Roy's England Squad

It's a bit belated, but I've decided to have a look at who Roy Hodgson has picked for his Euro 2012 squad amid much controversy. Nobody will ever agree on a starting XI never mind a 23-man squad to go to a tournament, one which if we are honest will be very happy if we make it through to the semi-final stage. 


That basis of being realistic and not getting ahead of ourselves is also the basis for some of the reasoning behind who I would and wouldn't have picked. If you never get these younger lads experience on the big stage, when the World Cup rolls around in 2016 people will be saying "you can't pick so-and-so cos he's never even played in the Euro's" and don't tell me that's not true because we hear it every World Cup year!! If we do get to the final stages of the Euro's and lose out due to a lack of experience then fair enough, we might then have a half decent crack at a World Cup.


Goalkeepers

Joe Hart - England's No1

The ones who have been selected behind Joe Hart are only there to make up the numbers. We all know Hart is a fantastic keeper and will certainly wear the Number 1 shirt in Poland & Ukraine. Rob Green can do a stand in job if required and Ruddy has had a good season but unless Hart gets injured they'll be carrying the drinks.


Defenders


With Rio being left out, and rightly so in my opinion, Terry was an obvious pick. Personally I'd have had neither in my squad. Both are getting on and neither has had a particularly good season. Cahill is going to be a future English centre back so I'd have certainly picked him and would have him in the starting XI. His partner would be Joleon Lescott, Premier League Champion and a unsung hero alongside Vincent Kompany. He isn't the quickest but has enough Premier League experience with Everton and Man City and Cahill's pace will compensate for his lack of. 

Gary Cahill

Phil Jagielka may have also been in with a shout of a spot, but his lack of games this season has cost him, and you can't knock Hodgson for that. The injury to Chris Smalling has cost him his chance of a crack at the squad, but his Manchester United team mate could always cover at centre half if needs be.


In the full back spots, a lot of people can't understand why Micah Richards hasn't been included, but I believe it's fairly obvious. What people see of him, he bulldozes past defenders and is great going forward. It's the other end of the pitch where he struggles, and it seems incomprehensible for a lad of his size and with his pace that he'd get caught out. Mancini rarely plays Richards when they are likely to be under the cosh, opting instead for Zabaleta who takes less risks. In the same way Kyle Walker does at Spurs, neither are particularly good defensively and pace often gets them out of a hole, and if those teams do concede goals it's often because the right back has switched off. Johnson is going to play at right back, and even as a Liverpool fan I think this is our weakest area of the team. Phil Jones hasn't set the world on fire at United but he makes the squad because of his versatility and will cover at right back. 


If Leighton Baines was a right back he might get a go, but unfortunately he is behind one of the best, if not the best left-back in the world in (C)Ashley Cole. One of very few to come back from South Africa with any credit.


Midfielders

Theo Walcott

Stewart Downing has obviously, and right so been a highly criticised inclusion of Roy Hodgson's squad. Having no league goals, and no league assists is simply not good enough from a winger. However, he's not even going to get a look in, so don't get your knickers in a twist too much. He will be behind Walcott, Young, Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner in the wide positions. People have been talking about Adam Johnson not being included in the squad, but he has hardly played a game this year. 


If there is one thing defenders don't like its pace, and England have got Walcott, Young and Chamerbrlain to get at the full backs, with the potential they have. The only thing is, when they pull on an England shirt, they don't really seem to do it. Walcott needs to do something to stop people talking about his hatrick in Croatia which was too long ago. All three would have been in my squad, Downing wouldn't have been, but like I say, he won't get a look in I don't think. All three a relatively young and are all good inclusions, all will be available for the World Cup and need the tournament experience. 


Daniel Sturridge has been unlucky to miss out after having a decent season at Chelsea. I can only imagine England won't play in the same way Chelsea do and therefore couldn't find him a place out wide, or one of a top two, as that's not where he has played for Chelsea.


In the middle, Gerrard is obviously on Hodgson's team sheet in marker pen, baring injury. Who partners him in midfield will depend on Hodgson's preference. Gareth Barry obviously does something right because Liverpool chased him, and then City paid a lot of money to acquire his services from Villa. He is also on Mancini's team sheet every week. Equally Scott Parker has been a shoe-in for Spurs and has done a good job in the engine room. Lampard makes up the four central midfielders, but probably won't play, it's a years old theory that Gerrard and Lampard can't play together, and unless we play with 5 in the midfield, it will be Gerrard plus Barry or Parker. Whether Parker recovers from his injury may decide who makes the first XI against France. I'd play 4-4-2 personally.


Michael Carrick has missed out, and rightly so. Manchester United struggled to make incisive balls between defenders and that's partly down to Carrick, he gives the ball to someone else and isn't as good as Parker or Barry in the defensive role and has rightly missed out. He has the highest pass completion record in the Premiership, not hard when you pass the ball backwards or sideways 5 yards. 


Strikers

Andy Carroll

With Wayne Rooney missing for the first two games due to his petulance, the forward line looks thin on the ground while he is unavailable. Welbeck has had a decent season for United, and his inclusion may have been due to the way he works with Rooney, but when isolated up on his own, he isn't the same player. He doesn't seem like a natural partner for Andy Carroll either. Carroll has looked more like the player he was at Newcastle towards the back end of the season, but has been lucky to get in. People have talked about Grant Holt, but he's 31. Is that the future of English centre forwards, no. Could Carroll? Possibly. 


Jermaine Defoe has a great goal scoring record for England and is a great inclusion in my mind. Rooney likes to drop deep and get on the ball, whereas Defoe is the complete opposite. These two would be my starting pair when Rooney becomes available. Leaving Welbeck and Carroll on the sidelines, both of which could make an impact from the bench. 


Darren Bent was unlucky to miss out I'm told. But I'm not a fan. He had 9 league goals last season, a terrible return for a centre forward. He needs several chances to get himself on the scoresheet and isn't clinical enough for the international stage. He is another who isn't the future of English football and needs to be cast aside. For good.


Those are my opinions on the side, and what Hodgson is thinking is anyone's guess. What I will guarentee is that the press will build up England's chances only to shoot them down once they struggle. There is also good odds on someone embarrassing the country on the field, losing their rag and getting sent off, or something of that ilk. 


My starting XI would be: (4-4-2) Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Lescott, Cole, Walcott, Gerrard, Parker (if fit, Barry if not), Young, Welbeck (Rooney when available), Defoe.


What I think Hodgson will play: (4-5-1 or 4-3-3): Hart, Johnson, Terry, Cahill, Cole, Walcott, Parker Parker (if fit, Barry if not), Lampard, Young, Welbeck (Rooney when available). 


As I said at the start, nobody will ever agree on the starting XI never mind the squad, but that's the beauty of football, "its a game of opinions".