Should've told Woy to fur cough Squad: Forster, Hart, Ruddy; Baines, Cahill, A Cole, Gibbs, Jagielka, G Johnson, Lescott, Walker, Shawcross; Carrick, Cleverley, Gerrard, A Johnson, Lennon, Lampard, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott; Defoe, Rooney, Welbeck, Carroll. What exactly have Welbeck and Carroll done to get in the squad ahead of Crouch? Best not to look at the squad in too much detail, I guess. Hopefully none of our players will be involved in the second game to give them a nice rest
Well done to Aaron, he deserves it. I'm not one of his biggest fans, but I think he's done really well this season so far.
crouch didnt make the smartest move by turning down the chance to go on standby for the euros, got too big for his boots, which is a shame as crouch and defoe are two of the leagues in form strikers and they have played together before and formed a great partnership.
He looks to have more confidence in his pace. I think he must trust his hamstrings again, as he is showing more willingness to go outside his full back, rather than always coming inside.
Delighted for Lennon, I think he's looked very sharp this season and he fully deserves the call-up. No doubt he'll still get picked behind Walcott on the wing though (who is in a strop for playing there!), which would be somewhat frustrating. Agreed on Crouch, on merit he undeniably deserves to be in the squad, but I can understand why he's picked the younger Welbeck & Carroll, to an extent. We know what Crouch can do, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him find himself back in the squad closer to the WC - he's only ever going to be an impact sub for England, I think, so perhaps it's a good time to further assess the likes of Welbeck and Carroll. Nonetheless, it's a massive shame for Crouch who is missing out on the chance to add to his Appearences + Goals tally! I was a massive fan of Carroll at Newcastle and, perhaps naively, I still think Carroll will become a v.good striker - just never £35mil good! On a side-note, it's quite incredible how that squad looks so much more 'supportable' once the name Terry is taken out. Obviously, I want England to do well, but ashamedly, I lack the passion for the National football team that I once had. Admittedly, Terry was a solid player for our country, I just couldn't warm to the starting XI in the same way I could in the 90's..
Carrick and Adam Johnson did too, didn't they? And Micah Richards did, Hodgson created a sense that it was okay to turn England down.
Not justifying it, but it is what Hodgson said. I am not sure Carrick refused to go on standby - I think he had retired from Int'l football but then changed his mind. A subtle difference I'll grant you. Don't know about Johnson?
I think the main difference is that Crouch is about 30-31 and there are younger alternatives (Carroll/Welbeck). Hodgson to a certain extent is building for the future. Carrick is also 30ish, but the difference is that there aren't a lot of options. If whats-his-face, that annoying little twitter-prick i can't remember his name from Arsenal, was fit then i don't think Carrick would be in there. Johnson still has plenty of years left.
Why's Gerrard captain then? Lampard's getting old too but still picked. At least Crouch is actually playing well.
Fully deserves his place back. Walker, on the other hand, has showed worse form and somehow gets picked now... Is that Forster of Celtic, formerly of Newcastle? Is he on loan or did he move permanently? Three left-backs is totally unnecessary, the older players should go the way of Ferdinand and the likes of Milner and Walcott aren't playing regularly at club level, so they should be out. Carroll's just back from injury, so Crouch should've been selected, especially with Defoe in the running.
PNP - it's the same Forster. He signed permanently for Celtic this Summer. My sister went to University with his brother, he is a 6ft 7 monster also! Also baffled how Osman STILL hasn't got a call-up. He is a great little player, who at least deserves a call-up, even if he doesn't get a cap!
