If you were in Roy's Shoes...............

[sharrowblade]

A lot of talk in various threads about the England Euro 2012 squad.

Who would you pick? Statistics and reputations are one thing, but a team and squad needs balance, not just the best players.
So give us some alternatives and the reasons, and it’s no good just saying ‘they’re crap’. You might be right, but lets try to be a bit more structured.
Football can be all about opinions, and everybody’s got one, apparently.

Roy’s Squad in Bold
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Man City), Robert Green (West Ham), John Ruddy (Norwich)

Goalkeepers:
Joe Hart: - (Manchester city) Age: 25
No Brainer.

Paul Robinson: (Blackburn Rovers) Age: 32
Experienced and on his day, won,t let anyone down, and still capable of making great saves. Adequete cover for Hart

Note: I’d only take two keepers, how many times do you need three? With Rooney missing first two games, I’m going with an extra striker.

Excluded:
Rob Green: capable keeper that he is, is not international class and is, and always has been an accident waiting to happen.
John Ruddy: has done well this year, but has been beaten a number of times when you felt perhaps he should have saved it.

Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Man United), John Terry (Chelsea), Joleon Lescott (Man City), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton)

Defenders

Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Left Back Age 31
I’m not Cole’s greatest fan by any stretch of the imagination and to laud him in the Class of one of the world’s best left backs is frankly laughable. But, he’s arguably the best we’ve got.

Leighton Baines (Everton) Left Back Age 27
Another consistant season for the Everton full back who delivers a decent ball into the danger area. Cover for Cole

Micah Richards (Manchester City) – Right Back Age 23
Physically strong, Richards has worked hard on his game and his fitness, can’t think why how he’s been left out.

Phil Jones (Manchester United) Right Back, centre Half Age 20
Would provide cover for Richards at full back, and can play Centre half or midfield if needed.

Phil Jagielka (Everton) Centre Half Age 29
Come on there has to be one former Blade in the team. 100% commitment, although is prone to picking up injuries. Good reserve keeper in case of emergency

Gary Cahill (Chelsea) Centre Half Age 26
Good performances in Champions League and youth on his side.

Joleon Lescott (Man City) Centre Half Age 29
Consistant performer, and likely to get his head onto the end of a set piece.

Excluded:

John Terry: Has had his time, Very slow by international standards. Being passionate is not enough. Tempremental, bad for team spirit?
Glen Johnson: Another who has had a number of chances and has rarely been convincing

Midfielders: Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Gareth Barry (Man City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Ashley Young (Man United), James Milner (Man City)

Midfield
Scott Parker (Spurs) Central Midfield Age 30
All successful sides need a player to do the hard graft. Parker fits that bill.

Gareth Barry: (Manchester City) – Central Midfield 31
In, but only just. Would take as cover for Parker if he’s struggling with his injury

Frank Lampard (Chelsea) Central midfield Age: 33
You’re either a Lampard fan or you’re not. I’d have him there, perhaps not as a starter but he’s capable of scoring a goal, and still plays a mean ball, the reverse through ball to Ramires in the Nou camp fro example.

Alex Oxade Chamberlain (Arsenal) Right Midfield Age: 19
The lads got strength, balance and speed. Inexperienced Yes, But I’d take him and I’d use him.

Scott Sinclair (Swansea) Right Midfield, Age 23
Bit of a wild card, but deserves his chance over the inconsistent Lennon, with pace to match.

Ashley Young (Manchester United) Left Midfield Age 26
Not many options if the truth were known available on the left hand side, and although Young is right footed he’s not unaccustomed to it. Always capable of getting a penalty.

Kevin Nolan (West Ham United) Central Midfield, In the hole.Age: 30
Controversial choice I admit, but there’s no doubting Nolan’s calibre. How’s he not got an international cap is anyone’s guess. Excellent season again. Ability to come late, ensure’s goals a plenty.
.
Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea) Right Midfield Age 23
Quick, elusive, unpredictable. Can’t believe he’s not in.

Keiren Richardson (Sunderland) Left Midfield Age: 27
Surprise yes, but there’s a dearth of left sided midfielders, and I can’t think of anybody else. Cover for Young

Excluded:
Stewart Downing – Self explanatory. Woefully out of form. Lightweight.
Steven Gerrard – Great Player, but best days are past him, hampered by injuries.
James Milner – Has become a bit part player at City, Would have as a reserve

Strikers: Wayne Rooney (Man United), Danny Welbeck (Man United), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Strikers
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Age 26
Missing 2 games is a blow, but worth the gamble.

Andy Carroll (Newcastle United) Age 23
He needs service, hasn’t had it a Liverpool this season, but is a good Plan B. Sure to upset some defenders.

Peter Crouch (Stoke) Age 31
I’d take them both. (especially Abby )

Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Age 23
Lead the line son, defender’s don’t like pace, and if you’re playing up front, you won’t have to worry about constantly poor delivery.

Danny Welbeck – Manchester United, Age 21
Can also cover as winger, good partnership with Rooney. Anyone who has the middle name Tackie is alright in my book.

Excluded:
Jermain Defoe: (Spurs) Too busy shagging. Looks tired.

Okay, there’s my squad.

Average Age: 26.43 yrs
Roy’s England Average age: 26.86

Pro’s – Nothing expected, time for some of the youngsters to stake a claim.
Cons – No dynamic central midfielder, we simply haven’t got one. No Xavi, or a Schweinsteiger, or a Van Persie up front.

Overall: Highlights the growing problem for English football. The manager only has a number of limited options. Most of the English keepers in the premiership are on the bench. Lampard and Gerrard have kept their places for so long because there literally has been no young dynamic, ball playing CENTRAL English midfielders to challenge them. The leading strikers bar Rooney are foreign. However, will possibly be the first tournament for a long time, where the usual rabid media doesn’t appear to be carrying gullible supporters on a wave of unfound patriotism towards crowning us the Champions.

Our record in this tournament is abysmal. If they treat this as a new beginning, and play without fear, instead of dragging the weight of expectations on their shoulders, then stranger things have happened in this tournament. Denmark, Greece anyone?
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[Senior82]

I think you have to pick 3 keepers and i'm pretty sure Robinson retired from Internationals (good). I agree Richards should have been in.

Downing - how he keeps getting picked is beyond me. Actually then you mentioned Kieran Richardson.

Don't agree with you with Sturridge, doesn't seem to cut it against the top sides for me.

[Kickoff3pm]

I don't think anyone in their right mind was going to make wholesale changes. This left Roy very little room and he used what space he had to get rid of a few and introduce a few.

Sure he could have included and excluded some others but can any of us say it would make any difference in the end ? I can't.

He'll tighten them up at the back if he can, he couldn't do that at the Albion or Liverpool in his first 20 or so games. But I think in both cases he was very much not tampering and in Liverpool case he just wanted to steady the club till they opened up the wallet I think.

I hope we get a good start because two 1-0 wins will set us up nice for Rooney's return and with a confident defensive shape we might get in the semis I think.

[WileBrownAstle]

Their isnt a great amount of top players around at the minute. Rooney our best player is missing.
I was suprised to see Downing picked.
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[Kickoff3pm]

WileBrownAstle wrote:

Their isnt a great amount of top players around at the minute. Rooney our best player is missing. I was suprised to see Downing picked.

That is an odd one, not only because he offers very little except perhaps one decent cross a game but also because the are another 4 wide players in the squad.

[The SFC Chris]

Personally the only change I would have made would be to replace Downing with another central midfielder.

[1980Cossie]

Its a real shame that Scholes wouldn't go to one last tournament and also that Wilshere has been injured all season, they are the only two English players can pass.

[James]

Personally don't think it matters who Roy woudl have picked we'll be coming home at the end of the group stage anyway, far too many England players under perform at international level and are picked due to their ego's rather than their actual ability to play at that level.