Euro 2012 line up

[MANTIS01]

Carroll has scored 1 in 5 this season and Crouchie has scored 1 in 3. Crouchie has scored 22/42 for England and AC has 1/3. And I agree PC has had much more playing time this season than AC. Hence there is no real reason why we would take AC over the robot man.

[nirvana]

Gerrard can't pass more than 5 yards accurately. He can huff and puff at club level with the best of them but at I'nternational level he has always been found wanting.

Lol at the idea of Paul Scholes being included - are you people real. If he goes he'd be around the 64th best midfielder on show - wayyyyyyyyyyyyy past it.

Young - Lampard - Barry - Chamberlain

[bobby1]

Gerrards main strength which he showed again on Saturday of pushing the ball past a defender in the box then running past the defender and flicking out his leg so he makes contact then throwing himself to the floor would come in handy at a major finals. The way the game is these days he could be used as an impact player off the bench that could come on and repeatedly cheat late in the game when we are losing and desperate for a goal.

[pleno1]

Carroll has scored 1 in 5 this season and Crouchie has scored 1 in 3. Crouchie has scored 22/42 for England and AC has 1/3. And I agree PC has had much more playing time this season than AC. Hence there is no real reason why we would take AC over the robot man.

crouch has played 90 minutes more or less every game.

[horseplayer]

gerard was always a liability at international level especially with this 65 raking passes that 3 times out of 4 give the ball away something you just can not do at that level

now he arguably is not as fit can not cover the ground he once did i would not have him anywere near the squad

[TightEnd]

I would have thought a 2 holding midfielder formation would give the back 4 the protection that it has lacked in previous tournaments

Those 2 holding midfielders?

Parker and Wilshere if and when Wilshere is fit, Barry until then

Then 3 attacking midfielders  Ox (give it a year) - Gerrard - A Young, playing Gerrard where he doesn't have to track back so much, doesn't have to try and run the midfield and can support the one up top, that's his main role

Rooney up top and whoever you like from Welbeck, Defoe, Sturridge, Bent etc until he isn't suspended



Something like


               Hart

K Walker   Cahill Ferdinand   A Cole

                 Parker    Barry

   Walcott     Gerrard        A Young

                Welbeck

Until Wilshere, Rooney available properly, and Oxlade Chamberlain is ready

Then you pop someone into Gerrard/Ferdinand's spots for WC2014

[pleno1]

barry is far far far too slow, he got destroyed in Germany, he has managed at city because he's next to Yaya, but he will get destroyed against some of these teams.

Again Welbeck upfront by himself? Seriously?

[MANTIS01]

Think saying Gerrard has always been a liability at international level is ridic. In 2007 he was voted England Player of the Year. Same year he was named in the PFA team of the year, UEFA team of the year and the FIFA World XI, as well as being named 6th best player in the world. Even in 2009 he was voted 8th best player in the world. Despite being shunted around the England midfield throughout his international career he has returned a decent 1 goal every 4 games. His individual honours playing for a club never to win the league are among the best in world football. The Euros are a tough comp and playing someone of Gerrard's calibre and experience in the hole behind Rooney is a no-brainer. Incidentally Michael Carrick has won zero individual honours throughout his career playing for the multiple league champions. However, he did get a nomination for First Division Team of the Year 2003-2004.

[pleno1]

carrick has played most games this year and been in great form for the 2nd best team in the prmeiership who will finish on level points with the best team  in the premiership, gerrard has been very poor in a team who will do well to finish 9th.

looking at stats from 2007 seems pretty stupid, shall we just bring gazza back too? Heard he had a good world cup once.

[MANTIS01]

carrick has played most games this year and been in great form for the 2nd best team in the prmeiership who will finish on level points with the best team  in the premiership, gerrard has been very poor in a team who will do well to finish 9th.

looking at stats from 2007 seems pretty stupid, shall we just bring gazza back too? Heard he had a good world cup once.

I would fcking love to bring gazza back

[pleno1]

gazza and scholes ldo

[pleno1]

GERMANY

Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern München), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96)

Defence
Holger Badstuber (FC Bayern München), Jerome Boateng (FC Bayern München), Benedikt Höwedes (FC Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal FC), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders
Lars Bender (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler (FC Schalke 04), Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gündogan (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (FC Bayern München), Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München), Mesut Özil (Real Madrid), Lukas Podolski (1.FC Köln), Marco Reus (Borussia Mönchengladbach), André Schürrle (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München)

Forwards
Cacau (VfB Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (FC Bayern München), Miroslav Klose (Lazio Roma)

[pleno1]

Goalkeepers: Erwin Mulder (Feyenoord), Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Tim Krul (Newcastle United).

Defenders: Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Jetro Willems (PSV Eindhoven), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Erik Pieters (PSV Eindhoven), Nick Viergever (AZ Alkmaar).

Midfielders: Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Siem de Jong (Ajax), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Adam Maher (AZ Alkmaar), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Lisbon), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven), Urby Emanuelson (AC Milan).

Attack: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Ola John (FC Twente), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV Eindhoven), Luciano Narsingh (Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich).

[anthonyl]

lol @ people saying barry

guy is the worst player to play for england in centre midfield since carlton palmer

[The Baron]

I would have thought a 2 holding midfielder formation would give the back 4 the protection that it has lacked in previous tournaments

Those 2 holding midfielders?

Parker and Wilshere if and when Wilshere is fit, Barry until then

Then 3 attacking midfielders  Ox (give it a year) - Gerrard - A Young, playing Gerrard where he doesn't have to track back so much, doesn't have to try and run the midfield and can support the one up top, that's his main role

Rooney up top and whoever you like from Welbeck, Defoe, Sturridge, Bent etc until he isn't suspended



Something like


               Hart

K Walker   Cahill Ferdinand   A Cole

                 Parker    Barry

   Walcott     Gerrard        A Young

                Welbeck

Until Wilshere, Rooney available properly, and Oxlade Chamberlain is ready

Then you pop someone into Gerrard/Ferdinand's spots for WC2014

Almost exactly what I'd be doing.