The England thread

[Lineker]

Livermore got 38 games and really came on leaps and bounds.

Italy have named eight uncapped players in their squad for Wednesday's friendly with England in Berne, Switzerland.

Coach Cesare Prandelli has not included players from Juventus and Napoli because of their involvement in Sunday's Supercoppa match in Beijing.

AC Milan's 19-year-old striker Stephan El Shaarawy is named in a 22-man squad also featuring four Atalanta players.

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli and former Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani have been selected.

Atalanta returned to Serie A last season and striker Manolo Gabbiadini, defender Federico Peluso and goalkeeper Andrea Consigli are all named for the first time in the national squad.

The elevation of defenders Mattia De Sciglio and Francesco Acerbi to the senior side mean there will be five AC Milan players on duty.

The other newcomers to the squad are Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin and Sampdoria midfielder Andrea Poli, who spent last season on loan with Inter Milan.

Prandelli has opted to give some of his regulars a rest following Italy's European Championship campaign, where they lost 4-0 in the final to Spain.

Italy squad: Andrea Consigli (Atalanta), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain); Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Francesco Acerbi (AC Milan), Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Roma), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Daniele Gastaldello (Sampdoria), Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (Torino), Federico Peluso (Atalanta); Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan), Andrea Poli (Sampdoria), Ezequiel Schelotto (Atalanta), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain); Mario Balotelli (Man City), Mattia Destro (Roma), Stephan El Shaarawy (AC Milan), Manolo Gabbiadini (Atalanta).

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Not sure what the point of calling Carrick back up was

[Starvinho]

Carrick had one of the best seasons of his career last season, arguably the best English centre-midfielder in the league. That along with his ability to keep and pass the ball with ease makes him a very obvious choice for me.

[Twist]

Carrick had one of the best seasons of his career last season, arguably the best English centre-midfielder in the league. That along with his ability to keep and pass the ball with ease makes him a very obvious choice for me.

His self exclusion from the Euro squad makes him an obvious non choice though.

[Jimmy]

Carrick had one of the best seasons of his career last season, arguably the best English centre-midfielder in the league. That along with his ability to keep and pass the ball with ease makes him a very obvious choice for me.

Not doubting his ability, I would've taken him over Barry every day of week for the Euros. But PT basically got it right - doesn't deserve to be there on that basis.

[Starvinho]

He never said he didn't want to go to the Euro's though, Hodgson admitted it the other day that he assumed that Carrick was unavailable for selection without even checking with Carrick himself. Carrick would've played if called up.

Edited August 11, 2012 by Starvinho

[therockbox]

Hodgson admitted it the other day that he assumed that Carrick was unavailable for selection without even checking with Carrick himself.

Seriously?

[Starvinho]

All of it is summed up in this article;

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/carrick-earns-england-recall-after-hodgsons-retirement-confusion-8031857.html

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Carrick had one of the best seasons of his career last season, arguably the best English centre-midfielder in the league. That along with his ability to keep and pass the ball with ease makes him a very obvious choice for me.

Don't get me wrong England don't have any great options there, bar Wilshere who is never fit. But given that Carrick is 31, I don't see the point in calling him up when it's probable he won't play in any future major tournaments for England.

I'm a United fan and I've never rated Carrick, he just doesn't do enough for me. He doesn't attack, he doesn't defend, sitting in the centre circle and playing short backwards passes or predictably feeding the ball out wide is all well and good but when he's playing in midfield most of the time with Scholes and/or Giggs who can't get up and down the pitch either it's a waste of time. That's opinion though and I know it isn't one shared by Sir Alex.

I was hoping Hodgson would start using young players now so they have the experience of playing together when the next tournament rolls around. Terry, Gerrard, Lampard, Ashley Cole etc, have failed in enough International Tournaments, they'll be either too old or on the brink of being too old to play in the next tournament so there's no point relying on them any more.

[Starvinho]

Oviously I don't agree with your opinion on Carrick, but I agree with what you say about using the younger players. Carrick can do a job for England but I'd much rather see the likes of Wilshere, Cleverley, Rodwell, Henderson etc get a chance and get some experience under their belt. I believe the current crop of youngster could get us to the World Cup and maybe even suprise a few people in Rio. But once Euro 2016 comes around, these players will be hitting their prime and one can only hope that we'll be finally ready to really contest at a major tournament.

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Yeah thats exactly what I think, it's worked for Germany, our players aren't as technically gifted but there's no reason it can't be an effective method for England too.

[Lineker]

So with Hart seemingly out with this minor back injury, do we start Ruddy or Butland?

[Jimmy]

Guessing Butland while he's still flavour of the month.

[Starvinho]

Start Ruddy. Let Butland have the second half. I think Ruddy deserves to start after his disappointment with injury before the Euro's.

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

I would definitely give Butland some time on the pitch, looks to be the only one capable of competing with Hart long term.

[MJB]

Daniel Sturridge and Joe Hart have both officially pulled out of the Italy game.

[Dingle]

Start Ruddy. Let Butland have the second half. I think Ruddy deserves to start after his disappointment with injury before the Euro's.

You have a weird attitude towards this match. Ruddy doesn't 'deserve' to start because he broke his finger/hand or whatever, and with Butland being the most likely second to Hart in a few years, why not give him a cap in a match that doesn't really matter? And as far as Carrick goes, ehh, I just don't believe the hype. He's alright, but he's the wrong side of 30 and Rodwell would be a far better choice, same goes for Cleverly and Livermore, thought Cleverly was great at the Olympics and Livermore was pretty decent last season.

[Starvinho]

Ruddy deserves his cap because of his form last season. Butland is just the flavour of the month at the moment, he looks like he may have what it takes to be #2 to Hart, but you never know with goalkeepers. He hasn't even played in the Premier League as of yet, just because he had a few decent games at the Olympics doesn't mean he's all of a sudden an England calibre 'keeper. Ruddy proved himself in the Premier League, once Butland has done that then I'll be more convinced.

[Summers]

Ruddy is currently better than Butland. Butland is potential, but he could potentially end up not being all that good. Carson and Foster were thought about in the same way Butland is.

[Dingle]

Yeah, I would say Ruddy is better, but he isn't going to be a big feature for us in an international tournament I don't feel. So I'd rather give Butland games like this so he can get big game experience against a team like Italy.