It is a joke, barkleys played two games but scored a goal... Ridiculous Sterlings not started to name a couple
Cleverley getting called up is still the one that annoys me most. He's not good enough for England. I bet if he didn't play for Man Utd and he played for someone like Fulham, he'd be nowhere near the side. To be fair, Townsend I can understand as he has started the season well. My point is that Thudd has played as equally well in a different position, but is ignored.
Chris Smalling hasnt played a minute of football for Man Utd yet this season. How the **** can he be called up? Oh yeah, he plays for Man Utd...
My only real gripe is that he's picked too many inexperienced players. If we get a couple of injuries in the cauldron of Kiev, Hodgson could find himself turning to the bench and relying on people like Barkley or Sterling to deliver World Cup qualification. Wouldn't you rather rely on mentally strong players like Scott Parker in such situations? It's not the time to blood new players. I hope to God Wilshere stays fit - there is no one who can replace him in this squad.
People would moan though if he went with the 'old guard'. But now he's at Everton and he's a bloody good player.
So let them moan. Of course he has to develop the younger players at some point - all I'm saying is the Kiev game is THE big challenge of this two-year stretch, and for that one you can't be experimenting. That will be an occasion for old heads who won't be ruffled by the atmosphere. For those who remember the magnificent display in Rome 1997, that stands out for me as the classic away qualification performance - and the team for that had no untried kids in it... Seaman, Campbell, Adams, Southgate, Beckham, Ince, Batty, Gascoigne (Butt 89), Le Saux, Wright, Sheringham.
I'd like to know on what basis players are picked though. Obviously Woy Hodgson and his staff go to games to scout players. But there must be plenty of games nobody gets to see. Does he then watch back every single premier league game on dvd, to get a personal take on player performances. Does he get influenced by media and pundits hype. Does he meticulously study the stats of every English player in the top flight. Does he get influenced by managers, coaches and old mates in the game. Ringing him to big up their players. Personally I'd be disappointed if Woy didn't watch every premier league game on dvd as a minimum. What else has he got to do with his time. It should be his job to have a file on every top English player, with absolutely everything there is to know about them in it.
Roy will watch more than every premier league game, I'm sure he'll keep his eye on the championship too.
Townsend deserves a call up, he was brilliant at the back end of last season and needs to be given his go. Barkleys a good young midfielder that looks promising so why not try him out? Cleverley should not be included however.
Cleverley... Fergie rated him, Moyes likes the look of him too, as does Roy... He's got to have something. Managers these days seem to go by stats, passes completed, key passes, tackles, etc etc... Im guessing he's a very good player and has great stats in matches but to us armchair managers, he "looks" average..
This is what I hope. The cynic in me says reputation and who the media happen to be spunking over has a big influence.
It clearly is. He only picked Lambert because there actually was no other 'decent' choice at the time.
He's just an even faster Marney with a better range of passing, and everytime he has a shot you get the impression he will miss unless he is two feet out, just like Mr Marney. I hope Huddlestone gets back in but would worry a bit about him getting injured.
