Caligula wrote:

Apart from Rooney, nobody has the kind of magic needed to unlock an opposition defense with either a slalom through stupefied opponents or a defense splitting pass.

Wilshere does.

Wilshere can do both those things Cal. The rest doesn't look very special at all.

Caligula wrote:

The more I stare at the line-up, the more I realize that England actually lack brilliant players. Apart from Rooney, nobody has the kind of magic needed to unlock an opposition defense with either a slalom through stupefied opponents or a defense splitting pass.

So what exactly is Capello supposed to do with these players? Why do the English criticize him so heavily? Is he supposed to turn Parker into Yaya and Walcott into Iniesta? :[/quote]

Even Swansea and Blackpool are capable of playing pass and move football.

Capello makes the players look like Zombies and plays two holding midfielders and a couple wide (for laughs) at home because the opposition has Gareth Bale.

Anyway, that eleven is good enough to nick a semi-final in a summer tournament at the very least. Don't buy the argument that Capello can't do more with the players at his disposal. United would win the league with that team, or at least get pretty close. The fact is that England are slow as fuck on the ball and for the longest time refused to play it through midfield. But even ignoring that you just need to look back at the mistakes he made in the last World cup. No one who starts Robert Green ahead of Joe Hart or brings Emile Heskey at the expense of Theo Walcott or Darren Bent should be allowed to keep his job. He insisted on playing Barry at the heart of the team too, despite the fact that he was the worst player in the tournament. He's being paid insane money to pick the best available eleven for a handfull of games each year and he still manages to get it wrong, time after time.

The England team is focussed too much on reputation and big personalities. Englands "Golden" generation were a failure at International level and most of them are on the decline yet Capello still selects them for every English squad. There are some really good young midfielders coming through for England now, team players, lads who can pass the ball. Thats what England need more of. Savage is right about getting those United lads into the England squad now. People are saying they're too young for England but its a bigger achievement to play for United these days and the likes of Smalling, Jones and Cleverly have all looked good so far. Combining them with team mates who understand each other that already make up a 3rd of the England team makes perfect sense.

The England team headed to the euros next season should be

---------------- Hart ------------------

Smalling --- Ferdinand --- Jones --- Cuntley

----------------- DM ----------------------------

--- Cleverly ------------- Wilshere

Walcott ------ Rooney ---------- Young

And it should be focussed on doing well, not winning. Take the pressure off a little and get ready for the World Cup.

And DM is a problem position for England, there's no clear choice but really if the system is right anyone of Parker, Barry, Milner, Richards, Carrick, etc should be able to do a job in there.

Why would you leave out England's best defender?

Also you realise that the likes of Smalling, Jones, Ferdinand, Cleverly have allowed more shots on their goal than any other team in the Premier League right? Just because they're buzzing at the other end doesn't make the players behind suddenly great or even good players.

------------------Hart---------------

Richards----Terry---Cahill----Cole

-----------------Carrick-------------
----------Wilshere---Cleverly------

Sturridge---------------------Young
-----------------Rooney--------------

Mceachran, Barkley and Gerrard could all take Cleverly's place depending on form.