England's penchant for folly selections!!

[Stonigut]

English selectors make the strangest decisions, they also tend to way overrate their best players or what they think are there best players. Now Rooney and Gerrard are good, maybe very good, but that is about it, they are not singularly unique talents in any way shape or form and they will play their best when they are a part of the aggregation rather than seen as solar system suns and the other players merely planets basking in their solar glare.

How does England pick Lambert at 32 as a possible starting eleven striker, talk about folly, the man has not even played much international ball or obtained any results at that level.

How does lampard get picked at 36, he was once the man and got his chance and he did absolutely nothing, why pick him again.

Hodgson talks about playing attractive and open ball I hope he is joking because if England tries that they will not get out of group D. Gerrard needs help big time, he cannot be solo at the DM position as I know they want to play a 4-4-2, this is the group of slow and tortuous death, defense rules and the team that plays open will be going home. Gerrard needs a strong defensive player with him playing in a 4-5-1, that player does not exist in the English team now I think Shaw could be converted to play that but that will not happen, Terry is the 33 yo that should have made this trip and he could play that DM role in front of the back four with sole intent of disrupting and creating mayhem for the attack, he has the goods to play that position right now. Cole should have made the team as well but so it goes.

Johnson at RB is another England weakness, he is slow and suspect on defense, an asset in attack but the group of death needs survival first, thus England needs the 4-5-1 to survive.

How is it that Welbeck is even getting such a look, he has barely done anything at Manu and now he is being considered for England, makes no sense.

England has a great attack four, of Lallana on the left or right, rooney at attacking mid and sterling on the left or right with sturridge up front, that four is highly mobile, they can all create, they can all pass, they can all hold the ball, they can all dribble and they can all shoot. Sturridge is a talent the like of which England possibly has never seen, if he is 100% turned on and England picks the right side and formation I would say he has a shot at the golden boot but Hodgson probably has no idea how to get out of his own way.

Why is Ross Barkley even on this team, he is talented but he does not deserve a place on the side he has played 35 games with six goals and seventy eight shots, what is that a a goal every six or seven matches or .17 goal producing event per match and a goal every 13 shots, he has no assist in the epl, why exactly is he on the team, when people like adam Johnson are sitting at home watching tv with eight goals and five assists in 36 matches or .361 gpe per game taking 58 shots, makes no sense at all.

BTW this English squad has five yard DNA players, yes I want to see these guys do well and England do well because of their input, lets see if these guys even get a shot or the selectors etc get in their own way as usual.

[Jangle]

Can you imagine if every team took your defensive style of playing football that you love so much? Fans would be deserting The Beautiful Game faster than they abandoned Test Cricket.

[Karl]

Very, very good post!
Interesting observations....and bang on with the calls on the players. Barkley in particular needs a fist upside his head. ...he should be making goals in his sleep rather than hogging the ball and destroying his TEAMs possessions.

[Stonigut]

Yup at the end of the day we can say Messi, Ronaldo, Ribery, Suarez and that is not based on feel or emotion, those are stone cold facts. Those guys are the most productive, day in day out. If a guy can't deliver at a top club getting thirty five games then Dan you expect him to jump out off the box and deliver now. I think not, he is good but he probably is still two years away.

[Dunny]

Stoni is a real comedy act to rahtid, when picking a squad it is all about balance and this England squad is beautifully balanced with youth and experience. John Terry is retired so how was he going to get picked. Lambert deserves his place through his performances in the league. Lampard is the only dubious selection, Carrick should've been in. Barkley is a brave and justified selection.

[Assasin]

Them man yah see the game before it happen. England has some speed to burn in Sterling Sturridge and Welback. Ross Barkley and Lluana has some x factor. Gerrard, and lampard to provide some stability and experience in the mid.

Hodgson believe in taking some chance but sometimes it pay dividend unlike the team a few year ago that was more robotic with big name EPL players who looked not like a football team but instead like a rugby team on the field.

Which English striker is better than Lambert right now that is not already on the team?

[Dunny]

The England squad that got selected was exactly the one most people expected.
http://www1.skysports.com/FIFA-World...mpard-included

[Paul Marin]

English selectors make the strangest decisions, they also tend to way overrate their best players or what they think are there best players. Now Rooney and Gerrard are good, maybe very good, but that is about it, they are not singularly unique talents in any way shape or form and they will play their best when they are a part of the aggregation rather than seen as solar system suns and the other players merely planets basking in their solar glare.

How does England pick Lambert at 32 as a possible starting eleven striker, talk about folly, the man has not even played much international ball or obtained any results at that level.

How does lampard get picked at 36, he was once the man and got his chance and he did absolutely nothing, why pick him again.

Hodgson talks about playing attractive and open ball I hope he is joking because if England tries that they will not get out of group D. Gerrard needs help big time, he cannot be solo at the DM position as I know they want to play a 4-4-2, this is the group of slow and tortuous death, defense rules and the team that plays open will be going home. Gerrard needs a strong defensive player with him playing in a 4-5-1, that player does not exist in the English team now I think Shaw could be converted to play that but that will not happen, Terry is the 33 yo that should have made this trip and he could play that DM role in front of the back four with sole intent of disrupting and creating mayhem for the attack, he has the goods to play that position right now. Cole should have made the team as well but so it goes.

Johnson at RB is another England weakness, he is slow and suspect on defense, an asset in attack but the group of death needs survival first, thus England needs the 4-5-1 to survive.

How is it that Welbeck is even getting such a look, he has barely done anything at Manu and now he is being considered for England, makes no sense.

England has a great attack four, of Lallana on the left or right, rooney at attacking mid and sterling on the left or right with sturridge up front, that four is highly mobile, they can all create, they can all pass, they can all hold the ball, they can all dribble and they can all shoot. Sturridge is a talent the like of which England possibly has never seen, if he is 100% turned on and England picks the right side and formation I would say he has a shot at the golden boot but Hodgson probably has no idea how to get out of his own way.

Why is Ross Barkley even on this team, he is talented but he does not deserve a place on the side he has played 35 games with six goals and seventy eight shots, what is that a a goal every six or seven matches or .17 goal producing event per match and a goal every 13 shots, he has no assist in the epl, why exactly is he on the team, when people like adam Johnson are sitting at home watching tv with eight goals and five assists in 36 matches or .361 gpe per game taking 58 shots, makes no sense at all.

BTW this English squad has five yard DNA players, yes I want to see these guys do well and England do well because of their input, lets see if these guys even get a shot or the selectors etc get in their own way as usual.

Okay - so what would your selection have been for the starting English 11? Who do you think Hodgson will start in the opening game against Italy?

[Stonigut]

That is exactly the reason is folly, they deify certain players to the point of anything they do it is diminishing returns, losing perspective of the real significance these players can have within the team.

How does Barkley get game with the stats he has I have been watching that all year and seeing nothing but a puff of magicians smoke, where is the real return.

I almost forgot Henderson, here is another guy who is a good journeyman player, what value add does he bring to the side, oh he is a good box to box midfielder, what! This is another wasted pick. He can't make my liverpool eleven!

[Stonigut]

Balance, Dunny, you of all people I would expect to see and understand the imbalance of this squad. John terry retired but clearly us still the best ch England has and if he can't play that role he certainly could play the dm role which England has not one serious player for that position. The defense is weak at ch and even more so at rb thus need for some cover playing 4-5-1 but there is no one to okay the position so wilshire is as good as they have now, Henderson is not a dm, he runs up and down a lot with little effect from my standpoint. No real value add. Then hodgson brings welbeck and lampard, the first cannot create or hold on to his ball, he is an opportunistic striker which there is less need of in a defensive struggle as the first round will be, lampard is done at this level.
Lambert is also more of an opportunist/loose ball/ must be fed forward than a create his own opportunity player and at 32 what is the point. Let's see, I see a lot of imbalance which will be amplified by trying to play attack ball with the wrong players like Welbeck, lampard and Lambert. Let's see. I have never understood the English selection process it is more of a populist local lad selection than an attempt to play Bismark style real futbol.

[Stonigut]

Italy is the team I would love to model jamaica on defense first with fast and skillful attackers. That is what they will bring a very organized defense and a grind it out game, if England comes to attack with 4-4-2 with Gerard as the only dm, then if I were Italy I would get my fastest most skilled players on the left side of the attack and go right at Gerard and Johnson with every single counter I guarantee that combo will make multiple mistakes.

England has no dm players so what to do, Gerard is not natural in that role and is a slow poke to boot and is not the greatest tackler or interceptor either, but he can make that transition from defense to attack as good as anyone, so how do you protect him and Johnson. You need a interceptor/ tackler who has high confidence level is a leader and who can do this with his eyes closed, well terry is probably one of the few who could quickly convert to that role and he also is a good passer and can transition into attack as well. Who is left probably wilshire who is more of an attacking mid than dm so this is a problem.
Then in attack it us sterling, Rooney at am and lallana on the flank and Sturridge up front, all multifaceted players as opposed to more one dimensional players like lambert, welbeck Henderson and so on.

Hodgeson looks like he will play Sterling, Henderson, Gerard and welbeck/ lampard in midfield and Rooney and Sturridge up front. That side is good for a friendly but this is the first round of the cup in the group of torture, got to grind first to survive this round.

[Paul Marin]

Italy is the team I would love to model jamaica on defense first with fast and skillful attackers. That is what they will bring a very organized defense and a grind it out game, if England comes to attack with 4-4-2 with Gerard as the only dm, then if I were Italy I would get my fastest most skilled players on the left side of the attack and go right at Gerard and Johnson with every single counter I guarantee that combo will make multiple mistakes.

England has no dm players so what to do, Gerard is not natural in that role and is a slow poke to boot and is not the greatest tackler or interceptor either, but he can make that transition from defense to attack as good as anyone, so how do you protect him and Johnson. You need a interceptor/ tackler who has high confidence level is a leader and who can do this with his eyes closed, well terry is probably one of the few who could quickly convert to that role and he also is a good passer and can transition into attack as well. Who is left probably wilshire who is more of an attacking mid than dm so this is a problem.
Then in attack it us sterling, Rooney at am and lallana on the flank and Sturridge up front, all multifaceted players as opposed to more one dimensional players like lambert, welbeck Henderson and so on.

Hodgeson looks like he will play Sterling, Henderson, Gerard and welbeck/ lampard in midfield and Rooney and Sturridge up front. That side is good for a friendly but this is the first round of the cup in the group of torture, got to grind first to survive this round.

Jes' gimmi u starting 11 an' done nuh! Cho. Nuff analysis paralysis me ah see a gwaan yah!

[Dunny]

Balance, Dunny, you of all people I would expect to see and understand the imbalance of this squad. John terry retired but clearly us still the best ch England has and if he can't play that role he certainly could play the dm role which England has not one serious player for that position. The defense is weak at ch and even more so at rb thus need for some cover playing 4-5-1 but there is no one to okay the position so wilshire is as good as they have now, Henderson is not a dm, he runs up and down a lot with little effect from my standpoint. No real value add. Then hodgson brings welbeck and lampard, the first cannot create or hold on to his ball, he is an opportunistic striker which there is less need of in a defensive struggle as the first round will be, lampard is done at this level.
Lambert is also more of an opportunist/loose ball/ must be fed forward than a create his own opportunity player and at 32 what is the point. Let's see, I see a lot of imbalance which will be amplified by trying to play attack ball with the wrong players like Welbeck, lampard and Lambert. Let's see. I have never understood the English selection process it is more of a populist local lad selection than an attempt to play Bismark style real futbol.

It is obvious that you haven't been watching England play over the last 18 months. Welbeck have been England's most consistent player in that time, Lambert was third in the goalscoring chart behind Sturridge and Rooney as English strikers in the EPL and has scored 3 goals from 6 England appearances with only 2 starts, Lampard played many big games for Chelsea last season both in the EPL and CL and in defensive midfield and his experience is vital for the squad, I personally would've gone for Carrick over him, however I haven't got any problems with his inclusion. Glen Johnson has been England best right back for many years with over 50 caps, have played in world cups and European championships. Ross Barkley is an excellent impact player and fully deserves his place based on his EPL performances. You can look at stats as much as you like, this England squad is just about the best he could've picked. Gerard and Henderson play every week for their club and does well so it is a sensible decision to pair them for the national team. I am predicting that England will win their group

[Stonigut]

It in there man
Johnson, Cahill, jags, baines

Wilshire for lack of a real dm, Gerard

Sterling, Rooney, lallana

Sturridge

[Rockman]

I really think Stonigut wanted to draw out a Man U fan when he attacked those Man U players without any reason.Damn right about Welbeck,do remember one thing was clear in the CL games,Welbeck is a towering force,his opponents are WC bound players.Carrick is a utility player,he would make the difference if a player is ejected or there is a forced substitution because of injury.
England, no doubt, will face getting pinned down in their half,Carrick inclusion would have been a way of thwarting that.
Wayne Rooney is an incredible striker,as good as any,no doubt Messi is the second greatest player,that did not get Argentina over their bumps.