England squad for Slovenia and Croatia games
Watch England v Croatia live here.
The England squad for the international break (a friendly against Slovenia on Saturday, September 5 and the World Cup qualifier against Croatia on Wednesday, September 9) sees Rio Ferdinand, Theo Walcott and David James miss out due to injury while Peter Crouch, Wes Brown and Aaron Lennon return to the fold.
A win against Croatia will guarantee England’s progression to South Africa 2010 with two games to spare on the back of a 100% qualification record and in stark contrast to their Euro 2008 qualifying efforts, where they lost home and away to Croatia and stayed home during the 2008 summer.
Goalkeepers: Foster (Manchester United), Green (West Ham), Robinson (Blackburn)
Defenders: Johnson (Liverpool), Brown (Manchester United), Upson (West Ham), Terry (Chelsea, capt), Lescott (Manchester City), A Cole (Chelsea), Bridge (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Lennon (Tottenham), Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Barry (Manchester City), Lampard (Chelsea), Carrick (Manchester United), Gerrard (Liverpool), A Young (Aston Villa), Milner (Aston Villa)
Strikers: Rooney (Manchester United), Heskey (Aston Villa), Defoe (Tottenham), C Cole (West Ham), Crouch (Tottenham)
I’d like to see Foster get another start for England and there’s a chance he’ll get a look in during the friendly game with Slovenia. However, given Capello’s penchance for continuity, Green could be preferred between the sticks against Croatia.
In defence Terry and Cole are certain starters, with Upson and Brown likely to partner them given previous squad selections by Capello.
The midfield will see Gerrard, Lampard and Barry start with Lennon or Young keeping them company, with Beckham / Milner / Wright-Phillips likely to come off the bench.
Up front, Rooney and Defoe should be starters on form, and we might see Capello try that pairing against Slovenia to get a feel of how well they do together.
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Johnson has been playing so well I can’t imagine Capello not seriously considering him a starter.
August 30th, 2009 @ 23:29There is no way Brown will start of even get a sniff. He just got back from injury and Johnson is massively on form.
August 31st, 2009 @ 04:27um…..Bridge is at Manchester City, not Chelsea.
August 31st, 2009 @ 05:31if it was me i would capitilize on johnson’s confidence.
—————-green—————
johnson—–upson—-terry—-a.cole
———barry——lampard———
rooney——–gerrard———a.young
—————-defoe—————-
basically rooney is only there to give cover for johnson since johnson cant defend and rooney is the only attacker of the bunch who can. I would prefer some1 better then a.young on the left but not many options unless you play gerrard there, or rooney. The sole reason i chose upson over lescott is that lescott hasnt played for a while and upson and green are team mates and will have a better understanding. Terry is the best CB in the europe so he gets automatic choice.
August 31st, 2009 @ 06:33Robinson
G Johnson J Terry J Lescott A Cole
A Lennon F Lampard S Gerrard D Beckham
W Rooney J Defoe
August 31st, 2009 @ 08:03@Dan I blame bbc for the error – fixed.
August 31st, 2009 @ 08:35foster
foster
johnson terry(c) upson a.cole
carrick
gerrad lamps milner
rooney defore
in all fairness milner deserves a start after his last perfomance. rooney and defore are a deadly combanation esp wit the form they are both in. this formation gives lamps and gerrad more space and freedom and carrick linking the three of them
September 1st, 2009 @ 17:26It’s strange that player resides in England, Brown, Brown is pursuing a defensive play and offensive manner in English by the parties, can Brown, that the function of the attack, I think that Johnson is the best option …
September 8th, 2009 @ 07:15Faleh Al-Harthy from Saudi Arabia
@Crouchy and Jake: Interesting comments considering Johnson took a hammering in the press for his last defensive display…..Liverpool fans perchance?
September 9th, 2009 @ 13:26The only way forward now, is (a) fly out a new England team (b) sack that Spitting Image puppet faced Capello (c) get Joe Cole right in there and make him Captain. Otherwise the expresssion “We’re doomed” comes to mind.
June 23rd, 2010 @ 16:36