Soccer

» Guy_Incognito - Provisional squad:

Provisional squad:

Robinson (Tottenham)
James (Manchester City)
Green (Norwich)

G Neville (Manchester United)
Ferdinand (Manchester United)
Terry (Chelsea)
Cole (Arsenal)
Campbell (Arsenal)
Carragher (Liverpool)
Bridge (Chelsea)

Beckham (Real Madrid)
Carrick (Tottenham)
Lampard (Chelsea)
Gerrard (Liverpool)
Hargreaves (Bayern Munich)
Jenas (Tottenham)
Downing (Middlesbrough)
J Cole (Chelsea)
Lennon (Tottenham)

Rooney (Manchester United)
Owen (Newcastle)
Crouch (Liverpool)
Walcott (Arsenal)

Standby:

Carson (Liverpool)
Young (Charlton)
Reo-Coker (West Ham)
Defoe (Tottenham)
Johnson (Crystal Palace)

-- posted by Guy_Incognito

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» Guy_Incognito - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. Especially as Owen and Rooney aren't fit. Walcott hasn't even played a Premiership game for Arsenal, so it would be a big ask to perform on the World Cup Stage. That only leaves the dreaded Peter Crouch so we may see Christmas a little early this year, at least in the qualifiers.

Defence and midfield look strong as expected. Campbell is a surprise inclusion given his form since his return to the Arsenal line-up. Sven must be hoping his experience can see him through.

You've got to ask a few question about the state of English goal-keeping if Robert Green is your third choice keeper. We used to have decent English keepers at every club - what's happened? Dodgy foreign imports to blame?

-- posted by Guy_Incognito

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» SimonMelville - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

In response to Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. posted by Guy_Incognito:

Yep, that's a surprise alright.
Has anyone actually seen Walcott play? I've seen a few brief clips but never seen him live. Or alive for that matter -- does he actually exist?

Does the inclusion of Downing mean that he starts on the left and he's going to play Joe Cole centrally?

Crouchy has been excellent as an "impact" sub -- if he starts and we need a change, who do we replace him with?

Goalies are a worry -- I do not rate Carson at all. Every time I've seen him play he does something stupid.

Well, Sven has certainly surprised us all. He's spent the last four years picking the same players month after month and when it comes to the crunch (how I love that phrase) he hits us with the unexpected.

It's going to make our previously dreaded friendlies a lot more interesting -- starting with the 'B' game against Belarus at Reading, a fortnight on Thursday.

-- posted by SimonMelville

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» BarryFromHull - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

In response to Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. posted by SimonMelville:

At least that cretin Phil Neville looks like he's played his last game for England. Finally we're moving on a bit.

The inclusion of Walcott over Defoe is extraordinary, and personally I think a mistake. Crouch is OK, he might do a bit if given the chance.

-- posted by BarryFromHull

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» JCofBH - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

In response to Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. posted by BarryFromHull:

The striking situation is, err, striking. Notwithstanding the goals we get from midfield and Sven's view of Cole as an auxiliary forward, we're going into the tournament with one recognised forward certainly fit (and that's the goal machine Crouch...), one likely to be okay but very short of games, one certainly crocked, and a lad who's never played a game of top flight football.

It doesn't sound like he plans to, but Sven needs to take a decision on Rooney before the tournament and get Defoe in if he ain't going to be ready. It really is ludicrous to pin our hopes on him recovering ahead of all expecations for the QF or SF and THEN just enter the fray after 7 odd weeks without a game. Presumably some poor sod who helped us get that far will need to step aside to make room for him?

All Sven's talk of 'pace' at the press conference has me thinking of Euro2004 and the way we reverted to 60 yard balls down the channels to Vassell and Owen after Rooney went off.

I dare say we can get out the group and past the Poles or Germans with this squad, but beyond that I think the forward line will be found out by the stronger sides.

-- posted by JCofBH

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» SimonMelville - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

In response to Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. posted by JCofBH:

You know, the more I think about this Walcott business, the more I like it. Why? Well:

1) "Walcott" said quickly sounds a bit like "World Cup" -- if The Sun headline wasn't: IT'S THEO WORLD CUP!!! it should have been.

2) It's brave, it's mad, it's loony, it's out of character, it's maverick. It's so KER-AZY it reminds me of me. That's what I would do if I was managing England in Football Manager 2006. I also would have cheated by using the FM Scout application to check his hidden attributes, but that's by the by.

3) Defoe has been off-colour all season and has never set the world alight playing for England -- not had many opportunities granted, but a fact nonetheless. England managers in the past have been criticised for their conservatism -- at least with Walcott you really have something to surprise teams with from off the bench. Having said that, Defoe is an established Premiership striker while Walcott hasn't even played for Arsenal yet -- surely a unique situation for any squad at the World Cup? But would Defoe really do the buiness as a sub? Is it really better the devil you know?

4) It would be quite funny if Walcott was REALLY bad in the pre-World Cup friendlies. Like Norman Wisdom, prat-falling over the ball, bumping into things, inexplicably shouting "Mr Grimsdale!" Then Sven might have to back-track embarrassingly and drop him from the squad. Or he broke a metatarsal -- OH THE IRONY. Or something.

-- posted by SimonMelville

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» JCofBH - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

In response to Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. posted by SimonMelville:

I think people really need to consider how this will impact upon the kid. I mean, surely he has some AS Levels he should be sitting in the coming weeks? They don't pass themselves, you know. Well, these days I'm not so sure, but if he turns his History paper over and doesn't know how far Frederick the Great's despotism was offset by his patronage of the arts and sciences during the Enlightenment, then he'll only have that B international against Belarus to blame.

Interestingly, the interweb tells me the Walcott surname means 'living in the Welshman's cottage'. Case closed.

-- posted by JCofBH

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» SimonMelville - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

In response to Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. posted by JCofBH:

Filthy.

I've checked out what 'Collier' means and unsurprisingly it's a coal merchant.

Well, we all know what sort of 'seam' you've been 'mining' buddy, so back off and lay off our Theo.

-- posted by SimonMelville

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» EJF_TBFFaH - Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers.

In response to Interesting squad to say the least - a little light on strikers. posted by SimonMelville:

I'm as surprised by Walcott's inclusion as anyone. Maybe more so. I was expecting Sven to call up some of the 'players' in the Celebrity World Cup on Sky at the moment. I understand Ralph Little is meant t be good, and there's always MC Harvey.

Sven take note.

-- posted by EJF_TBFFaH

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