Con

Next to Ron Vlaar he'll be very good. They're like twins. Serious competition for Okore.

Milner has been very good in the final third but keeps losing ball/misplacing passes in the middle third.

I wouldn't say Delph needs that kind of influence. However, young players will respect the star quality, and the Irish lads in the squad will have two reasons to impress.

Surely Jones and Smalling together at the back, so Cahill and Jagielka can start together in the last game.

Great news for Clark, Grealish and Carruthers to have the Irish coach as your actual coach. I reckon it's a good appointment for them and the team.

you'll be alright as long as Jack Grealish chooses to stay Irish, which I expect he will.

No. I played no strikers out of necessity because I didn't think we had good enough ones. (If we had Jay Rodriguez he'd be in the starting XI). Now after seeing him do something out of nothing against Peru I would be prepared to start Sturridge. Not convinced he can "carry" a team like a Benteke or Drogba but I'm warming to the idea he's as good any anything Italy have. I would play fast players who can counter-attack and who are also energetic and work hard. They also need to be skilful enough when we have the possession in the final third to be able to play through the middle - players like Lallana, Sterling, Sturridge, Barkley and Lambert - not Welbeck or Rooney on current form.

Against an Aletico side that were playing a German style under an Argentinian coach! That wasn't a German style. That was a unique simeone style. Other teams don't play like that Fair enough. It's not Spanish though... more like Bielsa, so he is the Plato to the Socrates of tackle-goals.

Against an Aletico side that were playing a German style under an Argentinian coach!

We are over-stocked in the midfield. Would interfere with the development of Gardner, Carruthers and others without being obviously better in potential than them. If he was a CB or striker you'd say yes.

It's funny how the world works! Spain can't play the German way without a lot of immigration, which hasn't happened yet. Spain are Spain. But the Spain way has won everything in International football in the last 6 years. If it ain't broke... ... using the same players who are now 6 years older and just about past it. Real vs Bayern and before that Bayern vs Barca shows the demise of the Spanish "anarchist" football system. The winner of this World Cup will be playing closer to the German style of Real Madrid. Edit: Argentina does sound like a good bet.

It's funny how the world works! Spain can't play the German way without a lot of immigration, which hasn't happened yet. Spain are Spain.

The players who won those competitions are getting on a bit or have already retired. How good is the new generation really vs the new generation of other countries? Barcelona have been well beaten in European competition since the last World Cup playing a style close to the Spanish national team, and it's on that basis I rule them out of one of the final places. Since the last World Cup Barca have won a champions league, got to semi final twice and quarters last season. Although I see where you are coming from I wouldn't call that well beaten in Europe. Yes Bayern smashed them but on that basis you could say Germany won't do well because Real smashed them. As for next generation there are a lot of players who haven't even made the squad that would walk in to a lot of other teams. No, Real Madrid play the German way, and their main attacking players are not Spaniards.

It wasn't a shoulder barge or any other kind of barge. Heitinga grabbed on Iniesta's right shoulder with his left hand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T--pz-1EIsg

The players who won those competitions are getting on a bit or have already retired. How good is the new generation really vs the new generation of other countries? Barcelona have been well beaten in European competition since the last World Cup playing a style close to the Spanish national team, and it's on that basis I rule them out of one of the final places.

Is Diego Costa going to be and stay fit? If not they have no striker. The midfield is getting on a bit. Iniesta 30, Xavi 34, Alonso 32, Carzola 29, Silva 28, Fabregas 27. You'd like a little youthful exuberance. Are they going to take enough risks to win games? Thiago Al Cantara out injured is a miss. Defence is talented going forward but leaky. This Spanish team is not going to frighten the other big contenders.

Running rings around them... they weren't all that good but still, it shows how far he is come that he definitely is now way too good for the tournament.

Defensively neither is much better than the other but Clark is better going forward. He probably lost his place to Baker because Lambert was worried he'd do another Cryuff turn, or something. Bacuna showed enough ability at right back that we should continue to try him there. I expect him to improve even more next year now he is used to the league. Should not be a "second season syndrome" because despite his young age he was an experienced player before he came to us.

the fix was in, then it wasn't great ball, beautiful first touch ... lack of goals - Spanish football team just like Fernando Torres.

the Man Utd players were ineffective. Rooney was all over the place, no first touch. hasn't played for a month due to injury but still. last night Sturridge showed he can do something out of nothing so if we need a something out of nothing forward we can play him over Rooney. Sterling when he came on looked great down the left hand side I was closest too. I'm not sure I'd play Rooney over Sterling, or even Barkley. Welbeck typical performance. not at the level he even wants to be yet at so shouldn't be in the starting XI. Against better strikers our defence would have conceded one or two last night. Cahill looks commanding and great on the ball but Peru picked us open down the middle a couple of times. Defence difficult to judge though because it wasn't really tested. Peru were a young, inexperienced team playing like Villa would if we weren't allowed to use the long ball. In midfield, I thought Henderson looked confident and strong next to Gerrard. Two powerful holding players. I can imagine them starting vs Brazil in front of that back four. Tried some thrusting attacking passes that didn't come off. Lallana had some memorable touches and we only need a couple of better forwards, or more on form ones than Rooney and Welbeck, to be able to construct those lovely tippy-tappy passing moves through the defence. I'd try Lambert with Sturridge and Lallana, or maybe even play Sturridge with Barkley.

Just back from the game. This was spectacular.

That stuff about Sturridge is good news. However, should remember Suarez raised the form of the whole Liverpool team and that form doesn't just drop off in one game if one player is out, even if it is the most influential player. With the exception of Henderson they're my pick of the talent. Henderson like Sturridge may have had a Suarez effect on his form. I make an exception for Sterling because I feel that his form, especially late in the season, had nothing to do with Suarez. Anyway, who else is at the game tonight? I'll be at Wembley and I will report back some first-hand witness accounts of the game.

That's not a 433. I don't know what a false 9 formation is supposed to look like. Sturridge was playing next to Suarez. Until he can score 20 on his own for a season carrying a team (like Benteke) people will still ask the question how good is he really. Rooney is past his peak - even Paul Scholes has said it. I like Ricky Lambert and he would be useful against Costa Rica when hopefully we won't need to rely on a fast counter-attack. I wouldn't be surprised if he started tomorrow against Peru.

What logic is bizarre. We have the players to play that system. It's not one England are used to playing so somehow I doubt it will happen. I would love it if Gerrard, Wilshere, Lallana, Barkley and Sterling were all on the pitch at the same time.

We have the players to play a false 9 (no strikers) Hart Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines Gerrard Henderson Wilshire Lallana Barkley Sterling Sturridge and Rooney are powderpuff anyway compared to the Saurez, Forlan, Cavani, and Balotelli, Rossi and Cassano. I'd rather have those strikers than ours.