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Ninja
Revisionist nonsense. Sturridge was talented, no doubt, but until he left to join Liverpool he was a player who struggled with the lack of opportunities and never looked entirely convincing when asked to play wider (although was a damn sight better at it than Welbeck, who is hopeless out 90% of the time).
It's only when Sturridge moved, and got the chance to play week in week out -and boy did he grab that chance- that he looked like a genuinely excellent footballer, but lets not go too far; Liverpool took a bit of a gamble on him and it spectacularly paid off,.
I have no interest in debating whether Welbeck is a better player or not, which he obviously currently isn't, or who will have the better career, as I think you seem to think that I want to.
Just the simple point that Sturridge was no world beater until he got a consistent chance at first team football in a team that was playing well in his favoured position; Welbeck has had 2 of those 3 things this season (for 7 games) and scored 5 goals in that time in a team that is shit. Dismissing him as 'horrific' is ( for a start, indicative of really unfortunate or really selective watching) completely unfair to a player thats done rather well.
It's ironic in a way that Danny Welbeck's form around the turn of the year was superb, if you're picking players on form then he definitely deserves his place, although he's had his opportunities limited by Moyes' invertebrate nature since RVP and Rooney's return (despite Rooney being shit, but that another discussion).
I guess the hue and cry for managers to pick 'on form' means actually 'to pick fashionable players from small clubs'.
Poe
He's picked him because he's an absolute grafter and will help out in defence. He's probably good to bring on if we're winning 2-1 to protect the lead, so fair enough.
I'd run with this lineup in the World Cup
GK - Hart
DR - Johnson
DC - Cahill
DC - Jagielka
DL - Baines
MC - Gerrard
MC - Henderson/Carrick
AMR - Oxlade-Chamberlain
AML - Raheem Sterling
CF - Rooney
ST - Sturridge
Ninja
Im going to guess you don't watch our games that often.
Because seriously, chucking him in with Cleverley is down right stupid and secondly, Carrick has been so bad that he'd be very, very fortunate to go to Brazil.
rossiheslopi
Telegram Sam
That's how I would set up for the World Cup.
Slashman X
Although Gerrard's new role might suit Wilshere with him doing Henderson's job
Telegram Sam
I think Gerrard-Wilshere should be our first-choice midfield going into the World Cup as I feel they compliment each other well, and perhaps in the long-term we could start to see Henderson edge out Gerrard.
Carroll.
You backed up your opinions there, well done.
And as for the team, even though Ox is the only name that comes to mind, im not quite sure on him yet. Whats the alternatives?
Jason
If we'll be "grand" with 3 Liverpool players in the squad, especially then we've no hope.
Hope he takes Luke Shaw and Leighton Baines to the WC over Ashley Cole though.
Jason
Swap Wilshere for Barry imo.
Telegram Sam
I think Gerrard-Barry is too defensive - both work well in deeper roles but aren't going to drive forward and cause the opposition problems. Wilshere can offer that and I want to see us go for it this tournament as opposed to playing it safe and losing anyway.
VP.
So are you saying that you don't believe that a vast majority of players get picked not because of how they are playing, but simply because of who they play for?
And Andros Townsend is shite ffs, if he's the quality of player we're going to be relying on at a World Cup then we might a well not bother going. All he does is dribble into nowhere and shoot from everywhere and will be found out in minutes against the worlds best He may have looked good at QPR last season, but that was simply because more than half the side didn't give a shit and just wanted the massive wages. This season he has just one assist and one goal in the 21 appearances he's made (7 as sub), granted he's been injured in the middle of that but its hardly the kind of figures i'd expect from someone rated so highly.
Glad i'm not the only one that believes this.
Telegram Sam
BR.
The future's bright
Carroll.
Those 3 Liverpool players have been amongst the best in the league you moron
Shola
Ninja
yeah, you play for Southampton and you get picked.
I'm not saying that those players necessairily don't deserve it, but its a massive case of Hodgson pandering to the gallery by picking a bunch of players who play for a very fashionable club.
Telegram Sam
Shola
So much of Shaw being totally unable to defend gets overlooked on account of him being 12 and playing for Southampton.
Telegram Sam
No way, Rose is poor. Most Spurs fans want a new left-back in the summer and regret letting BAE go.
Baines, Gibbs, Cole and Shaw should all be ahead of him in the pecking order.
Shola
Rose has apparently only played 4 times for Spurs this season according to wiki?
Jamieandhisego
That's because he's abysmal.
Shola
Telegram Sam
Jamieandhisego
.verse
Sturridge as a lone striker doesn't really work, this is the main reason why he was always used out wide by every manager that had him at Chelsea. He's average in the air, lacks the work rate and team work to have excelled as a lone striker- this is still shown with his Liverpool move, as Suarez does most of the hard graft. However, in a system that employs two strikers that can interchange together it plays more to his strengths. He's always been a good finisher though.
Will be interesting to see how well he does for England though without Suarez around him, and within a system that won't be as free-flowing at what Rodgers likes to employ.
hammer9
Carroll.
Suarez was banned at the start of the season.. and when he came back Sturridge was still in the striker role, think we have only played 2 up front once or twice this season
Carroll.
VP.
Like Paul Merson said yesterday, it's harder to get out of the England squad than it is to get in now and players simply don't get picked anymore through form. That might not actually make much sense but i do know what he means