Tuesday 11 May 2010

England Provisional World Cup Squad Announced

England coach Fabio Capello has made several surprise selections in his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad.

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Scott Parker (West Ham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).

Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

7 players from the 30 won't make it - I'd say Baines, Upson, Huddlestone, Parker, J.Cole, Wright-Phillips, Bent could miss out, but we shall see after the training camp & Japan friendly.

Dawson ahead of Upson for me, Carragher to go as the back-up right back as well as cover for Ferdinand/King, Warnock over Baines as he's the better defender, Parker will stay if Barry fails to recover, I'd take Huddlestone ahead of Carrick, but I think Capello will want Carrick's experience, it's a close one between Joe Cole & Adam Johnson, Lennon & Walcott ahead of SWP, while it could be closer than we think between Defoe & Bent (I'm sure he'll keep faith with Heskey).

That would leave 3 Keepers, 8 Defenders, 8 Midfielders, 4 Strikers - the perfect balance for a 23 man World Cup Squad..

Who do you think will miss out?

Cheers,
AM

25 comments:

Doctor Teeth said...

As I said in the chatroom, as much as I love T-Hudd I'm a bit surprised that he was named to the team ahead of BFAY. Ditto Joe Cole (or Theo Walcott for that matter). Who would have thought that BFAY would be left off of the squad a year ago?

And while I don't rate them that highly, I'm also surprised that Gabby and Carlton Cole were passed over for Heskey...I get that he is a physical presence in the frontline but I think that the punditry is a bit too enamored with him to be honest.

Otherwise, looks like a formidable team that should have no problem finishing second to the United States in Group B and advancing to the knock-out stages.

CFCBOSS said...

i really think that heskey and defoe are certainly on the plane, obviously rooney, crouch has been second best striker in england games,
so i think bent will miss out.
in midfield, as a chelsea fan, i really love joe cole and i think he should stay, he has more qualities then other player's in his position, of course there is that form question mark.
i think lennon will stay, johnson misses out, walcott or swp will miss out.
huddelstone and parker, i think in their position are barry & carrick better options.
defenders, i also think baines misses out, other one is hard to say, dawson has been real quality this season, but i think capello trusts upson more, cause he has the experience, so i'll say dawson misses out.
so overall not in the 23-squad there's no, in my opinion: bent, a.johnson, SWP, huddelstone, parker, baines, dawson.

Kellz said...

God I hope Capello keeps Heskey, all the better for me and my USA ALL THE WAY!!

But quite happy to see Darren Bent atleast in the provisional side, I think he really earned it. But lets be honest, Bent is way more qualified than Heskey, and if he is dropped, it would be a huge shame.

Others to go I'd completely agree with AM, Carrick has the experience but THudd brings a different form to the midfield. Maybe thats what Capello and England need, some shaking up in the squad and including those surprises that could really pay off.

But still USA 1 - England 0

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

What happened to Zamora?

Miecio said...

Adam Johnson? I dont really believe but I think he might show some quality.
What a chance for him, few months ago he knew nothing about this lad, now he play regulary for ManC and England (would he?. Remeber that he is still 23.
I will say it once again:
WHAT A CHANCE FOR THIS BOY!!

Anonymous said...

you guys forgot about the chemistry between players. teamwork is vital and if you put new team mates beside each other, regardless of how good their individual skills are, i'd say it'll end up as a disaster.

yoyowassup

Ian Sanderson said...

I'm pretty disgusted that Carragher is in the squad.
He spat his dummy out and turned his back on England, then stated he wasn't bothered if England won or lost, disgrace.

A-B said...

Well, I think the squad has changed but England has to face 'still' the same old problems. How to make Lampard and Gerrard play together? For example, in Chelsea Lampard and Ballack used to play at the same position which of course didn't work, so the solution there was to change the position of Ballack to a defensive midfielder.

Hmmm what fate has Gerrard to expect??

My starting eleven would be:
GK: Joe Heart
DF: A. Cole, JT, King, G. Johnson
MF: Carrick, Gerrard, Lampard, A. Johnson
FW: Rooney, Defoe

And in my opinion, in the final squad, there will be no: Dowson, Wright-Phillips, Parker, Huddelstone, J. Cole, Warnock, Crouch.

Anonymous said...

Green
G.Johnson Terry Ferdinand A.Cole
Lennon Lampard Gerrard A.Johnson
Rooney
Crouch

Rgds.
Ajani

greginho said...

let the locker room bickering and the simmering resentment for john terry commence. i am hoping the team collapses on its great expectations. to be fair i root for holland, then usa, then germany, so i am equally hoping all of the bigger teams never get out of the first round, especially brasil, where i live now, with a brasilian wife. world cups are always so difficult when the selecao play well.
i think the biggest issue for england, is the lack of forwards scoring goals (besides roooeny), the midfield can't score them all. i hope walcott is the only player to score and play well for england.

Mandrake said...

Right, 3 left backs and 1 proper right back. Left side problem? What left side problem? I'm guessing Beckham would have been the backup RB if he had been fit.

Kellz said...

A-B: Interesting thoughts, buts it completely clear Bent is the striker on the drop list. Crouch has played and scored under Capello, he will not be dropped.

I think we can all agree there are many ways to line up those 30 - players, seeing which ones actually get the ax is completely up to Capello.

Bojan said...

Juan Sebastian Veron is on the list... That is the only important thing regarding WC...

Anonymous said...

For info folks, finally managed to find a site that has Fantasy World Cup;

http://worldfantasyfootball.skysports.com/

Cheers
dazconnor

Anonymous said...

BREAKING NEWS:

Terry's OUT!

let's celebrate~hiphiphoooray!

~Newbie

P.s. no 'show' for us, too bad greginho. but England will fall easy.

Doctor Teeth said...

wow - wheels are falling off of the bus before it even pulls out of the garage. every english husband has put their wives under 24-hour supervision with this news.

Hinrik said...

I would skip out Heskey and injury prone L.King for K.Davies and Agbonlahor. England needs healthy backup for Rooney and Defoe. This group is fine and I understand Capello.

madness said...

Maybe Bridge will go now xD

Anonymous said...

Dang, he's back!

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/785594/ce/uk/?cc=4716&ver=global

*facepalms*
Boo-hoo
~Newbie

Fidan said...

Nice group...I'd like to see another decent RB though, b/c we know just very well how fragile can Glen be. But I'm just wondering who would that be, Jags maybe, or even GNeville (ok, go ahead, call me crazy)...!!!

As for the ones to be dropped...for me, Upson, Warnock, THudd, SWP, JCole, Walcott and Heskey...always...!!!

Best starting line-up, imo:
JHart
Johnson,Daws(with Terry out),Rio,Cole
Lennon,DM,Lamps,Gerrard
Rooney, Crouchy

DM - Tough one. The order would be: Barry, Parker, Carrick...!!!

And as for Gerrard issue here, I think he should still be in the starting 11 but I believe his starting status is seriously under threat by Milner...!!!

Cheeers

joshtottenham said...

Could we see 5 in midfield? We have a lack of strikers, Rooney has played well up front on his own this season (making a mockery of the "he can't play there" arguments I used to make when he had all those awful games and kept dropping into midfield for England a while back), and we have a surfeit of midfielders... Lennon and Johnson on the wings, Gerrard, Milner/Carrick/Hudd and Lampard in the middle.... sounds very possible to me, if cappo is prepared to mess with 'the system' at this stage.

A-B said...

Kellz: I know Crouch is more likely to play than Bent or Defoe, but I said "MY starting eleven" and that is what I would do if I would be managing England.
I just don't like Crouch...not that he isn't good, but he just has not the constitution of a football player (at least that's what I think).

But as you said, there are many ways to line up those players, and its Capello who has the last word and I'm sure that the real starting eleven will contain a big SURPRISE for all of us.

btw good luck to you and your USA.

USA vs. England 3-1 :D :D :D

Ali said...

Hart
Johnson, JT, Rio, Cole,
Carrick
Lennon, Milner, Lamps, Gerrard
Rooney


Come on England!!!!

Joshtottenham said...

Seems likely to me that England will ship goals this WC. Two (apparently) first choice CB's in some of the worst form of their lives (over the course of the season), DM either injured or in poor form, average keeper options and two full backs who love to push forward (although to be fair, cole can also defend. unlike Johnson).

Anonymous said...

james
johnson JT rio ashley
barry
lennon milner lampard gerrard
rooney

who's agree my opinion
come on capello
follow my opinion
u will win world cup

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