Did a
blog on this very matter a little while ago!
I've gone for:
GKs - 3
DFs - 7
MFs - 8
STs - 5
With a 4-2-3-1.
x
x-x-x-x
x-x
x-x-x
x
with overlapping fullbacks and wingers.
This formation is very balanced, and will get plenty of crosses for Rooney to get his head on.
Goalkeepers
David James (Portsmouth) - Experience is 50% of Goalkeeping, and Jamo has tonnes of it. A no-brainer.
Rob Green (West Ham) - Green has the talent, and the Experience. He goes as 2nd choice.Paul Robinson (Blackburn) - At the time I wrote the blog, Robbo was 'out of the WC'. Now that it turns out that he isn't, he should go as reserve keeper. We victimise too easily in this country, a bump in the turf isn't his fault! Could even push Jamo for the Number 1 jersey.
Joe Hart (Birmingham) - Experience is 50% of Goalkeeping, but form is the other 50%. Hart is in great form for the Brum this season.
Defenders
Left Back
Ashley Cole (Chelsea) - Hopefully he will be back fit by July, or else we really are screwed in this position!
Leighton Baines (Everton) - Wayne Bridge should be here, but for obvious reasons, is unavaliable. Baines is the natural replacement.
Centre Back
John Terry (Chelsea) - No explination required. A world class centre back.
Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) - See comment for John Terry.
Wes Brown (Manchester United) - A quality cover for the other 2.
Right Back
Glen Johnson (Liverpool) - Easily the best English right-back around.
Gary Neville (Manchester United) - Whilst Johnson may be pacier, Neville is in inspired form this season, and gets a shock recall.
MidfieldersCentreOwen Hargreaves (Manchester United) - Deserves a recall, I think. A quality centre mid.
James Milner (Aston Villa) - Another good bet for me.
Joe Cole (Chelsea) - Nearly forgot him for a moment there! Well experinced, and a great player.
AttackingStephen Gerrard (Liverpool) - Can play in that central role behind Rooney, or down the right. Should have been captain after Terry lost it.
Frank Lampard (Chelsea) - First choice down that right hand side.
Gareth Barry (Manchester City) - Even if he is a money chasing fool.
SWP (Manchester City) - A quality player is inside him, and his pace could well catch out the USAs of the world.
Theo Walcott (Arsenal) - Excellent player, but definitely a winger. Whoever says he's a striker is talking rubbish.
StrikersWayne Rooney (Manchester United) - Full stop.
Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur) - A good player, and an excellent target man, for when we're trailing to Paraguay or someone.
Carlton Cole (West Ham) - Will actually score one on ones, unlike Emile Heskey.
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) - Not as good as Rooney, but would be a decent replacement for the big number 9.Bobby Zamora (Fulham) - A 57% striking rate in Europe doesn't lie, and one just shy of 45% overall ain't bad either. He's constantly scoring the important goals, the first goal, the equaliser, or the winner, he isn't one of these 'strikers' whose only goals are 6ths or 7ths!
Rickie Lambert (Southampton) - No, hear me out! Striking is 75% confidence, 25% ability. Lambert is way over that 30 goal mark this season, and will feel he can score against anyone. He also has a quality finish on him. Fabio needs a wildcard, someone that Brazil won't have prepared to play against - and that could well be Lambert.