England World Cup Thread

[MrRed]

Americans are welcome to comment.

Naming of squad today should be interesting

[carmine]

Interesting Mr Ed or entirely predictable? Roy doesn't do surprises and doesn't do risky!

[jellydog]

Thanks for the invite Red.

I'd go young full force. In addition to having some decent young talent available, its gonna be awfully hot in Brazil. The old fellows could wilt.

[smokie36]

Lickin my lips Nads.....bring them on!

[StevieH]

bbc reporting that carrick is being left out of the squad.

[jellydog]

[jellydog]

Pretty good selection by Roy I'd wager. Now the trick is to find a way to get the squad to play to their potential.

[Chicog]

I'd say that's about the best he can do.

And no further comment is required.

I wonder what the price is against England scoring a single goal in the group?

[Chicog]

You can get 4/1 on England not winning a Group match.

Obviously not in Thailand, that would be illegal.

[mrbojangles]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

[mrtoad]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

Can't be any worse than the last time, can it????

Think in the end that's about as good a squad as he had available, although think Milner is a donkey.

[Sparkles]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

Can't be any worse than the last time, can it????

Think in the end that's about as good a squad as he had available, although think Milner is a donkey.

Maybe so but donkies can carry a large load and Milner gives you 100% if not all quality.Lampard playing 90 mins in the heat ? don't think so. Anyway I guess 3 games might be the max they play.better to build for the following WC and think that Roy the boy has done a reasonable job not that he will be kept on.The tabloids will see to that.

[scunner]

Well it's a start of the build phase after a wasted decade - but has anything been learnt? Or will we just see the inevitable repeat of past failings in future tournaments?

Three games and is the likeliest outcome, with a (small) chance of maybe fluking it into the first knock out round.

[smokie36]

That's a pretty good selection....if he throws caution to the wind and let's that squad go for glory they might do ok.

I'll be pouring myself a large glass of sangria and enjoying the fun!

[wilai]

Carlsberg don't do Standby squads,but if they did?........

[StevieH]

That's a pretty good selection....if he throws caution to the wind and let's that squad go for glory they might do ok.

I'll be pouring myself a large glass of sangria and enjoying the fun!

caution to the wind? have you ever watched a roy hodgson team smokie?

[carmine]

Aside of leaving out Carrick that i feel is a mistake, not surprisingly no surprises at all.

[carmine]

That's a pretty good selection....if he throws caution to the wind and let's that squad go for glory they might do ok.

I'll be pouring myself a large glass of sangria and enjoying the fun!

Change to record.

[mrbojangles]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

Can't be any worse than the last time, can it????

Think in the end that's about as good a squad as he had available, although think Milner is a donkey.

Maybe so but donkies can carry a large load and Milner gives you 100% if not all quality.Lampard playing 90 mins in the heat ? don't think so. Anyway I guess 3 games might be the max they play.better to build for the following WC and think that Roy the boy has done a reasonable job not that he will be kept on.The tabloids will see to that.

Yeah, you can't knock Milner for his effort and he has a good footballing brain. He has helped City unlock defences on many occasion this season.

[StevieH]

milner does a job when deployed in the right way. usually wins his battles and as boj says has a good football brain on him. roy will of course play him as a shielding defensive winger.

[Chicog]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

Just wait.

Media Frenzy around the corner.

[carmine]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

Yes this is very lucky for Hodgson. No expect ions at all really, where actually qualifying from the group would be viewed as an achievement. Just have to hope that the tabloids don't form an agenda to start bugging it up although that surely would look too absurd even for them.

[mrtoad]

Aside of leaving out Carrick that i feel is a mistake, not surprisingly no surprises at all.

Carsick has had an average season, so not to surprised.

Think it's the best of what we have , and it's not good enough

[jellydog]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

Yes this is very lucky for Hodgson. No expect ions at all really, where actually qualifying from the group would be viewed as an achievement. Just have to hope that the tabloids don't form an agenda to start bugging it up although that surely would look too absurd even for them.

Nothing is too absurd for them. They'll be all over Hodgson, the NT, Brazil and whatever else they can think of like stink on s**t.

[StevieH]

The pressure is totally off us this time round. This is probably the first time in ages where the nation and the tabloids doesn't expect.

Yes this is very lucky for Hodgson. No expect ions at all really, where actually qualifying from the group would be viewed as an achievement. Just have to hope that the tabloids don't form an agenda to start bugging it up although that surely would look too absurd even for them.

it's not lucky, it's strategic. hodgson has spent months and months and months lowering expectations with his inane press conference ramblings and his tactics on the pitch. he's got a selection of some pretty and some extremely good players playing negative, risk-free, almost cowardly football.

there's no reason on earth england with this group of players and a manager with any semblance of a clue shouldn't get out of that group. i'm not saying that they need the whole we're gonna win it palaver and circus but i don't see why the quarter-finals is such an impossible ask.

[wilai]

And here we go....

England can reach World Cup semi-final, says Alan Shearer

Edited May 13, 2014 by wilai

[Chicog]

Pigs can fly says Chico G

[StevieH]

shearer using the ultimate cop-out word there, 'can'. of course england 'can' reach the semis. they can also die in an horrific plane crash on the way to brazil.

[mrtoad]

Shearer CAN creosote my fence, he's probably better at that, than punditry.

[MrRed]

Hart

Johnson Cahill Jags Baines

Gerrard

Barclay Rooney Lalana

Sturridge Wellbeck

I would like to see this line up full of pace and invention sadly we won't.