England squad...

[soggy biscuit]

If Rio is not selected then he will have gone his whole career without playing in the Euro's

[gazzer, loyal royal]

Oliver Holt‏@OllieHoltMirror

Sources close to Ferdinand already saying that decision to exclude him from squad was 'not football-related'.

[Wax Jacket]

Carroll may do well with a decent team alongside him and some good coaching

But he won't as it'll be Gerrard behind him pinging it into the crowd

[Maguire]

Oliver Holt‏@OllieHoltMirror

Sources close to Ferdinand already saying that decision to exclude him from squad was 'not football-related'.

Race card

[Royal Rother]

Carroll may do well with a decent team alongside him and some good coaching

But he won't as it'll be Gerrard behind him pinging it into the crowd

Cue VM....

[TBM]

Oliver Holt‏@OllieHoltMirror

Sources close to Ferdinand already saying that decision to exclude him from squad was 'not football-related'.

Maybe he said "If Terry is picked, i dont want to be there"

[JimmytheJim]

Would Grant Holt be worth a stab? I'd rather him than Bent or Carroll.

Grant Holt would not be worth a stab.

Much like the calls for Kevin Davies' inclusion in the squad around a year ago, it smacks of desperation. Holt has been effective for Norwich, but hasn't even been a guaranteed starter there, and no matter what you might have seen on Match of the Day, he is not an international quality striker. Except if he were Scottish. In which case he'd be a national treasure.

[Hoop Blah]

LOL at giving a damn about England.

^ all day this.

Woy could pick an entirely new squad, use the same old guys, mix it up between both. Same outcome, a series of very poor performances and perhaps a quater final. Nothing to get excited or wound up about at all.

Do you say the same about any sport or game? Afterall, whats to get excited about by 22 blokes kicking a pig skin about a park?

To my mind the best of any Nation vs my Nation in any sport is something to get excited about to some extent, even more so when it's the best of the best sport in the world.

They might not be the best games at times, we might not be the best team, but it's still our boys vs theirs, and with all the potentially permutations and opinions that come with selecting from a whole country worth of talent it makes for, IMO, great debate at times.

[cmonurz]

Completely agree HB. If people want to sit around mumbling to themselves whilst pubs are full of fans watching games and workplaces with talk of who should be in the squad/team, who will win it etc, well then more fool them. Same goes for the Olympics, Royal Wedding or whatever. Any occasion that brings a lot of people together in shared interest or enjoyment, there’s always a small handful keen to be ‘cool’ and sit to one side.

[BR2]

Carroll may do well with a decent team alongside him and some good coaching

But he won't as it'll be Gerrard behind him pinging it into the crowd

Cue VM....

If not Gerrard then Who?
Scott Parker,Milner?
Get real.

[No Fixed Abode]

Hart
Carson
Ruddy

Johnson
Jones
Terry
Lescott
Cahill
A Cole
Baines

Walcott
Lennon
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Gerrard
Barry
Lampard
Parker
Young
Milner

Rooney
Welbeck
Carroll
Sturridge

[Hoop Blah]

Even as a big Gerrard fan (and so for me it's no surprise to see WJ jumping on any chance to slag him off) I'd have to agree that on recent form Gerrard will be fortunate to get in the starting XI.

However, there isn't much by way of alternative in that position if, as I expect, we start against France with an attacking midfielder infront of 2 more defensive players in a 5 man midfield (I can't see us starting that first game 4-4-2).

At the moment I think I'd pick Lampard over Gerrard for that attacking role, even though I don't think he's creative enough in that role to play behind a Carroll or Welbeck.

[TBM]

Who is gonna be Woy's captain, do we know yet?

[LWJ]

I fcuking hope downing doesn't go.

[winchester_royal]

I fcuking hope downing doesn't go.

+ a million

[cmonurz]

Tbh I’d sooner see Downing go than a succession of right-wingers like Lennon, Wright-Phillips and Joe Cole running down the left-flank only to cut in onto their right foot AGAIN because they are so embarassingly one-footed.

[Pepe the Horseman]

‏ @Matt_Lawton_DM
Hearing Downing and Defoe in Eng squad. No Lennon or Sturridge. Other 21 names in Mail today right.

[Zammo]

Chaill

[Zammo]

So in a nutshell, it is the same players who have failed at major tournaments before

F**king Downing

[LWJ]

The same Downing, who has got no assists or goals all season?