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England World Cup squad announced...

Qoxiivi

Qoxiivi

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 28, 2005
175
0
London, UK
Well, Sven's announced the players he'll be attempting to win the World Cup with so, for those who give a monkeys, what are your thoughts?

Goalkeepers:
Paul Robinson
David James
Robert Green

Defenders:
Gary Neville
Rio Ferdinand
Sol Campbell
Ashley Cole
John Terry
Jamie Carragher
Wayne Bridge

Midfielders:
David Beckham
Steven Gerrard
Frank Lampard
Joe Cole
Michael Carrick
Jermaine Jenas
Aaron Lennon
Owen Hargreaves
Stewart Downing

Strikers:
Wayne Rooney
Michael Owen
Peter Crouch
Theo Walcott

I openly admit to having never heard of Theo Walcott but I'm not entirely displeased to see Aaron Lennon in the squad - he's looked very tidy from what I've seen of him. Quick, tricky and with a good touch.

About Theo Walcott though, when asked who Sven thought would be the star of the World Cup, he said he thought it would be him. Someone's obviously impressed with this 'Theo' despite him having no England caps not having played a single premiership game for his side - Arsenal.

I have to say, dispite being a Charlton supporter, I'm not that upset (or surprised) to see Darren Bent absent from the line-up of strikers despite his impressive goal-tally in the Premiership this season. I just don't think he's the finished article yet. He's a nice finisher but there's definitely a certain something missing from his game. Would liked to have seen Luke Young make the squad though - hardly a tragedy though.

Any thoughts anyone?
 
I can't believe he still keeps picking Calamity. :rolleyes:

And Crouch is a dubious choice at best.
 
iGav said:
I can't believe he still keeps picking Calamity. :rolleyes:

And Crouch is a dubious choice at best.
Click to expand...

David James is a knob-head but there's not much depth in English goal keeping at the moment - hence the inclusion of a non-Premiership goalkeeper as well I suppose. We'll just have to pray Paul Robinson doesn't get broken.

I can see why he chose Peter Crouch as he's a different option - he's tall and if the worst comes to the worst they can just cross balls through to him and hope he gets his head on the end of them - but, I completely agree, he's not exactly world class. He's our modern Heskey.
 
Qoxiivi said:
He's our modern Heskey.
Click to expand...
There was a report in yesterday's paper saying that Sven might recall Heskey - because he has experience.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :D
 
I think the squad is quite exciting for such a unexciting coach! Theo Walcott could become a huge star - he is lightening quick, and if Wenger rates him, that's good enough for me! - plus two natural and talented wingers in Downing and Lennon.

I agree that Bent from Charlton should be included in the 23, he's been fantastic all season. I mean if Sven can accommodate Jenas and Hargreaves, why not Bent?

On a side-note, I bet Wright-Phillips is glad he joined Chelsea, all that money but no England career!;)
 
iGav said:
I can't believe he still keeps picking Calamity. :rolleyes:

And Crouch is a dubious choice at best.
Click to expand...

I can't see what is dubious about picking a player that has scored in every major competition this season (Premier league, FA cup (against the Mancs), European cup (Sorry, Champions League) and even the World Club Championship and also for England). He also holds the ball up as well, if not better, than anyone in europe and has played really well with Gerrard, they have combined for goals all season. Crouch set's up as many as he makes.

He might not be the most fashionable player but he is quality and he has proved it.
 
Theo is too much of a risk, pointless taking him on the back of a few good U18 performances, should have taken defoe instead of hargreaves (who is useless on a good day) and bent/johnson instead of walcott, good idea including downing and lennon, but he won't use them
 
Some interesting choices... the three goalkeepers offer no surprises – Robinson will (rightly) be number one, with James there to provide an experienced back-up. I don't rate Green that much, he seems to be a right-place-at-the-right-time keeper who made it into the squad and seems to have stuck. I'd have suggested taking Boaz Myhill in his place but then I'm biased. :D

Few surprises either when it comes to the defenders. It's a pity Ledley King is injured, otherwise I'm 100% certain he'd have got the nod. Other than that, it's an experienced set of players we'll have at the back and that can be no bad thing.

As for midfield... I'm delighted to see Carrick has been included, and Aaron Lennon deserves a chance after having an excellent season. Highly unlikely see him in a first-choice line up, but he'll be a useful 'unknown quantity' to throw on later in a match. Downing... a decent enough player, and we're not exactly overloaded with talent suited on the left-wing. Won't grumble with his selection. As for Hargreaves... now, I know it's fashionable to knock him, but does he have some x-rated photos of Sven or something? It's the only reason I can think of to explain his continuous selection. He's useful, but I think we have better. Personally, I'd have given his place to Shaun Wright-Phillips.

It's the strikers I have problems with. Not because of Crouch... I think he's a decent player – maybe not the best, and he's another who it's fashionable to knock, but he offers something different. Look at the Argentina match – they didn't know what to do with him, and while they were trying to deal with him, up pops Owen and wins it for us. If Crouch can do the same in Germany, he's been worth his plane fare in my book.

I have no problem with Walcott either. He's a real talent – I've seen him play and the kid is good. Fast, agile and with an excellent touch. The experience of going to the World Cup – even if he doesn't play a lot of football – can only help improve him further.

No, my problem is we're only taking four strikers – one of whom (Owen) has a niggling injury, and another (Rooney) might make the final if we get there. It's that fact that really baffles me. With only four recognised strikers, two of whom are already crocked, we only need further injuries or suspensions once that tournament starts and we're suddenly looking very short of options up front.

Just my twopenneth worth. :p
 
Jaffa Cake said:
...It's that fact that really baffles me.
Click to expand...

Maybe relying on attacking midfielders to contribute? Lampard et al?

I can imagine all plans being torn up when Mr. Rooney was stretchered off at Stamford Bridge.

Give the guy (Sven) the benefit of the doubt... England to make the semi-finals and go out on penalties. :p
 
I dont see how taking Theo is a risk. Lets say we are 2-1 down with 10 minutes to go and you need a spark. Who has the ability to change a game; Theo or Defoe? Theo by a country mile. He is breathtaking. So fast and the opposition dont have a clue about him. Hes a wild card. I personally cant wait to see him play.

However, I do think Sven has taken a midfielder too many. I would drop Jenas and take Defoe or Bent with me because if Rooney and Owen are still crocked then we are in trouble.

I personally believe Sven knows something about Rooney. I dont believe hes as injured as Sven had us believe last week ("it will take a miracle"). SWven isnt stupid, and taking only 4 strikers knowing that 2 of them wont be fit is stupid. I cant see Sven making such a big mistake. I believe both Owen and Rooney will be fit. I have a strong feeling about that.

As a big City fan im gutted for SWP, but Lennon has been outstanding this year and SWP hasnt (though to be fair he hasnt had the chance to be). I can understand Svens reasons for this.

But imagine Rooney, Lennon, Cole, Gerrard and Walcott all on the same team. Absolutely frightening.

Re Hargreaves hes been playing really well for Bayern as of late. And he can speak fluent German and knows the culture well. Nice attribute to have around considering the World Cup is in Germany.
 
BakedBeans said:
I can't see what is dubious about picking a player that has scored in every major competition this season (Premier league, FA cup (against the Mancs), European cup (Sorry, Champions League) and even the World Club Championship and also for England). He also holds the ball up as well, if not better, than anyone in europe and has played really well with Gerrard, they have combined for goals all season. Crouch set's up as many as he makes.

He might not be the most fashionable player but he is quality and he has proved it.
Click to expand...

Here speaks the Crouch fan club chairman. you know i'm kidding al ;-)
 
I'm quite surprised by Theo aswell, albeit pleasantly surprised (being a gooner!). Not too sure about Campbell though, he hasn't been all that confident since before the end of last season when he got injured.

I think the main reason why Sven picked Theo is because Arsene Wenger told him that he was better than Owen, when he was 17. :eek:
 
Blue Velvet said:
Maybe relying on attacking midfielders to contribute? Lampard et al?
Click to expand...
I'm sure Lampard and Gerrard will both chip in with a goal or two. And of course, he may have selected less strikers because he's not planning on playing a conventional 4-4-2. How about a 4-1-4-1, with Gerrard and Lampard able to get forward and join the attack, with the safety of a defensive midfielder (like, say, Carrick) to cover them? A quandary for a while now has been how to accommodate Lampard and Gerrard effectively in the same midfield, maybe that's an option. Who knows? ;)

Project said:
ISWven isnt stupid, and taking only 4 strikers knowing that 2 of them wont be fit is stupid. I cant see Sven making such a big mistake.
Click to expand...
Let's not forget either that this is just a provisional squad. There may well be changes before the World Cup kicks off, depending on injuries.

We're off to see England take on Jamaica in their last warm-up match, so I'm looking forward to having a chance to check out Sven's selection and formation personally. :D
 
I'm a total Premiership football n00b and an American to boot, but....

I just got into watching the sport from some friends at work, and my favorite clubs to watch so far have been Liverpool, Portsmouth (trying to avoid relegation was more exciting than Chelsea winning comnfortably) and Wigan...

I actually like Crouch too - mostly because he gets such a hard time from the other guys I watch with. I will laugh if they play him and he scores goals. But with the quality midfield England has is Rooney really that critical?
 
Lord Blackadder said:
But with the quality midfield England has is Rooney really that critical?
Click to expand...

Yes, with him we'd make the semi's, without him we'll struggle to make the quarters.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
I'm a total Premiership football n00b and an American to boot, but....

I just got into watching the sport from some friends at work, and my favorite clubs to watch so far have been Arsenal, Arsenal (playing beautiful football BTW I think, as a neutral) and Arsenal (I actually think this team is pretty damned good)...

I actually like Crouch too - mostly because he gets such a hard time from the other guys I watch with. I will laugh if they play him and he scores goals. But with the quality midfield England has is Rooney really that critical?
Click to expand...

Ya. He is a pretty major driving force in terms of scoring goals.. I dunno, he just can do things no one else can. At Euro 2004, no one else really had that spark.
 
I wonder if they really will play Crouch then - it seems like just about everyone who isn't a Liverpool fan thinks he's no good.
 
Ick... Beckham doesn't diserve to be on the squad
Incase you can't tell I don't like Beckham, he may be good with the ball but his attitude is completely unnecessary and I think of him more as a bad celebrity then a footballer. <-
 
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