The PlayTheGame England squad
Relax, Fabio. We know you need to familiarise yourself with the best English players, but there's no need to spend your days groundhopping in the cold because PlayTheGame has done the hard work for you.
We've used mountains of data from our innovative fantasy game to come up with a real-life best England squad and XI based on player performance in the league this season. And unlike certain former England gaffers, we don't favour the big clubs because we judge player effectiveness in relation to their team's performance.
It's not good news for David Beckham - he's not in our game, so he's not in our squad (fantasy about to emulate reality, there?) But PlayTheGame wholeheartedly endorses the growing international buzz around Dave Kitson, and thinks that Steve McClaren was wrong to spurn the glovework of David James and Robert Green. The data also reckons Joleon Lescott deserves another chance. Ready, Fabio? Here's England's finest, and remember, the stats don't lie...
Goalkeepers: David James, Robert Green
Centre backs: Rio Ferdinand, Joleon Lescott, Sol Campbell, Matthew Upson
Right backs: Wes Brown, Micah Richards
Left backs: Ashley Cole, Stephen Warnock
Centre midfield: Steven Gerrard, Michael Carrick, Nigel Reo-Coker, Jermaine Jenas
Right midfield: David Bentley, Phil Neville
Left midfield: Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing
Forwards: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Wayne Rooney, Dave Kitson, Jermain Defoe.
And the starting XI (4-4-2):
D James - W Brown, R Ferdinand, J Lescott, A Cole - D Bentley, M Carrick, S Gerrard, G Barry - G Agbonlahor, W Rooney.
A tidy blend of youth and experience, we're sure you'll agree...
liam rosinior for right back.......
Posted by: the royals | April 03, 2008 at 02:45 PM
Starting XI:
GREEN
RICHARDS
TERRY(c)
FERDINAND(vc)
A.COLE
BECKHAM
LAMPARD
HARGREAVES
J.COLE
ROONEY
OWEN
Subs:
GK: JAMES
CB: CAMPBELL, KING
LB: BRIDGE
RB: G. NEVILLE
RM: WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
CM: CARRICK, PARKER
LM: YOUNG
CF: ASHTON, AGBONLAHOR
Posted by: A Syed | January 30, 2008 at 04:59 PM
All I can say is thank God you're not the England Manager.Where's SWP? where's JT?
Posted by: Patricia Griffin | January 30, 2008 at 01:05 PM
Has to be Richards for me at RB, I think it is key to remember the clubs that these people play at - he has had a more testing time at MC than Brown has had at MU. I suppose the stats don't lie, but they don't tell the whole picture either!
Posted by: David | January 30, 2008 at 12:58 PM
No SWP? no Joe Cole? no Hargreaves? no Lennon? Barry has no gas for the left wing. It is not exactly a team to strike fear into Brazilian or Argentinian hearts.
Posted by: Nick | January 30, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I think it's an excellent team. Like you say, stats don't lie, and the likes of Lampard, Beckham and Owen don't deserve a look in. I still think Carson should get his chance, it was stupid if McClaren to through him in at the deep end in such a massive game, should have gone with James...
Posted by: Steve Phillips | January 30, 2008 at 11:43 AM
No Ashley Young? and Downing in the squad?
Upson?
Barry as a left mid? take out Reo-coker put Barry in the squad as a centre mid and put Young in as a left winger...
Posted by: Tony | January 30, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Good shout. My only quibble is nonetheless a very large one: the speedy and consistent Ashley Young over the exceedingly moderate Stewart Downing, any time of day or night. Has Downing developed any more than Theo Walcott? (I write as an Arsenal fan.)
More to the point, against whom would a defender hate to play more, the Aston Villa flier or his Middlesboro opposite number? Which of the pair has the most goals, the most assists, and the most TELLING contributions to his team's fortunes (tip: relate individuals' stats to teams' positions on league table)?
Please.
Posted by: Towcester | January 30, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Phil Neville at Right Midfield instead of Becks (even as a sub)...That says it all....
and no Ashley Young either...
Posted by: Ben | January 30, 2008 at 09:01 AM
I agree with 9/11 of starters. Brown is good but Richards is better - he is faster and more energetic . Lescott vs. Upson is closer but Upson just shades it - clumsy less often and less likely to get penalised by ref. And Beckham has to be first pick for the bench.
Posted by: Holman | January 30, 2008 at 07:03 AM
Totally agree with the line up. For too long our international players have been choosen for their past achievements and not their current performance. A classic example of this is Michael Owen.
Posted by: Kevin Curtis | January 29, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Not bad, again, it doesn't favour the big clubs, but a definite disadvantge to foreign based players!
Posted by: Steve | January 29, 2008 at 10:05 PM
No Ashley Young? Micah Richards doesn't start?
Reo-Coker/Neville/Jenas ahead of Hargreaves?
Posted by: Andrew | January 29, 2008 at 06:11 PM
phil neville for right mid-field! wow your having a laugh!
Posted by: paul jones | January 29, 2008 at 06:00 PM
No Flumps?
Posted by: Murray | January 29, 2008 at 05:03 PM
The starting XI is just based on the good English players with most appearances!
Posted by: Kiran | January 29, 2008 at 04:36 PM
Phil Neville on the right of midfield?
Aaron Lennon would surely be the obvious choice, especially having made Evra look a little silly on Sunday.
Posted by: Damian | January 29, 2008 at 03:42 PM