The England National Team

Exactly.

Why do people respond to Shola?

But Joey Barton made all of his money, from deals like this.

Ah yes, I forgot that Joey Barton personally sets the prices for Nike. Joey Barton is offered money, Joey Barton takes money

i want Carroll go to Rio..not Lambert!

you also want West Ham in the top 6 - some things are just not meant to be

im talking about Carroll.

.... -sigh-

lol ...remember this is England National Team, thats im talking about.

I've got more chance of going to the World Cup than Carroll

Andy Carroll would be a brilliant player to have in the squad

I wouldn't take him at the expense of Lambert though

Lambert's so over-rated.

But Carroll's muck, I'd rather we take some footballers.

Carroll is sure as shit not muck

Ok, more diplomatically.

Carroll is a player who is playing at about his level, he failed when asked to step up and has a goal scoring record that is unimpressive since his Newcastle days.

Indeed, since then, when he vaguely resembled a player that might have a bit more to him than being deployed as a human battering ram for the 6 good months he's actually had in the Premier league.

He, nowadays, doesn't look to have the technical ability to play in a team that does not pander to what he is good at, and England, I hope, aspire to be better than that, even as a last resort when chasing the game, because it does no good for some of the players in this team who actually are capable of being at this level based on, rather than in spite of, their technical ability.

Carroll isn't that bad with his feet though - he's also probably our best attacking header of the ball.

Lambert offers nothing more than Sturridge/Rooney/Welbeck - Carroll does.

Carroll's not very good, but he offers something different.

There's going to be times when you're chasing the game and need to just chuck a big guy upfront.

He's one of few English players who can actually be relied upon to score a penalty.

Gerrard.. only missed one this season and to his defense was the third of the game

Rooney is also cracking penalty taker, as is Lampard. Historically, it seems more coincidental, or something context-specific about taking a penalty for England that seems to make the best of footballers lose their shit.

What I'm getting at is that it doesn't hurt to bring someone who's great at dead ball situations like Lambert over other players who might be a notch ahead of him in regular play. Just look at the impact Alessandro Diamanti ended up having for Italy at the Euro's, for instance.

'Regular play' is 99% of the game though. Lambert wouldn't be taking free-kicks or penalties during normal games, the only time he would is during a penalty shoot-out.

You can't take someone to the world cup for the small chance he'll be needed for a penalty shoot-out. And that's assuming they even have a sub left to make after 120 minutes.

i'm sorry to heard thats Rodriguez injured today....its time bring Carroll in. :O)

Lambert is considerably better with his feet than Carroll. He was dropping deep and spraying some nice balls about this afternoon and his passing is pretty intricate for a big man. He is far more deserving of a World Cup place than Carroll and with Rodriguez likely to miss out I'd be surprised if he didn't go now.

keeping it FM wise, john terry is a really competent DC. But I defo think there's better prospects out there.
he's great for the first season but after that, I would look to get rid.

Ashley Cole is apparently not in the England squad for the World Cup, according to the Telegraph.

No surprise really but he will be missed, mistake imo.

Yeah, I'd take him.

Make that three.

No place in 23 for Carrick or Cleverley, both victims of Manchester United's wretched season

— OllieHolt22 (@OllieHolt22) Permalink

Good decisions