LONDON: Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the World Cup finals in Brazil was comparatively predictable – once the chatter over his preference for Luke Shaw over Ashley Cole had been digested ahead of the official announcement writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Both Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverly paid the price for Manchester United’s poor season while West Ham striker Carroll may consider himself fortunate to have been named on the standby list after an injury-interrupted season.

Carrick rejected the chance to be on the standby list for Euro 2012 but he has accepted the same position this time around along with Cleverley, who faded from the scene after starting nine consecutive games under Hodgson at the start of the 2012-13 season.

Tottenham defender Kyle Walker misses out after failing to recover in time from a pelvic injury however ex-Spurs striker Jermain Defoe, who now plays for Toronto FC, has made it on to the standby list.

Hodgson has selected just four strikers for the tournament in Brazil, which kicks off on June 12.

Wayne Rooney will be the leading striker, supported by Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Rickie Lambert, who has scored 14 goals this season for Southampton.

Frank Lampard, 35, makes the cut, but otherwise there is a youthful look about England’s midfield selection. Ross Barkley, 20, has been selected, alongside Liverpool teenager Raheem Sterling and Anfield target Adam Lallana.

Arsenal duo Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere are in the 23 despite their recent injury concerns while Fraser Forster is the third goalkeeper behind Joe Hart and Ben Foster.

There was a place on the standby list for Everton teenager John Stones, who only made his first Premier League start in January.

Uncapped Liverpool right-back Jon Flanagan was also on the standby list.

Those standby players will fly to Portugal with the squad next Monday for a week-long training camp.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Hart (Manchester City), B Foster (West Brom), F Forster (Celtic);

Defenders: Johnson (liverpool), Smalling, Jones (Manchester United), Cahill (Chelsea), Jagielka, Baines (Everton), Shaw (Southampton);

Midfield: Gerrard, Henderson (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Barkley (Everton), Wilshere (Arsenal), Milner (Manchester City), Sterling (Liverpool), Lallana (Southampton), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal);

Strikers: Rooney, Welbeck (Manchester United), Sturridge (Liverpool), Lambert (Southampton).

On standby: Ruddy (Norwich), Flanagan (Liverpool), Stones (Everton), Carrick, Cleverly (Man Utd), Defoe (Toronto), Carroll (West Ham).

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