Hodgson's announced his latest squad and there are call ups for Kane, Walker and Townsend. Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City). Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur). Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Theo Walcott (Arsenal). Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal). Only two keepers, which is a bit of an oddity, but a third's probably unnecessary. Lots of the usual suspects and I've failed to spot any surprise omissions.
Dier, Carroll and Pritchard have all been included in Southgate's U21 side: Goalkeepers: Marcus Bettinelli (Fulham), Jonathan Bond (Watford), Jack Butland (Stoke City) Defenders: Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Luke Garbutt (Everton), Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough), Carl Jenkinson (West Ham United - loan from Arsenal), Michael Keane (Burnley), Liam Moore (Brentford – loan from Leicester City), John Stones (Everton), Matt Targett (Southampton) Midfielders: Tom Carroll (Swansea City - loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Nathaniel Chalobah (Reading - loan from Chelsea), Jake Forster-Caskey (Brighton & Hove Albion), Will Hughes (Derby County), Jesse Lingard (Derby County - loan from Manchester United), Alex Pritchard (Brentford - loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Nathan Redmond (Norwich City), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) Forwards: Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough - loan from Chelsea), Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion), Danny Ings (Burnley), Callum Wilson (AFC Bournemouth)
Presumably many people are staggered that Townsend is selected over Lennon? Or perhaps you are simply wrong about which one is better?
Not necessarily - we lost Dawson for a chunk of the season a few years ago as he got crocked in training with the England squad.
I fear that there may be more than two options. I am not at all staggered that Townsend is selected over Lennon. I am, however, not taking the fact of his inclusion in an England squad as evidence that Townsend is the better player.
A few of the Academy lads made the other England squads, too... U19s: Harry Winks U18s: Kyle Walker-Peters, Josh Onomah and Luke Amos U17s: Marcus Edwards and Kazaiah Sterling
Danny Rose has replaced Luke Shaw in the squad, as the Man Utd player has picked up an injury, as they all do when the international break comes around. He's listed as a possible inclusion in their squad today though, oddly.
How either Townsend, Rose or Walker can be anywhere near an international place on current form is a joke - although maybe more a sad indictment of the paucity of talent in the English game. All three need to prove they can actually perform consistently at club level and continuing to pamper their egos by elevating them beyond their current level is hardly likely to reinforce the message that they need to improve. You could argue a case for Walker on the basis that he has at least proven himself at PL level over a few years and is still on the return from a long-standing injury, but not the other 2.
As I've commented a while back (when I was praying that Kane would NOT be selected), it seemed that the form of all three - Walker, Rose and Townsend - declined ramatically as soon as they got selected for England. I suspect they started believing their own hype. None of them has fully recovered yet. Amazed to see them selected. They can all play a bit - they're not beyond hope or redemption - but they're hardly international standard at present. Ho-hum. Seriously hope Harry K doesn't fall into the same trap.......... trust his attitude will remain as level-headed as it's seemed so far.
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur). So rose replaces Shaw (injured). Ryan Bertrand will likely feel disappointed considering the season saints have had. Townsend is still living off that run of games when he was being called Englands saviour lol Tottenham Hotspur's Andros Townsend defends his England call-up via Twitter http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2015...ndros-townsend-defends-his-england-call-up-v/
To be fair Andros has played very well every time he has been selected for England. he might be one of those players whose style of play suits international football.
At least you have admitted his style doesn't suit club football, more international football. If you remember Sven's time as England manager, he had Darius Vassell who would always perform for England yet be a joke figure domestically.
Eric Dier has pulled out of the U21 squad, due to the eye injury that he picked up against Leicester. Looked a nasty one at the time, though I don't think that there was any intent. He'll be assessed before the second game to see if his condition had improved enough to play.
