Pick Your England 23

out of interest who would you take to brazil ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/10497297/World-Cup-2014-England-Squad-Selector-pick-your-23-then-compare-to-our-choices.html

here is who i would take;

No Cole? May not be playing regularly, but has the experience needed imo

for me baines the way he has played this season and last should be first choice for england and using roy hodgsons logic regarding not picking ferdinand for euro 2012, cole is too good for the bench so the experience would benefit shaw in the long term

Jones, Smalling and Welbeck.. erm.. Okay maybe Jones but definitely not the other two.

They'll all go, and Welbeck definitely deserves to.

its not just about people who may be better in their positions but what they offer in terms of flexibility all 3 can play mulitple positions which alot of other players challenging their places cannot

Here's mine

Don't make me do this again.

I wouldn't take Lampard or Shaw, thats about the only difference from the teams above.

Welbeck has only been worse than Rodriguez, Rooney and Sturridge this season so deserves to go, imo.

Still not very good, though.

GOALKEEPERS

Hart is the number one, Forster has had a great season and deserves to go and it's pretty close between Foster/ Ruddy. Went for the former but would be fine either way.

DEFENSE

At left-back Baines should start and I'd take Cole as back-up. Luke Shaw has been brilliant but if Baines were to get injured right before the tournament had started I would easily prefer a guy with over 100 caps to his name than a kid who has barely racked up 50 Premier League appearances. Shaw will have his day but I wouldn't take him at this point. Glen Johnson is the best right-back we have and I would rather leave behind Walker and take an extra midfielder - of all the players who don't play a minute it's usually defenders and I think Smalling could do a capable job there if need be. Cahill and Jagielka are our best defensive pairing and Jones is probably the best of a poor cast of other choices.

MIDFIELD

I think Gerrard and Henderson should start given their sublime form for Liverpool this season but would happily see Wilshere in there alongside Gerrard should we wish to go a bit more attacking. I'd take Lampard ahead of Carrick for the role of experienced back-up and James Milner's a good option to have given his workrate and versatility. Ross Barkley is an exciting option and probably the only player bar Rooney who can operate just off of the striker. On the wings we have great depth with Sterling and Lallana my preferred choices with Oxlade-Chamberlain perhaps pushing them both for a starting spot. Andros Townsend has been dogshit for months so don't mind seeing him miss out given we also have Milner, Welbeck and Rodriguez able to play out wide if need be.

ATTACKERS

Daniel Sturridge should be our starting #9 with Rooney playing just off of him. I'd take Welbeck as well who has proved himself with England and can play a variety of roles whereas Rodriguez is a bit of a wildcard he might be able to produce something special when needed. Defoe is poor, Carroll has been injured for too long and whilst I would probably like to take Lambert if we had an extra spot I'm not convinced he could do the business if we need him in the big matches.

Telegram Sam's team is exactly what I'd play.

Except I'd ask Terry to come out of retirement to play as he's been awesome this year.

Don't know how to copy my list but I would go with

Hart,Foster and Ruddy

Walker,Clyne,Terry,Cahill,Jagelkia,Jones,Baines,Shaw.

Barkley,Lampard,Gerrard,Chamberlain,Lallana,Wilshere

Townsend,Rooney,Sturridge,Lambert,Rodriguez and Carroll

Okay Welbeck has been decent for England when hes played but I really dont rate him as a striker. Although tbf hes been getting better this season.

I like TS first XI and would like it played, but Im not sure if Hendo and Gerrard will be as effective for England

finally someone else picking andy carroll, he offers something different and has to go if he keeps fit and continues to do what he has been doing past couple of weeks
i also agree with alot of 'Telegraph Sams' points apart from the LB area

Has anyone noticed Owen's squad? It's a fucking joke.



No room for Henderson, Lallana, Wilshere or Oxlade-Chamberlain but he finds room for Defoe and Zaha. Moron.

That's from like the start of the season in fairness, but taking only 5 mids is a bit ridiculous

Owen would probably argue that Jones and Rooney could play in midfield if needed.

Still thick though.

Owen's team isn't that bad.

He's obviously picked players in mind for a 4-2-3-1 and has 5 players he's picked to play in or cover that 2 in Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Milner, and Jones and, some would argue, Barkley. He says in the video he's playing Rooney behind Sturridge, and Barkley is really there to cover him. He's then picked Sterling, Townsend, Welbeck, and Zaha as wingers with Milner also there to cover him and Defoe as a back up for Sturridge.

I don't necessarily agree with all his picks (I wouldn't take Caulker, Walker, Zaha, Milner, Defoe, or Townsend) but there's some semblance of a balanced squad there.

I suspect most of the stupidest ones are based on the fact he did it early in the season, i.e. none of Henderson's form pushing his way in, Defoe being better than Soldado, and playing for Spurs rather than Toronto, Townsend not being wank. Chamberlain being injured etc...

Wilshere's an oversight, but I reckon it's justifiable.

Oh and Zaha is obviously bizarre.

Now that it looks like Jay Rodriguez is going to miss the World Cup I'd definitely take Lambert.

Nolan, Heskey & Konchesky as backup.....

It's shocking to me that Milner is only in one of the "pundits" or whatever's squad, yet Townsend is in all of them

Found out last week that Jose Luis Chilavert has more goals for Paraguay than Heskey has managed to produced in his 62 apps as a striker for England.

Townsend is crap. He either cuts in and boots it into the crowd or just runs up and down the wing until someone tackles him.

Why are Townsend and Young listed as strikers on there? Also, they have Bertrand, Jenkinson, Rodwell and Shelvey available for selection, but no Flanagan, Curtis Davies or Livermore who have all been better this season.