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This is actually a much more intriguing prospect than it would have been a couple of months ago due to various issues of injury, form, unavailability or new re-availability.

I think there could be more than a couple of eyebrows raised at inclusions or omissions tomorrow when Don Fabio names his squad. Does he take Wio? recalls for Sol/Carra? Is Ledley worth the risk? Hargreaves (surely not) or Scott Parker? Can he possibly justify taking hopelessly out of form picks such as Downing and Heskey? Who will be the goalkeepeers? Can Barry make it? Joleon??

So....I'll pick my 23 (the larger 30 man squad is less of a challenge really...)

GK Joe Hart
GK David James
GK Robert Green

RB Glen Johnson
RB Wes Brown

CB John Terry
CB Jamie Carragher
CB Joleon Lescott
CB Ledley King

LB Ashley Cole
LB Leighton Baines

MF Steven Gerrard
MF Frank Lampard
MF Scott Parker
MF Michael Carrick
MF James Milner
MF Theo Walcott
MF Aaron Lennon
MF Adam Johnson

CF Wayne Rooney
CF Peter Crouch
CF Jermain Defoe
CF Bobby Zamora

GK Joe Hart
GK David James
GK Robert Green

RB Glen Johnson
RB / CB Jamie Carragher
CB John Terry
CB Michael Dawson
CB Rio Ferdinand
CB Ledley King
CB / LB Joleon Lescott
LB Ashley Cole

MF Steven Gerrard
MF Frank Lampard
MF Scott Parker
MF Gareth Barry / (Owen Hargreaves, gamble but Carrick is in such poor form)
MF James Milner
MF Theo Walcott
MF Adam Johnson
MF Ashley young (We're covered down the right and I prefer Young to Lennon for his better final ball and set piece quality)

CF Emile Heskey (Rooney is the key for us and he plays better with heskey than with anyone else)
CF Wayne Rooney
CF Peter Crouch
CF Jermain Defoe

Not what I'd pick, but what I think Capello may take

GK
Green
James
Hart

Def
Johnson
W Brown
Terry
Ferdinand
Upson
Carragher
Cashley
Baines
(Lescott hasnt played for 2 months so has zero chance, zip, nada, zilch)

Midf
Lennon
Walcott
Gerrard
Lampard
Carrick
Milner
Scott Parker
Adam Johnson
(Barry cannot guarantee fitness and you cant take injured players, SWP misses out again)

Forwards
Rooney
Defoe
Crouch
Heskey

I would take:

James
Hart
Robinson

Johnson
Ferdinand
Terry
A Cole
Dawson
Brown
Baines
King

Lennon
Barry
Lampard
Gerrard
AJ
Milner
J Cole
Carrick

Rooney
Zamora
Defoe
Crouch

Taking likes of Heskey and Walcott would be your downfall. Walcott is guaranteed to be on the plane but you should all pray that no talent like Heskey is left well behind.

Assuming one or two niggling injuries clear up, I'd plump for:

GK: James, Hart, Kirkland

Def: Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, King, Dawson, Lescott, Baines

Mid: Cole, Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Lennon, Carrick, Downing, Milner

Fwd: Rooney, Bent, Defoe, Crouch


Trying to be non-partisan, I'd suggest that SWP is out of form and match practice (I'd take him in front of Downing otherwise) and AJ isn't big-game ready yet.

Alioune DVToure wrote:Assuming one or two niggling injuries clear up, I'd plump for:

GK: James, Hart, Kirkland

Def: Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, King, Dawson, Lescott, Baines

Mid: Cole, Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Lennon, Carrick, Downing, Milner

Fwd: Rooney, Bent, Defoe, Crouch


Trying to be non-partisan, I'd suggest that SWP is out of form and match practice (I'd take him in front of Downing otherwise) and AJ isn't big-game ready yet.

That's as close to best squad for you as possible imo.

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Taking likes of Heskey and Walcott would be your downfall. Walcott is guaranteed to be on the plane but you should all pray that no talent like Heskey is left well behind.

I have re-read this several times and I honestly don't get your point re Heskey.

Are you saying we should hope that he doesn't go?

ant london wrote:

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Taking likes of Heskey and Walcott would be your downfall. Walcott is guaranteed to be on the plane but you should all pray that no talent like Heskey is left well behind.

I have re-read this several times and I honestly don't get your point re Heskey.

Are you saying we should hope that he doesn't go?

Yes.

cant believe heskey is gonna go. he is absolute fucking shite. he just doesnt deserve a place.

That squad wont win the world cup,no way.

lets all have a disco wrote:That squad wont win the world cup,no way.

Spot on. Its a q-f team at best (again). Best asset is the manager and unfortunately he cant play right-back, or on the left side of midfield. First decent team we come up against who can maintain possession will beat us, or get us to a penalty shoot-out at which time we know whats coming.

I checked with my mum, I am not Fabio Capello.

------------------------ROONEY--------------------

--ROONEY----ROONEY---ROONEY----ROONEY

---------------ROONEY-----------------------------
----------------------------ROONEY---------------
ROONEY---------------------------------ROONEY

-------------------ROONEY----------------------

Spares - ROONEY x 12, doesnt matter what team/squad he takes our 'best' players are turning into slow old moaning cunts and they all missed there chance 4 years ago, Rooney is the only player going that is truly world class. FAT SHREK LOOKING SECOND HAND SCHOOL UNIFORM WEARING GRANNY SHAGGING UUUUGLY CUNT THAT HE IS, HIS WIFE IS ALSO A FUCKING MUTT VON DOGBERG

ashton287 wrote:------------------------ROONEY--------------------

--ROONEY----ROONEY---ROONEY----ROONEY

---------------ROONEY-----------------------------
----------------------------ROONEY---------------
ROONEY---------------------------------ROONEY

-------------------ROONEY----------------------

Spares - ROONEY x 12, doesnt matter what team/squad he takes our 'best' players are turning into slow old moaning cunts and they all missed there chance 4 years ago, Rooney is the only player going that is truly world class. FAT SHREK LOOKING SECOND HAND SCHOOL UNIFORM WEARING GRANNY SHAGGING UUUUGLY CUNT THAT HE IS, HIS WIFE IS ALSO A FUCKING MUTT VON DOGBERG

That's ridiculous....

You've only got 10 Rooney's on the pitch..... assuming you missed out Heskey by mistake?

lets all have a disco wrote:That squad wont win the world cup,no way.

Poor attitude..How many times have we seen surprises crop up into cup finals .

ashton287 wrote:------------------------ROONEY--------------------

--ROONEY----ROONEY---ROONEY----ROONEY

---------------ROONEY-----------------------------
----------------------------ROONEY---------------
ROONEY---------------------------------ROONEY

-------------------ROONEY----------------------

Spares - ROONEY x 12, doesnt matter what team/squad he takes our 'best' players are turning into slow old moaning cunts and they all missed there chance 4 years ago, Rooney is the only player going that is truly world class. FAT SHREK LOOKING SECOND HAND SCHOOL UNIFORM WEARING GRANNY SHAGGING UUUUGLY CUNT THAT HE IS, HIS WIFE IS ALSO A FUCKING MUTT VON DOGBERG

Yeah, Lampard is defo slippin away with his 22 goals and 18 assists

hughesthemancini wrote:That's ridiculous....

You've only got 10 Rooney's on the pitch..... assuming you missed out Heskey by mistake?

Nope he's right - the other Rooney has already being sent off.

GK: James, Hart, Kirkland

Def: Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, King, Brown, Dawson, Baines

Mid: Cole, Gerrard, Lampard, Parker, Lennon, Carrick, A. Johnson, Milner

Fwd: Rooney, Bent, Defoe, Crouch

James - Starting XI
Hart
Robinson

Johnson - Starting XI
Terry - Starting XI
Ferdinand - Starting XI
Cole - Starting XI
King
Dawson
Warnock
Jagielka

Gerrard - Starting XI
Lampard - Starting XI
Parker - Starting XI
Milner - Starting XI
Lennon - Starting XI
Johnson
Walcott
J Cole

Rooney - Starting XI
Bent
Defoe
Crouch