Football Banter

No not a West Ham fan, but I feel my selection is justified given that the Hammers have been one of the form sides of the season. Remember, they're still challenging for a top four place - the players I've mentioned have been key to that challenge.

Of course Carroll has every right to be near the England squad. He offers a different option to the other forwards and Sturridge has only recently returned from injury. It's obvious why you'd take Sturridge instead of Carroll being a Reds supporter, but there's a chance that Sturridge could be in anyway if Rooney's knackered.

I don't feel Henderson will recover. I thought Sterling was injured? Wilshere has also only just returned from injury and faces a race against time to get in the Arsenal team and prove fitness. Plus if we're in penalties Noble would be a pretty good bet to put one away for us, would he not?

My 23 - FITNESS PERMITTING

Joe Hart - Manchester City, Frazer Forster - Southampton, Ben Foster - WBA

Danny Rose - Tottenham Hotspur, Ryan Bertrand - Southampton, Chris Smalling - Manchester United, Gary Cahill - Chelsea, Ryan Shawcross, - Stoke City, Phil Jagielka - Everton, Nathaniel Clyne - Liverpool

Dele Alli - Tottenham Hotspur, Eric Dier - Tottenham Hotspur, James Milner - Liverpool, Ross Barkley - Everton, Ryan Mason - Tottenham Hotspur, Danny Drinkwater - Leicester City, Theo Walcott - Arsenal, Adam Lallana - Liverpool.

Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur, Wayne Rooney - Manchester United, Jamie Vardy - Leicester City, Andy Carroll - West Ham, Danny Welbeck - Arsenal.

I am excluding Stones as I simply do not rate him as a defender. As Charlemagne pointed out Stones is accomplished on the ball but not good enough at his primary job i.e defending. Shawcross is an out and out defender so I include him. In an ideal world I would have had John Terry instead but that's another story . In my eyes Terry is still the best English central defender and has been for a while.
And no I am not a Chelsea fan .
As for Sturridge . Left him out also. I have doubts both about his injury record and his mentality as well in all honesty. Not a risk I would be willing to take.
Midfield is tricky, I include Mason as every time I have seen him play he has done well.
And no I am not a Spurs fan.
Andy Carroll provides a different option up front.
Having a plan B in all areas is useful.
And no I am not a West Ham fan .
The last midfield pick was a tricky one.
Walcott v Sterling. Not totally convinced by either one to be honest. Have doubts over both but gut instinct says Walcott.

Stirling should be back by the end of the season , I'd take Rooney anyway & agree on Henderson.

As for Sturridge or Carroll , I'd take Sturridge as when he's fit he's easily one of the best strikers in the league behind only Aguero , Kane & Vardy . Also Carroll has played 11 more games than Sturridge this season but has only managed to score one more goal , not to mention the fact he hasn't been anywhere near to getting a call up in 3 years

Spurs Bottle it 1-1 draw at WBA leicester 7pts ahead with 3 games to play surely its game over

The game on Sunday at Manchester United now is going to be a real test of nerve in a pressure cooker situation, Didn't think Spurs would bottle it as they did, but after reaching the FA Cup final Man Utd will probably be relishing the challenge as they know Leicester haven't been in this situation before....

It has today been found that the 96 were unlawfully killed and were not at fault as has been maintained by the family's , club & fellow supporters who were there , it's absolutely disgusting that it's taken 27 years to reach this conclusion and that some family members did not live to see their relatives get justice .

Never forget the 96 people who went to watch their team and never returned .

JFT96

Finally at last Justice!! We should never forget them

Dele Alli facing a three-match ban for violent conduct :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36144620

I lost a relative in 1989. At some point in 1990, a fatal accident inquiry ruled on the causes, and I was informed by another relative of the findings. I've never had the urge to examine the details further or take action on them. I think of how I miss her every now and then, but it otherwise has no bearing on my life. It's astonishing that 27 years on, the relatives of the Hillsborough victims have only just reached the halfway point of the equivalent process.

That it's taken this long is depressing when we take into account that most of the causes of the disaster were known or guessed in that first week. From that point on, your opinion on the matter depended on whether you thought it was a good idea that a calamitous mistake by an institution should be investigated and tried with complete access to every fact available. The only sympathy that I've ever been able to assume was felt for those in charge, was by those who might have to had to make those same decisions in other times and places, and who assumed that "fans" of any team - but with the significant bias felt towards those of Liverpool - would precipitate a rush and crush to bring their own heads on the line.

The original inquest may have been flawed in its execution (and was likely subject to undue influence...) but I think they honestly thought that accidental death was a verdict that did not blame the Liverpool fans for crushing their fellows. They were not acting atypically that day, and have never deserved the smears - the families long-since forgave them for actions outwith their control, and it's been their express wish that an unlawful killing verdict be rendered. The justice system has finally agreed with that; the half-way point indeed.

I do think that as well as the police facing some kind of prosecution there are those too who were working in the media at the time, who should face prosecution for the way in which the media reported things in the aftermath of the tragedy.