Best England Side
Best England Side
Here's my pick for the best possible England side at 22 Jan 2008.
Feel free to rip it to shreads! 
impressive number crunching
interesting how close it is to some recent selections and not a bad side (not sure about Kitson)
i suppose it indicates the players that McLaren was picking out of habit/loyalty/stuborness
then again experience has to be factored in alongside form (players coming back from injury might take longer to reclaim a spot than in 'real life')
interesting how close it is to some recent selections and not a bad side (not sure about Kitson)
i suppose it indicates the players that McLaren was picking out of habit/loyalty/stuborness
then again experience has to be factored in alongside form (players coming back from injury might take longer to reclaim a spot than in 'real life')
Kitson might be an option with a full, injury-free season under his
belt. From what I've seen of Glen Johnson this season he can't be
too far away from a recall. I'd have Crouch on the bench and
Gabriel Agbonlahor starting upfront with Rooney. And Joe Cole?
Can't leave England's best player of the last two years out. He'd
be in for Ashley Young, with the Villa winger on the bench.
Two of the subs more than raised my eyebrows. Marcus Bent? Of
Wigan? He's hardly Premiership class, let alone international
material. If you meant Darren Bent of Spurs, well he's pretty much
played (or not played) his way out of England reckoning this
season. And David James? I'd have Carson as back-up, with young Joe
Hart as number 3.
And finally, no mention of Michael Owen? Probably a good
thing, as he really is The New Darren Anderton...
TheJam2008-01-23 08:03:09
impressive number crunching
interesting how close it is to some recent selections and not a bad side (not sure about Kitson)
i suppose it indicates the players that McLaren was picking out of habit/loyalty/stuborness
then again experience has to be factored in alongside form (players coming back from injury might take longer to reclaim a spot than in 'real life')
interesting how close it is to some recent selections and not a bad side (not sure about Kitson)
i suppose it indicates the players that McLaren was picking out of habit/loyalty/stuborness
then again experience has to be factored in alongside form (players coming back from injury might take longer to reclaim a spot than in 'real life')
I've been saying for a while now that it is harder to get out
of the England squad than to get in. McLaren and Sven before him
picked players who always got picked, regardless of how they were
playing. It seemed to depend a lot on which club you played
for.
I'm thinking of Lampard, the two Nevilles, Jermaine Defoe, Wes
Friggin' Brown, Paul Robinson etc. All of these players lost form
or got injured (In Brown's case he never had any form to lose, AND
was perennially injured) but were still there or thereabouts
You forgot Titus Bramble.
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players
I was joking when I mentioned Bramble. Unfortunately I think you're serious.
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players
I was joking when I mentioned Bramble. Unfortunately I think you're serious.
na. i was talking about phils england team
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players
I was joking when I mentioned Bramble. Unfortunately I think you're serious.
na. i was talking about phils england team
The absence of spurs players wasn't lost on me. .. . But
hey, the numbers gave the results. If I'd chosen the side based on
emotion then I'd have put the entire eligible spurs squad in
there!
phil_style2008-01-23 23:59:29
cant understand why theres no arse players there
cant understand why theres no arse players there
You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?
cant understand why theres no arse players there
You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?
no i think what he means is where are the english players in arsenal to be picked
also my thoughts would be, is aaron lennon around? hes got to be
close for selection?
also as much as i hate Chelsea scum, Joe cole is a pretty good player to not pick
and once VDS retires watch out for Foster
also as much as i hate Chelsea scum, Joe cole is a pretty good player to not pick
and once VDS retires watch out for Foster
cant understand why theres no arse players there
You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?
no i think what he means is where are the english players in arsenal to be picked
Thanks genius. My point is Arsenal only want quality players, of which there are next to none of English origin.
cant understand why theres no arse players there
You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?
no i think what he means is where are the english players in arsenal to be picked
Thanks genius. My point is Arsenal only want quality players, of which there are next to none of English origin.
yeah, i find that really hard to argue with, but i also wonder
if wenger struggles to understand english players or vice
versa