England - the future....

[YateleyRoyal]

Oxlade-Chamberlain ruled out - not sure he would have been going anyway.

[Whore Jackie]

Milner did his cause no harm last night with a cracking performance. Perhaps I'll change my mind and say we should make room for him amongst the inexperienced midfielders.

He's one of Roy's faves. I think he'll go at the expense of Drinkwater.

[Ouroboros]

With Henderson doubtful I think Drinkwater still has a chance.

[Hoop Blah]

At the moment my squad would be, based on Hodgson playing 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-1-2

3 Keepers: Hart, Forster, Heaton

6 Defenders: Clyne, Cahill, Smalling, Stones, Rose, Baines (or Bertrand)

5 Midfielders: Dier, Wilshire, Ali, and two out of Milner, Drinkwater and Henderson (the latter the one likely to miss out)

5 Attacking Midfield/Wide Forwards: Rooney, Lallana, Sterling, Wellbeck, Barkley

3 Forwards: Kane, Vardy Sturridge

That's only 22 and leaves me undecided on whether to take another right back (Walker), centre half (Jagielka) or an attacking player which, at the moment, would probably mean a choice between Walcott or Carroll.

[Forbury Lion]

When does the pannini sticker album come out? It's usually before the squads are announced so it will be interesting to see how far off their predictions are.

[Silver Fox]

It's already out, my favourite inclusion is Luke Shaw

[Hoop Blah]

News out this afternoon is that Liverpool expect Henderson to be fit enough to be involved in the Europa Cup Final.

That puts the cat amongst the pigeons for the midfield spots.

[Royal Rother]

He has been hit and miss in the past (what youngsters aren't?) but in his last half dozen games for England Wilshere stood out as head and shoulders above the rest of the team in a way nobody has done for us since Gascoigne's good days.

[Victor Meldrew]

At the moment my squad would be, based on Hodgson playing 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-1-2

3 Keepers: Hart, Forster, Heaton

6 Defenders: Clyne, Cahill, Smalling, Stones, Rose, Baines (or Bertrand)

5 Midfielders: Dier, Wilshire, Ali, and two out of Milner, Drinkwater and Henderson (the latter the one likely to miss out)

5 Attacking Midfield/Wide Forwards: Rooney, Lallana, Sterling, Wellbeck, Barkley

3 Forwards: Kane, Vardy Sturridge

That's only 22 and leaves me undecided on whether to take another right back (Walker), centre half (Jagielka) or an attacking player which, at the moment, would probably mean a choice between Walcott or Carroll.

Usually before a tournament we wonder where the goals are going to come from whereas this time it feels as though we will struggle to stop them.
With Stones and Baines having moderate seasons for Everton and not a decent full-back (as a defender) in sight we have problems IMHO and Dier and Rose showed how they have difficulty coping with pressure the other night v Chelsea as has young Alli recently.

In midfield I would like to see a place for Noble and up front Carroll who is so different from the other striking options.
It could be a much less dreary tournament than usual from us as we adopt (hopefully) "the best form of defence is to attack" mode.

Hopefully Roy will play to our strengths

[Vision]

Milner did his cause no harm last night with a cracking performance. Perhaps I'll change my mind and say we should make room for him amongst the inexperienced midfielders.

He's one of Roy's faves. I think he'll go at the expense of Drinkwater.

Some stat doing the rounds before this weekend that Milner had more Premier League assists in 2016 than any other player.

I know that assist stats don't tell the whole story (heavily weighted to dead ball takers) but there is, and always was, more to Milner's game than just being the reliable workhorse.

[Hoop Blah]

I heard something similar during commentary the other day. As you say, the stats aren't always that telling, and I think he probably takes a fair amount of free kicks, but he's also not half as bad as he's often made to be (he's just boringly effective at times).

With Wellbeck and Oxlade-Chamberlain now looking like their ruled out it brings Walcott back into contention as well. Maybe even Townsend too.

[Hoop Blah]

Interestingly Hodgson has postponed his squad announcement from tomorrow to Monday.

[Sanguine]

"the best form of defence is to attack"

I agree, Vic, but picking a relatively immobile Andy Carroll, who can't break at pace, and has pretty average feet, doesn't lend itself to that.

[Sanguine]

Milner did his cause no harm last night with a cracking performance. Perhaps I'll change my mind and say we should make room for him amongst the inexperienced midfielders.

He's one of Roy's faves. I think he'll go at the expense of Drinkwater.

Some stat doing the rounds before this weekend that Milner had more Premier League assists in 2016 than any other player.

I know that assist stats don't tell the whole story (heavily weighted to dead ball takers) but there is, and always was, more to Milner's game than just being the reliable workhorse.

True. When he's on it, he is very much a pacy, tricky winger. A couple of his turns were Messi-like against Villereal.

[George_]

Welbeck out of the Euro's (& for 9 months after an operation)

[genome]

Arsenal players are made of glass

[genome]

Glassenal

[From Despair To Where?]

When does the pannini sticker album come out? It's usually before the squads are announced so it will be interesting to see how far off their predictions are.

688 stickers which means you have to buy 138 packs, with no swaps to fill the bloody thing.

[Brosef Stalin]

At the moment my squad would be, based on Hodgson playing 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-1-2

3 Keepers: Hart, Forster, Heaton

6 Defenders: Clyne, Cahill, Smalling, Stones, Rose, Baines (or Bertrand)

5 Midfielders: Dier, Wilshire, Ali, and two out of Milner, Drinkwater and Henderson (the latter the one likely to miss out)

5 Attacking Midfield/Wide Forwards: Rooney, Lallana, Sterling, Wellbeck, Barkley

3 Forwards: Kane, Vardy Sturridge

That's only 22 and leaves me undecided on whether to take another right back (Walker), centre half (Jagielka) or an attacking player which, at the moment, would probably mean a choice between Walcott or Carroll.

With Stones and Baines having moderate seasons for Everton

Moderate? He's had a horror show in most of the games i've watched this season

[Hoop Blah]

With Stones and Baines having moderate seasons for Everton

Moderate? He's had a horror show in most of the games i've watched this season

Stones has got progressively worse all season, but he's still worth England sticking with. You'd have to hope that being away from Everton and Martinez's inability or get a team defending properly might actually help him rediscover his form.

Barkley has been much the same too. He was excellent for the first few months of the season but his form has fallen away too.