games to come this season, including trips to Man Utd, Ma

It is easy to dismiss the importance of a small international break held in the middle of the most important stretch of the league season. For some in England, it is just a distraction away from the main event known as the Barclays Premier League. Many "fans" gathered in front of their television to watch their nation play on Wednesday and hoped none of the players who play for their clubs would get hurt. It is a challenge for English football fans to put their country first over their clubs at the best of times. At the start of March? A big ask. Even those who were behind the game may have been falling asleep into their beverage of choice, as England, once again, showed a real lack of intensity and tempo. The biggest moment of the first half came when Jack Wilshere had his foot trod on by Denmark and Liverpool defender Daniel Agger and, as he lay down on the ground crying, Arsenal fans, even more than England fans, held their breaths. Wilshere would play on, as would England, in a game played at a leisurely pace in front of many empty red seats at Wembley. In truth, you could have removed the fans, the stands and the cameras and it was nothing more than a glorified training game for most. Not for Roy Hodgson. Being the final match of the season for the England boss before he gathers his players on May 13 to begin his preparation for Brazil, it was an opportunity to see some of his players work together. However, even the most staunch supporter of such a fixture will have left Wembley on Wednesday night wondering just what conclusions Hodgson will have come up with from the match. This was as dull as it gets. Hodgson visits whichever Premier League games he likes throughout the season and, without question, he will be able to find out more about the players in those systems than one he attempted to put together once all the players reported on Sunday. The game against Denmark, which England won 1-0, saw Hodgson deploy a 4-3-3 and give a number of young players an opportunity to represent their country. There was little else that could be taken from it, really.I had made my mind up about most of my England final 23 before the game and nothing swayed me from it against Denmark. Goalkeepers Strangely, Hodgson named four goalkeepers inside his 30-man squad for the game against Denmark. Joe Hart started and is the undisputed number one and whichever two players are chosen to back him up are, likely, not that important. Defenders Arguably the biggest decision of all from Hodgsons starting XI was Ashley Cole starting at left back. The veteran has started three Premier League games in four months for Chelsea and doesnt look like finding his way back into Jose Mourinhos side any time soon. However, unlike many England players, it is hard to think of Cole playing poorly too often for England. In a back four short on international tournament experience, Cole shouldnt just go to Brazil, but should start the first game against Italy ahead of Leighton Baines. Luke Shaw, who came on for Cole at half-time, is a fine player whose time will come. Coles Chelsea team-mate Gary Cahill is a lock for Brazil, as is Phil Jagielka, who was injured for the Denmark game. Chris Smalling, his replacement, will also go as he can play centrally or at right back. Likewise, Phil Jones can also be used in those positions, as well as midfield, once he returns to full fitness. The one omission is Kyle Walker, also injured for the game against Denmark, who will likely be selected by Hodgson, as well. Walker, though, wouldnt make my squad as he is a liability defensively, loses concentration often and can be exposed in Hodgsons system that requires his team to defend deep and use width in attack. Glen Johnson used to fall into this category but has made strides under Brendan Rodgers and is clearly a player who thrives when his club manager gives him confidence. Midfielders The discussion about the midfield shape cannot be had without defining Wayne Rooneys role in this team. It is one thing for Rooney to play off the striker for Manchester United against many average Premier League teams, but it is quite another to have him play that role against Italy and Uruguay at the World Cup. He just doesnt defend well enough and Andrea Pirlo at Euro 2012 should have effectively retired Rooney in that position for England. Rooney, then, will play centrally up front on his own, like he did against Denmark and behind him will sit a midfield central three. Captain Steven Gerrard and Wilshere are two automatic starters if they remain fit. For me, the biggest decision comes who plays alongside them. Jordan Henderson got the nod against Denmark and deserved the spot based on his recent impressive displays for Liverpool. That will be enough to get him on the plane to Brazil, but it will be a surprise to see him start the first match against Italy. Gerrard is in terrific form. He starts transitions well and is an excellent distributor from deep areas, but he will likely need a more defensive-minded player alongside him to protect against counter attacks and allow Wilshere more freedom to get forward. This is where Michael Carrick should be used, although it seems to be easy pickings at the moment to knock the Manchester United midfielder. In fact, a national newspaper ran a poll this week and 70 per cent of their readers felt Carrick shouldnt go to Brazil. To ignore a ball treasurer like Carrick would be naïve for England, but it is not like they havent done it before. When England are chasing a game, they will have the opportunity to bring on more attacking players like Henderson, Ross Barkley, Adam Lallana or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain inside that midfield three. All of these players can make a difference to a game and can bring some tempo and pace when opponents tire. Lallana changed the game against Denmark and England fans will be hoping he can do what David Platt did in 1990, bringing quality and an appreciation of space off the bench. Oxlade-Chamberlain, like James Milner, who is excellent at defending a flank, can play centrally or out wide and both should be picked on quality alone, but also bring much-needed versatility. This all means no place for Frank Lampard and thats how it should be. A World Cup spot should never be given because you were a good servant for years and big games have now passed him by. Forwards This leaves us with five spots. Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling played either side of Wayne Rooney against Denmark. Sturridge scored the games only goal and will likely start Englands first game following a terrific season for Liverpool. Playing him out wide, in a 4-3-3 had its challenges early with his wing being exposed when he drifted centrally, but with three central midfielders that should be ironed out and, at least, he is doing it on the left with a full back who is likely to stay deeper (more than Johnson, that is). Alongside Sturridge, Rooney and Danny Welbeck will both go to Brazil. Hodgson will need to pick one other centre forward who can bring something different to the attack physically, hold the ball up and be a menace to defenders if the game situation warrants it. Rickie Lambert is the odds-on favourite for this spot, but I would take Andy Carroll if he is healthy. It wasnt that long ago that he caused Sweden no end of problems at Euro 2012 and, if he can play well for West Ham in the next ten games, he would get my pick. This leaves one spot. Hodgson could (and probably will) select another defender in Walker, but he may also lean towards another striker like Jermain Defoe or another player in a wide area while withdrawing a central midfielder, such as Sterling, Aaron Lennon, Ashley Young or Andros Townsend. Sterling aside, the rest have had difficult seasons with their clubs. I would probably give the nod to Townsend because he has played well for England and brings pace but, unlike the other 22 spots, this is the one where the next two months will tell me who should go. Whoever is selected, it appears England are a long way away from making a serious run at the knockout stages based on their latest performance. My squad: Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Fraser Forster (Celtic) and John Ruddy (Norwich) Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea) and Leighton Baines (Everton) Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Ross Barkley (Everton), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) and James Milner (Manchester City) Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Andy Carroll (West Ham) and Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur) Michael Grabner Jersey . The same cant be said of last Saturdays 2-2 draw at Olympic Stadium against a very weakened New York Red Bulls side and one which had three stalwarts in Henry, Cahill and Olave back home in Harrison, NJ. Richard Panik Jersey . "Im not doing enough to help them," Durant told The Oklahoman on Monday of his 28-9 team. "Im shooting too much. Im shooting too many threes. Im not helping them out at all. http://www.authenticcoyotespro.com/Niklas-hjalmarsson-coyotes-jersey/ . Off-Season Game Plan looks at a Wild team that has a nice mix of proven veterans along with young, inexpensive talent on the rise. When the Wild signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, making a big splash in the summer of 2012, it set the franchise on a path to being more competitive, but a big reason that they have been so competitive is the contributions of young players who still have more to give. Jason Demers Jersey . He had spent 16 days on the disabled list before being activated Thursday. He was batting just .203 when he came to bat in the 11th inning on Sunday. Clayton Keller Jersey . Pinch-hitter Tommy Medica singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in their first home game since Gwynn died of cancer Monday.By the time Steven Gerrard scored, many fans were already in their cars driving home. The Liverpool captain had netted in the 87th minute at Anfield in a match his team would lose 3-1 to lowly Aston Villa. It was their 17th match of the season and things were not going well for Brendan Rodgers with his team in 12th place on 22pts. Teams such as Stoke, West Ham and Norwich were all ahead of them. It was not a night for the new manager to turn on the local radio stations as he drove home. Liverpool were in a rut and Rodgers was seeing performances flirting between his own ideas and the bad habits the team had picked up under Kenny Dalglish. The game against Villa was the sixth time in nine attempts that Liverpool had failed to win a Premier League match at Anfield. Far too often games followed a similar pattern. The Reds would start well, fail to score, get beaten on the counter attack and only sometimes find their way back into the match. Rodgers knew his team had to score more goals. They had played 18 halves of Premier League football and scored in eight of them (44%). Under Dalglish, the previous season, they had played 38 halves of Premier League football at Anfield and scored in just 18 of them (50%). Only four times, from their 19 home matches, had they scored in both halves in the same game. After the Villa game, Rodgers highlighted the areas for improvement: “We need to be more crisp, and less careless around the box. We create opportunities but its that final ball really and if we can become more clinical, get the goals, its a different game. Well recover well, we are back here next week and we have to make sure we dont make the same mistakes.” Liverpool listened to their manager. The next week they battered Fulham 4-0. In January at home they beat Sunderland 3-0 and Norwich 5-0. In February they welcomed Swansea with a 5-0 hammering and in March defeated Tottenham at home 3-2. After scoring in just 44% of their halves at Anfield for the first nine games, Liverpool found the net in 12 of their 20 home halves for the last 10 matches, raising it to 60%. On Saturday they were once again at home for their 17th league match of the season and this time they were on the right end of a 3-1 score, defeating Cardiff City thanks to three first half goals. Oh, what a difference a year makes. When they failed to score in the second half it was just their fifth half of home Premier League football this season in which they had failed to find the back of the net, scoring in 13 of 18 home halves, a huge difference to what they were doing this time last season (44% to 72%). The win took them to 36pts (an improvement of 14 from last season at this stage) and to the top of the table, stark contrast to the midtable mediocrity that led to many angry phone calls that night in Merseyside a year ago. The win against Cardiff came less than 24 hours after star striker Luis Suarez put pen to a new four-and-a-half year contract. "I am delighted to have agreed to a new deal with Liverpool and have my future secured for the long term," said Suarez. "I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible." While Liverpool fans breathed a sigh of relief, the rest of the world shook their head. This, in their minds, was a deal securing the Reds much more money when Suarez is inevitably sold in the summer. It was one of the least cared about contract extensions in football history. To most, it meant absolutely nothing. To Liverpool, however, it is a document that keeps one of the worlds finest players at their club in his prime years. A document they should frame and put on the walls of the home dressing room to bring motivation to their team. If they can prove they can indeed play ‘at the highest level, as Suarez says, they feel the Uruguayan will stay. So just how good are Liverpool? It is a question Suarez may be asking every single week between now and the World Cup. Before the Arsenal-Chelsea game on Monday evening, the Reds are top of the table. Suarez said he wants to play ‘at the very hiighest level.dddddddddddd. This is the Champions League. And who can blame him? When next seasons Champions League starts, the striker will be close to 28-years-old and if he isnt in the tournament then people will have every right to suggest he does not belong amongst the greatest players in the game. Liverpool will be fully aware of this. If we believe anything Suarez said last week, perhaps it can be how he spoke about his love for the club, the city and his team-mates. This, along with the huge pay rise, could be enough to keep him from going to another big club next summer, providing Liverpool make the Champions League. Although they sit at the top of the league, whether or not they can make the top four remains a legitimate question. To find the answer you need to look closer at this team and find out just how much better they are this season than last. This cannot be done by simply looking at their league positions on the same date because different opponents come at different times. This season Liverpool have played nine home games. Their eight home wins against Stoke City, Manchester United, Crystal Palace, West Brom, Fulham, Norwich, West Ham and Cardiff, and their loss to Southampton, represent a +7 difference in points against the same opposition as last season (replacing the relegated teams with promoted teams). This season Liverpool have played eight away games. Their away wins at Aston Villa, Sunderland and Tottenham give a +4 difference from last season, their away draws at Swansea, Newcastle and Everton are a -2 difference from last season against those teams and their away losses at Arsenal and Hull are a -2 difference from last season, giving them the exact same points away from home against similar opponents as last season, through eight away games. Liverpools 11 away games to come this season, including trips to Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea, come against opposing teams they got 17 points against on their travels last season. If they continue their trend as a (0+) team on the road those 17 points, added to their 36 points through 17 matches gives them 53. Last season they finished seventh on 61 points. That leaves their remaining 10 home games to make the difference. It is important to note that only half of these games come against teams they played after December of last season, when a noticeable change of form was shown. In those 10 games last season Liverpool got 16 points (five points in five games up to December and 11 points in five games from January on). Those 16 points added to the 53 points would leave them on 69 points, borderline for a spot in the top four. In the last five seasons, when Liverpool have failed to reach the top four, the points total for the team finishing fourth has been between 68 and 73 - 73, 69, 68, 70, 72. It is the early seventies (at least) that Liverpool need to reach if they want to keep Suarez. Last season Tottenham became the first team in Premier League history to get 72 points and not get into the top four. They lost Gareth Bale. Liverpool have already shown they are a side considerably better at home (+7 through 8 games) than last season, because of their slow start at home that ended with that loss to Aston Villa. With five opponents at home still to play, that came in that run, it is a real possibility that they could improve on the 16 points they achieved at home last season against the 10 opponents they are still to face. It is clear Liverpool are now much more like the team that played games 18-38 last season than the ones who played in the first 17. Having already gained 24 points from a possible 27 at home, including a +7 ratio on last season, they will look to achieve something similar at home for the second half of the season. If they can get a +7 ratio again this would take them to around 76 points, providing they play similar to the way they played away from home last season. This is a much more realistic target than those asking if they can win the league. Liverpool have made significant strides since this time last year and if they can stay at that level between now and May the highest level and Suarez may both be in their immediate future. 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