England - the future....

[TBM]

Since he's been gone they've not really had anyone with explosive pace.

You mean apart from Welbeck , Sanchez and Ox?

[Hendo]

Downing FFS

Serioulsy, that's the most toilet England squad ever announced.

Some people really don't have a clue, do they. Downing's been in great form for the side who are fifth in the table, but I suppose you don't want him picked because he's Stewart Downing. Walcott's selection is a joke, as is Smalling's.

Agreed that Downing has been playing very well in a team in excellent form.

[Hendo]

Berahino called up to the squad for the Slovenia game


Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Ben Foster and Joe Hart

Defenders: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Calum Chambers, Nathaniel Clyne, Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka, Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling.

Midfielders: Ross Barkley, Michael Carrick, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling, Andros Townsend, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott.

Forwards: Rickie Lambert, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Welbeck and Saido Berahino.

From that my starting XI would be

Hart

Clyne
Cahill
Jagielka
Baines

Henderson (for lack of a better option)
The Ox

Downing
Barkley
Sterling (Would be Walcott if he had played more since coming back)

Rooney

[YateleyRoyal]

H8 the idea of playing the Ox as one of the two holding midfielders, but don't see who else we have.

[Hendo]

I know what you mean but I think of him, not as a holding midfielder but more of a player that can pick the ball up and actually run at people from the middle, leaving Henderson to sit in front of the back 4.

[TBM]

There is no way Wilshere will be dropped - he did well in the previous two games (for England)

[Whatevs]

Since he's been gone they've not really had anyone with explosive pace.

You mean apart from Welbeck , Sanchez and Ox?

Did consider those but they just don't have the blistering pace that Walcott has

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm8UKzIT1AQ

[TBM]

Since he's been gone they've not really had anyone with explosive pace.

You mean apart from Welbeck , Sanchez and Ox?

Did consider those but they just don't have the blistering pace that Walcott has

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm8UKzIT1AQ

I guess but Ox ain't no slouch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... ze8Kw#t=71

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... e8Kw#t=215

[Zammo]

Downing FFS

Serioulsy, that's the most toilet England squad ever announced.

Some people really don't have a clue, do they. Downing's been in great form for the side who are fifth in the table, but I suppose you don't want him picked because he's Stewart Downing. Walcott's selection is a joke, as is Smalling's.

I remember the 2006 World Cup, m8. He's fookin shite in an England shirt. So he's had a couple of good games for West Ham. Does that really warrant an England call up, or as I stated the squad is toilet because we don't have the quality anymore.

[Winston Smith]

Downing FFS

Serioulsy, that's the most toilet England squad ever announced.

Some people really don't have a clue, do they. Downing's been in great form for the side who are fifth in the table, but I suppose you don't want him picked because he's Stewart Downing. Walcott's selection is a joke, as is Smalling's.

I remember the 2006 World Cup, m8. He's fookin shite in an England shirt. So he's had a couple of good games for West Ham. Does that really warrant an England call up, or as I stated the squad is toilet because we don't have the quality anymore.

He only played 50 minutes at WC2006, and that was more than 8 years ago when he was 21 years old

[Hendo]

Downing FFS

Serioulsy, that's the most toilet England squad ever announced.

Some people really don't have a clue, do they. Downing's been in great form for the side who are fifth in the table, but I suppose you don't want him picked because he's Stewart Downing. Walcott's selection is a joke, as is Smalling's.

I remember the 2006 World Cup, m8. He's fookin shite in an England shirt. So he's had a couple of good games for West Ham. Does that really warrant an England call up, or as I stated the squad is toilet because we don't have the quality anymore.

So people that are in good form for their club who are performing well in the top English division shouldn't be picked?

Just because you have some sort of vendetta against him, don't let that cloud your judgement.

[YateleyRoyal]

Downing FFS

Serioulsy, that's the most toilet England squad ever announced.

Some people really don't have a clue, do they. Downing's been in great form for the side who are fifth in the table, but I suppose you don't want him picked because he's Stewart Downing. Walcott's selection is a joke, as is Smalling's.

I remember the 2006 World Cup, m8. He's fookin shite in an England shirt. So he's had a couple of good games for West Ham. Does that really warrant an England call up, or as I stated the squad is toilet because we don't have the quality anymore.

right back at you.

I suppose you're one of those who wants players picked on reputation over form then?

[Winston Smith]

I am intrigued to know what Downing did in his 50 minutes of WC2006 that has left such a lasting impression on Zammo

[Zammo]

The Wikipedia boys out in force

Yep, 50 mins in 2006 and barely played for England since. Couple of good games for West Ham and now he's our saviour. I'll bow to your superior knowledge. In fact, I'll pick Downing for my fantasy team this weekend. Cleary I've got this massively wrong.

[YateleyRoyal]

I have to say Zammo, I don't get your point. He's a player in form, therefore he's been picked to represent his country. No guarantee he'll play or anything. Shouldn't that be how national squads work?

And probably a good idea to put him in your fantasy team, he's the joint third best midfielder.

[Big Foot]

I have to say Zammo, I don't get your point. He's a player in form, therefore he's been picked to represent his country. No guarantee he'll play or anything. Shouldn't that be how national squads work?

And probably a good idea to put him in your fantasy team, he's the joint third best midfielder.

^ This, he scored well for me recently

And I've never been much of a Downing fan since watching him play for England - remember being in Berlin in 2008, we won the game 2-1 thanks to a late JT header. Anyway, Downing barely attacked their defence that night and played far too narrow for my liking - but can't knock his recent form, he deserves the call up

[TBM]

I have to say Zammo, I don't get your point. He's a player in form, therefore he's been picked to represent his country. No guarantee he'll play or anything. Shouldn't that be how national squads work?

And probably a good idea to put him in your fantasy team, he's the joint third best midfielder.

^ This, he scored well for me recently

And I've never been much of a Downing fan since watching him play for England - remember being in Berlin in 2008, we won the game 2-1 thanks to a late JT header. Anyway, Downing barely attacked their defence that night and played far too narrow for my liking - but can't knock his recent form, he deserves the call up

Funny enough Downing has been playing a more central role this season, and its seen him become a better player

Maybe he wasn't a winger after all

[Hendo]

No one is saying he is the saviour.

People are just recognising that he is performing very well in a team that is also performing well down to this players good performances.

Its not exactly difficult.

I have never been a Downing fan but like BF, you just can't knock his recent form and recent form should be used as one of the factors when picking an international squad.

[Hoop Blah]

I think a few people are missing a few key points with this squad. Firstly, it's a 26 man squad to include the Scotland friendly and so I'm assuming Hodgson has brught a few along to suss them out of the get together and maybe try out a few things in that friendly. That's sure what friendlies are for and something that England managers have been slated for not doing in the past.

There is also quite a tricky balance to be found between picking players who are hitting some hot form and being talked about as flavour of the month (Harry Kane for example) and sticking with the players who've performed well over time and done a good job for the manager and team in the past (such as Lambert, Townsend and Walcott). Lots has been said about how the Germans and Spainish built teams by bringing groups of players together and what Hodgson is surely trying to do is maintain some form of 'Team England' with those selections and to build a team ethic and continuity.

Kane isn't, from what I've seen, a big target man and an old fashioned number 9 in the way Lambert is. If Hodgson wants that option in his squad then who else does he pick over Lambert? Connor Wickham? Charlie Austin? Lambert is probably at risk of losing his place with his lack of action for Liverpool, but it's probably too soon to drop him right now.

[Winston Smith]

The Wikipedia boys out in force

Yep, 50 mins in 2006 and barely played for England since. Couple of good games for West Ham and now he's our saviour. I'll bow to your superior knowledge. In fact, I'll pick Downing for my fantasy team this weekend. Cleary I've got this massively wrong.

Has Downing r@ped your mum or summat m8?