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.

[Duty281]

Gerrard, Lampard and Milner in the middle. Welbeck left, Sturridge right, Rooney in the centre. #nightmare

Gerrard and Barkley in the middle. Rooney ten, Sturridge nine. Oxlade left, Sterling right. #champions

[Crimey]

I will say again, Barkley is not a natural central midfield and I definitely wouldn't play him there. If he plays it has to be as the number 10, where he has played all season for Everton, where he would be most effective and not a liability. 

I do think Henderson, Gerrard is the best combination in the middle because Henderson can do the running and Gerrard the dictating. I think Hodgson's first choice will be Gerrard, Wilshere though. Wilshere will be unfit and is out of form so think that is a shame.

[GSC]

Lambert makes the 23

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Forster over Ruddy? Considering Foster is apparently a given due to his past with Roy, I'd be tempted to say Forster deserves it.

[Duty281]

If Barkley doesn't play in the centre of midfield, I think his gametime will be very limited. I feel he's perfectly capable of playing there, and getting forward when England have the ball leaving Gerrard to do the expected holding role.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I doubt Wilshere will play unless he proves himself fit enough.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

If Barkley doesn't play in the centre of midfield, I think his gametime will be very limited. I feel he's perfectly capable of playing there, and getting forward when England have the ball leaving Gerrard to do the expected holding role.

If we had better full backs defensively then I'd be fine with that. But we don't Johnson and Baines are not fantastic defenders and will bomb forward. Id rather have discipline in the midfield to cover that.

[Duty281]

Interesting to note that the BBC are saying that Rooney "should" be fit.

Only should? Is there a chance that Wazza won't make it?

Might explain Barkley's inclusion...

[Duty281]

If Barkley doesn't play in the centre of midfield, I think his gametime will be very limited. I feel he's perfectly capable of playing there, and getting forward when England have the ball leaving Gerrard to do the expected holding role.

If we had better full backs defensively then I'd be fine with that. But we don't Johnson and Baines are not fantastic defenders and will bomb forward. Id rather have discipline in the midfield to cover that.

If that was the case then Carrick should have been included.

[GSC]

Carricks not particularly good defensively though and immobile

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Interesting to note that the BBC are saying that Rooney "should" be fit.

Only should? Is there a chance that Wazza won't make it?

Might explain Barkley's inclusion...

I think thats probably a consistent Rooney disclaimer. Id imagine you can never say Rooney "will" be fit any more.

[Guest]

alot of people have got so carried away with this youth obession. roy has clearly been influenced by the media bombardment for the youth selection too. his squad selection is so out of character for his style of football. roy is a negative, defensive manager, yet the squad is full of young, inexeperienced, non-disciplined, attacking players. it's got to the point, people are throwing in all the youngsters & dont even care where they play. Barkley & Gerrard together would be horrible for me. Defensively Barkley offers nothing & gerrard has no legs, we would be opened up with ease. lallana on the wing? WHERE HAS HE EVER PLAYED ON THE WING EFFECTIVELY? They had the discussion on sky, he would be wasted & offers nothing defensively for baines as he has no real pace or engine, unlike welbeck. I fear with all these young players, who lack discipline, that we will be taught another lesson & then there's another generation with mental scars from a major tournament. Obviously, i hope that doesn't happen but i fear the professionalism & experience of some teams will show us up & prove this risk on youth was probably a mistake.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Roy can't win

Takes youth - we won't bee experienced enough

Doesn't take youth - not bringing through the youngsters, driving with failed players

We've got to expose these young guys to tournament football, no matter how well we do. Fact is most of them are better than there experienced counterparts anyways

[owen10ozzy]

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. (1)

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. (2) 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. (3) In the stifling heat of Manaus, it will either be 0-0, or England will nick it 1-0. (4)

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. (5)

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

1) Complete and utter tosh: Spain (winners of last 3 major tournaments & on paper strongest squad) Germany (Cohesive Unit, great technical ability as well as able to play different styles i.e. possession & counter) Brazil (Not the strongest but at home and used to the conditions, an advantage which will hold them in very good stead) Italy (always turn up when teams least expect it; they may have drawn last two qualifiers but there record was no worse than England and they didn't have the benefit of a whooping team in the forms of Moldova & San Marino to boost there goal difference)

That would suggest at least 4 very capable teams to win it...add in Argentina (wouldn't say they are anymore frail against the 'top teams' than England are and have far more potent attacking force and again used to the climate) and you have 5...plus teams who have been there and done it in Holland, Portugal & France (though the latter I expect to fail miserably)..I would put 7 teams in with a better chance of us.

2) Many people said that at the Euro's where we were dominated throughout the game and looked like schoolboys who had found themselves on the park accidentally. They may not have much attacking threat up top..but all they need to do is stifle England and knick a goal...something they are more than accustomed to given they have been doing it for years. With the likes of De Rossi, Pirlo, Motta, Marchisio in midfield it wouldn't take much to ensure England barely get possession of the ball never mind a chance to put it in the back of the net!

3) We can have all the attacking and wide threat in the World...it matters little unless Roy decides to actually use and set up his teams to ensure we make best of the attributes we do have...something which I am reluctant to think he will do against the big teams.

4) Stifling heat favours the team who can keep the ball best and make the other team chase...that puts the Italians in the position of favourites immediately.

5) Very Very poor squad..?! Defence they have Godin (been at the heart of a superb Atletico Madrid team) add in Rodriguez, Suarez, Cavani, Ramirez, Forland and they have plenty of people capable of unlocking the defence and creating something out of nothing.

As for your last comment; I would happily change my name to 'Duty281's England Minion' if we get out of our group by topping it!!

[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. (1)

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. (2) 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. (3) In the stifling heat of Manaus, it will either be 0-0, or England will nick it 1-0. (4)

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. (5)

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

1) Complete and utter tosh: Spain (winners of last 3 major tournaments & on paper strongest squad)  Germany (Cohesive Unit, great technical ability as well as able to play different styles i.e. possession & counter) Brazil (Not the strongest but at home and used to the conditions, an advantage which will hold them in very good stead) Italy (always turn up when teams least expect it; they may have drawn last two qualifiers but there record was no worse than England and they didn't have the benefit of a whooping team in the forms of Moldova & San Marino to boost there goal difference)

That would suggest at least 4 very capable teams to win it...add in Argentina (wouldn't say they are anymore frail against the 'top teams' than England are and have far more potent attacking force and again used to the climate) and you have 5...plus teams who have been there and done it in Holland, Portugal & France (though the latter I expect to fail miserably)..I would put 7 teams in with a better chance of us.

2) Many people said that at the Euro's where we were dominated throughout the game and looked like schoolboys who had found themselves on the park accidentally. They may not have much attacking threat up top..but all they need to do is stifle England and knick a goal...something they are more than accustomed to given they have been doing it for years. With the likes of De Rossi, Pirlo, Motta, Marchisio in midfield it wouldn't take much to ensure England barely get possession of the ball never mind a chance to put it in the back of the net!

3) We can have all the attacking and wide threat in the World...it matters little unless Roy decides to actually use and set up his teams to ensure we make best of the attributes we do have...something which I am reluctant to think he will do against the big teams.

4) Stifling heat favours the team who can keep the ball best and make the other team chase...that puts the Italians in the position of favourites immediately.

5) Very Very poor squad..?! Defence they have Godin (been at the heart of a superb Atletico Madrid team) add in Rodriguez, Suarez, Cavani, Ramirez, Forland and they have plenty of people capable of unlocking the defence and creating something out of nothing.

As for your last comment; I would happily change my name to 'Duty281's England Minion' if we get out of our group by topping it!!

1) I would have Germany and England as the leading contenders for this World Cup. Spain's defence is shocking, and I'm perfectly comfortable saying that England will beat them in the quarter-finals. I'd make Brazil 3rd favourites, and Argentina 4th (both to lose in the semis, though), and I think you're overrating Italy a bit. They're heavily reliant on a rapidly aging Pirlo, and a volatile Mario Balotelli.

2) We shall beat Italy on the counter-attack. The possession won't be as much in Italy's favour as it was at Euro 2012, either.

3) Roy knows when to take a gamble, have no doubts over the man who shall lead England to the Promised Land.

4) Be not afeared, for this isle is full of noises, and our wide men with pace will pin Italy back.

5) Ah yes, I forgot about Godin. Him, Suarez and Cavani are the only ones who would get into this England team, making a 8-3 advantage in our favour!

6) That's very nice, my dear. Expect England to finish with seven points minimum.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

alot of people have got so carried away with this youth obession. roy has clearly been influenced by the media bombardment for the youth selection too. his squad selection is so out of character for his style of football. roy is a negative, defensive manager, yet the squad is full of young, inexeperienced, non-disciplined, attacking players. it's got to the point, people are throwing in all the youngsters & dont even care where they play. Barkley & Gerrard together would be horrible for me. Defensively Barkley offers nothing & gerrard has no legs, we would be opened up with ease. lallana on the wing? WHERE HAS HE EVER PLAYED ON THE WING EFFECTIVELY? They had the discussion on sky, he would be wasted & offers nothing defensively for baines as he has no real pace or engine, unlike welbeck. I fear with all these young players, who lack discipline, that we will be taught another lesson & then there's another generation with mental scars from a major tournament. Obviously, i hope that doesn't happen but i fear the professionalism & experience of some teams will show us up & prove this risk on youth was probably a mistake.

Lallana could quite comfortably play on the left in the same way Silva operates off a wing. By not being a winger. I doubt he'll start, but it depends on the type of opposition as to whether he'll be effective 'wide'

I find most of that slightly churlish, but the worst bit would be "another generation with mental scars from a major tournament". So we only take them if we're going to win? Frankly, the younger players have pretty much earned their place by outplaying those older than them.

The main point is that our more experienced players are not going to win. A side with them is probably worse as footballers, albeit mentally prepared. But theyve not shown mental toughness in tournaments anyway. The way to learn is to do. If the players are managed correctly then they'll understand the nature of tournament football. And I mean managed correctly in the group, not on the pitch.

With Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Jagielka there, with Hodgson and Neville, there's experienced players mixed into that group. I actually think this might be the first tournament since '96 where the players might enjoy themselves.

[Duty281]

I actually think this might be the first tournament since '96 where the players might enjoy themselves.

That sounds like optimism!

[Crimey]

Lallana often plays for Southampton as a wide player, although he operates well centrally, think it would make a good fluid three if you have Lallana, Rooney and Sterling, add in Sturridge up top and that attack would be very hard to track and keep a hold of. 

Also by playing Lallana and Sterling wide, you allow Baines and Johnson to overlap.

[Guest]

- - - -gerrard- -henderson- - -  -
sterling - - -rooney-----lallana-- (welbeck for lallana)
---------- sturridge- - -  - - -

i'd worry about isolating baines defensively with lallana in front of him. lallana doesnt have the engine, defensive ability or pace to work (offensively/defensively) the wing. lallana could play like silva, however, we dont have 70% possession, we have less than 40%. he'd be ineffective i think you will find. rest of line up is good for me.

[Ent]

I don't think you can predict what will happen yet or how England will play.

Squad might provide a clue, I'd be surprised if hodgson was very radical with his selections.

Would be very foolish to ditch a lot of the players who played in qualifying with this notion that picking 11 strangers in form will result in good performances.

[Ent]

- - - -gerrard- -henderson- - -  -
sterling - - -rooney-----lallana-- (welbeck for lallana)
---------- sturridge- - -  - - -

i'd worry about isolating baines defensively with lallana in front of him. lallana doesnt have the engine or defensive ability or pace to work the wing. lallana could play like silva, however, we dont have 70% possession, we have less than 40%. he'd be ineffective i think you will find rest is good for me.

I think Rooney is pretty grim in that position (middle of a fluid front line) and the fullbacks won't be able to push forward as no legs at centre half or dm.

These things look good on paper but I'd be surprised if hodgson changes much from qualifying.

[liverbnz]

Looking forward to the inevitable post-mortem. I'm betting on 'young tactically flexible' coach to be the theme this time around.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I hope Ben Foster breaks a finger

What a joke

[J.Benson II]

No real surprises with the team.
A mix of some very good and promising players and some very average ones.
Will be interesting to see if Roy can get them playing well as a team.

[owen10ozzy]

Hart
Johnson Cahill Jags Baines
Milner Lampard Gerrard Welbeck
Sturridge Rooney

That's the starting XI against Italy I'll bet!

Plenty of youth in there, don't expect many to get a run out in 1st two games; can see Wilsher coming on against Italy/Uruguay in final 20 with maybe Sterling getting a chance coming on for Milner/Welbeck.

Should we somehow have qualified by Costa Rica game in come the likes of Lallana, Shaw, Barkley etc...then par for the course come knockout stages and back to the older guard.

[Guest]

No real surprises with the team.
A mix of some very good and promising players and some very average ones.
Will be interesting to see if Roy can get them playing well as a team.  

That's my issue. This young squad doesn't suit the manager's identity.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Hart
Johnson Cahill Jags Baines
Milner Lampard Gerrard Welbeck
Sturridge Rooney

That's the starting XI against Italy I'll bet!

Plenty of youth in there, don't expect many to get a run out in 1st two games; can see Wilsher coming on against Italy/Uruguay in final 20 with maybe Sterling getting a chance coming on for Milner/Welbeck.

Should we somehow have qualified by Costa Rica game in come the likes of Lallana, Shaw, Barkley etc...then par for the course come knockout stages and back to the older guard.

There's no way we'll start with a Gerrard/Lampard midfield, you're living in cloud cuckoo land if you think that'll happen

[Guest]

stop putting fake, unrealistic sides up, it will be

----------hart-------------
johnson-jag-cahill-baines
-----gerrard-henderson----
sterling- rooney---welbeck
--------sturridge----------

end of. you've got the liverpool/united combo's, you've got welbeck offering the pace & support to baines & rooney linking in the 10 role. can play good couter attacking football with that but also remain solid.

lampard/gerrard combo   

[owen10ozzy]

Why is that fake and unrealistic....Hodgson has spoken of trusting the players that got us through the qualifiers when it comes to starting XI; Wilshere isn't 100% fit so he's unlikely to start and whilst Henderson has the combo he has no tournament experience and didn't feature much in the Qualifiers...unlike Lampard.

I don't think it's unrealistic to see a defensive minded coach set up for a draw against the Italians and relying on experience to do this. We have seen in games where he has played for the draw or played stronger teams that he tends to play Milner out wide so that's hardly pushing the boundaries to suggest he may start..as for Lampard...against Italy I don't think it's out of question entirely and to suggest it's fake/unrealistic is daft when the two have trusted together (despite it not working) for the past 10 years!

[compelling and rich]

god i hope its not lampard and gerrard in the middle we'd get destroyed

im happy with that squad, its probably the same as i would have picked. too soon for stones and jones and smalling also cover at rb where they would easily provide better defensive cover than johnsen

[Crimey]

I don't think that will be the team selected, but don't think it is unrealistic. If Hodgson does want to stick with a team that was in the qualifiers, a Gerrard-Lampard partnership is inevitable because Carrick and Cleverley aren't in the squad.

[J.Benson II]

stop putting fake, unrealistic sides up, it will be

----------hart-------------
johnson-jag-cahill-baines
-----gerrard-henderson----
sterling-  rooney---welbeck
--------sturridge----------

end of. you've got the liverpool/united combo's, you've got welbeck offering the pace & support to baines & rooney linking in the 10 role. can play good couter attacking football with that but also remain solid.

lampard/gerrard combo   

x2.
Thats going to be the team. Guys lke Chamberlain will be thrown on late on to exploit tired legs or Milner to solidify a lead - Lambert before a shootout. Don't see Shaw or Barkley getting much playing time.

[mystiroakey]

yep thats my team and it has been my team all year,

[compelling and rich]

stop putting fake, unrealistic sides up, it will be

----------hart-------------
johnson-jag-cahill-baines
-----gerrard-henderson----
sterling-  rooney---welbeck
--------sturridge----------

end of. you've got the liverpool/united combo's, you've got welbeck offering the pace & support to baines & rooney linking in the 10 role. can play good couter attacking football with that but also remain solid.

lampard/gerrard combo   

i like this team, my only problem is rooney isnt a proper 10. he's a centre forward who just drops deep when running around loads. which means we still have only two CM against many teams who will be playing 3 cm all of which will be technically better than ours

englands problems similar to uniteds that you cant play a AM and rooney which leaves a lot of pressure on two CMs

[mystiroakey]

stop putting fake, unrealistic sides up, it will be

----------hart-------------
johnson-jag-cahill-baines
-----gerrard-henderson----
sterling-  rooney---welbeck
--------sturridge----------

end of. you've got the liverpool/united combo's, you've got welbeck offering the pace & support to baines & rooney linking in the 10 role. can play good couter attacking football with that but also remain solid.

lampard/gerrard combo   

i like this team, my only problem is rooney isnt a proper 10. he's a centre forward who just drops deep when running around loads. which means we still have only two CM against many teams who will be playing 3 cm all of which will be technically better than ours

englands problems similar to uniteds that you cant play a AM and rooney which leaves a lot of pressure on two CMs

I do find it funny though as i put this team up before the Denmark game and most people shot it down.. Roy ended up playing this team anyway but in a different formation.

Edit Actually no I tell a lie- My team includes lallana and not welbeck.

[Crimey]

Think that is offset partly by Henderson's running and energy which is exceptional and Sterling and Welbeck likely to come narrower and deeper as well as full backs who will likely play as high up as Gerrard does.

[compelling and rich]

the only way you could do it would be a proper 4-3-3, with rooney (centre) wellbeck (left side)and sturridge (right side cutting in on his left which he's done at liverpool a lot) as the forwards

then have options of barkley, wilshere or even lampard in that formation

[J.Benson II]

Lallana is clearly a superior player to Wellbeck but Roy loves workhorses who put in a defensive shift - which is what Wellbeck brings (if little else).
Obviously, any other country in the world would start with Lallana, but.........yeah.

[Crimey]

I've just explained why you don't have to do that. Liverpool have played a similar formation to that with Suarez where Rooney is and it has worked fine, Sterling, Henderson and Welbeck have the work rate to make it work, as does Rooney. 

I think Hodgson is more likely to go 4-3-3 like you say though.

[compelling and rich]

either way there looks like theres a lot of pace which i think we'll need. counter football is how we should be playing as were nowhere near as good technically as the other top teams.

but we can defend and can work as a team

[GSC]

Problem is in Brazil if we don't keep the ball they'll be running flat by 60 minutes or so. Then have to pick themselves up again to play another game in quick succession.

[jbeadlesbigrighthand]

I wonder how Jack Rodwell feels, seeing Barkley in the England squad? Given much of the debate is about how England need a good DM with some pace and an engine to cover for their full backs, he might have been a great option, had he got the game time.

[Guest]

Rodwell is injury plagued & quite frankly moved to City for money. I don't particularly care what his thoughts are about Barkley to be honest. Fact is, Rodwell has done nothing for a good two years, is not on the plane & should not be discussed as he will have nothing to do with this WC campaign.

[Duty281]

Good squad, as Olly said earlier though, sometimes Roy just can't win.

I'd agree with John in that that will be England's starting XI, not necessarily the one I'd pick, but probably the one Roy would pick. Welbeck on the left is a decent option, he links up very well with the rest of the team and has one of those things Roy loves: high workrate.

There wil be options off the bench as well, both defending and attacking.

This will be the first World Cup I'm genuinely looking forward to; this team, unlike the over-hyped rubbish of 2006 and 2010, will have the right balance, the right shape, the right blend of youth and experience, and, most crucially of all, the right manager.

Roy's Rio Reign - chalk it up! Only one month, two days, seven hours, and twenty minutes left. I feel like a kid at Christmas.

Come on England!

[Marky]

Those who think Roy is gonna change from the 4-3-3 he's been playing regularly to a 4-2-3-1...   

Hart
Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines
Henderson Gerrard Lallana
Sterling Rooney Sturridge

Even if Sturridge is partially wasted out wide, that'll be the majority of the team and in that system.

[Duty281]

4-2-3-1 is how England were shaped during their last two qualifiers.

[Marky]

Last friendly v Denmark was 4-3-3. Only differences to my team above were Wilshere for Lallana, Cole for Baines, Smalling for Jagielka.

I highly doubt Roy Hodgson will play 4-2-3-1 against Italy who will flood the midfield.

[Duty281]

He went with two in the middle last time against Italy, with an inferior team.

[Mat]

I hope Ben Foster breaks a finger

What a joke

Always told you Ruddy was competing for the Number 3 goal-keeping slot   

[Marky]

He went with two in the middle last time against Italy, with an inferior team.

And hopefully he's learnt from that mistake.

[Sponsored content]