if you were sven / kerr / vogts/ whatever

My team if everyone fit : Robinson : Neville, Ferdinand, Woodgate, Bridge : Beckham, Gerard, Scholes or Jenas, Barry : Owen, Rooney.

Bench from : Jenas or Scholes, Smith, Southgate, Lampard, Dyer, Vassell, Terry, J. Cole, A Cole, Beattie, Kirkland, Murphy, Defoe.

No David James. No Campbell. I can't think of a third keeper who should be there. The U-21 keepers are either reserves (Bywater) or Div. 1 (Murray) so who else is there? The only other regular English premiership keepers are Hoult (not for long) and Richard Wright.

I though Rooney showed real poise and flair when he got the ball in the Liechenstein box and let it run onto his left foot before shooting. Pity the second defender blocked it cos he hit it well. I'd play him.

Agree on the first point - Erickson clearly isn't getting the best out of Scholes. The comparison with his performances last year (for United) is interesting. It took him a while to settle into a new role further forward (god knows why, it's not like he hadn't played there before - when he broke into the team it was as a mini ginger Cantona), and now he feels he has to stay further back for England, making his performances more confused. You could make an argument that change initially inhibits Scholes, that he needs his manager to more clearly define his role. (btw, I should point out I didn't see Saturday's game, so I'm relying on reports as to how he played.)

You asked me to speculate about buying Veron. I don't think he was bought as a 'replacment' for Scholes - he was bought to add to the strength of the squad. I don't think Ferguson had settled on an ideal first XI in his mind when he bought him (and how often do you have a chance to field that nowadays anyway with injuries, suspensions etc?). I think it was a case of wanting to add Veron's stengths to the team rather than any deficiencies of specific players.

Your point comparing Scholes and Ljungberg seems a little nonsensical. Scholes makes 'effective' runs into the box because he often scores from that position (whether it looks 'scripted' to you or not), as does Ljungberg. Scholes also scores a lot of goals from hanging back outside the box and getting on the end of knockdowns/clearances/deflections. His scoring record (equally strong in internationals, albeit not recently, and in European games) suggests he often gets the balance right.

we shall see...

neville
neville
cole
bridge
terry
campbell
southgate
carragher

lampard
gerrard
beckham
scholes
dyer
hargreaves
cole
butt

rooney
owen
defoe
heskey

this may well be the squad for 2004. other contenders: vassel, king, jenas, brown, smith, mills, johnson + many more who i can't remember. injuries = kirkland, woodgate. susp = ferdinand.

who would u pick? who am i forgetting?

(jesus would be good, actually. He's a good shot stopper.)

u can always drop one of those midfielders :-) Which of those two do you think WILL go steve? defoe played well under the careful watch of mr. gripp at the weekend. my money is on he.

Robinson
James
Martyn (playing better than Walker despite his age)

G Neville
A Cole
Bridge
Terry
Campbell
Southgate
Mills

Lampard
Gerrard
Beckham
Scholes
Barry (criminally overlooked so far and can play left midfield or leftback if called upon)
Parker (more versatile than Hargreaves and generally better IMO)
Cole
Butt

Rooney
Owen
Defoe
Heskey

I might put Phil Neville in to play in central midfield but not at fullback, but I reckon there's enough cover there.

my guess:

james

g.neville
terry
campbell
a.cole

becks
lampard
scholes
gerrard (strong hints that he will be used narrow on the left, did a great job there home to turkey, but may be a mistake)

rooney
owen

probably about right there weasel, although i'd prolly go for bridge over cole (cole to solve the left-wing problem?)

neville
southgate
cole
campbell
neville
bridge
terry
carragher

rooney
gerrard
scholes
beckham
lampard
parker
hargreaves
butt

beattie
owen
defoe
vassell

ken's crazy 11

               Robinson
    neville     campbell       cole
                gerrard
beckham                             rooney
                     Lampard
            Scholes
         Beattie            Owen

Neville Campbell Terry Bridge

Gerrard and Lampard in central midfield, Beckham right, Barry left in a straight 4-4-2, or Beckham-Gerrard-Lampard-Scholes in the diamond, with Gerrard on the left.

Rooney and Owen upfront

haha you were expecting different?

james, robinson, martyn

g.neville, p. neville, terry, campbell, southgate, bridge, cole

beckham, dyer, scholes, lampard, gerrard, hargreaves, barry, butt

heskey, rooney, owen, defoe

final place = fite between vassel and parker

James, Robinson, Walker, G Neville, Terry, Campbell, Cole, Bridge, Mills, Southgate, Upson, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Hargreaves, Dyer, Scholes, Butt, Owen, Heskey, Rooney, Vassell

i forgot about upson. he has been in a few squads, and with woodie and ferdy absent, tou never know...

Zak Knight [Southgate is not going to recover intime]
Gareth Barry [can play at Left Back, Left Midfield or even Central Defence]

11 [+ 5 Subs] his so called strongest team options
play against
11 [+ 5 subs] next top 16 selected

You would learn a lot more about players stengths/weaknesses from such a game than a so called friendly.

What year did England scrap B squads?

Phil Neville is in - Why !
also ...
Gareth Southgate
Wes Brown
Ledley King
Jamie Carragher

Gareth Barry is better, versatile, and physically fit - than all of the above

GOALKEEPERS
David James
Paul Robinson
Ian Walker

DEFENDERS
John Terry
Sol Campbell
Gary Neville
Ashley Cole
Wayne Bridge
Phil Neville
Gareth Southgate
Wes Brown
Ledley King
Jamie Carragher

MIDFIELDERS
David Beckham
Nicky Butt
Steven Gerrard
Paul Scholes
Scott Parker
Owen Hargreaves
Kieron Dyer
Frank Lampard

STRIKERS
Michael Owen
Emile Heskey
Wayne Rooney
Darius Vassell
Jermain Defoe

ENGLAND PROFILES

GOALKEEPERS
David James
Paul Robinson
Ian Walker

DEFENDERS
Wayne Bridge
Sol Campbell
Jamie Carragher
Ashley Cole
Ledley King
Gary Neville
Phil Neville
John Terry

MIDFIELDERS
David Beckham
Nicky Butt
Joe Cole
Kieron Dyer
Steven Gerrard
Owen Hargreaves
Frank Lampard
Paul Scholes

STRIKERS
Emile Heskey
Michael Owen
Wayne Rooney
Darius Vassell

Phil Neville is in because he can play in three different positions on the pitch, even if he's only really any good in central midfield. I'm surprised to see Southgate in there, but Matthew Upson, how your stock has plummeted.

Yay Scotty Parker! Go there! Now someone break Owen Hargreaves' leg so Parker can go to Portugal.

You still think so?!

i have seen toshack's punditry on irish tv, so i can confirm that he is a moron

May 17th 2005 Sven calls Zat Knight into the England squad

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4548587.stm

ha who needs Sven to spot players !

Just like Shaun Derry, eh Martian?

It must be a great honour knowing you're the best English centreback that isn't Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, John Terry, Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King, Wes Brown, Jamie Carragher, Matthew Upson or Michael 'five games for Spurs' Dawson.