Who’s on the bus?

With less than a month left until it all kicks off in Brazil Roy has named his preliminary 23 man squad.

The big news , or maybe expectation based on this season’s lack of appearances, is Ashley Cole’s omission and subsequent retirement from International football. Michael Carrick has also tweeted his disappointment at being placed on the stand-by list, but wished the 3 Lions all the best.

The squad provides a balance between youth and experience, relying on the stalwarts of Gerrard and Lampard among what must be seen as a squad for the future, with the likes of Luke Shaw, Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley travelling to Brazil.

Barkley and Sterling

Interesting quotes of the day

David Baddiel – ‘We’ll have to hope that one of the promising youngsters turns into a 2014 Paul Gascoigne’.

Roy Hodgson – ‘Ashley Cole is second to none’. Well second to Leighton Baines and third to Luke Shaw if truth be known.

Getting ready

So, with the prospect of only 3 friendlies left starting with Peru in just over 2 weeks, the 3 Lions roller coaster is about to pick up speed.

Come on England!

Boys on the bus

Up front

Rickie Lambert
Wayne Rooney
Daniel Sturridge
Danny Welbeck

Middle of the park

Steven Gerrard
Ross Barkley
Jordan Henderson
Adam Lallana
Frank Lampard
James Milner
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Raheem Sterling
Jack Wilshere

At the back

Leighton Baines
Gary Cahill
Phil Jagielka
Glen Johnson
Phil Jones
Luke Shaw
Chris Smalling

Keepers

Joe Hart
Ben Foster
Fraser Forster

Danes get 2014 World Cup preparation under way

Wednesday see’s the 3 Lions first outing of 2014, the year of Rio, or Manuas if you’re English.

With just 3 months to go until it all kicks off in Brazil, it is the Danes that provide the first friendly opposition we have, along with Peru, Ecuador and Honduras before we meet Italy in the Amazonian heat.

In advance of what won’t be a sell-out Wembley fixture, there is some new blood in Luke Shaw, the Saint’s left-back and an older face in that of Jermaine Defoe soon to leave for Canada.

Luke Shaw gets call up

Denmark, along with their Nordic cousins Sweden, miss the festival of football in Brazil this summer but will still look to the test against England as part of their preparation for the Euro 2016 qualification campaign that kicks off in September.

Having a handful of players getting regular football in the Premier League, the best know being Daniel Agger, Nicklas Bendtner and Anders Lindegaard, the Danes have some experience of who they will be up against at Wembley.

Five players, including one potential midfield talent Andros Townsend, missed training on Monday.

It will be interesting to see who Hodgson picks to play up front for the 3 Lions, and how they perform on the night. We need to have two, in-form, natural goalscorers in the squad when announced in May, who will they be?

What will Wednesday night bring? A 2-0 win for the 3 Lions to start of another year of high expectations.