LEON OSMAN WORLD CUP COLUMN: England can win all three group games... if Roy Hodgson plays NINE Merseysiders!
- Everton midfielder Leon Osman backs England to be a success in Brazil
- Club-mates Ross Barkley, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka should all start for England, says Osman
- Roy Hodgson could also pick six more Merseysiders in his England team, including Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge
Leon Osman returns for his latest Footballers' Football Column, all about the World Cup. Osman was not selected by Roy Hodgson for a place in Brazil this summer but was involved in the England squad during the qualifying campaign. He also knows several of the England team very well through playing alongside them at Everton and has some words of advice for Hodgson ahead of the opening match against Italy on Saturday: play a team almost entirely made up of players who live or were born in Merseyside!
The waiting and the anticipation for all football fans will finally be over this evening when the World Cup finally gets underway.
Ever since the host nation for the 2014 tournament was first announced (without any controversy or bung allegations by the way!) the clamour for fans and players alike to go to watch or play in the home of the undisputed kings of international football has been incredible.
Having played some part of the battle to be in Brazil myself I can tell you that every top player desperately wanted to be there to represent his country on the biggest stage.
Tyro: Ross Barkley is in contention to play as an attacking midfielder for England against Italy
Each and every one of them will now be really looking forward to the tournament starting but they'll doubtless also spare a thought for those who, through no fault of their own, won't be involved.
There seems to have been more unlucky players (who could well have made a big impact) this time than ever before. Radamel Falcao, Franck Ribery, Marco Reus, Christian Benteke, Rafael van der Vaart, Ricardo Montolivo all miss out injured, as do our own Theo Walcott and Jay Rodriguez. Then there are worries about Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez too.
I was also disappointed that my former temporary team-mate Segundo Castillo was ruled out of the Ecuador squad with a bad injury. I don't think I've ever played alongside a lad who smiled more than Casty and it's a real shame for a lovely guy.
They will all be missed but there is still enough quality and class to excite us.
Everton connection: Osman's Toffees team-mates Leighton Baines (left) and Phil Jagielka (right) in Brazil
My interest in England will, of course, be enhanced by the presence of three of my team-mates in the squad. Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Ross Barkley all thoroughly deserve to be there and I hope Tim Howard and Kevin Mirallas do well for their respective countries as well.
And I don't want to forget all my former team-mates who are out there either so a big shout to Wayne Rooney, Tim Cahill, Marouane Fellaini, Nikica Jelavic, Joseph Yobo, Jo, Philippe Senderos, Shkodran Mustafi (who has done fantastically well to push his career on since leaving Everton) and Romelu Lukaku. I'm actually hoping that we get big Romelu back next season but I'm out of the loop on that one!
It's great for Evertonians to have so many players to look out for but my own loyalty will obviously be with England. When I was part of the squad and playing a couple of games I did think I may have had a chance of going to Brazil but it was clear a long way out that I wasn't going to make it so I contented myself with being happy for Jags, Bazza and Ross... and also John Stones who make the stand-by list.
Stonesy has been immense for us and for such a young player in such a challenging position on the pitch to even be considered for the World Cup shows how well he's done.
![LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 16: Leon Osman of Everton celebrates scoring the opening goal with his team-mates during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park on March 16, 2013 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/06/12/1402578212832_wps_6_LIVERPOOL_ENGLAND_MARCH_1.jpg)
Wish you wee there? Osman with World Cup-bound team-mates Baines (left) and Kevin Mirallas (right)
Jags and Bazza are certain to start the games and I am sure that Roy Hodgson, who I have a great deal of time for and will always be grateful to for making me an England player, will utilise Ross's unique talent.
Our three lads will be just as influential off the pitch as they are on it, by the way.
They are three lively individuals who are great tourists and will more than play their part in keeping boredom at bay in Brazil... especially Bazza with his guitar!
It all just shows how well Everton have done over the last few seasons. We could easily have three players starting a World Cup game for England and that's a terrific achievement that hasn't happened since the days of Reid, Lineker, Stevens and Steven back in 1986.
In fact, you can stretch that to cover the whole city. Merseyside is very well represented in Roy's squad and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the city has EIGHT players starting a game. In my opinion there are six-nailed on starters in Johnson, Jags, Bazza, Henderson, Gerrard and Sturridge and if you add Ross and Sterling to that list it makes for an incredible statistic. And if we add Wayne to that, as he's a scouser too, we can call it NINE!
With regards to how England will do, I think the first game on Saturday against Italy is absolutely vital.
Lose that one and there's a massive hill to climb to even get out of the group. Losing the first game can often prompt a media frenzy back home and the pressure can be cranked up even more than it is anyway.
A defeat against Italy would also knock the confidence a bit. But let's be positive and believe that England can beat the Italians and the feelgood factor could carry us onwards and upwards. I genuinely think that's what will happen. Italy, for me, are not the force they have been in the past and if we get amongst them then we'll have too much for them.
Now, what team would you pick? If for some inexplicable reason you woke up on Saturday morning with a voice message on your mobile from Roy Hodgson asking you to select the England team what would you do?
![Give him the nod: Wayne Rooney should play up front - and he still counts as a Merseysider, says Osman](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/06/12/1402578462020_wps_8_England_s_Wayne_Rooney_du.jpg)
Give him the nod: Wayne Rooney should play up front - and he still counts as a Merseysider, says Osman
One thing I can guarantee, and it's something that makes football special, is that everybody will have something slightly different from the guy or girl sitting next to you. It could be a different player in the team, a player in a different position, a different formation... anything. And discussing it and arguing with family and friends in front of the television or in the pub is what makes the World Cup so addictive.
I know that my dad and my brother would select a different team to me...and I also know that my mum will do better with her bets than the three of us put together!
However, when Roy rings me from Brazil, here's what I'll tell him.
Big loss: The World Cup will be poorer for the loss of the likes of Franck Ribery through injury
'Hello Roy, thanks for the call, hope all is well over there. You need Joe Hart in goal behind a flat back-four of Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka and Baines. Then you want a midfield three of Henderson, Gerrard and Wilshere with Barkley in the hole behind a top two of Sturridge and Rooney. That should be enough to beat Italy, so good luck and I'll ring you on Sunday with our line-up for Uruguay. Bye for now.'
I actually think Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would have had the role behind the strikers if he was fully fit but I would certainly trust Ross or Sterling to do the job. My team gets both the strikers operating just where they want to play. It gets us a man in the 'No 10' position who would be extremely difficult to mark when you have two strikers and it allows both of our full backs to get forward, which is what they both want to do. It leaves Steven Gerrard to drop deep and we'd still have two men in midfield.
I believe this XI could do the job out there but it's not about what I think and I have absolute confidence that Roy will pick the right team.
The beautiful home of the beautiful game: Every footballer wanted to play in Brazil this summer
Regardless, we are clearly in a very tough group. Italy is always a difficult and tight game for us and Uruguay and Costa Rica are both very good teams who are far more used to the conditions in South America. Uruguay in particular have some outstanding individuals but whether I'm thinking with my head or my heart, I can see a way through for us. Indeed, I wouldn't be overly surprised if we win all three of our group games.
I will certainly be cheering us on as enthusiastically as anyone and if we do reach the knockout stage anything can happen. I just hope we have a bit more luck than we normally do and if any of the later games go to penalties, here's my advice to Roy... don't call me!
Leon Osman supports Claire House Children's Hospice and Make A Wish Foundation. For more information log on to: claire-house.org.uk and www.make-a-wish.org.uk
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