I wonder how much cash we get from Arsenal when Oxo gets his first cap. Should give us an extra transfer kitty boost.
Congratulations to Stewart Downing, the winner of the Mars competition to go to the Euro's with the England Team
Why does playing for a big club become more important than form and premier league record when selecting players? Why are players like Oxo and downing anywhere near the squad if those two exact players had the exact same season for lesser clubs gurantee they wouldnt be anywhere near the squad. Oxo has started like 6 prem games this season its madness. Good luck to him though seems like a good guy and good for our reputation.
Very dissapointed with some of Woy's selections... Downing?goals:0 assists:0 and he get's picked for England?Adam Johnson or Lennon would be a far better option. Green?You'll say "oh he's got experience at top level and international level aswell,but wasn't he the one who bottled it against USA in the world cup?Does he play in the premier league? No and the worst thing possible is that he plays in the championship and he isn't even the best GK in that division!The best GK in the championship is our own Kelvin Davis.I'm not saying that he should be picked,but there are better gk's out there like Robinson,Stockdale... At least if you're gonna pick a gk from the 2nd tier pick the best one . Last but not least,Andy Carroll...4 goals this season and he gets picked for England? Even though I'm not a big fan of Grant Holt,he definitely deserves to get picked for England,17 goals in the premier league in his debut season is very good and he has worked his socks off aswell.I feel really sorry for him... Gareth Barry is another overrated player who people make out to be a great defensive midfielder when he doesn't really do that job aswell as other players,he is slow and ponderous and has an average passing ability.Carrick is a much better player than him,he is a player that England have wasted. Woy is the manager so he decides,let's see what happens...
**** sake, mostly the same old **** has anyone learnt anything about the old guard? They can't cut it and we should be focusing on a younger and more hungry English. Downing? Johnson? Defoe? Just shows that you have to play in the top clubs to be even noticed by the national set up. Can't believe no Richards, sturridge, a.Johnson or rodwell. I knew that Roy would bring the same old crap in as soon as he was appointed. Don't get me wrong I'm still gonna support the lads but we need to move on and start again.
Well we will just have to see although I cannot help but think that this is what happens when you parachute in a new manager last minute and he has to pick a squad based on what he has seen and has no chance to try them out. There are 10+ different players in there from the last tournament and in some positions few choices. Players like injury prone Gerrard your damned if you select them or damned if you don't. I see why Green has gone because Hodgson wants to keep most of the old squad together. He is not going to take someone who has not played regularly (Stockdale) and no other Championship goalkeeper has been in the England squad while Foster and Robinson have retired. As for Holt, he is strong and aggressive but he would be constantly penalised at international level and Hodgson cannot try him out before the tournament so he has little choice, although I am shocked Crouch is not in there. Finally I know Barry has his doubters but David Silva nominated him as City's best player this season, so at least his teammates rate him.
Rodwell is injured; Richards and Johnson are not playing and Sturridge has, sadly, lost form. The one thing from his past we know Hodgson will get right is his defence, which he will make solid and he obviously thinks Richards is not up to it defensively - Cappello and Mancini also agree(d).
I would say that Crouch should be there ahead of Carroll, yes. However, I suppose the argument for Carroll is that he is our only left footed striker and better in the air than Crouch.
Some very uninspiring names in that squad, if the likes of Downing and Carroll are really part of our best fit 23 man squad there's either alot of injurys or we're seriously lacking decent players. Neither have had good seasons, neither can be that confident. Has Gerrard really had a good season this year? Defoe's played **** all games in the last year? One things for certain, expectations are low, should have played some younger lads. Chamberlain is a huge positive, real shame wilshire isn't fit too, and Richards is another one for the future which would have benefitted as he's surely going to be a regular fixture in years to come?
When you qualify with a group of players, you stick with them rather than rotate the lot to maintain the team chemistry. Holt has had a really good season, but he hasn't helped England to qualify, so it's understandable why he hasn't been picked. Roy's bigger challenge will be his first squad after the Euros because he'll have to decide which oldies aren't part of our future and which younger players to replace them with.
And missed at least one penalty, and the recent one, in a no-pressure situation, handed to him in order to get him off the mark - and he misses! He can't have much confidence. This is the most uninspiring England squad in years. Reminds me of a Taylor-era team. Not blaming Roy at all, but the sole positives are Neville appointment, Oxo, and giving Ruddy a chance, as well as watching the now-guaranteed (with that strikeforce) Roy head-banging on the sidelines. And the big negative is that striking line-up. For me, Crouch and Sturridge have to go in the thin field of strikers we have. At least with Carroll we will be hitting the post or bar a lot with close-range headers, which will provide the requisite excuses for being hard done by and so unlucky. Add Wellbeck, Defoe, and Downing, and we will be the most profligate England team in front of goal in years!
