It doesn't sound "extremely" weak to me, but the fact Ben Foster and Paul Robinson have "retired" from International football really doesn't help. If anybody was gonna convince Foster to return, it would be Roy Hodgson. Personally I'd pick Joe Hart, Foster and John Ruddy, but if Foster doesn't come back then you've only got Rob Green left. Surely there's another England goalkeeper of some quality?
I still say it's extremely weak now even with the squad announcement. Rob Green has proved his unreliability in the WC when he let that disasterous goal in against the USA and John Ruddy has just had his first season in the PL so I wouldn't feel secure counting on him in the big environment. The fact that after these two is a goalkeeper i've never even heard of kinda speaks volumes I think.
1 Right Back, taking Rooney after what he did who's out for 2 games, no Crouch who's been our best this year in terms of the league imo, Defoe & Carroll have been benchwarmers and dreadful when deployed, Gerrards past it, had a poor season, Downings been dreadful. Milner doesn't play, Sturridge has been excellent and only on standby. Grant Holt has been brilliant but he's not there. I have a lot of problems with that team.
Phil Jones plays RB, CB & CM so technically there's two RB's even though he's a utility player. Richards is a RB and CB aswell and would have been second choice anyway so it's not really an issue with me even though for me, he would have been first choice right back. Rooney is our best player so he has to go, simple as. Crouch I would have taken and same with Defoe because he's a quality finisher and Carroll would have stayed at home. Gerrard being past it is laughable, he'd still get into most of the top clubs in the world. Downing is piss poor and would never get into my England squad, Milner is a very, very good squad player and can play anywhere in the midfield so he's a must take. Sturridge is meh and Holt is a massive meh, no sleep being lost over those two missing out.
The squad overall is pretty similar to what i'd have gone with except Robinson as #2 in place of Ruddy if I could get him out of retirement, Richards for Jones, Adam Johnson for Downing and Peter Crouch for Andy Carroll.
My team lineups using the official squads would be as follows.
vs France
------------------Hart--------------
Johnson-----Cahill-----Terry-----Cole
----------------Parker--------------
------Gerrard------------Barry-------
Milner-------------------------Young
---------------Defoe-----------------
The back 5 speaks for itself and i'd be surprised if it was anything else. Parker, Gerrard & Barry the 3 experienced guys to fight and work hard in the centre against a good France side. Milner and Young working slightly deeper than the traditional front three and have got the legs to get back for defensive duties, but also to get forward and cause their fullbacks some problems while providing Defoe who'll run the channels playing on the shoulder of the defence.
vs Sweden
------------------Hart--------------
Johnson-----Cahill-----Terry-----Cole
----------------Parker--------------
------Gerrard------------Barry-------
Walcott------------------------Young
---------------Defoe-----------------
Essentially the same team as against France except Walcott comes in on the right as against Sweden we should be dictating the game and he offers more going forward than Milner and shouldn't be needed to do as much defensively.
vs Ukraine
------------------Hart--------------
Johnson-----Cahill-----Terry-----Cole
----------------Parker--------------
------Gerrard------------Barry-------
Walcott-----------------------Young
---------------Rooney---------------
Same justification as against Sweden really. Hopefully we'll have gotten at least 4 points by this time so a win should definitley take us through and be afforded to change a few players around. Rooney would definitley come in having missed the first two games and i'd even be tempted to rest Gerrard for Lampard.