Spain vs. England - Feb 11th (Seville)

England squad announced for the friendly against Spain.

Mid-table Manchester City's 2nd choice goalkeeper Joe Harte is included, as are Aston Villa sextet Barry, Young, Milner Young, Heskey and Agbonlahor. Martin O'Neill is a disgrace.

David Beckham is in line for his 500th cap which will draw him level with England legend George Best.

Carlton Cole is in the squad.

Yes, Carlton Cole.



Goalkeepers
Joe Hart
David James
Robert Green

Defenders
Wayne Bridge
Ashley Cole
Rio Ferdinand
Phil Jagielka
Glen Johnson
John Terry
Matthew Upson
Luke Young

Midfielders
Gareth Barry
David Beckham
Michael Carrick
Stewart Downing
Frank Lampard
James Milner
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Ashley Young

Forwards
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Carlton Cole
Peter Crouch
Emile Heskey

Luke Young, jaysus.

Not huge shocks to me. I expected Jagielka, Milner and Cole would get form recognised.

GK is a real weak position. Hart's going to be reserve for the forseeable future, so he really needs to go with someone like Green or Kirkland a real go. James has not been very good this season (admittedly in a struggling side)


Lrd - Luke Young's been great. Uber-consistent pro. I used to think like you, but watching him every week, he is a very solid player. As cover for either full-back slot, he's a fine player to have in the squad.

hasn't Luke Young been played mostly at left-back this season?

anyone missing who should be there?

Gerrard, Hargreaves, Walcott and Owen are injured, Rooney is Fergie-tied.

Has Gary Neville retired from international football?

Still no Micah Richards, Dave Wheat-Phillips, Mark Noble or David Bentley.

What does Bent Darren have to do to get a call-up?

Is Ashton injured again?

debaser wrote:
Lrd - Luke Young's been great. Uber-consistent pro. I used to think like you, but watching him every week, he is a very solid player. As cover for either full-back slot, he's a fine player to have in the squad.

Fair enough, it's not like i watch him much. Just thought he was a very limited player.

@ Glenn, you're joking on Bent right?

I could see him going with:

James
Johnson-Ferdinand-Terry-Cole
Beckham-Barry-Lampard-Downing
Heskey-Agbonlahor

with cameos for Jagielka, SWP, Downing, Milner, CCole

Carrick deserves to start ahead of Lampard or Barry, he could probably play with either especially if Beckham starts.

Surely Young has to start on the left.

Martin O'Neill is a disgrace and I don't want Carlton Cole anywhere near the England team.

Yossi Glennayoun wrote:1.hasn't Luke Young been played mostly at left-back this season?

2.anyone missing who should be there?

Gerrard, Hargreaves, Walcott and Owen are injured, Rooney is Fergie-tied.

3.Has Gary Neville retired from international football?

4.Still no Micah Richards, Dave Wheat-Phillips, Mark Noble or David Bentley.

5.What does Bent Darren have to do to get a call-up?

6.Is Ashton injured again?

1. Yep. He's there as someone who can cover either RB or LB.

2.Curtis Davies might've had a shout. Kirkland? Lescott? The mysterious Mancienne? I thought Warnock might get in too.

3.Not sure, officially. But he might as well.

4.Richards, Wheat and Bentley not really on great form. Noble should be on the fringes, but there's lots of competition for CM.

5.Be better.

6.Is he ever not?

Yossi Glennayoun wrote:Carrick deserves to start ahead of Lampard or Barry, he could probably play with either especially if Beckham starts.

Surely Young has to start on the left.

Martin O'Neill is a disgrace and I don't want Carlton Cole anywhere near the England team.

Young should on form, but Capello has favoured Downing so far.

Carrick has been good. It's a close call for those spots. He might play all three and put Agbonlahor by himself. But I'd be happy if he rested Barry for this one.

C.Cole is future Heskey. Learn to love him now.

Martin O'Neill is full of grace

Yossi Glennayoun wrote:David Beckham is in line for his 500th cap which will draw him level with England legend George Best.

debaser wrote:I could see him going with:

James
Johnson-Ferdinand-Terry-Cole
Beckham-Barry-Lampard-Downing
Heskey-Agbonlahor

with cameos for Jagielka, SWP, Downing, Milner, CCole

So good he can play twice

Downing

It was a sly dig at how much Capello favours Downing over Young.

Honest

You want to replace Young with Downing?!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carlton Cole deserves to be there...he's been immense. About time a manager started picking IN-FORM players for England, rather than the same names over and over again!

Am I the only one who sees Carlton Cole as a bit shit whenever he plays? He could work hard all game and come uo with a goal, sometimes a belter but the only thing I get out of it is - He's a bit shit.

Shouldn't be selected.

Black Magic wrote:Am I the only one who sees Carlton Cole as a bit shit whenever he plays? He could work hard all game and come uo with a goal, sometimes a belter but the only thing I get out of it is - He's a bit shit.

Shouldn't be selected.

Erm yes that's clearly you...

-He never scores what you'd call a belter.
-He has scored in 6 consecutive matches...
-He works hard and gets lots of assists too...
-He's strong, reasonably quick, holds the ball up well...and can tackle.

remind me who he scored those 6 goals against....

Hull, Fulham, Stoke, Newcaslte, Barnsley, Pompey.

Yep he deserves to play for England

I recall a couple of overhead kicks.....

GianDeano Zola wrote:Carlton Cole deserves to be there...

Agree.

GianDeano Zola wrote:About time a manager started picking IN-FORM players for England, rather than the same names over and over again!

Disagree.



If we picked the international team on form we could play a game in Feb and then a game in March with 11 changes depending on EPL form.

A manager needs to decide who is good enough to play at that level and pick them regardless of form.

If Carlton cole had been picked because the manager has watched him and thought - height, strength, pace, good touch, team player = good enough for England - then great.

But if he has picked him 'cos he is on form I think its wrong - if the goals dry up for Cole at WHU should he be dropped?

I think you need to do a mixture. There are some who'll be in regardless of form, because they have proved themselves, but you can allow for a bit of flexibility based on form at the fringe end of the squad. At least in friendlies like this. Ignoring form completely would allow the 'chosen' ones to be complacent.

And if you prove yourself good enough to perform at a high level over a reasonable period in the Premier League (it's been a few months since the last England game), chances are you're capable of being good enough to perform for England.

Given this is a friendly what is the point of picking Beckham? But more importantly what is the point of picking Wright-Phillips. He runs around like a headless chicken. Lennon deserves a call-up.

Downing is off-form surely. Think Adam Johnson has played better from what I have seen.

The team I am hoping to see:

Green
Johnson-----Jagielka----Ferdinand----Bridge
Milner----Barry----Carrick----Young
Crouch----Agbonlahor

Subs: Hart, C.Cole, Heskey, Young, Lampard, Downing
All to come off the bench at some point

just looking at the squads england will be lucky if the can keep the deference to 3 goals


--------------Iker

--Ramos---Puyol--Marchena---Capdevilla


---Silve----Xavi----Alonso---Iniesta

----------Torre----Villa

vs

James
Johnson-Ferdinand-Terry-Cole
Beckham-Barry-Lampard-Downing
Heskey-Agbonlahor

= slaughter, now if only football where played on paper.

You'd think England would pick someone they had a chance against

Can't be good for the confidence of a "new" team when they lose.

That Spanish team looks soft in the belly to me.

Kimbo wrote:That Spanish team looks soft in the belly to me.

Yeah I expect Lampard, Downing and Beckham to rampage all over them


At least we have kept Torres fresh for the game

Kimbo wrote: That Spanish team looks soft in the belly to me.

But it's what's bellow the belly that matters
hoho

No, with both Xavi and Iniesta it will either be brilliance or disaster.

COTR wrote:

Kimbo wrote:That Spanish team looks soft in the belly to me.

Yeah I expect Lampard, Downing and Beckham to rampage all over them


At least we have kept Torres fresh for the game

Play Jagielka and Cole in midfield, with Young and SWP on the wings. Agobaspkjlf and Heskey up front. PGD.

Riviera wrote:You'd think England would pick someone they had a chance against

Can't be good for the confidence of a "new" team when they lose.

An England team wihch will probably start with James, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, Lampard, Heskey and Beckham cannot really be considered new!

not even sure what I thought!

Rosicky wrote:remind me who he scored those 6 goals against....

Hull, Fulham, Stoke, Newcaslte, Barnsley, Pompey.

Yep he deserves to play for England

He does. Its not just about scoring goals, as Heskey has proven.