Townsend called up for England

Haha, true!

 

Should've called up Thudd and Livermore....








At least they are ready.

 

Hudd would probably be suited more to international football then the domestic game

 

Michael Dawson should have been called up as well.

How Smalling got called up playing 0 minutes so far this season is beyond me.

 

Completely agree why wasn't Dawson called up? He has played both matches and kept 2 clean sheets and misses out to Smalling who hasn't kicked a ball.

 

Berahino's just scored twice for West Brom. That answers that question, I guess.

 

Right on cue. Hat-trick now in first half.

 

I see Swindon Hotspur are doing QPR at the moment. Harry won't be enjoying that!

 

I give up trying to understand Hodgson's selections, they're hypocritical and just plain stupid at times. I don't know why he thinks calling up 2 debutants is a good idea when we've got a must win game followed by a huge away game in Ukraine, or why it's also worth sticking by players that can't get in their own team, or players that have consistently failed for England.

If we don't qualify Hodgson should go down as another McClaren-esque embarrassment for the FA. The sad thing is I'm actually one of the few that actually still cares about the English national team and I've never been so negative about them.

 

Agree about Dawson, even though many Spurs fans, not on here thankfully in the main, are completely and utterly disrespectful to our captain.

I saw endless 'first XIs' over the summer in Spursdom over the summer - NOT ONE featured our captain. Some didn't even think he was worthy of the bench. How reminiscent of the stupid, stupid, decison of AVB to dump him. Fortunately, AVB saw his mistake and has admitted it since. Fair play to him for that.

But it'll be a while yet before I trust him.

Massive praise to Andros for being selected, absolutely fantastic this season, and am delighted for and with him.

 

So you keep saying

 

I think Dawson is seen to lack the pace needed for international football whereas Smalling has it.

It might not make a huge difference when playing of the lesser teams, but against the top ones, I lack of pace will be exposed. It's more likely that England will back a promising young player and give him experience with the squad (he's versatile too as he can cover at right back) than pick an almost thirty year old who won't get any quicker.

 

And I will keep saying, if you don't like it YV, stick me on ignore, it's a total and utter disgrace, and if you don't understand that, fair play that's your problem.

 

LDL, do you know who the most revered English defender of all time is?

It's Bobby Moore, if you don't know. And who's faster than Bobby Moore, practically anybody, certainly Daws is. And your point is?

 

Pritchard makes it 2-0

 

Oh calm down, I was only messing

 

New challenge for all on this forum - try starting a thread which will not feature JamesPGreaves arranging the words "Dawson" "disgrace" "club captain" and "vindicated" in some order.

Only kidding JPG - long may your indignant, harmless rants continue. Though I think you should feel less put-upon than you do for your opinions about a) a proven international keeper who no-one's ever had a problem with and b) one of the most liked and consistent players by pretty much any Spurs fan's standards. I mean - where's the controversy?! Everyone likes Daws and this time last year I don't think anyone was writing off Lloris.

You are a noble, Quixotic fellow though and I look forward to reading your heart-felt defence of air, sunshine and food in the face of appalling odds.

 

I normally agree with what you say LDL but being a central defender isn't all about pace. Carragher and Neville did an interesting bit on John Terry and how well he reads the game in the Man U Chelsea match and he must be as slow as Dawson.

 

You're not saying that Dawson reads the game like Moore are you? Moore's ability to take up the right position made up for a lack of pace; Dawson is a typical blood and guts English defender. Apart from the World Cup win on home soil, England have been found out in every major tournament by quick, mobile forwards.

EDIT: Whilst not in Moore's class, Terry has been a great ability to read the game and be in the right place, but has been found wanting at times - Germany running rings round the whole England defence in the 2010 Euros springs to mind.

 

LP and YV.

I love the Quixote reference LP, erudite and bang on the literary money

I don't care what people say, I remember vividly the Hugo/Brad debate last season, maybe I remember it wrong, always possible. What is BEYOND DOUBT is the captain of France was sidelined in favour of a 41 year old keeper who is not as good as him, that's the facts, simple as.

What is also NOT BEYOND DOUBT is that Dawson was touted for sale and didn't start for us in the first 12 games.

In those 12 games, NONE with DAWS, MANY without HUGO, we averaged a FAR LOWER PPG than after AVB came to his senses and started regularly playing our captain and the captain of France.

In the end AVB's ludicrous decisions were key in our missing out on CL.

A massive example is our first three games. We took 3 points, Arsenal took nine from the same fixtures.

I may be tilting at windmills, AB was off in la la Land and then some.