pts
Group B: Chile 7pts Spain 5pts
Group C: Columbia 7pts Ivory 7 pts
Group D: Italy 7pts Uruguay 5 pts
Group E: France 7pts Ecuador 5 pts
Group F: Argentina 7pts Bosnia 6 pts
Group G: Germany 7pts Portugal 5pts
Group H: Belgium 7pts Russia 7pts

Knockout 16:

Brazil 2 vs 1 Spain
Uruguay 3 vs 1 Columbia
France 1 vs 1 Bosnia (Bosnia Pens)
Germany 2 vs 0 Russia
Chile 2 vs 1 Mexico (AET)
Italy 1 vs 0 Ivory Coast
Argentina 4 vs 1 Ecuador
Belgium 1 vs 1 Portugal (Port Pens)

QF:

Brazil 3-2 Uruguay
Bosnia 1-2 Germany
Chile 1 vs 1 Italy (Italy Pens)
Argentina 2 vs 1 Portugal (AET)

SF:

Brazil 2 vs 3 Germany
Italy 2 vs 1 Argentina

Final:

Germany 2 vs 0 Italy

May find out how much a ten quid accumulator wins me on that one!!

Possession football is the key to this World Cup in many ways which is why I see Italy doing their usual and essentially trudging their way through another tournament with solid football rather than spectacular. I think Spain whilst possessing the ability to keep teams chasing shadows have gone the same way as Barcelona in trying that one pass to many...part of the reason they will be caught out by Brazil in the Round of 16.

Chile to be the surprise team..France & England & Holland to be the disappointments.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Rumours around Stones and Flanagan. Could see both being in the back up list.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Lets say we end up facing Portugal at some point, who is the one player you'd want up against Ronaldo? The guy being left at home, think this decision will bite us in the arse when Baines is exposed.

[Crimey]

I'm going for:

GK
1.Hart
2.Foster
3. Forster

Defence
4. Cahill
5. Jagielka
6. Baines
7. Shaw
8. Johnson
9. Jones
10. Smalling

Midfield
11. Gerrard
12. Henderson
13. Wilshere
14. Lampard
15. Sterling
16. Milner
17. Lallana
18. Barkley
19. Oxlade-Chamberlain

Forwards
20. Rooney
21. Sturridge
22. Lambert
23. Welbeck

Back-up
24. Ruddy
25. Flanagan
26. Caulker
27. Stones
28. Cleverley
29. Carrick
30. Defoe

[Duty281]

I would have taken Cole over Shaw as well for the second left-back position.

As has been previously mentioned, the only way the back-up left-back will play is if Baines is injured or, somehow, suffers a horrific loss of form.

If such a thing happens, I would prefer a man of experience coming into the breach, rather than a fellow who is largely unproven.

[JamesLincs]

anyone of the opinion that we should play a diamand? weve lost any sort of wing threat in townsend and walcott and i dont think the ox and esp sterling are any good on the wings. with players like barkley i think we should be direct. im losing hope of qualification every day now with players dropping out and ashley cole's absence

[GSC]

I would've taken Cole if we had had a decent chance at winning the thing but this is very much a transitional tournament for England.

[Duty281]

Chin up, James, chin up.

England can win this World Cup (I'll say "will win" after Roy officially names the squad), and we do carry a threat down the wing...certainly moreso than any other team in our group.

[Crimey]

I think whatever formation is played it will likely be a narrow one, which suits England with Johnson and Baines bombing down the wings. Don't think a diamond is the way to go personally, but it would make sense for Hodgson to have a few tactics ready and with the possibility of Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Sturridge all starting could certainly work.

[owen10ozzy]

Duty your optimism knows no bounds; frustrated me to begin with but I am warming to it now...though a long way from jumping on your bandwagon

Feel a wager may be in order...not that England won't win it as that is an absolute given but that we won't make it beyond the last 16...perhaps even the group!!

[owen10ozzy]

I'm with Crimey in that i'm not sure playing with width would be of too much benefit to England...i'd prefer to see the 'Moyes System' from when he was at Everton in that you play two more 'No 10/striker' widemen in Lallana & Sturridge or Sturridge & Welbeck...emphasis is on them to cut in more often and go through the center pulling their markers with them leaving space for marauding Baines & Johnson down the flanks.

[GSC]

It scared me that you knew my name until I realised I had my twitter linked

[NickisBHAFC]

Cole should be going, this is bluddy stupid. Can see Hodgson screwing his team selection up already.

[Duty281]

Crimey - According to the Times, Carrick is going to reject a place on the standby list, and it'll be Kieran Gibbs who takes Ashley Cole's spot on the standby list.

Owen - Barring a freak occurrence, like Greece at Euro 2004, or mass injury, there are only two teams that are fully capable of winning the World Cup this year. Germany is one. England is the other.

I see very little that England have to be worried about in this group. Italy will not beat us, much like France at Euro 2012 there attacking threat isn't sufficent to trouble England. And Roy's boys have plenty of attacking weaponary to have the Italians on the run, particularly down the wide areas (where Italy are weakest, and a chance was missed at Euro 2012) with the likes of Sterling, Johnson, Baines, Welbeck, Oxlade and Lallana. In the stifling heat of Manaus, it will either be 0-0, or England will nick it 1-0.

Uruguay, equally, have two good players in Suarez and Cavani, but are very, very poor over the rest of the field. There is a reason why they finished fifth in South American qualifying, in a group without Brazil: Uruguay aren't very good.

Getting out of the group, and topping it, will be no bother.

[Crimey]

It scared me that you knew my name until I realised I had my twitter linked

Think he was talking to JamesLincs

[Crimey]

I would play Lallana and Sterling on the wings, Sturridge just isn't effective being shunted out wide.

[NickisBHAFC]

Lallana and Sterling on the Wings. Gerrard and Henderson holding. Rooney behind Sturridge. #Winning

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