FIFA World Cup 2014 !

[steveaki13]

I saw a headline on the BBC sport pages

"Ronaldo selected in Portugal Squad"

It just made me laugh as a headline. It read as though it was a shock selection.

[steveaki13]

. Costa should actually not get selected either..it's ridiculous - why are people who have already played for another country allowed to play for yet another in a few months' time?

I agree so much with this. Its a crazy situation. It will become like club football at this rate and you can trade players.

[steveaki13]

Goalkeepers:

Julio Cesar (Toronto), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Ath.Mineiro)

Defenders:
Dani Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Roma), Thiago Silva (PSG), David Luiz (Chelsea), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Dante (Bayern Munich), Maxwell (PSG), Henrique (Napoli)

Midfielders:
Ramires (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Paulinho (Tottenham), Hernanes (Inter Milan), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Bernard (Shaktar Donetsk), Fernandinho (Man City), Willian (Chelsea)

Strikers:
Neymar (Barcelona), Hulk (Zenit), Fred (Fluminense), Jo (Ath. Mineiro)

[anfield5]

Oh yes. Cant wait Pino. Hope I am allowed to do this. Just let me know.

Here's the England squad for those that are interested.

Goalkeepers:

	Caps	Goals
Joe Hart (Man City)	39	0
Fraser Forster (Celtic)	1	0
Ben Foster (West Brom)	6	0

Defenders:

	Caps	Goals
Leighton Baines (Everton)	22	1
Gary Cahill (Chelsea)	22	2
Phil Jagielka (Everton)	24	1
Glen Johnson (Liverpool)	50	1
Phil Jones (Manchester Utd)	9	0
Chris Smalling (Manchester Utd)	10	0
luke Shaw (Southampton)	1	0

Midfielders:

	Caps	Goals
Ross Barkley (Everton)	3	0
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) *Captain	109	21
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)	8	0
Adam Lallana (Southampton)	3	0
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)	103	29
James Milner (Man City)	45	1
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)	14	3
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)	2	0
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)	15	0

Strikers:

	Caps	Goals
Rickie Lambert (Southampton)	4	2
Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)	89	38
Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)	10	3
Danny Welbeck (Manchester Utd)	21	8

Standby List:
John Ruddy (Norwich City), Jon Flanagan (Liverpool), John Stones (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Andy Carroll (West Ham United), Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC).

Hmm a few in who based on performance should not be.
Smalling and Jones are extremely lucky to go, both were average at best this year. Personally I would have taken Stones and Flanagan, both of whom had exceptional seasons this time round and were far more impressive than the Utd pair.

Apart from that I think this is the best squad Hodgeson could have come up with.

So.... how will England do?

I can see them making the quarter finals, then all you need is luck from there, I can also see them not progressing past Italy and Uruguay in their group.

[MrJan]

In anticipation of England's abject failure I will be offering my support to Cameroon and Germany...mainly because I've got them in the company sweepstake.

[Rollo]

Apart from that I think this is the best squad Hodgeson could have come up with.

So.... how will England do?

I can see them making the quarter finals, then all you need is luck from there, I can also see them not progressing past Italy and Uruguay in their group.

Hart, Cahill, Johnson, Smalling, Jagielka, Henderson, Sterling, Gerrard, Milner, Sturridge and Rooney.

That's pretty well much the default XI and to be honest, the only reason I'd see that England have any need to play anyone else is to rest that XI before an important match. Secure escape from the group stage and then revert to an XI which in theory should be able to hold up fairly nicely in a European Champions League match.

...

Aside:
I think that Australia is massively overrated in the press here. Having seen the squad of 30 before they play a friendly against South Africa, I can honestly see Australia getting belted to the weeds. My prediction of losing all matches and conceding 20 goals still stands.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Hart, Cahill, Johnson, Smalling, Jagielka, Henderson, Sterling, Gerrard, Milner, Sturridge and Rooney.

That's pretty well much the default XI and to be honest, the only reason I'd see that England have any need to play anyone else is to rest that XI before an important match. Secure escape from the group stage and then revert to an XI which in theory should be able to hold up fairly nicely in a European Champions League match.


...

Aside:
I think that Australia is massively overrated in the press here. Having seen the squad of 30 before they play a friendly against South Africa, I can honestly see Australia getting belted to the weeds. My prediction of losing all matches and conceding 20 goals still stands.

You've selected 3 CB and no left back.

Hart
Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines
Gerrard, Wilshere
Stirling, Rooney, Welbeck
Sturridge

That's how I'd play, attack attack attack

[steveaki13]

I'd go with that too Jon.

Maybe switching the Ox if fit or Lallana for Welbeck personally, but its the same basic team.

[pino]

Groups :

Group A
Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

Group B
Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

Group C
Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan

Group D
Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

Group E
Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

Group F
Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Group G
Germany, Portugal, Ghana, United States

Group H
Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea

[pino]

Poll added with 10 options, if you guys want more options, just let me know