I reckon we should have a separate thread to discuss all things world cup.



England Provisional 30-man squad:



Rob Green, David James, Joe Hart



Glen Johnson, John Terry, Michael Dawson, Ledley King, Jamie Carragher, Matthew Upson, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines, Stephen Warnock



Shaun Wright-Phillips, Aaron Lennon, Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Joe Cole, Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott



Wayne Rooney, Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey, Jermaine Defoe



Discuss ...

The seven I'd drop from 30 would be Dawson, Upson, Warnock, Huddlestone, Parker (or Barry if he isn't fit), Wright Phillips and Adam Johnson.



Wouldn't of picked Carragher at all, think it's wrong what he's done, just coming out of retirement for the World Cup, but you need cover for right back in the 23.



Starting XI



1 Hart



2 G. Johnson

5 Ferdinand

6 Terry

3 A. Cole



7 Milner

4 Lampard

8 Barry

11 Gerrard



9 Rooney

10 Heskey



Think the best England can hope for is the semi finals. Spain, Brazil and Argentina are all better sides, Germany always do well in the tournaments and France have good players all over the pitch. Holland and Italy still have a few dangerous players, but semis should be the aim.

World Cup squad news:

-France leave out Nasri, Vieira and Benzema.

-Argentina leave out Cambiasso, Gago, Zanetti and Lucho Gonzalez.

-Germany leave out Kuranyi.

-Holland leave out van Nistelrooy and Seedorf.

-Ghana select Essien.

-Italy leave out Totti, Luca Toni, and Del Piero.

-Brazil leave out Adriano, Ronaldinho and Alex.

-Spain select Fabregas and Torres.

Discuss ...

Argentina must have some squad to leave out Cambiasso. They will either go all the way or crash and burn in the last sixteen, will depend how Maradona sets the side out.



Germany will be their usual efficient selves, probably get to the semi finals.



Italy will be tough to beat but are an old squad....Quarter finals.



France,England and Holland no strength in depth outside the 1st choice 11....Quarter finals.



Dark horses for me are Serbia,or Cameroon.



Brazil and Spain have my money

I can see Ivory Coast doing well. They may be in the group of death with Brazil and Portugal but I can see them upsetting Portugal and then making the quarter finals after that. With Kalou, Drogba and The Toures they have the talent.

But they have got Fabricio Coloccini who, last time I noticed, was getting ragged by Nicky Maynard.



Looking at that squad, Maradona has clearly lost however much of "the plot" he had left.

Brazil or Germany to win the World Cup.

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For European team coverage click [url=http://euroballs.blogspot.comhere[/url



Ta.

I've got Serbia, obviously, at the bookies.





In the second round, if England win their group they will likely face Serbia, who will hopefully get 2nd behind the Germans.

Everyone is usually second behind the Germans.

Group D with Serbia, Australia, Ghana and Germany in it looks a great group in my opinion. All 4 are capable of going through with some great players on show.

I take it all back just seen the Argentina squad





No G.Milito, 7 strikers?,..Bet Maradona starts with Palermo as well





My crash & burn comment looks more likely.