England Team

[Ron Manager]

Appreciate that, it doesnt seem a very Capello-style move, however I don't know who else I would have as my 2nd option at Right back.... Luke Young, Wes Brown? Phil Neville? Micah Richards? Nedum Onuoha? Michael Mancienne?

The way I see it is that Glen Johnson will play, and Gary Neville is a good player to have around the squad.

Simon Francis?

;)

 

[EastStandBlue]

Yeah. Thought so.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

No goalkeeper?

As Carson, Green and Robinson are all liabilities, I've decided to go against playing a keeper and to use the extra player to strengthen midfield. Presumably my first three choices (Foster, James and Kirkland) are all injured and we've no-one worth playing in their place.

As for right-back, I'm a Micah Richards fan. The boy's got talent and it's the coach's job to coax it out of him. Glenn Johnson would be the second name on my list.

Luke Young doesn't have international quality. He's a Danny Mills deluxe. I liked the look of David Wheater last year, he's played right-back but is blatantly a centre-half. If Gerrard could ever play with some discipline and stop gifting possession away with his hollywood passes than he'd make a half-decent right-back and it would solve the dilemma of where to play him.

Picking Neville when he hasn't played all year is a joke.

 

[Rob Noxious]

I am and have been a big fan of Gary Neville for years. Not only is he a good defender (having started his career at centre back) but is actually a good attacker as well. He doesn't have the pace of Ashley Cole but puts in a very good cross and does the simple things well. A lot of people claim he could only play right back with Becks in front of him which I believe is utter rubbish.

I am also slightly surprised he was picked in the team but as people have said there isn't really a lot of options. I think Micah Richards flattered to deceive ar Right Back. His positional sense was awful, luckily something he made up for with his pace but against top quality opposition I think this would be a problem in the future.

I think this is right... Richards does not read the game very well and would be exposed against opposition with good movement (as he was against Croatia in late 2007 for Eduardo's goal). Neville's inclusion is a reward for his enduring dependability when there are no obvious back-ups for Johnson, who himself has been exposed defensively in the past and may well be again despite a huge improvement over the last year.

 

[Benji91]

I think this is right... Richards does not read the game very well and would be exposed against opposition with good movement (as he was against Croatia in late 2007 for Eduardo's goal). Neville's inclusion is a reward for his enduring dependability when there are no obvious back-ups for Johnson, who himself has been exposed defensively in the past and may well be again despite a huge improvement over the last year.

But Richards has the pace to make up for any mistake.
I saw the Man Ure Villa game and Neville got tore to shreads. I think he started centre back and got hammered by Carew in the air and then Agbonlahor's pace... so Fergie moved out to right back where he got destroyed by Ashley Young. Ferguson is very loyal to his players (Giggs, Scholes etc) but i think he favours Rafael over Neville nowadays

 

[Rob Noxious]

But Richards has the pace to make up for any mistake.

Not at the highest level, I'm afraid...

 

[Rob Noxious]

I saw the Man Ure Villa game and Neville got tore to shreads. I think he started centre back and got hammered by Carew in the air and then Agbonlahor's pace... so Fergie moved out to right back where he got destroyed by Ashley Young. Ferguson is very loyal to his players (Giggs, Scholes etc) but i think he favours Rafael over Neville nowadays

...perhaps, but like I said this is just a reward for Neville's relative dependability in comparison to any other potential back-ups for Johnson, eg Luke Young and all the others queuing up for this slot. As the games are against the "glorious republic" of Kazakhstan and the European punch-bag that is Andorra, I don't think it's a worry next week. However, there is a position up for grabs in the World Cup 22, and I would be seriously worried if Richards was considered for it, unless he sharpens up his positional awareness. Luckily, Fabs has got it pretty sorted in competitive matches thus far and I have confidence he'll make the right choices...

 

[Rob Noxious]

...and after seeing Carrick last night, I am seriously questioning whether he should be in the 22 too...

 

[EastStandBlue]

...and after seeing Carrick last night, I am seriously questioning whether he should be in the 22 too...

Because players are judged on their performance in a single game now...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Because players are judged on their performance in a single game now...

As opposed to over two games?

 

[BoyWonder2]

I completely missed the squad announcement until yesterday and I was shocked to see Gazza Neville in there. I agree with Fabio's selection policy about picking the players that are on form and playing, that is a pretty obvious selection policy but hasn't always been used by England managers in the past

As a Country, we don't have a lot of adequate cover at right back on the International scene. I'm not overly convinced by Glen Johnson and talk of him moving for £10million plus is laughable. I'm a big fan of Micah Richards and think he will develop into Englands' first choice right back but after them who else is there? Wes Brown isn't good enough, Mancienne is a centre half that is too short so got pushed out to right back but doesn't play anywhere near enough, Nedum at Man City could develop there but again I think his a centre half. Luke Young isn't up to much either.

The obvious choice is to go back to the previous right back of Gazza Neville. He will offer huge amounts of experience to the young players like Johnson, Ashley Young, Theo Walcott etc and certainly wouldn't let us down if Johnson went down injured. He has been England's best right back for the last decade or so, and to say he wasn't in the top 8 is laughable to be honest.

Would like us to go with:

Robinson
Johnson Terry Ferdinand Cole
Walcott Lampard Barry Young
Heskey Rooney

I can't see that happening though to be honest.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Because players are judged on their performance in a single game now...

No- last night confirmed it for me that he doesn't have what it takes to be a success at international level. His admirers say what a good passer of the ball he is, but I suggest that his passing is inconsistent and last night, downright woeful at times. He does not seem to be able to assert himself enough in a game to change it. I think he would be a 'luxury' player in a squad of 22 and he strikes me as one of those players who only shines when the team is playing well. I suspect he missed Fletcher last night to do some of the hassling and harrying which is not his game. Good shot on him, mind, but would be surprised if he got more than single figures (in goals scored) on average a season...

 

[Rob Noxious]

The obvious choice is to go back to the previous right back of Gazza Neville. He will offer huge amounts of experience to the young players like Johnson, Ashley Young, Theo Walcott etc and certainly wouldn't let us down if Johnson went down injured. He has been England's best right back for the last decade or so, and to say he wasn't in the top 8 is laughable to be honest.

Would like us to go with:

Robinson
Johnson Terry Ferdinand Cole
Walcott Lampard Barry Young
Heskey Rooney

I can't see that happening though to be honest.

I can see this happening actually and think that you are right in your above points. Though I would prefer Gerrard to Lampard in the team, perhaps Fabs may give Lampard the nod following his recent form. Or he'd see if they could play together again...for one more time.

 

[EastStandBlue]

With Gerrard performing so well when placed just behind Torres, I'd love to see him and Rooney just behind Heskey up front, with Walcott and Lennon waiting in the wings as impact subs.

If Johnson is at Right Back, Him and A.Cole should provide an element of pace and you're utilising Gerrard's abilities, and Lampards.

 

[Pubey]

With Gerrard performing so well when placed just behind Torres, I'd love to see him and Rooney just behind Heskey up front, with Walcott and Lennon waiting in the wings as impact subs.

If Johnson is at Right Back, Him and A.Cole should provide an element of pace and you're utilising Gerrard's abilities, and Lampards.

exactly, with A Cole and Johnson you don't really need the pace in front of them, you need a midfield which gives them the opportunity for them to break forward

 

[Rob Noxious]

With Gerrard performing so well when placed just behind Torres, I'd love to see him and Rooney just behind Heskey up front, with Walcott and Lennon waiting in the wings as impact subs.

If Johnson is at Right Back, Him and A.Cole should provide an element of pace and you're utilising Gerrard's abilities, and Lampards.

I believe Fabs rates Walcott very highly and I'm certain he will start. I like the idea of the Scousers playing in tandem "in the hole" which would mean that Barry is likely to be the midfield anchor (although there's probably not much need for one against Kazakhstan, even away from home). What bets that it's Walcott, Gerrard, Lampard and Barry in midfield? Like you say, Cole is likely to get forward on the left so no need for a winger there.

 

[SUFCStu]

Team news is in

Green, Johnson, Terry, Upson, A Cole, Walcott, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, Heskey.

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Borats have started much, much better than we have. They should have scored in the opening seconds, missing a tap in and have just had a goal ruled out for offside. Absolutely appalling play by England.

 

[SUFCStu]

0-1

Gareth Barry

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Borat 0-4 England

Lampard penalty. This has actually turned into quite a comfortable match for us. It's just a shame from the entertainment point of view that the Kazakhs seem to manage to completely go off the boil in the second half of matches.