Official - England World Cup Squad

Rickie Lambert (Southampton)

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)

Danny Welbeck (Manchester United)


Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) - captain

Ross Barkley (Everton)

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Adam Lallana (Southampton)

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

James Milner (Manchester City)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)

Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)


Leighton Baines (Everton)

Gary Cahill (Chelsea)

Phil Jagielka (Everton)

Glen Johnson (Liverpool)

Phil Jones (Man Utd)

Luke Shaw (Southampton)

Chris Smalling (Man Utd)


Joe Hart (Manchester City)

Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion)

Fraser Forster (Celtic)




Back up players

Michael Carrick (Manchester United)

Andy Carroll (West Ham United)

Tom Cleverley (Manchester United)

Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC)

Jon Flanagan (Liverpool)

John Ruddy (Norwich City)

John Stones (Everton)

Only one wrong prediction from this morning for me, Carroll on standby instead of Caulker.

No surprises in there really.

None at all, is that a good or a bad thing?

Probably not.

Rather Stones than Jones or Smalling though

Quite impressed Carrick and Cleverley are out though

Basically happy, don't think Smalling or Jones have done well enough this year to justify their spots but can understand why they have been picked as they can cover 2 or 3 spots and have more international experience than the alternatives.

Glad Carrick and Cleverley have been left out because neither deserves to be in the team based on their form this year. 

Risk is taking Wilshere who might not be properly ready by the time tournament comes around and his form has been inconsistent, usually poor all year. 

Glad Flanagan got recognition by being on the standby list despite having never been selected for England.

Hodgson says there are doubts over Phil Jones and that Jon Stones will take his place if Jones isn't fit by 2nd of June.

First time since 1954 that there is no Tottenham player in the England squad.

Like the squad. I think by and large, Hodgson has got it right. Glad he's taking all of Henderson, Barkley, Wilshere, Ox, Sterling & Lallana.

They could be the starting midfield for a number of years. Hope to see them get some game time out there.

Like a few others i'd rather Stones in there for either Jones or Smalling, but i'm glad there's no Carrick, Cole, Carroll, Cleverley, Barry.

Carrick and Cole should be there, apart from that im happy.

Id have had Carroll and Carrick over Lambert and Lampard but thats it. Also feel Curtis Davies has been a bit mugged, but I like Stones. Dont think Stones has actually shown himself to be better than Smalling or Jones so wouldnt have had him in over them.

Would have Carroll over Lambert, Cole over Shaw, and Carrick over Lampard.

It's a good squad though, all in all, so I'm not too fussed.

Brimming with optimism and hope now.

I'm looking forward to it. Don't expect to win, but I look at that team and I'm proud of the young names and the added zip they'll have compared to previous squads. Its exciting. The fact we can have an exciting, young squad going to the most exciting World Cup in years (Its ruddy Brazil!) makes me desperate for it to start. Loads of games, wonderful players, beautiful country. Summer football    

I can understand why Lampard has been picked ahead of Carrick. Lampard has been in better form all year than Carrick, who has had an awful year, although he hasn't stood out as being awful he's not really stood out as the player Manchester United fans want to believe he is. Lampard has at least had a pretty good year for Chelsea. 

If, as I hope, the position in the squad that Lampard has or Carrick could have had, which is an experienced head who is unlikely to be played other than possibly as a substitute I would rather have Lampard. He has always been a bigger part of the England squad, while Carrick has been in and out of the squads and rarely in the first team. Lampard also would at least offer an attacking threat off of the bench even at his age he has shown a few times this season that he is capable of popping up in the box and getting a goal. Carrick would only really be useful as a player to keep possession, which despite popular belief, England do have players capable of that who can also do other things like Wilshere, Gerrard, Henderson, Barkley and so Carrick would be pretty redundant in the squad.

Maybe Lampard can finally score a goal at the World Cup for the first time...officially.

Lampard is there to take a penalty, as is lambert.

I honestly think we have enough players that offer attacking threat in midfield, so Lampard is redundant there, whilst Carrick is better at the defensive side and passing, so Lampard isnt useful comparatively there.

Not sure Lampard has had a good year for Chelsea either. Carrick is just an easy whipping boy. Always has been.

Ent wrote:Lampard is there to take a penalty, as is lambert.

So Hodgson is saving two subs in the knockout games in case it goes to pens?

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:

Ent wrote:Lampard is there to take a penalty, as is lambert.

So Hodgson is saving two subs in the knockout games in case it goes to pens?

Be surprised if one or the other doesn't end up on the pitch for a shoot out.

It's a valid skill.

I am not sure Carrick is that good at defending, he is very slow and while I agree he may offer a good passing option, if that is the game plan, say England are 1-0 ahead and want to kill the game with passes, the players in the squad, including Lampard are perfectly good at that.

I don't think Lampard or Carrick have had particularly good seasons, but Lampard has definitely had a better season than Carrick. I also think Carrick was so underrated in the past that he has now become overrated in what should be called the Makelele syndrome. Even though Makelele was a very good player, by lots of people pointing out how underrated he was, it suddenly became very popular to rate him very highly and as a result he became underrated. I don't think Carrick is as good, nor was he as underrated or now overrated but the comparison is sound.

I would always rather there were attacking options on the bench, of a varying kind than defensive. It is very rare that a manager has to make a defensive change and I don't think Carrick would ever be a particularly good one. His strength is in dictating games and setting the pace, something that isn't particularly effective coming off of the bench. 

In the end, I would hope that Lampard doesn't play anyway, in which case it's not really important who goes and it makes sense that Lampard is there as experience because he has been a key part of the England set up for the past decade and as Hodgson pointed out is the vice-captain while Carrick has been in and out of the England squad his entire career.

If neither are going to start you pick the guy who might get a goal and can take a penalty.

That's lampard.

Carrick has been uniteds only genuine centre midfider for the last 6 or 7 years (scholes fitness and semi retirement etc) while they've won 5 titles, cl and 2 other finals. He is definitely good enough and has paid a big price for a poor season (he was extremely poor this season).

For all the derision cleverly got he was one of Roy's boys for the best part of 2 years. Hodgson taking a huge gamble not only with his squad but his starting 11 won't have played together much before.

Taking players on a few months decent form is a pretty bad idea.

Happy enough. Wellbeck tho? I dont rate him one bit. Tbh,I would've taken form players like Wickham, Charlie Austin or even Danny ings than bambi on ice...

Hopefully gerrard will reprise his liverpool role of a defensive midefield allowing laLana,Barkley,Henderson,Wilshere/Ox to get forward.

I'd take Rhodes before Austin tbh. Don't think Austin could step up to the next level

GSC wrote:I'd take Rhodes before Austin tbh. Don't think Austin could step up to the next level

Rhodes plays for Scotland mate   

Pretty happy. Barry for Lampard, for defensive cover maybe?

Almost forgot. Terry for Jones or Smalling.

Michael Carrick should be starting alongside Gerrard to provide extra stability against the top teams, with one of the younger CMs (Barkley, Lallana, Oxlade whoever) sitting just in front, with three forwards. Don't play Sturridge, keep him as an impact sub. Other than Carrick, I'm pretty happy with the squad though, it was almost what I expected.

Out of who we got, I am expecting England to play a 4-4-2 with Rooney and Sturridge upfront, with Gerrard and Wilshere at central midfield. I hope I'm wrong on that prediction.