[Arsenal-Kuwait]

Fabio Capello has named a 23-man squad for his final friendly before the World Cup qualifiers begin, with Czech Republic the opponents at Wembley on Wednesday evening.




Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Paul Robinson (Blackburn), Joe Hart (Manchester City)


Defenders: Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Wes Brown (Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham), Matthew Upson (West Ham)


Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), David Bentley (Tottenham), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)


Strikers: Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth), Emile Heskey (Wigan), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorTeam/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2008/08/Cze_EnglandSquadNamed.htm

 

[Marc]

Heskey.................... **** OFF!!! Would someone please just do his knee in? Run him over or something. Darren Bent isn't better than Heskey? I'm not better than Heskey? What the fvck has Walcott done? Ugh, so used to Beckham at this point being in the squad on the basis of a name rather than talent I didn't even raise an eyebrow. Thats the sad thing.

Well done to Carrick, finally in the team ahead of the likes of Jenas. Must have been a tough task. Robinson and James are still in the England team for the WC qualifiers? Move on ffs, they're rubbish for England. How many times must that be proven before someone gets it.

All in all, its not a very impressive squad is it. If it was young and talented, looking for guidance and being groomed for two years down the road then yeah but its full of hacks and people who have had their time. The likes of Beckham, Lampard, Heskey, James, Robbo and even Gerrard have had their fill of chances and blown them all to hell with great efficiency.

My line up from that squad:-

----------------Hart

---Johnson---Rio---Terry---Bridge

-----Gerrard---Carrick---Lampard

-----Bentley---Rooney---Cole

 

[Hunter Lionheart]

Hm. Maybe not the best, but at least it vaguely makes sense.

2 Players for every position, no Phil Neville, and a variety of striking options. I'd have expected Ashton to take Heskey's target man role had he ot gotten injured again.

2 attacking midfielders, 2 sitting midfielders. Good.

It's a lot better than McClaren's scattergun approach anyway.

 

[Wally]

OUT: Carrick

In: THE BODY

 

[Josué]

Did I just see Marc say Lampard has blown his chances to hell with the NT? Basically, Marc says Lampard is an awful, brutal player who has no football brain and never deserved to don the England shirt in the first place!?! :eekani:

 

[PMC]

Heskey is still playing football?

 

[Marc]

"Well done to Carrick, finally in the team ahead of the likes of Jenas."

Oh har de fvcking har. :embarass:

Did I just see Marc say Lampard has blown his chances to hell with the NT? Basically, Marc says Lampard is an awful, brutal player who has no football brain and never deserved to don the England shirt in the first place!?! :eekani:

He is 30 (add another 2 come the WC), his time has passed. He did great for us at the euros and in WC qualifying (which is more than can be said of the other names), but thats gone now. His era didn't win us anything, simple as.

 

[Excalibur76]

what about Aslhey Young??

 

[ninetyfive]

In all honesty, i think it's time we got pragmatic about things and throw the towel in.

Heskey and Defoe up front, Rooney on the wing yuck flat 442 and long ball.

 

[michaldinho]

why does everyone act as if heskey is some plague sent to destroy englands chances of winning anything

 

[Deano]

why does everyone act as if heskey is some plague sent to destroy englands chances of winning anything

Because hes sh!t.

 

[Jibril]

I do wonder though why Micah Richards isn't in the squad. He's light years ahead of knuckleheads like Wes Brown and Matthew Upson.

 

[Hunter Lionheart]

Actually, I forgot about Richards. No idea why he's not there.

Cole/Downing provide 2 different options on the left wing. Young is good, but he does the same job as Cole.

 

[Jibril]

Young is better than Downing on all fronts, and nobody can justify selecting Downing ahead of Young - I agree with Marc, a lot of players in our squad need to put their pride aside and call it a day. They've achieved nothing whatsoever with England, and come WC 2010 players like Lampard, James, Beckham and even Gerrard to an extend will be well into their thirties.

Versus Czech Republic:

Hart

Johnson - Terry - Ferdinand - A. Cole

Gerrard - Barry - Lampard

Bentley - Rooney - J. Cole​

 

[Osman]

Why isnt Micah Richards, Ashley Young, and Agbonlahor there? I would even throw in Michael Johnson for good measure.

 

[Jibril]

Why isnt Micah Richards, Ashley Young, and Agbonlahor there? I would even throw in Michael Johnson for good measure.

Richard's and Young's exclusion is a mystery, especially Richard as he should be dead certain to start. I don't know Capello's logic behind leaving him out - Agbonlahor is a bit further down the striker pecking order so I'm not that surprised he hasn't been picked.

As long as this older generation is still playing, guys like Michael Johnson won't get a sniff, which is a shame really.

 

[Hunter Lionheart]

Downing is a natural left footer, and is better from a dead ball. Different options. There is NO need to have Young when Joe Cole does his job better.

 

[barracuda]

It's a friendly people, don't draw too big conclusions on the squad

 

[Iain]

Terry has been announced as captain. Shame as I was hoping Rio would get the job but it's much of a muchness anyway really.

I hadn't noticed the omission of Richards until this thread. That's inexcusable really unless he's injured. Should be a guarenteed starter at right back, at least until someone retires and he can move into the centre.

 

[Mutu]

Are people really question Lampard's selection in this squad ahead of guys like Johnson?