....but what about the rest of our English players? I'm betting that if Roy Hodgson chose all our first team English players and filled in the missing positions from the best of the rest, then England would have a much better chance of qualifying for the World Cup. Fantastic team work and a hunger to win. Two of the things missing in the England squad. Or am I getting carried away....?
Not gonna happen, no matter how much they deserve a call up. English managers are so blinkered that they can't see that good players exist outside of seven or so clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U, Tottenham, Liverpool, City and Everton), despite the fact that a lot of them aren't that great (Downing, Johnson, Milner, Barry, etc for example).
I just don't get how Danny Welbeck can be an England regular with 2 goals to his name .... actually, wait, yes I do - he plays for Man Utd. Same with many others.
I think Rickie definitely deserves a spot in the squad, I don't think he'd necessarily start but if you need a goal then there's no better man to come on and do the job. Particularly if a team is camped back, Defoe, Welbeck and Sturridge do most of their work getting behind teams, whereas Rickie can come in and get in the fray, and of course who better to sub on if a game is winding down to a draw and penalties loom! I think Cork will go long unappreciated because so much of his game is pure grit and effort, he's a decent player all-round technically, but he doesn't stand out as a tackler, passer, dribbler and certainly not as a goal scorer! Clyne, Shaw and Rodriguez will have their shots in the coming years I reckon, Shaw will probably break into the squad the second Cole packs it in, unless him or Baines have a huge drop in form before then. Clyne, Lallana and Rodriguez have a lot of young competition to get ahead of and will have to keep improving but all have a good chance.
Clyne and Shaw probably are the ones with the best shot at a place. I just have a feeling that our players appear very good because they play well as a team...what would they be like with a bunch of strangers?
But that's my point. Keep them all together because they ARE very good as a team, unlike the current England shower. Are there many other Premiership sides that have as many English players as us? So it's a Southampton team with the other positions filled in by others - and they would be the strangers who would have to adjust to our style. My post was slightly tongue in cheek but I'm now warming to the idea....
Although Rickie deserves a little felt cap with a gold tassel on it, from a purely selfish point if you, I'd rather keep him fit with Saints. Maybe if we have a friendly in May, then give him his just rewards; let him score a last minute penalty and then send him back to St Mary's in a bundle of cotton wool please.
Enjoyed the Carroll v Lambert debate on the radio last night. Against Montenegro we had no out ball when they pushed us back. In fact the introduction of a big man upfront changed the game in Montenegro's favour. As good as Defoe, Welbeck and Sturridge are individually they are very similar in style. So as a consequence changing one for the other is unlikely to make an impact. Think England need to stop looking at the technical superiority of a Spain and accept where are players are now and that we need that direct approach in games. Lambert is the inform striker and should be in the squad.
It's so hard to tell if a player's game is enhanced by the team or not but I would say that most of our team are playing above their ability so to speak. I think our only players who would play better in another team are Ramirez and Lallana, everyone else benefits from knowing what to do tactically whereas Ramirez and Lallana are more spur of the moment type players. Shaw, Lambert and Clyne would transition fairly easily into another team as while their roles aren't simple I don't think they would be asked to do anything that is tactically out of their comfort zone. Schneiderlin and Cork I feel could struggle to shine internationally as they fit so perfectly into our system, if Schneiderlin was commanded to sit instead of pressing high up the pitch and making late runs into the box he would be less than half the player he is atm. Of all our current team I reckon Yoshida will have the biggest impact at the world cup as he could quite possibly be the only one who plays in it. Uruguay won't qualify as things stand, Boruc could play but unlikely to do that well, Schneiderlin would have to play even better than this year to be in contention, Clyne would be a decent shout but more unlikely than likely same for Shaw. Of course if Southampton finish top 6 most of the starting 11 will be going to the world cup.
Have to say we've got a lot of players in form right now. I still think it's only a matter of time before Lambert gets his chance, and the likes of Shaw, Clyne, Rodriguez and Cork must feel they have a chance too, and unlike Rickie perhaps, they all have time on their side. It's funny that the only one who has been called up, Lallana, is now probably further away from a call-up. It says a lot about the team we now have that his absences haven't really slowed us down though. Last season we'd have really struggled with him missing as much as he has been.
Ignoring the football, can I just say what a lovely guy Rickie is. In interviews, he comes over as self deprecating and shy. People who've met him say that he always has time for the fans. If I was a man, I think he'd be just the kind of mate you'd like.
Whats the betting that Carroll will be straight back in the England squad? I don't think that people outside the club realise what an impact he has on the game. If they just see him as a goalscorer you can understand why he hasn't been selected. However, if you look at his overall contribution, his ability to hold the ball and bring others into the game, then I can't think of anyone better.
Rickie should get to play for England, even if it's just a one cap cameo, like Kevin Davies. Cork, Clyne, Shaw and Rodriguez have all got age on their side and they are future England internationals IMO.
