England Squad for Kazakhstan and Andorra: Return of the Neviller

May 25th, 2009 | by: Daryl |

With the Premier League season done and dusted, Fabio Capello has named the 24 men he needs to beat Kazakhstan and Andorra. The one surprise is the return of Gary Neville. Rumours of his international demise have been greatly exaggerated, apparently.

Neville has been mostly injured this season, but did start for Man Utd vs Hull yesterday. Then again, so did Lee Martin, and he’s not in the England squad.

The return of the Neviller probably says more about the lack of other options at right back than anything else, and I fully expect to see Glen Johnson start (especially given the opposition). But GN has been a loyal England servant, so I welcome his return.

Here’s the complete 24::

Keepers: S Carson (West Brom), R Green (West Ham). P Robinson (Blackburn);

Defenders: W Bridge (Man City), A Cole (Chelsea), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), G Johnson (Portsmouth), J Lescott (Everton), G Neville (Man Utd), J Terry (Chelsea), M Upson (West Ham);

Midfielders: G Barry (Aston Villa), D Beckham (LA Galaxy), M Carrick (Man Utd), S Gerrard (Liverpool), F Lampard (Chelsea), T Walcott (Arsenal), S Wright-Phillips (Man City), A Young (Aston Villa);

Forwards: C Cole (West Ham), P Crouch (Portsmouth), J Defoe (Tottenham), E Heskey (Aston Villa), W Rooney (Man Utd)

My money’s still on Rob Green starting in goal. Defence picks itself assuming everyone is fit.

Plenty of options in midfield, all of them good. But I’d expect to see Walcott wide right, Lampard and Barry in the middle, Gerrard on the left. But I’d be just as happy to see Michael Carrick and Ashley Young involved too.

My only question is up front. Rooney, obviously, and most would expect Heskey to partner him. But the big man’s recent form at Villa hasn’t been all that impressive, and I could definitely handle seeing Carlton Cole up there again, especially at home to Andorra.

Games are as follows:

vs Kazakhstan (away), Saturday June 6th, 4pm BST
vs Andorra (home), Wednesday June 10th, 8:15pm BST

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Michel-Olivier

————green———–
johnson–ferdinand–terry–cole
————carrick———-
——gerrard—–lampard—–
walcott—————–rooney
————heskey———–
Rob

i’m happy to see G-Nev in the squad, last few games I have been missing him really.

Hopefully two comfortable wins and we’ll end the season in touching distance of 2010.
http://www.worldcupblog.org Daryl

I like that formation Michel-Olivier, but can’t see Capello doing anything but 4-4-2 vs Kazakhstan and Andorra.

Also, I prefer seeing Rooney play behind a striker rather than wide left.

I suppose it all depends on what Capello does with Gerrard again, but my guess is that he’ll play LM but with license to wander inside.
adam

Don’t understand this idea that Walcott is a winger. We have plenty of wingers, but we lack a decent striker to go up with Rooney and Walcott looked very promising on the few occasions he’s played up there (also sad to see Abgonlahor not in the squad but oh well). I imagine against Kazakhstan and Andorra then Crouch or Heskey will do but not against the best sides in the world.

I’d like to see:

Green
Johnson Ferdinand Terry Cole
Wright-Philips Gerrard Barry Young
Walcott Rooney

Real pace and threat would be a welcome thing in an England side and we need to try some of our younger players before the World Cup.
http://www.worldcupblog.org Daryl

I think everyone sees Walcott as a striker in the long term, but Rooney seems to play a lot better when he’s got a target man to play behind. So for that reason I’m happy to see Walcott on the wing for now.