I'm not suggesting that he's being entirely honest Notso, but Crouch's refusal to be on standby clearly isn't the sole reason why he's not being picked. Carrick wouldn't be in the squad, otherwise.
* If it was Villas-Boas saying this, the press would crucify him * If he played for Man Utd/Liverpool/Chelsea, the press would be demanding Hodgson be sacked or Crouch be reinstated to the squad How many double standards can the tabloids fit into one article?
Unless he was a hypocrite He also insisted that Sterling was picked on merit and not so Jamaica can't have him so I think we can assume that he's not opposed to telling the odd porky.
A little bit too simplistic for me mate, you can't blanket rule evverything like that. Differing circs for both I would imagine, Crouch may have been a bit more terse shall we say with his refusal, whereas Carrick may have politely spoke to the FA, we don't know but these things can happen. Also in Carricks case its a needs must in his position...they're not both strikers you know! (therefore, not hypocritical YV. )
You're agreeing with me, Notso! I said that Crouch's refusal wasn't the sole reason and you've given reasons why it wouldn't be the sole reason.
Didn't Roy also say that the Carrick thing was a mis communication, and that he thought Carrick was retired, and Carrick would have happily gone with the squad to the tourny? I don't think it takes much to drop crouch when you consider he's pants at the top level. No pace No strength Can barely strike the ball cleanly when it's on the ground. If Roy is playing a 4-4-2, and Rooney is one of the two and playing deep, where do the goals come from? certainly not crouch. I'd sooner stick owen in the England team tbh.
His record says otherwise. 22 goals in 19 starts for England, 18 Champions League goals in 41 games, 6 goals in 9 Europa League games (playing for Pompey and Stoke). He appears to do a lot better than most at the top level, probably better than he does at a lower level, in fact.
I was a big fan of Crouch when he was at Spurs, if he's still near his best would play him over Owen all day long. But I don't know enough about his current form to say whether he should be in the team. When he was at Spurs I preferred him to Defoe or Pav, and he scored some absolutely crucial goals for us as well as linking well with VDV.
Records arn't everything, on paper Defoe is the 24goals a season striker we need. Fact is at international level crouch wont get the better of Spain as they play a highline, and most other teams will outmuscle him. His record is based on friendlies and warm up games, which as you can see from the 5-0, are not representative of how we perform at the top level. Crouch is easy to mark as he is not very good in the air, gets muscled by defenders, gives away fouls due to the height of his arms, can't get in behind a defense due to a lack of pace and is a poorer option to Carrol. If we can dominate possesion, then he has a use. But we can't do that against better teams, therefor he would be useless.
Crouch is good in the air, and is far from easy to mark as his proven record of goals and assists at top level in both internationals and CL indicates. I'd have him as lone striker instead of Defoe all day long, if he's anywhere near as good as he was with us.
Crouch never gets a chance to prove himself, so his goals are bound to come against lesser sides and in experimental line-ups. Despite making his point in those games, he's subsequently dropped for big games, which England invariably go on to lose. Virtually all players have the vast majority of their international goals against lesser nations, too. Messi, for example, has only 1 goal in an actual World Cup game and that was the last goal in a 6-0 win over Serbia in 2006. The rest have come in either friendlies (17 of 28), World Cup qualifiers against sides other than Brazil (8) or two Copa America games against Peru and Mexico (2). This clearly doesn't account for Crouch's record in Europe, either. He hasn't been given the opportunity to fail, whereas others have been given multiple chances and squandered them all.
How many times does Glenda have to be out of position before he is dropped and imprisoned for impersonating a footballer? He doesn't do anything well. The referee is ****e as well. Is Lamplard even on the pitch? (Is he actually? Wasn't sure if he was in the starting XI......) Oxo Cube is looking like Walcott Mrk 2 on the left (but at least he isn't Downing). As for Cleverleys shooting......
