There needs to be a step change from the past, but not a clean slate. We need to keep the best technical players, and those with a bit of wisdom. My twenty three suggestions:
GKs: Hart, Green, Robinson
No point keeping James, and I would explicitly make Hart the number one and give him an extended run in the side (even if he dropped clangers). Green (to rebuild confidence) and Robinson (experience) as cover.
Fullbacks:
Ashley Cole – best player in the world in his position.
Glen Johnson – yes, he needs to work on his defending, but the potential is there and he won’t become accustomed to performing at international level without the exposure
Centrebacks:
This is tough. I’d be very tempted to leave Terry out, along with Ferdinand, King and Carragher – time to clear the decks a bit. Sadly, I can’t see anyone else able to replace him.
Terry, Dawson, Micah Richards (also covers RB), Ryan Shawcross.
Defensive midfielders:
Owen Hargreaves, Lee Cattermole, Jack Rodwell, Barry.
Attacking midfielders:
Joe Cole (best technical player in the squad), Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard (I’d make him captain – a highly intelligent player willing to work for the team as a whole), Aaron Lennon, Ashley Young, Milner (also covers LB).
Strikers:
Rooney, Crouch, Gerrard, Defoe.
Come on Sam, you could have at least tried to disguise your Chelski bias. Terry should never don an England shirt again. No pace, terrible positional play and a thoroughly disruptive influence in the squad. I’ll give you Cole, both of them, but not Tub of Lard who has hardly ever delivered for England and is the wrong side of thirty. Agree with the front four.
🙂
Actually, on the first draft, I did leave out Terry. It was only when I pondered the absurdity of the result – Upson – that I recanted.
I’d defend the choice of Lampard for ages though…
I’m sure your defence would be more robust than England’s.