England squad being announced

[CHA!NGANG]

Walcott and Bent dropped so far.

Walcott could have made the difference IMO. Shame he's gone but I can see why.

[lorren]

didnt he play bad v japan though (walcott)

[immense]

yeah walcott was given the chance. crap season for arsenal. crap for england (apart from croatia game) and he does not deserve a place, good strong decision. his final ball is horrendous. he would only be there for pace and it's hardly like lennon is slow. shame for bent but the fact remains heskey gets the best from rooney who is by far our best player.

[JackBuddy]

Lennon is better than Walcott and they're like-for-like players. SWP has had a **** season but he offers a bit more versatility playing on the left or right. Wish Adam Johnson was on the plane, but his in-experience could be too much of a risk.

[Shar]

Walcott's performance hasn't been his best lately so fair enough

[Jibbish]

warnock is in because of baines ****ness and homesickness LOL

[immense]

baines was crap against mexico as well lmao :S still surprised seeing as warnock has hardly played for england lol

[Soy]

shaun wright phillips texted man city saying he's in africa squad.

His calendar must be stuck on april 1st..

[FlyingJesus]

Lennon is better than Walcott and they're like-for-like players.

Pretty much what I was going to say. Lennon often seems even quicker off the mark than Walcott (and it's not like he's slow) and can actually kick the ball properly when he stops, rather than running off the end of the pitch or putting a stupid ball in to players who are clearly offside.


baines was crap against mexico as well lmao :S still surprised seeing as warnock has hardly played for england lol

Not a fan of Warnock but tbh would rather take the gamble than have Baines there lol

[Browney]

Everyone seems to think it's Heskey or Bent. But surely if you were to drop someone for Bent it would be Defoe. They're similar players and Capello gets to stick to his system with a big man upfront. I'm gutted for him, but not for Sunderland. A fully rested, more determined Bent will be coming back to us. No injuries, no fatigue. He has never really had a chance for England, and this should show him how close he came. Hopefully this will give him heart, rather than make him feel gutted that no matter what he does, Capello will always be a hypocrit and will pick people playing worse over him. Bent has scored more goals, in less games for a team 9 places below Tottenham. Defoe hasn't played a full 90 minutes in the past 3 months. Form and fitness, Capello?

[Soy]

Everyone seems to think it's Heskey or Bent. But surely if you were to drop someone for Bent it would be Defoe. They're similar players and Capello gets to stick to his system with a big man upfront. I'm gutted for him, but not for Sunderland. A fully rested, more determined Bent will be coming back to us. No injuries, no fatigue. He has never really had a chance for England, and this should show him how close he came. Hopefully this will give him heart, rather than make him feel gutted that no matter what he does, Capello will always be a hypocrit and will pick people playing worse over him. Bent has scored more goals, in less games for a team 9 places below Tottenham. Defoe hasn't played a full 90 minutes in the past 3 months. Form and fitness, Capello?

Defoe has performed well for England, first to be dropped would obviously be Heskey because of his goal scoring record + condition.

I like bent but he hasn't performed for England.

[immense]

4pm official announcement.

[Browney]

Defoe has performed well for England, first to be dropped would obviously be Heskey because of his goal scoring record + condition.

I like bent but he hasn't performed for England.

He's played 6 times for England. 2 of which were only a half each. Defoe has scored 11 goals in 60 games. Bent has scored 0 in 6. Give Bent a chance and who knows. He could still smash Defoe's goalscoring ratio.

[Soy]

4pm official announcement.

they've delayed it twice now


He's played 6 times for England. 2 of which were only a half each. Defoe has scored 11 goals in 60 games. Bent has scored 0 in 6. Give Bent a chance and who knows. He could still smash Defoe's goalscoring ratio.

Yeah but Defoe recently for England has been on form, I think the Japan game ruined Heskey's and Bent's chances of getting into the squad easily

[Browney]

Bent played the first half, when Rooney was actually worse than him. I swear to god, Rooney's passing was awful. Then, the team performed in the second half. Bent hasn't played the last 45 minutes for England in atleast 12 months. And the second half is when he will stretch teams. He's quick, so will rape tired legs, he's sharp on set pieces, so will rape tired minds. I wish we could've seen a full 90 minutes from Bent to decide from. Instead Capello sees him get through on goal, with a difficult chance where Bent was unlucky to score and takes him off. Big, big, shame.

[immense]

4pm is the first time the fa have officially announced, rest was speculation. they haven't delayed it. just later than the press expected.

[Hmmmm]

Bent has been the best English striked (but Rooney) this year.
He may have a bad record for England but he's in form.

[immense]

that's all well and good but if you can't turn it on for england then

[Hmmmm]

that's all well and good but if you can't turn it on for england then

But he hasn't even been given a chance - he was better than Rooney in the first half against Japan.
He's had 6 caps but has hardly had a proper length of time on the field.

[W00TZEH]

Rooney, Crouch, Defoe are all ahead of Bent imo, and when rooney has played with heskey he's scored 9goals, without its something like 2.

---------- Post added 01-06-2010 at 04:02 PM ----------


Forwards Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney[/URL]


Midfielders Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Shaun Wright-Phillips (http://twitter.com/thefadotcom/status/15183427271)

Defenders Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock [URL="http://twitter.com/thefadotcom/status/15183408380"]

Goalkeepers Robert Green, Joe Hart, David James

[Browney]

Form and fitness would dictate that Bent > Defoe.

[JackBuddy]

Form and fitness would dictate that Bent > Defoe.
Bent just isn't good enough. Teams have to revolve around him.

[Browney]

What evidence do you have that he is not good enough? And Manchester United and England revolve around Rooney. Does that mean those teams are poor? No, it means they know the system. If you read my post, I propose we start with Heskey and Rooney. Then, if Rooney gets tired or needs to be subbed (especially in the group stages) we take him off for Bent. We play with Heskey upfront, creating room for Bent, Bent stretches tired teams and statistics show he's more likely to score than Defoe.

[JackBuddy]

What evidence do you have that he is not good enough? And Manchester United and England revolve around Rooney. Does that mean those teams are poor? No, it means they know the system. If you read my post, I propose we start with Heskey and Rooney. Then, if Rooney gets tired or needs to be subbed (especially in the group stages) we take him off for Bent. We play with Heskey upfront, creating room for Bent, Bent stretches tired teams and statistics show he's more likely to score than Defoe.
All the other strikers are cleverer than him. Capello has picked two pacey players and two players who hold the ball up. England revolve around Rooney because he is one of the best in the world, Darren Bent isn't.

I just don't think he is generally good enough and the other strikers do their jobs better. Darren Bent is fairly limited in how he plays, yes he scores goals, but he's not good enough imo. Defoe is probably only going to play when Rooney doesn't, he also has a tried and tested partnership with Crouch along with international experience.

edit:


From Oliver Holt at the Mirror on Walcott: "Theo has told Capello he doesn't want to be considered for future squads while the Italian is in charge."


What a baby! Almost as bad as GDS threating to quit the Mexico squad because his brother was dropped!

[CHA!NGANG]

"I am very disappointed not to be included in the squad going out to South Africa, but completely respect Mr Capello's decision," said Walcott.

According to SSN.

[Browney]

All the other strikers are cleverer than him. Capello has picked two pacey players and two players who hold the ball up. England revolve around Rooney because he is one of the best in the world, Darren Bent isn't.

I just don't think he is generally good enough and the other strikers do their jobs better. Darren Bent is fairly limited in how he plays, yes he scores goals, but he's not good enough imo. Defoe is probably only going to play when Rooney doesn't, he also has a tried and tested partnership with Crouch along with international experience.

Cleverer? Proof. If you read what I said, I think Bent should replace Defoe, meaning 2 pace men and meaning Bent would play when Rooney isn't. And I'm saying the system doesn't have to change. Just play Bent when Rooney is rested. Urgh, what more do you want from a striker than scoring goals? Bent doesn't just score goals, he scores winning goals. Ask Arsene or Rafa. You would never, ever ask a defender to score more goals, so don't ask Bent to defend. It's foolish. Bent, off the bench playing off the last defender would murder teams.

[Andys]

Rediculous. The two times Bent has played for England while at Sunderland - both matches the support from the midfield was absolutely shocking.
I'm sorry but what the **** does he expect? Is Bent just meant to magically pick the ball up in the defence, dribble up the whole pitch and score a goal all by himself?
******* disgraceful.
Why did he get taken off during Japan? Rooney was absolutely dire, wasn't even trying.

**** off you stupid Italian *****.

[JackBuddy]

I know the Sunderland contingent disagree but he hasn't got an all round game good enough in my eyes. There's a reason why he's been scoring 15+ goals consecutively over the past few seasons and not been picked up by a top team. Bent was called in too late, the other strikers are far more experienced. For Bent to score like he does for Sunderland the team would have to revolve around him, not sure it would work at international level.

[CHA!NGANG]

I prefur Defoe over Bent.

I hate Heskey. Heskey was never going to get dropped because apparently he's good for Rooney. Therefore Bent had to go.

Guessing that's Capellos thoughts as well.

[Browney]

I never understand "all round game." You say it like regularly scoring 15+ goals a season is a bad thing. He does what a striker has to. What he trains to do. If he had a creative midfielder behind him then it wouldn't be a problem. Besides, don't say it like only Sunderland want Bent in the squad. There are high profile names who were calling for it.

[JackBuddy]

I never understand "all round game." You say it like regularly scoring 15+ goals a season is a bad thing. He does what a striker has to. What he trains to do. If he had a creative midfielder behind him then it wouldn't be a problem. Besides, don't say it like only Sunderland want Bent in the squad. There are high profile names who were calling for it.
15+ goals a season is good, I'm not saying it's bad. High profile names also think he isn't good enough if he has only warranted moves to Spurs and Sunderland and had 2/3 international call ups in recent years.

[Browney]

Has he ever scored 25(ish) goals in a season before? No? Ah. Well, there you go.

Also, you keep saying "the team needs to revolve around Bent." Sunderland play with two CDM, two wingers, one CF and one striker. So do England.


Bent
Malbranque - Jones - Henderson
Cana - Cattermole

Rooney
Gerrard - Heskey - Lennon
Lampard - Barry


Well **** me, would you look at that.

[Soy]

Rooney, Crouch, Defoe are all ahead of Bent imo

this
------

[JackBuddy]

No, he's not scored 25 in a season before, but he has score 15+ 3 times. My point is he just isn't good enough and that the other 4 strikers edge ahead of him.

Ipswich: 55 goals in 141 games.
Charlton: 37 in 79.
Spurs: 25 in 79.
Sunderland: 25 in 40.

Why is he thriving at Sunderland (no offence) and not playing at a big club and had a handfull of caps? As much as you disagree with me, there's something that managers don't like about him.

[Browney]

Is it such a foreign concept for you that Bent could just be hitting form? Who knows. He's a goalscorer. Why has he scored against United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs from a crap team such as Sunderland? I know Liverpool fans who wanted Bent, I know United fans who want him. It's because we bought him for 17 million once add ons are paid. If he had scored 17 goals (a good return I wouldn't have dared to dream of) then thats one million a goal. Only Sunderland would be daft enough to pay so much for a previously unspectacular striker. But hey it seems to have started to pay off already. I don't get why you can't see that at the moment Bent is scoring more freely than Defoe and so he is the in-form goalscorer behind Defoe. Nobody in that squad should be in on past merits. Not Defoe, not Ferdinand, not Cole, not Carrick.

[Arron]

you can chat on all you like about heskey not having enough starts this season, enough goals etc, the fact that him and rooney link up great is why Fabio chose him. im sure ive said this last year but Heskey is the target man and he will create opening for Rooney and when these two play alongside eachother in the WC, we'll see that Rooney scores more than usual, so what if Heskey doesn't score?

[JackBuddy]

Is it such a foreign concept for you that Bent could just be hitting form? Who knows. He's a goalscorer. Why has he scored against United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs from a crap team such as Sunderland? I know Liverpool fans who wanted Bent, I know United fans who want him. It's because we bought him for 17 million once add ons are paid. If he had scored 17 goals (a good return I wouldn't have dared to dream of) then thats one million a goal. Only Sunderland would be daft enough to pay so much for a previously unspectacular striker. But hey it seems to have started to pay off already. I don't get why you can't see that at the moment Bent is scoring more freely than Defoe and so he is the in-form goalscorer behind Defoe. Nobody in that squad should be in on past merits. Not Defoe, not Ferdinand, not Cole, not Carrick.
My point is that the fans of other clubs may want him, but the professionals/managers don't; there has to be something wrong with him. He's got a similar goal:game ratio to David Villa this season- why isn't he there? He did do well at Spurs, considering the fans never warmed to him and most of his appearances were from the bench. He did well in a **** Charlton side too, where he was the highest scoring English striker. He hasn't magically found this goalscoring form since he's been at Sunderland. He's got goalscoring ability but I'll say it again: I don't think he's generally good enough for England.

Even if he stayed at Spurs and hit similar form I really don't think we would have finished 4th.

[Geraint]

Darren Bent's a proven goalscorer and, at the end of the day goal's win you games.

[StefanWolves]

Seeing the squad that England have chosen, I think they will play either of these two formations:


Green

Johnson -- Terry -- Ferdinand - A. Cole

Barry -- Lampard

Gerrard -- Heskey (CF) -- Lennon/Joe Cole

Rooney

or

Green

G. Johnson -- Terry -- Ferdinand -- A. Cole

Barry

Lennon -- Gerrard -- Lampard -- J. Cole

Rooney

I hope it's the second TBH.

[CHA!NGANG]

Seeing the squad that England have chosen, I think they will play either of these two formations:


Green

Johnson -- Terry -- Ferdinand - A. Cole

Barry -- Lampard

Gerrard -- Heskey (CF) -- Lennon/Joe Cole

Rooney

or

Green

G. Johnson -- Terry -- Ferdinand -- A. Cole

Barry

Lennon -- Gerrard -- Lampard -- J. Cole

Rooney

I hope it's the second TBH.

I hope it's the 2nd although I can see Milner starting in place of Lennon.

[JackBuddy]

I hope it's the 2nd although I can see Milner starting in place of Lennon.
I think Milner's there as back up for most of the midfield because of his versatility. Not sure he'll be in the first eleven.

[Browney]

Yeah, besides, nowadays Milner plays more centrally. I think we'll see him as back up to Lampard and SWP will be back up to Lennon.

[StefanWolves]

I hope it's the 2nd although I can see Milner starting in place of Lennon.

True but I think Lennon needs to start cause he gives us width. We can't play with two non-wingers (Cole and Milner) as they will just keep coming inside. In a 4-5-1 formation you need to have 2 very good wingers who are prepared to go down the line.

[FlyingJesus]

Hart should be starting because he's the most attractive. Also I hope Ca******* doesn't start playing Gerrard on the wings again as your 1st formation suggests - yeah he can do it but he's better centrally and we do have other players to go outside. That said, I prefer the midfield formation you've put on the 1st setup, Lampard for England needs to sit just behind as he seems to do a lot better there internationally in my view