Confirmed England team:

Hart Johnson Smalling Cahill Cole Cleverley Gerrard Wilshere Walcott Rooney Welbeck

I didn't see the game, but that went rather well. Did we play 4-3-3 as well?

I didn't see the game, but that went rather well. Did we play 4-3-3 as well?

 

I only watched the 2nd half, so couldn't tell what we played at all. Welbeck is absolutely abysmal though, says it all when I was trying to work out who Milner came on for.

 

I sincerely hope people don't think we can go winning the World Cup now. This Brazil team must be one of the worst ever. Wilshere, Walcott and Gerrard were fantastic from what I saw mind.

I didn't see the game, but that went rather well. Did we play 4-3-3 as well?

Yep 4-3-3, which is surprising from Hodgson

 

No one had a particularly poor game, but I'd look to replace Smalling, Cleverley and Welbeck with Jagielka, Carrick and Sturridge

 

XI for qualifiers:

Hart Johnson Jagielka Cahill Cole Carrick Gerrard Wilshere Sturridge Rooney Walcott

I think Cleverley was fantastic, I'm a huge fan of Carrick and would've liked him to have been in there but the midfield trio complemented each other so well last night. Gerrard was brilliantly disciplined at the base and in Cleverley and Wilshere you had two partners who were comfortable on the ball but also allowed Gerrard to get forward on occasion too. Wilshere was absolutely superb, he completely ran the game in the first half whenever he was able to get on the ball and was impressive in the second too. Walcott looked brilliant when he ran at defenders and Rooney, Johnson and Baines were impressive. Welbeck was definitely the weakest England player out there.

We're probably a settled defence away from a distinctly fluky passage to the semis (so basically the exact opposite of expectations before every other tournament)

I think Hodgson would be better just picking a centre half pairing and sticking with it for the next two years regardless. Cahill, Jagielka, Lescott, Jones, Smalling, Dawson, Caulker, Ferdinand and Shawcross all probably the most realistic possibilities (unless I've forgotten someone) but none of them really stand out, probably has to be Cahill and one other. I'd love it to be Dawson but can't see it at all.

I think Hodgson would be better just picking a centre half pairing and sticking with it for the next two years regardless. Cahill, Jagielka, Lescott, Jones, Smalling, Dawson, Caulker, Ferdinand and Shawcross all probably the most realistic possibilities (unless I've forgotten someone) but none of them really stand out, probably has to be Cahill and one other. I'd love it to be Dawson but can't see it at all.

If Jones and Smalling were playing regularly together for United it'd be a fairly easy one, I like Cahill though and he's useful alongside someone a bit more inclined to jump in front of things.

Phil Jones needs to be kept as far away from the England team as possibl!

I think Cleverley was fantastic, I'm a huge fan of Carrick and would've liked him to have been in there but the midfield trio complemented each other so well last night. Gerrard was brilliantly disciplined at the base and in Cleverley and Wilshere you had two partners who were comfortable on the ball but also allowed Gerrard to get forward on occasion too. Wilshere was absolutely superb, he completely ran the game in the first half whenever he was able to get on the ball and was impressive in the second too. Walcott looked brilliant when he ran at defenders and Rooney, Johnson and Baines were impressive. Welbeck was definitely the weakest England player out there.

I wouldn't say Cleverley was fantastic, but I agree that the midfield trio of Gerrard, Wilshere and Cleverley did work well. A good mix of youth and experience and all three are versatile enough to interchange throughout the match. I did say I'd bring Carrick in ahead of Cleverley, but it'd mean having to push Gerrard further forward, who looks like he's now thriving on playing in a deeper role. Or maybe the midfield just looks great now that we aren't relying on Parker and actually have players in Cleverley and Wilshere that are comfortable on the ball? I was getting a little bored of seeing Parker pick up MOTM after spending the entire match throwing his body in front of the ball

 

I do hope Hodgson has learnt his lesson though and doesn't revert back to 4-4-2 with Cleverley out wide. We'd probably have gone further in the Euros by playing three in midfield vs. Italy and therefore preventing Pirlo from dominating the game

I'm a fan of Parker and what he does but I'll be happy if he's now too far down the pecking order for England, Gerrard, Cleverly and Wilshere as the first choice 3 with Carrick, Lampard and an improving Henderson as their back-ups. It seems too daft to rely on so many players towards the end of their international careers when we have the talent in younger players who are playing regularly for top clubs.

I think Wilshere and Gerrard are automatic picks like you both say at the moment. That third spot is up for debate. Gerrard benefits from having runners around him, as has shown with Henderson lately. It allows Gerrard to conserve his energy and not have to do the midfield pressing, instead he can sort of dictate the tempo in a more deeper role and join the attacks freely.

 

The long term midfield three (if we play that way) will be Wilshere, Cleverly and Henderson you would have thought. Only thing they lack is experience. Doubt we'll see too much of Henderson in the England first team until after the U21 Championship though. But agree it seems silly having the likes of Scotty Parker and Leon Osman in the squad.

Leon Osman is an odd choice for me. Very unlikely he'll force his way into the first XI, so it seems he's only really there to make up the numbers. Gerrard and Wilshere both played 90 minutes in the game and you'd have thought Hodgson would have looked to bring Osman on for one of them if he was really interested in having him involved in his plans. It'd make more sense to give a youngster an opportunity, who'd gain more from being around the squad

England squad to play San Marino and Montenegro

 

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart [Man City], Ben Foster [West Brom], Fraser Forster [Celtic]

 

Defenders: Leighton Baines [Everton], Ashley Cole [Chelsea], Glen Johnson [Liverpool], Kyle Walker [Tottenham], Chris Smalling [Man United], Joleon Lescott [Man City], Steven Caulker [Tottenham], Steven Taylor [Newcastle]

 

Midfielders: Steven Gerrard [Liverpool], Frank Lampard [Chelsea], Michael Carrick [Man United], Tom Cleverley [Man United], Scott Parker [Tottenham], Leon Osman [Everton], James Milner [Man City], Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain [Arsenal], Ashley Young [Man United]

 

Forwards: Wayne Rooney [Man United], Daniel Welbeck [Man United], Daniel Sturridge [Liverpool], Jermain Defoe [Tottenham]

 

Withdrawn: Michael Dawson, Aaron Lennon, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Cahill, Theo Walcott

Nice to see Lennon's got a recall. AVB has brought another side into his game!

 

Why he keeps picking Osman is beyond me. Can only guess he's taken Wilshere's place.

I wouldn't have picked both Osman and Parker. Once the U21 tournament is over we'll hopefully see a few of those players promoted to the squad instead

 

Hodgson would probably find it hard to argue that the squad is based on recent form too. Young, Smalling, Oxlade-Chamberlain? to name a few..

Aaron Lennon and Michael Dawson withdrawn

 

Joleon Lescott called up as a replacement

Rio Ferdinand withdrawn

 

Steven Caulker called up from the U21's as his replacement

Caulker should have been at the squad at the start, he's very underrated.

Caulker should have been at the squad at the start, he's very underrated.

 

They're trying to keep all the better Under-21 players with the U21s, at least that's my view, because of the tournament in the summer. Otherwise I'm sure the likes of Caulker and Henderson would have been called up.