England squad...

[RoyalJames101]

Lampard > Gerrard > Parker > Milner > Barry > Henderson.

[TBM]

When Lampards fake injury took him out of selection in the 2006 quals, Barry stepped in and our results went from 0-0 draws to back to back 3-0 wins.

Gareth Barry didn't play in one 2006 Qualifier - please come back when you're accurate and can be taken seriously.

lol

[Extended-Phenotype]

Shit my bad. I meant 2008. Heavy hangover and no ability to keep track of what year it is now let alone which tournament was what.

Mentioning McClaren should have been some indication of what tournament I meant, though.

[Hoop Blah]

The final 23:

Goalkeepers: 1. Joe Hart (Manchester City), 13. Robert Green (West Ham), 23. Jack Butland (Birmingham City).

Defenders: 12. Leighton Baines (Everton), 5. Gary Cahill (Chelsea), 3. Ashley Cole (Chelsea), 2. Glen Johnson (Liverpool), 14. Phil Jones (Manchester United), 15. Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), 6. John Terry (Chelsea), 18. Phil Jagielka (Everton).

Midfielders: 19. Stewart Downing (Liverpool), 4. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), 8. Frank Lampard (Chelsea), 16. James Milner (Manchester City), 20. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), 17. Scott Parker (Tottenham), 7. Theo Walcott (Arsenal), 11. Ashley Young (Manchester United).

Forwards: 9. Andy Carroll (Liverpool), 21. Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), 10. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), 22. Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).

Doesn't look briming with quality, but lets hope Hodgson works some magic and gets them organsied enough to have a shot at winning a few games.

[Alan Partridge]

Hart

G Johnson Terry Cahill A Cole

Parker

Walcott Lampard Gerrard Young

Carroll

It is then.

[Hoop Blah]

Still not sure he'll go with Carroll over Welbeck if they're both fit for the France game, but I think the rest is probably pretty much nailed on (potential question mark over Milner for Walcott as well perhaps).

Carroll getting the number 9 is just as likely a case of Welbeck being too scared to argue for it!

[Maguire]

Hart

G Johnson Terry Cahill A Cole

Parker

Walcott Lampard Gerrard Young

Carroll

It is then.

Yes agreed.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Hart

G Johnson Terry Cahill A Cole

Parker

Walcott Lampard Gerrard Young

Carroll

It is then.

No way Hodge will put the burden of holding for two AM’s on poor Scott Parker.

More likely he’ll drop Gerrard or Lampard deeper alongside Parker and leave the other in behind Caroll. That role will most likely become Rooney’s should we progress, and as Gerrard is captain I expect if Lampard is to play, he’ll take up the temporary slot in behind Caroll, leaving Gerrard the continuity of playing deeper.

Personally, I think it’s stupid playing either Gerrard or Lampard in anything but an AM position. Neither really occupy that spot for club where they shine, deploying them in a more all-round position ranges them from liability to ordinary at best. They don’t have the discipline, the possession, the positioning or the passing brain of a deeper mid. That’s not meant to be a dig, it just isn’t their game, which is about creativity, goals and risks.

No manager seems to have the bottle to deal with this. Essentially we have Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney all vying for the same position, and no gaffer has had the courage to deal with the backlash of the fans and media from dropping ONE of these guys, let alone TWO – but that’s what’s needed. It does seem silly to be dropping an ‘exciting’ player like Lampard/Gerrard/Rooney for the ‘mundane’ Barry/Milner/Parker/Carrick/etc, but you have to weigh them up against the position, not their talent overall.

Not only would England be a more solid outfit with more players who play on the leash, but the roaming creative sparks left in the side would perform better also, playing in the position which makes them great for club, having a solid platform supporting them and not tripping over their doppelganger.

But once again it looks like we are going to a tournament setup to play with two many monkeys and not enough organ grinders.

[Simon's Church]

Lampard's been playing deep for Chelsea since Di Matteo took over and has been one of their best players.

[Alan Partridge]

That'll be the side barring injury, nailed on.Whether it's right or wrong is different but it's almost certain to be the side for the first 2 games.

I like Hodgson, think he's the right person for the job but I'm concerned/disappointed that so much was made after South Africa that England need to go a different way that so many of them that started that last campaign are back in again once the tournament comes around. If Barry was fit he'd be in as well. Obviously injuries to 2 or 3 players have possibly robbed England of making progressive change i.e Wilshere, Walker and possibly Rodwell but I just look at that side 2 years on from the worst tournament I can ever remember and it's same old all over again.

England will have to be very good to get through their group, they can do it but it's going to be tough and that side just doesn't inspire me too much I have to say.

Having said that I realise there isn't much alternative sadly due to a) injuries b) lack of talent, so we are all stuck with it.

[winchester_royal]

More to the point...who drops out when Rooney is available?

[Wax Jacket]

anyone but the captain

[Hoop Blah]

As I've already said, I think Lampard will play deeper alongside Parker with Gerrard in the more advanced role behind the forward. My money would be on Welbeck for the forward role (of fit) against France.

What happens when Rooney comes back? I think it will see Gerrard dropping deeper and Lampard (harshly on club form) missing out. If we don't need to win that last group game he might start Rooney on the bench or up front on his own, but if we need a win to go through I'm sure he'll come straight back in (we probably won't have played that well if we still need a win so no sticking with a winning/performing team).

[Extended-Phenotype]

Lampard's been playing deep for Chelsea since Di Matteo took over and has been one of their best players.

Not really. Mikel and Meireles have sat deep on many occasion. Only the odd occasion has Lampard strayed from playing in the hole alone or as an attacking two with one behind him.

[Bring Back The SB]

....................................Hart.............................

Johnson................Cahill.............Terry...............Cole


.....................Parker.................Jones....................

Ox...........................Gerrard..........................Young


...............................Carroll..................................

Rooney in for Gerrard and Gerrard in for Parker after the first two games.

[Hoop Blah]

Disagree EP. The Cup final for example, from my memory Lampard sat deeper than he used to, with Kalou and Rameries on the wings and Mata through the middle.

That was a pretty typical line up from the games I saw under Di Matteo.

[Simon's Church]

Disagree EP. The Cup final for example, from my memory Lampard sat deeper than he used to, with Kalou and Rameries on the wings and Mata through the middle.

That was a pretty typical line up from the games I saw under Di Matteo.

Yeah, more often than not Mata played off the striker and if they went more defensive Meireles came in for him and Mata went wide.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Fair play, I only go by what I read in the paper and only saw a few games of theirs to be honest. Didn’t often sound like he was operating deep, certainly not like an anchor like he may be for England. Would rather see someone more natural there but he is much better at it than Gerrard.

My point is that, as Gerrard is captain, and Rooney is likely to operate in the hole when he returns, Gerrard might be given continuity of position and played deep alongside Parker from the start.

Does this mean the out-of-favour Lampard will be given freedom to roam in the middle in the first two games? Doubt it. I expect to see Young in there, and Lampard on the bench.

Personally, I’d get two solid dogsbodies in the centre, be that Parker and one of Milner or Jones (can any other defender play as a holding mid?), Walcott and Young on the wings, Caroll upfront and one of Gerrard/Lampard/Rooney in behind him.

[No Fixed Abode]

Frank Lampard has pulled up in training with a thigh strain, but don't worry everyone, Jordan Henderson is on stand by.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Frank Lampard has pulled up in training with a thigh strain, but don't worry everyone, Jordan Henderson is on stand by.

Worried? It's a godsend. Now we don't have to watch the pain of seeing three of the same player hammered into a team, or pray for a manager with enough bollocks to drop 2 of them.

All we need now is for Gerrard to nut another DJ and spend the Euros in the pen, and we might actually see a team of players playing in the right positions.