Your squad for the EUROs - Page 6

Hart, Green, Ruddy

Walker, Richards, Terry, Cahill, Smalling, Ferdinand, Cole, Baines

P.Jones, Carrick, Milner, Johnson, Young, Gerrard, Barry, Lampard

Sturridge, Rooney, Welbeck, Carroll



When Rooney is back, take Milner out and put Rooney in

quote D I O S

Your memory is wrong. Rewatch, or read a report or something. The first was poor from both, but moreso Smalling. The second is in no conceivable or sane way Cahill's fault.

first one in particular cahill points at the runner for smalling to go and track then decides to go and track him as well leaving robben able to cut inside before smalling eventually goes to try and do what cahill should've been doing before it's too late. second one looks more of a mix-up to me over who should be marking who but yeah smalling should do better there too.

quote jimbo_bwfc

This is the Rio Ferdinand who is 33, injury prone, well past his peak and at his peak couldn't take us past a Quarter alongside Terry? He might not have been culpable for anything personally but it's not enough to keep the big teams out. Seems futile to play him ahead of Cahill who, unless he has some big hitch in his progression, is going to be the England centre back alongside either Jones or Smalling for the next couple of tournements.

Tried and failed for the sake of tried and failed because tried and failed are 'names'. Chelsea were fantastic against Barca in the first leg and nullified them well. The fact that 3 of their defenders should start for England this summer should be a massive boost for us.

I doubt Rio would be playing for United week in week out either if Fergie had his way. He went pretty much all out to replace him in the summer and only a Vidic injury and Jones being crap is keeping him in the team. Evans has probably outshone as United's best centre back this season.

What message would it send to Cahill if he's trusted throughout qualification and doesn't let England down once, puts in a couple of excellent performances and scores a couple of goals and then he's dropped for Rio Ferdinand?

Dunno, it might just be me, but dropping Cahill for Ferdinand just defies all logic and strikes me as just putting a "name" in for the sake of a name. Perfectly fine when you don't have somenoe ready to step in but when you do, it just seems stubborn and digressive.

And that's ignoring the point that you'd be creating a big circus around the Terry/Feridnand thing for little reason.

not really sure he's that injury prone anymore, obviously he's 33 now and he's had lots of injuries in the past but he seems to be over his main issues that meant he wasn't fit for many squads under capello. could've put any two defenders in for us at the tournaments they've been at and we'd have gone at, never really been our issue back there .

shouldn't matter if they're 'names' that have been part of a team collective that have failed, i don't agree with writing off one of our best defenders for that. one defensive performance shouldn't justify having those three though, they haven't looked that great to justify it in other games without so much midfield protection either imo.

he would've probably played more games, granted, but evans-vidic has never really looked the same as it once did a few years ago as both like to challenge for the ball as soon as it comes in united's half. rio compliments both well and i think evans' game has actually come on well partly due to his influence.

i don't think its a 'name' for the sake of a 'name', it's just imo ferdinand is still a better defender than cahill. the message is irrelevant for me, pick the team that you think will work best worry about that later.

will be a big circus with england whether they play or not.

Any friendlies planned before the squad departs or is announced?

Precisely. Terry and Cahill are the best choice by a mile.

Does anyone think that Scholes should go ?

No. (To Scholes going).

Carrick deserves to play more than Scholes, he's been consistently good all season.

Ferdinand's been magnificent this season, which is why Evans has been so good? He's been calm, clears the majority of things, no drama, some cracking tackles, rarely put a foot wrong, don't see why he shouldn't start.

Jones shouldn't go over Smalling, Smalling's had another good season, Jones started off very well but has declined as the season has gone on. Jones may have the advantage though because of his versatility. Can cover 3 or 4 different positions.

quote Bollo

For me it's pointless having Carrick against the big teams, not because he's a bad player or had a bad season, just think he'll be a passenger against the best midfields, not unlike we've seen for Man United this season.

Who in your midfield will not be a passenger against the best midfields? Carrick is one of your best options against most of the midfields because of his experience. Carrick has years of European football experience that the others simply don't have, he knows how it works. Don't let a few games against Xavi and Iniesta cloud your memory of him, who didn't get outplayed by them? I've seen Schweinsteiger look out of his depth against them before...

Ireland squad:

Given, Westwood, whoever.

Kelly, O'Shea, Dunne, O'Dea, Clark, Ward, St. Ledger, Coleman.

Duff, McGeady, McLean, Andrews, Whelan, Hoolahan, McCarthy, Fahey.

Keane, Doyle, Long, Walters.



England squad:

Hart, Foster, whoever

Richards, Walker, Ferdinand, Cahill, Lescott, Smalling, Cole, Baines.

Carrick, Parker, Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Young, Walcott, A. Johnson.

Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Carroll.

I'd get rid of Terry too much baggage.



Gerrard when Rooney is out.

By rights the likes of Hoolahan should be an absolute shoe-in for the squad but the fact is he hasn't been involved in any of the squads Trap has picked and as a result has no chance of going. It's sad but true. If I'm proved wrong tomorrow and Trap actually picks him then I'll be surprised, and delighted. But it won't happen.

We all know that Trap will stick to players he's had about the squad already. There will be very little shock inclusions and guaranteed the likes of McCarthy (if picked) will get very little game time once we're in Poland. May as well get all the complaining out of the way because in reality, we all know what Trap will pick.

I feel sorry for Simon Cox, I think he's done brilliant for Ireland in every game he's played but most fans don't think he should go. Personally I'd pick him ahead of Walters and that's purely based on Irish performances. I also feel sorry for Wes Hoolahan because he deserves at least a shot at getting on the plane but it won't happen. Getting Trap to give McCarthy a chance is hard enough.

I like the idea of O'Shea at left back because Ward is really suspect and we're stuck for options out there. Harte won't be involved for the same reason Hoolahan won't be. Would gladly be proven wrong though.