Who Should Start Against Germany?

I’ll bet it’s hard work picking a team for an England friendly. Because there’s more at stake than just winning the game. It’s about getting some important players for the future a necessary taste of the action too.

The current squad (after the recent dropouts and callups) and my favoured starting XI below…

The squad:

Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Scott Carson (West Bromwich Albion), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers)
Defenders: Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), John Terry (Chelsea), Curtis Davies (Aston Villa), Joleon Lescott (Everton), Michael Mancienne (Chelsea), Micah Richards (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jimmy Bullard (Fulham), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Scott Parker (West Ham), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
Forwards: Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth), Darren Bent (Tottenham Hotspur), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth), Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa).

My starting XI:

– — – — – — – — Carson — – — – — – —
– Johnson — – Terry — – Davies — – Bridge –
– Walcott — – Jenas — – Barry — – Young –
– — – — – — Bent — – Defoe — – — – — –

– — – — – — – — Carson — – — – — – —
– Johnson — – Terry — – Davies — – Bridge –
– Walcott — – Carrick — – Barry — – Young –
– — – — – — Bent — – Defoe — – — – — –

It’s going to look experimental whatever happens, with so many senior players missing. I think it’s important for a couple of genuine first-choicers like Terry, Barry and Walcott to be in there.

Carson needs a chance to get over the Croatia debacle, which I’m sure scarred him for life. Jenas deserves a start after waiting around for so long. Except he’s not in the squad, see below. Definitely Carrick deserves a start, for similar reasons.

The experience of Terry gives Davies a nice opportunity to play alongside an England regular. Micah Richards could come on at centre back or right back. Mancienne… honestly he doesn’t need to play. He’s had about as much Premier League experience as I have.

Going forward, I just love the idea of an England team with Walcott and Young on the wings. Possibly with one of them being replaced by SWP later in the game. Bent deserves a start, as does Defoe. Gabi Agbonlahor could conceivably replace either of them at some point.

Agree/disagree? Who would you like to see in the starting XI?