Your England Squad for Brazil

[brightspark]

Since England and Saints are so closely aligned nowadays, I think this is worthy of mainboard discussion.

 

I tried to draw up a squad at home and found it to be much harder than expected. I found myself leaving players such as Lampard and even Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the 23!

 

Hart (Man City)

Forster (Celtic)

Ruddy (Norwich)

 

Cole (Chelsea)

Baines (Everton)

Jagielka (Everton)

Cahill (Chelsea)

Jones (Man Utd)

Smalling (Man Utd)

Johnson (Liverpool)

Walker (Spurs) --- Clyne could win this spot IMO

 

Gerrard (Liverpool)

Wilshere (Arsenal)

Carrick (Man Utd)

Henderson (Liverpool) --- Not impossible JWP could challenge here

Townsend (Spurs)

Lallana (SAINTS) --- I believe he could be in a battle with Ox...

Milner (Man City)

Walcott (Arsenal)

 

Sturridge (Liverpool)

Welbeck (Man Utd)

Lambert (SAINTS) --- Will be competing with Carroll

Rooney (Man Utd)

 

No chance for Shaw with Cole & Baines and Rodriguez is likely to remain quite far down the pecking order. Thoughts?

[Saint_clark]

Cleverly in for Henderson, and I think that's spot on.

Side note, I think Clyne will take Johnsons spot if he takes anyones...

[saints_is_the_south]

Based on current form, Clyne is for my money by far and away the best English right back out there. Walker is woefully short of form at the moment and Johnson is just well, Johnson. Clyne should be in the squad, not even a debate and should probably be first choice as well.

 

Though AL did alright tonight and hopefully he'll get more chances to show what he can do, he deserves that at least. Think Jay is quite a way down the pecking order with everyone fit but who knows , if he can put away another 10-12 goals before the end of the season then he could make it. Lambert simply has to go, you need different a variety of different attacking options and he gives England another option they otherwise don't have. Shouldn't even be a contest with Carroll, Rickie is a far better all round footballer. His penalty taking ability could come in handy at some stage too!

[Pugwash]

I'd prefer Barkley to either Henderson or Cleverley for a midfield spot. Bet Roy won't though.

[aintforever]

It's too late for Clyne unless there are a few injuries, we're running out of games and you don't throw young defenders in for World Cup finals unless they have a few games under their belt.

[paulwantsapint]

Looks about right

Clyne & shaw could make it with injuries

Jwp long shot but then in August thought he would struggle to make much more than sub for saints

Jrod needs a great season

Lallana just keep fit & impress in training

Rickie if fit & in good form has to go

Real long shot is jack cork but if he gets in saints team & stays in

[Lord Duckhunter]

Last night was a good one for Rickie to miss. Think he's a 80/20 to go, but it depends on Carroll. If he comes back rested and raring to go, knocks a few , then my gut feeling is woy prefers him.

 

Adam 60/40 against, but depends how he was at training and around the camp. One thing Rickie armed to do was be a breath of fresh air, with Woy enthusing over his attitude and manner. If Adam was the same, he'll have more of a chance. Keep playing like he did last months, and he'll be hard to leave out.

 

Jrod- no chance.

 

Shaw- I think in a funny way Baines dreadful defending tonight cost luke any chance. Will nit leave cole out now. There were some in media hinting that cole could miss out, no chance now.

 

Clyne- Should do, but I reckon it'll need both Johnson and walker to be injured. Lose one and he'll switch Smalling as cover.

[Saint Garrett]

Wouldn't have Cleverley anywhere near the squad. Henderson and Barkley both better, as is the majority of the prem.

[Saint_Tony]

Cleverley is awful, it must feel a bit awkward for him knowing that he's an automatic pick for the squad without doing anything of note on the field each week. I'd rather Lampard and Gerrard followed Terry and Rio into retirement, they've had their shot at glory several times and failed. It's time to freshen things up. As it stands, I can see Rickie going, 50/50 Lallana but not J Rod. Clyne also a possibility

[EBS1980]

Depends if he picks on names or form. Everyone saying Ox and Carroll will come back in but so they deserve to once fit or should they have to show they are in form to play for England?

 

Too many players get picked on the team they play for or who they are rather than their ability.

 

Johnson, Milner, Carroll, Cleverley etc...

[EBS1980]

And the other thing, when they do play someone based on form, Jay Rod for example and he doesn't have a great game. The media hound the player and basically will force him to be dropped and written off based on one performance. Which is why they go for the same old same old players all the time.

[iansums]

The game last night showed what big problems we have in defence. If either of Cahill or Jagielka get injured then feck knows where we will be. Jones is a good player but he isn't playing regularly for ManU, even when he does play it is often in midfield.

 

This is the crux of the problem for England, you have a good young player like Jones who needs to be playing week in week out. If he was a Saints player then he would be playing, and he would be a far better defender than he showed last night.

 

People go on about our academy and how we produce good players and of course that is true. But the real difference between us and (some of) the rest is that we are prepared to play the youngsters. Look at JWP, he is getting better and better with each game.

 

Part of the problem last night was that we had no genuine holding midfielder and so offered little protection to the back four. Morgan would walk into the England team.

[Turkish]

England can't play this fancy continental style like the krauts and dago. we should stick to what were good at and that means 4-4-2 with a a couple of pacy widemen and a good big man up top with a good little 'en picking up his flick ons. We need to stop fannying about with it at the back and get it Foooooorwarrrrrrrd into the mixer as quickly as possible. We need to have a couple of nasty basta*ds in midfield to win the ball back and then let our wingers have a go at the full backs! Get to the byline and whip crosses in. The more time the ball is in their penalty area and in the air the less time they'll have on the ball. And forget these fancy centre halves who try stroking it around in between stroking their hair, we need a couple of good old fanshioned caged tigers At the back to clatter these fancy poncey foreigners early so they don't go near them the rest of the game.

 

This would be my England team and is build a squad around this lot.

 

-------------Hart

 

Johnson--Shawcross---Turner--Baines

 

Lennon--Cattermole--Noble-----Adam Johnson

 

-----Carrroll-----Defoe

 

 

Play to our strengths, don't try and be like these Johnny foreigners,

Edited 16 November, 2013 by Turkish

[Batman]

lump it up t carroll, eh richard

let defoe feed of the scraps

[EBS1980]

England are summed up on the basis that januzaj has one good game for Man U and automatically the press are all over it saying we should get him to play for England. Don't recall the press doing this with Shaw or JWP in any of their great games for us last and this season.

 

Just because you are at a big club doesn't mean u are automatically the best options!

[Tom28]

England can't play this fancy continental style like the krauts and dago. we should stick to what were good at and that means 4-4-2 with a a couple of pacy widemen and a good big man up top with a good little 'en picking up his flick ons. We need to stop fancying about with it at the back and get it Foooooorwarrrrrrrd into the mixer as quickly as possible. We need to have a couple of nasty basta*ds in midfield to win the ball back and then let our wingers have a go at the full backs! Get to the byline and whip crosses in. The more time the ball is in their penalty area and in the air the less time they'll have on the ball. And forget these fancy centre halves who try stroking it around in between stroking their hair, we need a couple of good old fanshioned caged tigers At the back to clatter these fancy poncey foreigners early so they don't go near them the rest of the game.

 

This would be my England team and is build a squad around this lot.

 

-------------Hart

 

Johnson--Shawcross---Turner--Baines

 

Lennon--Cattermole--Noble-----Adam Johnson

 

-----Carrroll-----Defoe

 

 

Play to our strengths, don't try and be like these Johnny foreigners,

 

It's difficult to tell whether this is a joke or not. Or rather, it is a joke in at least one sense, I'm just not sure whether it was intended as a joke.

[Saint_clark]

Wouldn't have Cleverley anywhere near the squad. Henderson and Barkley both better, as is the majority of the prem.

 

Not for England they haven't been. Cleverley improved a lot over the summer, and has only been held back from playing a few games this season because of injury. He'll be one of Uniteds top performers in the second half of this season.

[Turkish]

It's difficult to tell whether this is a joke or not. Or rather, it is a joke in at least one sense, I'm just not sure whether it was intended as a joke.

 

All I'm saying is pal that England have tried and failed to play like these fancy continentals, so the only way we are gonna do anything we need to play to our strengths. And that is a caged lion mentality, 4-4-2 how all our boys have been coached since they were 6, a couple of pacy wingers and a strong, aggressive spine to scare the sh*t out of these midget dagos trying to play neat football. We don't have the technically gifted players like the Dagos, wops and krauts do so let's be aggressive, get it foooooooooorward early, Into the mixer and do what we are good at and stop trying to be something we are never going to be.

[Turkish]

lump it up t carroll, eh richard

let defoe feed of the scraps

 

You got it Jamie. We've got some good options and depth out wide too, want with Downing, Young, pennant and someone who's never been linked with an England call up who could do a job, Matthew Etherington.

[Sour Mash]

Since England and Saints are so closely aligned nowadays, I think this is worthy of mainboard discussion.

 

I tried to draw up a squad at home and found it to be much harder than expected. I found myself leaving players such as Lampard and even Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the 23!

 

Hart (Man City)

Forster (Celtic)

Ruddy (Norwich)

 

Cole (Chelsea)

Baines (Everton)

Jagielka (Everton)

Cahill (Chelsea)

Jones (Man Utd)

Smalling (Man Utd)

Johnson (Liverpool)

Walker (Spurs) --- Clyne could win this spot IMO

 

Gerrard (Liverpool)

Wilshere (Arsenal)

Carrick (Man Utd)

Henderson (Liverpool) --- Not impossible JWP could challenge here

Townsend (Spurs)

Lallana (SAINTS) --- I believe he could be in a battle with Ox...

Milner (Man City)

Walcott (Arsenal)

 

Sturridge (Liverpool)

Welbeck (Man Utd)

Lambert (SAINTS) --- Will be competing with Carroll

Rooney (Man Utd)

 

No chance for Shaw with Cole & Baines and Rodriguez is likely to remain quite far down the pecking order. Thoughts?

I'd say that was pretty much spot on. Clyne should go, but I can't see how he can get ahead of Johnson or Walker with only a couple of friendlies left.

[Restark19]

Hart

Forster

Butland

 

Baines

Shaw

Jagielka

Cahill

Jones

Smalling

Walker

Clyne

 

Gerrard

Wilshere

Carrick

Barkley

Townsend

Lallana

Milner

Walcott

 

Sturridge

Welbeck

Lambert

Rooney

 

 

I think you get four back ups too.. Ruddy, Richards, JWP and Defoe

[Batman]

I cant see roy being brave enough to ditch johnson for clyne

 

as said before, johnson has been terrible for a long time now

[Restark19]

-------------Hart

Walker Jagielka Cahill Baines

---------Carrick Gerrard

Townsend Wilshere Lallana

-----------Rooney

[Restark19]

Watching Glen Johnson play RB last night was like watching Danny Fox at LB, everytime they attacked down that flank he was awol and nowhere to be seen, absolute joke of a full back. Didn't support Lallana in the attack at all either so no idea what he was doing all game

[Batman]

-------------Hart

Walker Jagielka Cahill Baines

---------Carrick Gerrard

Townsend Wilshere Lallana

-----------Rooney

there is now way he wont play sturrige and rooney together. they will both be in

[Tom28]

All I'm saying is pal that England have tried and failed to play like these fancy continentals, so the only way we are gonna do anything we need to play to our strengths. And that is a caged lion mentality, 4-4-2 how all our boys have been coached since they were 6, a couple of pacy wingers and a strong, aggressive spine to scare the sh*t out of these midget dagos trying to play neat football. We don't have the technically gifted players like the Dagos, wops and krauts do so let's be aggressive, get it foooooooooorward early, Into the mixer and do what we are good at and stop trying to be something we are never going to be.

 

I still think you're on a wind up.

[Wrensup]

It Turkish is half serious at all, the problem is still getting the ball of the opposition in the first place!

[saintrich]

Hart - Man City

Foster - West Brom

Forster - Celtic

 

Cole - Chelsea

Baines - Everton

Cahill - Chelsea

Jagielka - Everton

Smalling - Man Utd

Jones - Man Utd

Johnson - Liverpool

Walker - Spurs

 

Lampard - Chelsea

Gerrard - Liverpool

Carrick - Man Utd

Wilshere - Arsenal

Milner - Man City

Walcott - Arsenal

Lallana/Cleverley/Barkley - Saints/Man Utd/Everton

Townsend/Chamberlain/Morrison - Spurs/Arsenal/West Ham

 

Rooney - Man Utd

Sturridge - Liverpool

Welbeck - Man Utd

Lambert/Carroll - Saints/West Ham

 

 

Lots of competition for places there - The places where I've picked more than 1 player aren't neccesarily in order of who's most likely to get picked. The ones missing put as 5 back up's.

 

No room for Defoe, Henderson, Young, Ruddy.

[Turkish]

It Turkish is half serious at all, the problem is still getting the ball of the opposition in the first place!

 

That'll be the job of Shawcross, Cattermole and Noble. Get an early crunching tackle in and those dwarf dagos won't want to know. You've got a strong aggressive spine there and two good DMs who know how to tackle. No one will fancy playing us with those 3 in the side, then get the ball they give the ball to the pacy wingers who can get down the flanks and we've got a big man god in the air to win the long balls forward, we all know thee foreigners can't defend against a good fashioned old up and under into the mixer.

[View From The Top]

I wouldn't take Cole, I'd take Shaw with Baines as 1st choice. I'd also take Clyne ahead of Johnson who is awful.

[Super_Saint]

------------Hart----------

Clyne-Jagielka--Cahill-Shaw

-------JWP--Gerrard-------

-Walcott-Wilshere-Lallana-

---------Lambert---------

[View From The Top]

We all know we stand no chance in winning it, so does Roy so I believe he'll be brave and take some young uns to give them experience with an eye to the future.

[Turkish]

I wouldn't take Cole, I'd take Shaw with Baines as 1st choice. I'd also take Clyne ahead of Johnson who is awful.

 

Why he keeps getting picked is beyond me, I'm not one of those bandwagon jumpers on the Cleverly/Wellbeck/Baines/Wiltshire etc are sh*t but there are three players who have been England regulars in the last few years that I've never got why and they are Johnson, Milner and Barry. So overrated its untrue.

[Wurzel]

All I'm saying is pal that England have tried and failed to play like these fancy continentals, so the only way we are gonna do anything we need to play to our strengths. And that is a caged lion mentality, 4-4-2 how all our boys have been coached since they were 6, a couple of pacy wingers and a strong, aggressive spine to scare the sh*t out of these midget dagos trying to play neat football. We don't have the technically gifted players like the Dagos, wops and krauts do so let's be aggressive, get it foooooooooorward early, Into the mixer and do what we are good at and stop trying to be something we are never going to be.

There is something to be said for that approach. Nearly all foreigners who come here to play at club level admit it takes about 6 weeks to adjust to the speed and physical demands of our game. So when it comes to Internationals what do we do? Slow it done and try and play it their way. Let's face it, we're definitely NOT going to come back from Brazil with the cup with that approach so why not go back to basics and at least scare the **** out of a few teams.

[Crab Lungs]

This'd probably be my list after I'd rounded it down from about 30 odd, form and fitness pending of course.

 

1 Joe HART

2 Kyle WALKER

3 Ashley COLE

4 Jack WILSHERE

5 Phil JAGIELKA (vc)

6 Gary CAHILL

7 Leon BRITTON

8 Frank LAMPARD ©

9 Daniel STURRIDGE

10 Wayne ROONEY

11 Will HUGHES

12 Jordan HENDERSON

13 Ben FOSTER

14 Theo WALCOTT

15 Michael DAWSON

16 Michael CARRICK

17 Andros TOWNSEND

18 Jermain DEFOE

19 Rickie LAMBERT

20 Adam LALLANA

21 Micah RICHARDS

22 Nathaniel CLYNE

23 John RUDDY

 

Standby; Forster, Shaw, Smalling, Chamberlain, Lennon, Milner, Barkley, Welbeck.

 

Players of Interest that I considered: Caulker, Ward-Prowse, Gerrard, Shelvey, Redmond, N Dyer.

 

I think there's a nice balance to the squad, for example; Clyne can play in either FB position (versatility), Richards can play fullback or centre half (versatility), Townsend/Walcott/Sturridge provide pace and the squad also has a good selection of "technical" footballers like Wilshere, Britton, Rooney, Lallana and, yes, Will Hughes of Derby. A nice blend of strikers with different attributes (most notably, Rickie).

 

Somehow, after considering things, I elevated Jordan Henderson to the final 23 for "Milner" purposes. He's quite a disruptive player, so he'll be someone I'd use to come on to defend a lead if required, though I'd much rather the team be more dynamic than that and won't fall back on defending. That said, his pass completion rate is actually very, very good...

 

And yes, I have left out Gerrard. Too old, too slow, constantly tries "Roy of the Rovers" stuff and pointless long balls. His time is over. Almost ditched Lampard too, but decided I needed SOME experience of tournament football and because I do believe he still has something to offer.

 

So, without further ado, here's my starting eleven (4-2-3-1);

 

 

 

------------------------------------------Hart

 

 

-----Walker--------------------Cahill--------------Jagielka--------------------Baines

 

 

----------------------------- Carrick----------------Britton

 

 

-------------------Townsend-----------Wilshere------------Lallana

 

 

---------------------------------------Rooney

Edited 16 November, 2013 by Crab Lungs

[JibMcdo]

------------------Hart

 

Clyne-------Cahill -----Jagielka------Cole

 

-----------Gerrard---Ward-Prowse

 

Lallana----------Rooney---------Welbeck

 

----------------Sturridge

 

GK

Forster

Foster

 

DF

Baines

Walker

Jones

Dawson

 

MF

Carrick

Wilshere

Cleverley

Barkley

Townsend

 

FW

Walcott

Lambert

 

No Ruddy, Smalling, Johnson, Milner, Lampard, Henderson, Defoe - none are good enough to take us anywhere in a world cup.

[SaintSteve]

I wouldn't take Cole, I'd take Shaw with Baines as 1st choice. I'd also take Clyne ahead of Johnson who is awful.

 

What a joke.. there is no way Shaw is ready to overtake Cole as full-back.. wake up to reality.

Johnson is rusty from a long term injury and is still our no 1 right back.. Clyne may overtaake Walker who is naive.. but Clyne's .weakness is in the air which is easily exposed.

[Window Cleaner]

Britton, Cleverly....there's a lot of strange selection ideas here. Neither of them are good enough to dispute a World Cup finals

campaign. Honestly and I know this won't go down well I'd take Delph above either of those and that's saying something.

[View From The Top]

What a joke.. there is no way Shaw is ready to overtake Cole as full-back.. wake up to reality.

Johnson is rusty from a long term injury and is still our no 1 right back.. Clyne may overtaake Walker who is naive.. but Clyne's .weakness is in the air which is easily exposed.

 

As you're hard if thinking I'll make it easy for you, Shaw goes as the understudy.

 

Johnson's weakness is simply being on the pitch.

[aintforever]

I think there is definitely a strong argument for taking the kids to this one to give them experience. We have no chance of winning it so what exactly is the point in carting Lampard, Cole etc halfway round the world just to go through the motions?

 

I would keep Gerrard in as a sort of mentor figure, take Rooney along as some sort of f*ck ugly mascot to boost the viewing figures - he is sh!t at that level but there is a novelty value in watching him get angry and stamp on some deigo's gonads. The rest should all be young enough to feature at the next world cup.

Edited 16 November, 2013 by aintforever

[View From The Top]

I think there is definitely a strong argument for taking the kids to this one to give them experience. We have no chance of winning it so what exactly is the point in carting Lampard, Cole etc halfway round the world just to go through the motions?

 

I would keep Gerrard in as a sort of mentor figure, take Rooney along as some sort of f*ck ugly mascot to boost the viewing figures - he is sh!t at that level but there is a novelty value in watching him get angry and stamp on some deigo's gonads. The rest should all be young enough to feature at the next world cup.

 

Totally.

[SuperMikey]

GK: Hart, Forster, Ruddy

RB: Walker, Clyne

LB: Baines, Shaw/Cole (depending on form)

CB: Cahill, Jagielka, Shawcross, Caulker

CM: Gerrard, Wilshere, Milner, Barkley, Lampard

FW: Walcott, Townsend, Chamberlain, Lallana

ST: Rooney, Sturridge, Lambert

 

Standby: Alex McCarthy, Micah Richards, Phil Jones, Jake Livermore, Michael Carrick, Aaron Lennon, Raheem Sterling, Saido Berahino

 

 

Starting XI:

 

------------------HART------------------

WALKER----CAHILL----JAGIELKA----BAINES

----------------GERRARD-----------------

-------WILSHERE--------BARKLEY---------

WALCOTT-------ROONEY-------STURRIDGE

 

Should be good enough for QFs, lack a proper striker though as Rooney is best playing off somebody. Enough pace and power in the midfield to dominate more technically accomplished teams, with some creative players in there too.

 

The most important thing about this WC is doing okay but also integrating the next generation of players into the squad. Nothing too radical, but there needs to be a shift away from the likes of Gerrard/Lampard towards Barkley/Wilshere.

[sandwichsaint]

Have we ever been so weak at GK?

[Turkish]

Rob green, 2010 World Cup.

Edited 16 November, 2013 by Turkish

[Jack]

Is it just me that thinks Kyle Walker is really average? Everyone's beating the drum about how poor Johnson is, and I agree, but I don't think Walker is much better. He's got some pace but not much end product going forward, likes to run into a dead end, and he just seems to be terminally unintelligent. Makes a lot of poor challenges and bad decisions, and moans like **** when it's not going his way. I hope Nathaniel Clyne carries on this form for the rest of the season. If he does, it'll be obvious that he deserves to be going. And if the other 2 carry on as they are, their clubs may start looking elsewhere.

[studentsaint]

There us always a pick that no1 would have guessed at this point in the season, I think there will be someone, probably young, that hasn't been mentioned yet. I wreckon the west brim lad with the Brazilian name, berinho?

[SaintBobby]

Agree with those who say "drop the oldies".

 

Lampard, Gerrard and Cole would not be in my squad.

 

They'd be in my team if I had to win a one-off match for my life, but - as others have said - we aren't going to win in Brazil.

 

We'd be lucky to get out of the group stages, so may as well blood the youngsters.

 

As far as Saints players go, I'd take Lallana and Clyne. I'd probably take Lambert because we are so weak on centre-forwards. I might take Shaw. I wouldn't take Rodriguez.

 

I'd also rather have Schneiderlin than Carrick and Fonte than Cahiill, but that argument has been done to death elsewhere.

[whelk]

Surprised at how balanced people have been and so little clamour for more Saints players.

Still predicting squad is pretty straightforward at mo but form and injuries over next 6 months will play a massive part.

Cole could recapture form and will be a no brainer for selection or equally remain out if favour with Mourinho and so be hard to justify.

I would say no chance Andy Carroll is going though unless back very soon and in form of his life immediately.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lighthouse]

Hart, Foster, Forecast

Baines, Cole, Clyne, Walker

Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Smalling

Gerrard, Wilshere, Carrick

Walcott, Lallana, Townsend, Milner, Barkley

Rooney, Sturridge, Lambert, whoever performs best out of the rest. I'm not writing off JRod yet, still think he is better than Welbeck.

 

I wouldn't write off JWP or Shaw just yet. They aren't ready just yet but are performing well and improving. Injuries to first teamers could open the door for them. I'd hope to see both in the squad after the WC, when I'd expect Lampard, Gerrard and Cole to have retired.

[Tom28]

That'll be the job of Shawcross, Cattermole and Noble. Get an early crunching tackle in and those dwarf dagos won't want to know. You've got a strong aggressive spine there and two good DMs who know how to tackle. No one will fancy playing us with those 3 in the side, then get the ball they give the ball to the pacy wingers who can get down the flanks and we've got a big man god in the air to win the long balls forward, we all know thee foreigners can't defend against a good fashioned old up and under into the mixer.

 

I think your view seems to be we'll never change so let's just hoof it and see what happens? That works well for Stoke and West Ham doesn't it.

 

Another view is you could start afresh, and build a squad young enough so that you can work on over a long period of time that would play the way you want them to play. England should play the pressing game Saints play, but as some have rightly pointed out, you can only play that way successfully by getting it drummed into you on the training pitch.

 

I would say a squad needs selecting now that is young enough to be around for the next 5 years so that we can implement a system and a way of playing over time. There should be no more than 3 or 4 over 25's (excluding goalkeepers) and those players should be ones that would buy into what they were trying to do. I'd go with the following squad:

 

GK: Hart, Forster, Butland

RB: Walker, Clyne

LB: Gibbs, Shaw

CB: Jagielka, Smalling, Jones

CM: Ward-Prowse, Barkley, Wilshere, Morrison

AM: Townsend, Ox, Walcott, Lallana, Welbeck,

FW: Rooney, Sturridge, Berahino

 

Admittedly, that squad would struggle initially but if you worked on them and their mentality and a way of playing and pressing as a team, then I think it would reap benefits in the longer term. Naturally, players would come and go from this squad based on form but so long as the principles and the nucleus remained the same you could make personnel changes.