Why - because he has pace that can frighten defences, like I said I am not a big fan but I don't rate SWP whatsoever and feel Walcott would have been a better option as would Johnson.

Personally I'd have gone for Johnson instead of SWP, Parker ahead of Carrick and Dawson ahead of Upson, but they are all much of a muchness at international level anyway and if any of them had to play much part we'd have no chance.

The lack of depth in quality in our squad is pretty shocking really.

I don't know. What awesome depth do other teams have?

I think our reserves are as capable as any of the other top nations.

For example what other country will have a striker with the scoring record of crouch, on the bench? (he'll be on the bench IMO)

Exactly. People are having a whinge about squad players at the end of the day. The main 14 or 15 players (and starting 11) are in the squad and pick themselves.

Hopefully Upson, Carrick and Heskey will get as little game time as possible.

Upson has looked terrible past few times he has played for England, and if he plays against a decent team they will have a field day as if he gets the ball to his feet he doesn't know what to do with it.

Don't rate Carrick and haven't since he left Tottenham, he isn't a big game player and I feel he is in the squad more due to the fact he plays for a big club.

Heskey's scoring record is terrible for a striker, and just because he is a big lump that some countries 'will never have experienced his type before so he will cause problems', doesn't make him a good footballer.

Don't think SWP is international class but he's usually reliable enough to do a steady job, gives 150% and won't let anyone down if called upon. I think he may surprise a few, as apparently he wants to show what he could've done when Sven overlooked him when he was in better form (according to his dad, anyway). Would've been nice to see Adam Johnson in there though, he is a tricky little player. He'll get his chance one day, though.

Rest of squad I suppose picks it self in a way. Would have liked to have seen Ashley Young given a chance in the friendlies as part of the 30 man squad though.

For the first game I would go with;

Hart

Carragher
Terry
Ferdinand
A Cole

Lennon
Barry
Lampard
J Cole

Gerrard

Rooney


Joe Cole is the closest we have to a natural left sided attacking midfielder, Gerrard is wasted there. Barry can anchor the midfield. Carragher is a far superior defender to Johnson, unless a fullback can defend you will always get found out on the world stage. If it all goes tits up, go back to 4-4-2 and throw Crouch on in place of whichever midfielder isn't pulling their weight.

I can see us going out on penalties in either the quarters or the semis.

I mean, who can we rely on to score penalties in a shootout?

Rooney will score
Ashley cole will score
Defoe would score

Crouch, Heskey? wouldn't fancy them.

Gerrard and lampard are hit and miss. Score em in premier league, miss in a penalty shootout for england.

You're then down to no one.

It's a major issue because if we get past the group stage, at some point or another it probably will go to penalties.

If you look at lampards against japan, it was just poor technique. It was low, wasn't especially powerful, and it was in that ''hey, save me'' area between the middle of the goal, and right in the corner.

Our players have to be able to them, either in the top corner, or right into the side netting/bottom corner. They are unsaveable.

You can't pick a team based on penalty taking ability. Play our best XI if it comes down to a shootout we will be in the same boat as most other teams. 2 or 3 players you would really fancy then a few iffy ones.

I never suggested we should.

Seems odd to pick it up as a major issue then ramble on about it if that isn't your way of thinking. Pretty much every team in the tournament is in the same boat as us on this. If a game goes to penalties we have just as much chance as anyone, maybe more given a few of the team took penalties in the CL Final the other year.

Milner doesn't miss many penalties.

You can't favour starting a player because he can take penalties. If the game looks to be going that way though, you can sub like-for-like late on by swapping someone for a better penalty taker. Simple really.

England have lost on penalties more times than any other team in world cup history.

Cant believe Walcott isnt going, awful decision.

Can't understand the thinking on carragher going feel disappointed for dawson who has had a great season, carragher didn't even have any interest in qualifiers never mind playing. Walcott has no final product so i can understand why he wasn't picked but would of rather took a.johnson instead of swp.
Think we will go with a 4-5-1 imo, gerrard and rooney have played in that formation at club level and have been pretty successful specially rooney.

=#8040FFHow is it? he's a truly atrocious player, and quite rightly isn't going, now Adam Johnson not going or Parker not going instead of Carrick on the other hand...

Disappointed that Johnson isnt going, but always expected 2 of Walcott, SWP and Lennon to be picked. The squad isnt exactly full of pace, aways seemed likely that there would be one quick back up.

I think Johnson lost his place once it became clear that Milner would only be included as a wide player.

I hadn't thought of it like that, but along with Joe Cole playing his way in I guess that desire for some pace would have swung things in favour of SWP as opposed to Johnson.

Is it my turn to criticise the World Cup ball yet?

Seems like everyone else has had a go....

Like a beach ball isnt it?

I hate beach balls

We have lost three shoot-outs in the World Cup (1990, 1998 and 2006), the same as Italy, Spain, Mexico and Romania.

Mexico and Romania, like us, have never won a shoot-out at the World Cup. Italy and Spain have won only one shoot-out out of four attempts.

Of course he is

Unlimited number of entrants? Can't be Iestyn'd doing one now but will do one tomorrow.

Yeye, upto 5 teams. All for abit of a laugh. Follow it closely on SS.com's WC thread.

soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/ ... ver=global

soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/ ... ver=global