Howaythelads Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 An idea from reading this thread... http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=36024.msg704129#msg704129 I've tried to come up with what I would think is Englands best XI, considering ALL players to be fit and available, even those who have retired from international football. I'm not worried about age, I'd select them until they stop doing the business and not before unless someone obviously better comes along. As everyone knows, we struggle for a left sided midfielder. I don't like square pegs in round holes so I'd go with Barry, who may or may not be good enough quality but I'd give him an extended run to find out. I don't see many other players who can properly play the left side. Goalkeeper is a problem because Robinson hasn't improved to the extent I thought he would a couple of years ago, but I don't see a better English keeper. Believe it or not I think CB is also a problem despite the hype. Terry is a top PL player in that style of play, but I think he struggles against clever players as does Ferdinand so I think they're both over-rated at international level, Woodgate is far and away Englands best CB. I'd still pick Terry, but I'd like a better player for this level of football. I'd be going back to basics with this, expecting these players to be able to play a neat and tidy passing game. Robinson Neville Woodgate Terry Cole Beckham Scholes Hargreaves Barry Rooney Owen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Snrub Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 James Neville Woodgate Ferdinand Cole Beckham Gerrard Scholes Lennon Owen Rooney Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 wouldn't have Beckham or Barry in there as i can't see much, or any, pace coming from that midfield. Beckham seems finished and his football is going to take a steep decline once he starts playing at such a poor level in the states. By the time the next tournament comes round he'll be miles off the pace. I can't see any exceptional qualities in Barry that mark him out as an international player. I'd have Lennon playing as his pace is a huge, huge asset to any side. on the left i'd probably go for Joe Cole though i'm not totally convinced by his suitability. I think Gerrard could fill it at either flank, as long as we had a powerful, pacy full-back overlapping to compensate for when Gerrard cuts infield. Agree with Terry not being good enough at international level, we could definitely do with dropping him. I'd consider the best partnership to be Rio and Campbell which has proved to be fantastic at times in the past. Rio is comfortable on the ball and that takes pressure off Campbell who is poor in possession, while Campbell's aggressive brute force complements Rio's relaxed style. My third choice would be King who also looks comfortable at this level. Woodgate would probably take up the last remaining spot in the squad if he was fit, no JT for me. At right-back i would rotate Richards and Neville. Neville's a good player and a mature head (though he doesn't always act like it) but Richards is simply too talented to not be in there, in his own way as bright a prospect as Rooney is. Eventually i could see him playing in central-midfield. First XI: Robinson Richards Ferdinand Campbell Cole Lennon Scholes Hargreaves Cole Owen Rooney would look to introducing the likes of Baines, Reo-Coker, Lescott, Agbonlahor etc into the squad too. maybe take a look at keepers besides Robinson too, Matt Murray perhaps? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Spectrum Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 James is a much better goalie than Robinson IMO. I'd pick Richards ahead of Neville. I think he adds a lot more to the team than you would lose if you left out Neville's experience. Hardly any other England players can attack a set piece for one. Ferdinand has always been very good for England in my book and is definetly worth a place - One of the first names on the team sheet. Ledley King ahead of Terry for me. Terry has consistently looked ropey at International level wheras King has never let us down. The "automatic" selection Terry is afforded due to being a good captain at club level is one of the biggest travesties of the current team. Ashley Cole picks himself - No competition. James Milner on the right? Is there a more effective player on the right at the moment? Not as spectacular as Lennon but he's delivering, and has been very good for U21s for a long while. Worth a go IMO. Gerrard in the middle. Suffered with the woeful Lampard alongside him but he's still come thru for us before. Hargreaves alongside him. Need some balance in there. Joe Cole on the left. Only player we've had who has come close to doing owt in that position in years. Rooney and Owen up front. Cut above the competition. James Richards Ferdinand King A.Cole Milner Gerrard Hargreaves J.Cole Rooney Owen Scholes time has probably gone. Probably best English player of his generation (Why the hell was he fooked off for Lampard at Euro2004?!?) but he's not interested any more. Beckhams time has DEFINETLY gone and it has been for years. Legs have gone, hasnt been near a byline in an England shirt for years, crosses/passes from far too deep. Woefully innefective for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Robinson is shit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nufc_geordie Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 ------------------------------------------------Robinson--------------------------------------------------- M.Richards----------------------J.Terry--------J.Woodgate--------------------------------A.Cole A.Lennon--------------------S.Gerrard------------O.Hargreaves------------------------J.Cole ---------------------------------------Rooney-------Owen---------------------------------------------- The more difficult question would be if the world cup started tommorrow what squad would you take: Goalkeepers: P.Robinson C.Kirkland D.James Defenders J.Terry R.Ferdinand J.Woodgate J.Carragher M.Richards G.Neville A.Cole W.Bridge Midfielders: S.Gerrard O.Hargreaves F.Lampard M.Carrick A.Lennon J.Cole G.Barry Forwards: W.Rooney M.Owen P.Crouch A.Johnson (22men is the limit isn't it?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kingdawson Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Ok if the World cup was tomorrow and everyone was fit and healthy, my 23 man squad would be: Goalkeepers Robinson James Carson Defenders G.neville Richards Terry Ferdinand King Carragher Cole Bridge Midfielders Lennon J.cole Downing Barry Gerrard Hargreaves lampard carrick strikers Rooney Owen Defoe Crouch My team would be ------------------------------------------------Robbo------------------------------------------- G.nevile--------------------Terry---------------------------------Ferdinand------------------A.cole Lennon---------------------Gerrard----------------------------- Hargreaves----------------J.cole --------------------------------Rooney----------------------------Owen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Robinson Neville Terry Woodgate Cole Lennon Gerrard Hargreaves Cole Rooney Owen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Nguyen Van Falk Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 England are piss poor on the wings, would only class Cole as an international class. The rest are some distance away. And Lennon as an England 1st teamer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Lennon is as much of a headless chicken on the wing as Wright-Phillips and Dyer would be. Excellent at running with pace, but his end product is nothingless. Obviously he's only very young and will hopefully improve, but at the minute he shouldn't be on the right. Gerrard is the best right sided midfielder in the country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicente_14 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Would need to change the shape of the team to 4-2-3-1, and mine would be: James Richards Terry Woodgate Cole Hargreaves King Gerrard Scholes Cole Rooney Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ticaL Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 As long as we exclude Michael Carrick, we should be fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 A Taylor27 thread inspires HTL, it cannot be! My team would be: James G Neville Ferdinand Woodgate A. Cole Gerrard Hargreaves Dyer J. Cole Owen Rooney James is the best English keeper, Owen, Rooney, Gary Neville and Ashley Cole pick themselves, Terry is too slow for the good teams who rely less on aerial ability than Premiership clubs do, therefore Ferdinand gets the nod. Lennon is the best right winger. Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stalker Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Robinson Neville Terry Ferdinand Cole Gerrard Hargreaves Lampard Lennon Owen Rooney Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtype Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 GK: James At the end of the day, Robinson just isn't a goalkeeper who will stop goals that would have been scored otherwise. James is one of the few in England who can do that at the moment. While there are many parts of his game I don't admire, he gets in on the basis of that alone. DF: Neville Terry Ferdinand Cole The Defense line is unquestionable in my opinion. While Richards is a wonderful player and certainly offers much more going forward than Neville does, he still has miles to go before replacing a player like Neville and his massive reserves of concentration, experience, and character. Richards needs to be eased into his international role, instead of getting thrown into the hot seat like Rooney was. Ferdinand and Terry are just flat out the best English central defenders, and at a different class than King, Carragher, and Woodgate. Ferdinand in particular should merit automatic selection. Few defenders in the world share his combination of skill, stability, and the rare ability to go forward. Cole is just better than Bridge, who is just better than Phil Neville. England hasn't really got other options until Leighton Baines gets more experienced. Gareth Barry should play in the midfield which is better suited to his talents. (although I didn't pick him there either.) MF: Gerrard Scholes Hargreaves Cole Gerrard is the best player in England imo, and has proven that he is just as good at the right wing as he is in the center, and I'd much rather drop Lennon at right than drop Scholes/Lampard in the middle for Gerrard. Scholes wins out over Lampard based on recent form, and Lampard's sudden turn towards idiocy on the international level. Hargreaves is another player who I see as pretty much undroppable. He's the only realistic option as a true holding midfielder (although I wouldn't mind seeing Richards tried out in the role,) and prevents England from losing a great deal of posession by having to play Carrick who's style of play just doesn't seem to work on the international level. The only player who could potentially replace Hargreaves would be MAYBE an in-form Parker. Since we haven't seen that for a while, Hargreaves is definitely first in line. Cole is just an amazing player and light years beyond any other options at left wing. CF: Rooney Owen While I don't think they're a good fit as a partnership, the two are simply at a different class than any other English striker. No questions here. <Full Squad> James Robinson Foster Ferdinand Terry King Carragher Neville Richards A. Cole Bridge Gerrard Scholes Lampard Hargreaves Lennon Joe Cole Barry Dyer Rooney Owen Crouch Defoe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicente_14 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Are you being serious? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Are you being serious? WUM tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Are you being serious? Name any player who can do it better. Not wide right or wide left, but through the middle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 A Taylor27 thread inspires HTL, it cannot be! My team would be: James G Neville Ferdinand Woodgate A. Cole Gerrard Hargreaves Dyer J. Cole Owen Rooney James is the best English keeper, Owen, Rooney, Gary Neville and Ashley Cole pick themselves, Terry is too slow for the good teams who rely less on aerial ability than Premiership clubs do, therefore Ferdinand gets the nod. Lennon is the best right winger. Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Why haven't you picked him then? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 A Taylor27 thread inspires HTL, it cannot be! My team would be: James G Neville Ferdinand Woodgate A. Cole Gerrard Hargreaves Dyer J. Cole Owen Rooney James is the best English keeper, Owen, Rooney, Gary Neville and Ashley Cole pick themselves, Terry is too slow for the good teams who rely less on aerial ability than Premiership clubs do, therefore Ferdinand gets the nod. Lennon is the best right winger. Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Why haven't you picked him then? Edited removal to accommodate a proper holding midfielder. Forgot to edit the explanation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElDiablo Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Robinson Neville Terry Ferdinand Cole Gerrard Hargreaves Lampard Lennon Cole Owen Rooney Everyone's picking Woodgate. Good defender but no in Ferdinand Terry class IMO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brewer Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Would need to change the shape of the team to 4-2-3-1, and mine would be: James Richards Terry Woodgate Cole Hargreaves King Gerrard Scholes Cole Rooney Who the fuck is King? Ledley? In midfield ffs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Shut the fuck up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Shut the fuck up! Name a better player at doing that from a central position. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kingdawson Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Dyer is the best player in the world at rapidly linking up the midfield with the attack. Shut the f*** up! Name a better player at doing that from a central position. why have you got james collins on your avi? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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