England Squad
For the upcoming European qualifier against Lithuania and International friendly against Italy
Goalkeepers-
Robert Green, Joe Hart, Jack Butland
Defenders-
Nataniel Clyne, Leighton Baines, Kieran Gibbs, Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones
Midfielders-
Andros Townsend, Raheem Sterling, Ryan Mason, Michael Carrick, Theo Walcott, Ross Barkley, Fabian Delph, Jordan Henderson, James Milner
Forwards-
Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane, Danny Welbeck
Looking at the England squad Roy Hodgson has picked for the upcoming internationals there are some names that have raised a few eyebrows. With two fixtures you would like to see the England manager experiment with a little, with one friendly and a home match against Lithuania, which granted is a European qualifying match and you can never be too careful but does our nation not have enough young talent to handle a team that are ranked 94th in the world. That’s not to say that the squad is a bad one, it’s a very good squad just with the exception of one or two individuals that will be discussed in a moment.
The reputation of the England manager at the moment is starting to become that if you make the call up to the national team, you will stay there no matter what. There are plenty of English players in the premier league who are playing well and have missed out on making the team and will feel hard done by for it. Hodgson has had to make a few last minute call ups due to injuries, 2 of which have been in the goalkeeper positon, no one would have questioned the justified call ups of Foster and Forster but because of the injuries of these two Hodgson has looked elsewhere, but why Green and Butland. Robert Green, not a bad keeper but well past his prime and in matches where you’d like to see fresh faces it’s hard to see the logic in this choice. Jack Butland who does look a promising young keeper but he is yet to make an appearance so far this season and has yet to prove himself at the top level of the game. What must Tom Heaton be thinking, playing at top form throughout the season and has made some crucial saves in big matches, should he not be considered just because he plays for a team in the bottom 3.
In the defence of the team it’s the same names, in the position England needs most improving on why hasn’t Hodgson given the call up to someone like Ryan Shawcross? An experienced player who plays week in week out and to a very good standard, like Heaton is he just being refused a call up because of the team he plays for, I guarantee if Shawcross played for a team in the top 5 of the league he would have received a call up to England a long time ago. Another player who deserves a chance In the England set up is Ryan Bertrand, another player who is experienced enough, plays week in week out for the best defence in the league; he’s even played in a Champions League final. So when Luke Shaw was added to the injury list, Bertrand was surely the man to take his spot but instead it was given to Danny Rose an average player who isn’t exactly one for the future.
Why has Andros Townsend been given another call up, he isn’t good enough for his club and he’s not good enough for the England national team. It just goes to show that when you get in the England team you stay in the England team, there is no logic in choosing Townsend for the team and surely there’s plenty of young English talent that deserve a call up. Ryan Mason is a player that has had a mixed reception with the fans, I think it helps my point that Hodgson should pick different players and I think he should be given a chance and if he performs well then he could change people’s opinions.
I can’t disagree with the choice of forwards, although why only 3? With so many midfielders perhaps players like Ings and Austin should be called up to the England set up as they have both proven they can score calls at the highest level of the game. The chances of Kane starting the game were pretty good but now with Sturridge out he looks an absolute certainty to start both games.
speak your sport now! 