England Squad

[Hoop Blah]

Not miles away from my view of the squad, but you rule out Lescott for not playing enough but include Townsend, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Defoe and Milner (and even Lampard).

Lescott: 18 games this year
Townsend: 23 games
Milner: 36 games
Lampard: 34 games
Defoe: 22 games
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 7 games

Ox is the obvious one there, having had a major injury, but I think he will play a lot, and we also dont have many other options for the wide areas. Your argument about Milner and Lampard is clearly invalid. Townsend surprises me how few games he has played, but IIRC he has had a few injuries. Defoe is the most vulnerable on the list, but he has experience.

Lampard: 1 Premier League start in the 12 games games going back to the start of December
Townsend: Last Premier League start was 10th November, only 2 Europa starts plus a League Cup game over the same time
Defoe: 3 Premier League starts all season, the last on 7th December
Milner: 3 Premier League starts since October

Not that I wouldn't take at least two of them, it just seems an odd logic ruling out Lescott on the same basis that's all. If the above continues then they'll all be rightly at risk of missing out.

[Hoop Blah]

I think it was MOTD that highlighted why Cole isnt playing. Basically his bombing down the wing, pretty much his trademark for his whole career, is the thing that has seen him dropped. Mourinho now likes his back four to stay back within their own half as much as possible, and Azpilcueta is much better at this.

It's understandable. Certainly a risk for Cole if he's not playing, although I think it's too bold a move for Hodgson to leave him out.

There's always the argument that a bit of inactivity will keep players fresh!

[TBM]

Not miles away from my view of the squad, but you rule out Lescott for not playing enough but include Townsend, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Defoe and Milner (and even Lampard).

Lescott: 18 games this year
Townsend: 23 games
Milner: 36 games
Lampard: 34 games
Defoe: 22 games
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 7 games

Ox is the obvious one there, having had a major injury, but I think he will play a lot, and we also dont have many other options for the wide areas. Your argument about Milner and Lampard is clearly invalid. Townsend surprises me how few games he has played, but IIRC he has had a few injuries. Defoe is the most vulnerable on the list, but he has experience.

Of those games - how many minutes did they get?

[YateleyRoyal]

Not miles away from my view of the squad, but you rule out Lescott for not playing enough but include Townsend, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Defoe and Milner (and even Lampard).

Lescott: 18 games this year
Townsend: 23 games
Milner: 36 games
Lampard: 34 games
Defoe: 22 games
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 7 games

Ox is the obvious one there, having had a major injury, but I think he will play a lot, and we also dont have many other options for the wide areas. Your argument about Milner and Lampard is clearly invalid. Townsend surprises me how few games he has played, but IIRC he has had a few injuries. Defoe is the most vulnerable on the list, but he has experience.

Of those games - how many minutes did they get?

No idea tbf, but Lampard and Milner have both started their fair share of games.

[YateleyRoyal]

Not miles away from my view of the squad, but you rule out Lescott for not playing enough but include Townsend, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Defoe and Milner (and even Lampard).

Lescott: 18 games this year
Townsend: 23 games
Milner: 36 games
Lampard: 34 games
Defoe: 22 games
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 7 games

Ox is the obvious one there, having had a major injury, but I think he will play a lot, and we also dont have many other options for the wide areas. Your argument about Milner and Lampard is clearly invalid. Townsend surprises me how few games he has played, but IIRC he has had a few injuries. Defoe is the most vulnerable on the list, but he has experience.

Lampard: 1 Premier League start in the 12 games games going back to the start of December
Townsend: Last Premier League start was 10th November, only 2 Europa starts plus a League Cup game over the same time
Defoe: 3 Premier League starts all season, the last on 7th December
Milner: 3 Premier League starts since October

Not that I wouldn't take at least two of them, it just seems an odd logic ruling out Lescott on the same basis that's all. If the above continues then they'll all be rightly at risk of missing out.

You raise a good point. I would say at he moment that the only one at real risk is Defoe. Lampard, Townsend and Milner are all near-certainties in my mind. The Ox would have to do a lot wrong to not go, IMO.

[Sanguine]

That Milner will likely go over an exciting player like Sterling is a real shame, imho.

[Hoop Blah]

I didn't count Oxlade-Chamberlain to be fair. He's been injured for a long time and will no doubt be a big part of Arsenals run-in. Townsend might be in a similar position, although I'm not sure on his injury, but as a brief flash in the pan he still has something to prove IMO.

With Defoe going to the MLS (end of Feb?) I think he's almost given up on the World Cup.

I'm not sure Milner and Lampard are as nailed on as you do though.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Milner is underrated, he's the Owen Hargreaves of the squad. He's there to provide cover across the whole midfield and as an emergency fullback if required. Barkley, Lallana, Ox and Townsend are the ones competing with Sterling for a place. Don't think Sterling has done anything this season to suggest he should be ahead of those four.

[YateleyRoyal]

I didn't count Oxlade-Chamberlain to be fair. He's been injured for a long time and will no doubt be a big part of Arsenals run-in. Townsend might be in a similar position, although I'm not sure on his injury, but as a brief flash in the pan he still has something to prove IMO.

With Defoe going to the MLS (end of Feb?) I think he's almost given up on the World Cup.

I'm not sure Milner and Lampard are as nailed on as you do though.

That Milner will likely go over an exciting player like Sterling is a real shame, imho.

The reason I've gone with Milner is that he is versatile. I know it's a tired argument, but with Johnson out for an undetermined amount of time and Walker the only other option at right-back, I think Milner would go over someone without experience like Clyne. Or alongside them, but more likely to play should it come to it.

[TBM]

I did some digging, this season - club games only (inc pl, europe, fa and cocup)

Lescott: 16 starts (7 in PL)
Townsend: 15 starts (10 in PL)
Milner: 13 starts (7 in PL)
Lampard: 20 starts (13 in PL)
Defoe: 11 start (3 in PL)
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 3 starts (2 in PL)

[6ft Kerplunk]

Lescott's problem is that for the others there are quality players playing well to keep them out of the team. He really should have gone out on loan somewhere.

[YateleyRoyal]

I did some digging, this season - club games only (inc pl, europe, fa and cocup)

Lescott: 16 starts (7 in PL)
Townsend: 15 starts (10 in PL)
Milner: 13 starts (7 in PL)
Lampard: 20 starts (13 in PL)
Defoe: 11 start (3 in PL)
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 3 starts (2 in PL)

Interesting - where'd you get your info? Lower than I expected for Lampard.

[TBM]

I did some digging, this season - club games only (inc pl, europe, fa and cocup)

Lescott: 16 starts (7 in PL)
Townsend: 15 starts (10 in PL)
Milner: 13 starts (7 in PL)
Lampard: 20 starts (13 in PL)
Defoe: 11 start (3 in PL)
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 3 starts (2 in PL)

Interesting - where'd you get your info? Lower than I expected for Lampard.

http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/8941/fran ... #ui-tabs-1

[Hoop Blah]

You can search a teams results for players involvement on Soccerbase, or just look the squad stats page there.

I'd missed the news that Johnson was out. I'd imagine Hodgson would take Smalling or Jones as a back up right back, although I'd not rule out Milner for that role as well. The other options, apart from Clyne would be Martin Kelly or Micah Richards I guess.

[winchester_royal]

If Flanagan carries on the way he's been going I'd expect him to make a late push.

[NewCorkSeth]

GK| J. Hart (MANCT), J. Ruddy (NORWH), A. McCarthy (READN)

RB| G. Johnson (LIVPL), M. Richards (MANCT)
LB| A. Cole (CHELS), L. Baines (EVRTN)
CB| P. Jagielka (EVRTN), G. Cahill (CHELS), P. Jones (MANUT), S. Caulker (CRDFF)

MR| A. Oxlade-Chamberlain (ARSNL), A. Johnson (SNDLD)
ML| A. Lallana (SOTTN), J. Rodriguez (SOTTN)
MC| J. Wilshere (ARSNL), J. Milner (MANCT), R. Barkley (EVRTN), J. Henderson (LVRPL)

ST| W. Rooney (MANUT), R. Lambert (SOTTN), D. Sturridge (LVRPL), D. Welbeck (MANUT)

'cause your not gonna win, so why not build for the Euros?

[NewCorkSeth]

Oh an Richards is a joke I just didnt want to include any Tottenham players.

[genome]

Thanks for specifying their clubs, I wasn't sure where most of them played.

[YateleyRoyal]

GK| J. Hart (MANCT), J. Ruddy (NORWH), A. McCarthy (READN)

RB| G. Johnson (LIVPL), M. Richards (MANCT)
LB| A. Cole (CHELS), L. Baines (EVRTN)
CB| P. Jagielka (EVRTN), G. Cahill (CHELS), P. Jones (MANUT), S. Caulker (CRDFF)

MR| A. Oxlade-Chamberlain (ARSNL), A. Johnson (SNDLD)
ML| A. Lallana (SOTTN), J. Rodriguez (SOTTN)
MC| J. Wilshere (ARSNL), J. Milner (MANCT), R. Barkley (EVRTN), J. Henderson (LVRPL)

ST| W. Rooney (MANUT), R. Lambert (SOTTN), D. Sturridge (LVRPL), D. Welbeck (MANUT)

'cause your not gonna win, so why not build for the Euros?

at some of these.

McCarthy in ahead of the likes of Forster and Foster?

No Kyle Walker or Townsend?

The England captain isnt there?

Building for the future with Lambert in there?

[Hoop Blah]

NewCorkSeth, there's not a lot of building for the Euro's or youth in that squad. All you've really done is drop Gerrard and Lampard.