My Starting 11 To Play Denmark

Running an International blog leads to a few problems, but the main one is the lack of games. However when they do come around, you have to make the most of them, which is why I can't wait for the game this evening against Denmark. It's an International friendly, and it will probably be a bit of a snooze fest, but that's all the more reason to pop onto Three Lions Roar to join our conversation throughout the game.

Which leads me to the subject of this article, predicting the starting 11 that Hodgson will use tonight. I hope he mixes in a little experimentation with some established stars. Lets see how they interact with the team as a whole, that's the only way to really distinguish whether they deserve a place on the plane.

Who would I like to see tonight? Well first of all I want us to go with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Something I'm very keen for us to play against Italy. If I had my choice, this is how I would line them up for the first half.

GK - Joe Hart

LB - Luke Shaw

CB - Gary Cahill

CB - Chris Smalling (Phil Jagileka is injured)

RB - Glen Johnson (Kyle Walker is injured)

CM - Steven Gerrard

CM - Jordan Henderson

RM - Raheem Sterling

CAM - Wayne Rooney.

LM - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

ST - Daniel Sturridge

Here is my thinking with this line-up. You throw Luke Shaw straight in and you reward Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling for their current form. You have a lot of pace in the side with Ox, Sterling and Sturridge and when we don't have the ball you can ask Ox to tuck in and Rooney to drop back almost creating a 5 man midfield with Sterling as a floating attacking midfielder and Sturridge leading the line.

Defensively we are a little short at the moment. I don't really like the thought of Johnson and Smalling at the back but we are a little short there at the moment. I want to see either Forster or Ruddy given 45 minutes, and I'd quite like in the second half if we went with a central midfield three of Wilshere, Henderson and Ox. Just to sample that, and perhaps have Lallana on the left and Jay Rodriguez playing out on the right with Rickie Lambert up top. Something a little different and it will give Wilshere the license to get forward a little.

I think it's important we get a good look at the bubble players. So the likes of Rodriguez, Lallana, Sterling, Shaw and Ruddy should all be given a minimum of 45 minutes to impress.