Roy Hodgson’s Starting 11

So the England squad has been finalised for the Euro 2012 competition, with no real notable absense’s or additions. You can perhaps read into the squad number allocation though to predict who Roy will be starting with when the competition gets underway in just a couple of weeks, and we’ve tried to guess the first 11 players below.

1. Joe Hart (gk)

2. Glen Johnson (rb)

3. Ashley Cole (lb)

5. Gary Cahill (cb)

6. John Terry (cb)

7. Theo Wallcott (rm)

19. Stewart Downing (lm)

4. Steven Gerrard (cm)

8. Frank Lampard (cm)

9. Andy Carroll (f)

11. Ashley Young (f)

 

With Wayne Rooney coming in for Andy Carroll or Ashley Young in the forward position, with Young perhaps moving back to the left wing to take Stewart Downing’s position. This is only a guess based on the squad numbers submitted by Roy Hodgson today. Here’s my preferred starting 11:

1. Joe Hart (gk)

2. Glen Johnson (rb)

3. Leighton Baines (lb)

4. John Terry (cb)

5. Gary Cahill (cb)

6. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (rm)

7. Ashley Young (lm)

8. Steven Gerrard (cm)

9. Scott Parker (cm)

10. Andy Carroll (s)

11. Danny Wellbeck (s)
I’d expect Wayne Rooney to take the place of either Wellbeck or Carroll, based on their performance in the first few matches. If Hodgson does start with the 11 mentioned above before my pick, I’ll be very disappointed as he’s brought up the old argument of “can Gerrard and Lampard play together?” as well as leaving out Scott Parker, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as well as including Stewart Downing, whom in my opinion shouldn’t be in the squad. I’d also have preferred to have seen Micah Richards in the squad with Kyle Walker unavailable. I think we’re short in the right-back position. Feel sorry for Leighton Baines too as he’s been brilliant with Everton this year, and put in a good shift against Norway at the weekend too.

 

By Matt

Matt is the owner and chief-editor of the Footy Blog, one of the UK's leading football news blogs.