So, there's no way we can start Rooney at the Euros, is there?

Watching the weekend football last couple of weekends I just don't see how we can be starting Rooney in the tournament

... we will though, won't we?

I am not on the anti-Rooney bus, at all, don't get me wrong. Great player. I have never subscribed to the 'shouldn't be in the squad' rubbish. I'd have him in the squad all day long but in terms of starting position Hodgson has worryingly said 'he's my captain ... he will play' or words to that effect

I don't want to usher these players away until there are proper, proven replacements coming through and ready to shine. Let's not pick a guy who scored 10 in the last 15 and then by qualifying he's rubbish at club level and Rooney is back

I think now though we are at the stage where we can point to Harry Kane and say 'this is the guy now'

By all means have Rooney. Maybe have him start a game if it suits but not this guaranteed position in the actual team, surely?

We should be building the team around getting the most from Kane not fudging things so Rooney is a striker or a 10 or wide. We do have some interesting options now, we haven't before so I couldn't support just binning Rooney from the starting XI

He is still a top quality player but think we need to be smart with the games we put him in. Kane should be one of the first names on the teamsheet nowadays, especially when it comes to attacking options

What's gonna happen at the Euros? The friendlies beforehand?

I think Hodgson may well bring him off 65-70mins nowadays but still think Rooney is starting. Maybe by the 2nd or 3rd game of the tournament this may have changed?

I think a lot depends on the performance of the forwards in the upcoming friendlies. If Rooney still shows nothing then he could well be dropped for the first game

I'd start Kane, Vardy, Welbeck, Sturridge or Carroll ahead

Rooney is more suited to a Scholes type midfielder role now. I'd play him but in midfield where his range of passing could be used more. I'd start with Vardy

Carroll ffs

Carroll

Rooney shouldn't be starting. Kane as the centre forward with Welbeck and either Sterling/Lallana out wide. Wilshere, Dier and Alli in the middle.

Carroll's only my 5th choice, still think he offers something more useful up front that Rooney in tournament football

As a centre forward? No.

Can play him in midfield if we play a 4-3-3 or a 4-1-2-1-2,

He shouldn't be anywhere near the team.

I am not sure about the great Rooney midfield experiment, I don't even mind him wide but we have options now but he shouldn't be at the point of the attack with Kane around

Should still take him along in the squad for his experience but he should be back up at best.

Should name a new captain after the Euros too as unless he improves massively next season he shouldn't be getting picked.

Utd should take the same stance. He was absolutely garbage yesterday. Hopefully China come calling

But Carroll ffs

I hope England start him, but realistically he has no place in the squad when at least four players in every position are better than he currently is.

5 goals in 8 for England in 2015.

8 goals in 13 in 2014.

He's ****.

Out wide would be a disaster. I'd rather have a bad Sterling than Rooney - imagine how slow our attacks will be.

I am not sure about the great Rooney midfield experiment, I don't even mind him wide but we have options now but he shouldn't be at the point of the attack with Kane around

He's actually been good as the passing mid in the 3, will probably be the best passer in the England side, can pin sides back hopefully with his passing to or quick forwards, and gives space for Alli to break from deep.

Shouldn't play anywhere else outside there, barring injuries.

If we want to play a 3 man midfield I think he should play in there. His last few appearances for United there have been admittedly been quite good and I'm usually his first critic. His acceleration has gone but over a distance he still has the drive to cover ground and he looks like he's starting to understand the role rather than be a Scholes mimic playing daft switching high passes unnecessarily. The England team if I look at it has some good midfielders but none are really convincing they can mix it at the highest level. I think a Dier/Carrick, Alli, Rooney midfield 3 can be competitive.

I've noticed he's played a clever PR move and said he wants to play there too, I think he knows he's not going to get in as striker. And nor should he, at United Rashford is genuinely a lot better than him in the striker's role. No need to even mention Kane, Welbeck, Vardy etc.

Worse case is he ends up out wide due to the lack of quality wingers. Those days are gone.

Our strongest midfield I think. Barkley or Sterling at the tip if we wanted to play a diamond

he looks like he's starting to understand the role rather than be a Scholes mimic playing daft switching high passes unnecessarily.

This.

A few months ago I would have said there's no where else to play him apart from as the 9, but he's genuinely improved massively as a central midfielder since then.

Rooneys had one good half playing in midfield since he came back from injury. Yeah he can play 5-10 yard passes all day long with the occasional switch of play wether it's needed or not. But as soon as he's in a tight space or the game calls for some speed in its play he is found lacking. He is dominated by anyone with a bit of power or speed.

There is no space for him in this England or Utd team except the bench.

A midfield with Carrick and Rooney, yeah ok Man Utd fans

Get Luke Chadwick on the wings, we don't need no Beckham, let him leave!

Brett somehow managing to ignore Alli and Dier in there

Rooney is Roy's boy, he will start every game unless he has a disaster in the first two

if he starts and England lose, Roy will get blasted by the press and if he doesn't play and England lose, he'll get blasted by the press for not playing the potential "world class" player who only really has shown it in a tournament about 12 years ago when he looked superb at Euro 2004

tough situation for Hodgson really, he probably knows he should start with the guys in form but he is scared of the press and more likely losing his job

Don't agree with that TM at all. If he plays Kane/Vardy/Alli etc ahead of Rooney, only an idiot would complain.

How we finished against Germany is how we should be starting majority of games. 4-4-2 diamond. Just question of who do you play instead of Barkley at the tip of the diamond? Sterling, Rooney etc?

Welbeck Injured today, it's a conspiracy to get Wayne on team sheet

Get Defoe on the plane!

Welbeck Injured today' date=' it's a conspiracy to get Wayne on team sheet[/quote']

Wenger just said they think it's a lateral meniscus tear. He's out of the Euros if that's the case

Welbeck is done then. Good stuff.

In all seriousness, even worse, Walcott could get called up ffs

It's never worked with Rooney for about 5 tournaments now, even when he was on top form. Should not be on the plane this summer.

It's never worked with Rooney for about 5 tournaments now, even when he was on top form. Should not be on the plane this summer.

I wouldn't start Rooney. But tbf you can hardly claim he was in top form in 2006 or 2010- with the injuries he had. 2010 in particular was such a shame as he genuinely was brilliant then.

Damn timing!

Honestly we could do a lot worse than Defoe. He knows where the goal is and, to be honest, is probably the best natural finisher in England.

The Welbeck injury doesn't mean there is a spot of a player like Defoe though. Welbeck wouldn't have gone as a striker, it opens up the spot for a wide attacking player. It'll be between Theo and Townsend and I imagine Theo will get it.

Wonder what the odds are on Rashford getting the call

EDIT: Just thought. If Welbeck being injured does mean a spot is open for a wide attacking player, how about Albrighton? He's an excellent crosser, has got his fair share of assists this year and is something different to what we already have.

It wont be someone who hasn't been involved in the squad before, unless it gets really desperate

In this case I'd be desperate not to take Walcott. Townsend is kinda the same although he is capable of the odd bit of magic

Theo probably goes if Welbeck can't. Which is fine really.

Albrighton ffs Sick of Leicester.

I have a feeling he's going to have a great tournament if we end up doing well. There are lots of ifs there aren't there

Theo probably goes if Welbeck can't. Which is fine really.

How is that fine, Theo has been terrible for 2 years.

Well, he's not been terrible for 2 years, that's just wrong.

Theo is fine. An acceptable back up for England which is all he will be in this scenario. Better than gambling on someone like Albrighton.

Yes he has been terrible, has probably had two good games this season for starters. Since Christmas he has nosedived into some of the worst performances I've ever seen an Arsenal player produce. Just should not be anywhere near the England squad. Does not contribute anything to teamplay, has lost a yard of pace since he did his ACL, doesn't score goals anymore. And that's before you move onto the fact he doesn't do any of the things you need a player in the position Welbeck fills for England to do. Just lazy thinking to go "no Welbeck, Theo is fine".

I like how some England fans pick the players on the name rather than form now which, ironically enough, has been a major sore point in international football for at least 5 years that England managers had a habit of doing.

The only way Walcott should be on the plane to France is if he is serving the drinks and in flight meals.

You don't want to pick an England team entirely on form, in theory Roy has been working for several years now to put a team and squad together.

That's true but Walcott has done nothing to validate his entry in the squad. It's the exact same situation as Wilshere. They only get in because of the name.

I'd say you can at least somewhat justify Wilshere as iirc didn't he get like 4/5 MOTM's in a row in qualifying? I still wouldn't take either Wilshere or Walcott myself though. Although if Welbeck and Ox are both out, I guess I'd rather Walcott than someone like Townsend.

If both are selected then that's a joke. We never learn.

Yes he has been terrible' date=' has probably had two good games this season for starters. Since Christmas he has nosedived into some of the worst performances I've ever seen an Arsenal player produce. Just should not be anywhere near the England squad. Does not contribute anything to teamplay, has lost a yard of pace since he did his ACL, doesn't score goals anymore. And that's before you move onto the fact he doesn't do any of the things you need a player in the position Welbeck fills for England to do. Just lazy thinking to go "no Welbeck, Theo is fine".[/quote']

His confidence is shot and things have gone stale at Arsenal. He's not a worse player.

He's not lost any pace since his ACL, that's nonsense.

I want to hear about some of these worse ever performances.

His confidence is shot and things have gone stale at Arsenal. He's not a worse player.

I don't even understand what your point is.

He's not lost any pace since his ACL, that's nonsense.

Yes he has.

I want to hear about some of these worse ever performances.

ManUtd away for starters.

That's true but Walcott has done nothing to validate his entry in the squad. It's the exact same situation as Wilshere. They only get in because of the name.

Wilshere and Walcott nothing alike to be honest. Wilshere one of the few midfielders we have who can play in the system Roy wants to use.