Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Robert Green and John Ruddy.
I had all three down in my squad I tweeted yesterday, Joe Hart is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and one of the best in the world. He'll be crucial for England and will play a big role in any success they have. Green is a good back up despite his hiccup against the USA in the 2010 World Cup and although a slight surprise when you look at the season John Ruddy has had for Norwich he definitely merits a spot in the squad plus anyone is better then Scott Carson.
Defenders: Glenn Johnson, Phil Jones, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Joleon Lescott, Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines
The 7 defenders cause some head scratching moments especially at right back, Micah Richards may not have started every game for Manchester City this season but he has done great over the past 2 seasons to recapture his best form and after young player of the year Kyle Walker was ruled out for the Euros I would have definitely put Richards in especially as I don't rate Glenn Johnson highly at all, poor defensively and always looks nervy at the back. Phil Jones provides cover and centre half and right back plus he can play in midfield so is a good choice. The left backs were a given but John Terry's inclusion splits fans opinions, there is no doubt about his class but with the racism storm still clouding him and not the best season for Chelsea I would have left him out. I also would have left Rio Ferdinand out but there you go it was either one or the other or neither, the only reason this is getting so much attention is being both are quality players who most teams would love to have in their side where as in the Terry and Bridge craziness let's face it Wayne Bridge was never good enough to play for England. Jagielka misses out but is on standby and is probably equal on ability with Cahill and Lescott, the latter I have criticised before but he has improved and all 3 in my opinion would deserve a spot in the squad.
Midfielders: Scott Parker, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Stewart Downing, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young.
England don't have too many young up and coming midfielders well they do but the likes of Jack Wilshere and Tom Cleverley have had injury ridden seasons. Jack Rodwell is a great talent but with only 14 appearances and so much experience in the middle of the park he was doubtful to go although personally I'd have given him a look as he is a star of the future where as someone like Gareth Barry isn't even a star of now, how he is in the team again I'll never know. All I have in my head is images of Mesut Ozil destroying him in South Africa, in the middle of the park you need someone with a great passing ability and how Michael Carrick has been overlooked again I'll never know especially as the Manchester United midfielder is coming off his second best season for the club in my opinion. Apparently Carrick has now retired from international football as he doesn't want to be a bit part player and wants to focus on club football which is fair enough. The rumours of Paul Scholes returning to the international fold never happened which is a shame but Gerrard and Lampard have enough experience to do something special and with time running out for the two on the international scene both will have a point to prove and hopefully will put in the class performances that we have seen so often from both at Liverpool and Chelsea respectivelyy. It is the Liverpool man who will skipper the side in Ukraine/Poland and that is a fair choice, the only other standout candidates for me would have been Joe Hart, Scott Parker or Wayne Rooney but Gerrard is a suitable choice. The likes of Parker and Young have had good seasons and are both great players who deserve to be in the England side, Oxlade-Chamberlain is a fantastic young player and the 18 year old will be a good asset for England. Hopefully he doesn't go off the boil like Theo Walcott did after he was exposed to a big international tournament back in 2006, Theo has performed well over the past 2 seasons though and with his pace is a danger to any opposition. Apart from Gareth Barry the biggest shock is the inclusion of Stewart Downing, he has 0 assists and 0 goals this season for Liverpool in 36 league games this season. His form at Anfield has been poor, okay we need a left-footed winger in the team and thankfully Adam Johnson is on standby but I don't see how he has got in to the team especially as that means someone like Aaron Lennon is sitting at home this summer who is better then him and Walcott. The midfield overall is good so Roy hasn't done too bad then apart from the two stinkers but hopefully they won't get near the pitch.
Forwards: Wayne Rooney, Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Danny Welbeck
Hodgson has opted for just 4 strikers although Theo Walcott or even Oxlade-Chamberlain could play up top. As everyone knows Wayne Rooney is the star man for England but without him for the first two games whoever was given the nod upfront was going to be under scrutiny. Rooney scored 34 goals for Manchester United last season, Defoe and Welbeck both have 17 and Andy Carroll has 9. The stats are pretty good for all 4 even Andy Carroll as he has started to find his stride at the back end of the campaign with big goals against the likes of Blackburn, Everton and in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea. Defoe hasn't got the starting time he would of liked for Spurs but 17 goals is a great return, Welbeck has flourished at Manchester United playing with Wayne Rooney and the two struck up a deadly partnership which if called upon for England the two will surely hope to recapture for their country. There wasn't many other options up front although I would have personally taken young forward Daniel Sturridge as I feel he has a lot to offer, come the next World Cup it will probably be Sturridge, Welbeck, Rooney and Carroll up front if we were picking right now as they are the best young strikers in the country. Sturridge is on Hodgson's standby list so could still make the squad if any injuries hit the team, he has suffered a bit since Di Matteo took over at Chelsea as he has played less but he himself has still got 13 goals this season. Unfortunately not everyone can make the squad, the other two names who didn't make the squad upfront were Darren Bent and Peter Crouch. Bent has been injured lately and although he has a prolific record in the Premier League he hasn't really shown it on the international stage, 4 in 13, where as Peter Crouch has, 22 in 42, but he doesn't make the plane. The only other striking option could have been young Englishman Gary Hooper who plays his trade at Celtic, he has had a stunning season in the SPL scoring 29 goals in 50 games helping fire the Scottish club to the title. At only 23 though he could still break in to the side in his career and good luck to him.
So overall the squad is a pretty good one I'd say apart from some of the shockers I've picked out. My main one is David Beckham, he should be in the side but that's me living in a fantasy land. Roy Hodgson may want to focus on his own shocker's though as I would like to nearly end on a quote he said when explaining why he chose Alex Oxlade-Chamberain for the England squad:
“He is a very exciting player who has made an impression on me, not least in his performance against AC Milan at the Emirates,” Hodgson said.
“I was there live and saw how well he dealt with Pirlo and Ambrosini. He can play wide or central and for future and can continue as he started.”
Well first of all Pirlo play for Juventus and Ambrosini didn't even play in that match, for someone who is so "experienced" that is shocking, sort it out Roy. I can't even put in to words how hilariously bad that is. Whatever happens and whoever is in the squad good luck to England and let's hope something magically happens this summer.
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