Great to see Baines and Warnock selected in the England squad. Who needs Bridge? Also pleased to see Walcott back in there. I think he is a must for South Africa because of his electric pace, especially if Lennon's groin refuses to heal. Remember it was a deep seated groin injury that destroyed Owen as an England player. Unfortunately for Mikey, our attempt to play him back into the squad hasn't worked out for him. How Owen must wish he could play West Ham every week! Zamora will also be disappointed but, despite his recent form, not many Hammers fans would take seriously his England credentials.
The surprise omissions for me are Foster, Robinson, Young and Joe Cole.
Bent seems to be on the reject pile and I am not surprised by that. And the same applies to Ivebonkedawhore. The decision to ignore an in form Robinson really surprises me. The guy has World Cup experience and looks as good as anybody between the sticks at the moment. Capello clearly does not fancy him for some reason. Foster also seems to have slipped down the pecking order, which is great news for Green.
The major shock is Joe Cole. I expected him to be given his chance based on his undoubted ability but, it seems, Capello is a man of his word. If you are not doing it at club level, you don't get picked! Amazing that, even in this season of terrible struggles, we still have 3 players in the squad.
It must be the first time in a long, long time that we have as many West Ham current players in the squad as players who have come through via the West Ham youth team and moved on to pastures new. In total, the West Ham link extends to 7, three current players, 3 players who made their league debuts with the Hammers, plus David James.
Add Micah Richards to that list! Surely he is better than Wes Brown!
ReplyDeleteBloody hell, you made a sensible post. Well done you must be at big school now.
ReplyDeleteUnlike you!
ReplyDeleteYep definitely at big school with comebacks like that lol
ReplyDeleteTwo Shays!
ReplyDeleteFoster? 3rd choice at Man Utd???
ReplyDeleteI don't give a 4X about that!
ReplyDeleteIvebonkedawhore? I think we can leave the silly puns to The Sun newspaper but apart from that good article, I enjoy reading them whether I disagree or not, keep it up.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I agree. Foster doesn't get a game for Man Utd and made several mistakes early in the season when he was getting games. Robinson still looks shaky and error prone. I think the 3 keepers in this squad are the best three and the ones that should go to South Africa.
ReplyDeleteAs for Walcott, he might have pace but he's desperately out of form. Wenger played Eboue on the right-wing today and left Theo on the bench. When I've seen Arsenal recently, Walcott picks the ball up and runs with it, but normally gets dispossessed before he can do something useful. Pace alone isn't enough.
must say i actually almost totally agree with you for once! although i must disagree and say walcott is an extremely average and in my opinion overrated player
ReplyDeletePaul Robinson? Do you only listen to Big Fat Sam?
ReplyDeleteFatty Robinson can't save shots near his feet and can't deal with crosses. Two massive flaws for a goalkeeper I'd guess!!!
And Luke Young or Ashley Young?
One is a solid but limited right back lacking in quality on the ball. The other is a proven International flop who runs up blind-alleys! Neither good enough.
Just like Wright-Phillips! Total blind-alley gash!
At the risk of seeming biased as a Hammers fan, I think Scott Parker deserved a shout. For the mix of talent and determination he brings he would be something a little different for the England midfield. These tournaments are tough and he doesn't let up, put his head down, or seem lost at sea if the pretty football doesn't work and it is time for a little grit and graft. If you look back at the teams that are successful in world cups they all have some backbone to them. Even the Brazilians can bring some tough tackling and graft when their flowing football isn't working. I'd like to have seen Scotty get a chance to show his stuff. He certainly is in form. I think Scotty will be missed.
ReplyDeleteHopefully Upson will partner Terry in CB protecting Robert Green and have Carlton Cole banging the goals in against Egypt :D
ReplyDeleteHave to disagree with Walcott, I think he's pants and in danger of not fulfilling his potential. Get him up against Ashley Cole and he can't get to the byline each and every time. Lennon can! very dissapointed about Joe Cole not being called up, in my opion England most underated players for years. Agreed about Owen, would love to have him at West Ham, was saying it today in fact. I think Foster can hide behind the fact that he's at Man united, playing teams like West Ham when he is played, he will never have much to do.
ReplyDeleteFor all his fancy tricks and undoubted ball skills, Joe Cole was, still is and always has been, a liability to the team. He loses the balls in dangerous situations too easily with his showboating and that can't be afforded against World Class opposition. He'd be great for a "Harlem Globetrotters" type eleven, nothing more
ReplyDeleteFoster is an absolute crock of $hit!!!
ReplyDeleteFor all the concern about the Left-Back position minus A.Cole & Bridge, it's really the Right-Back position that we should be losing sleep over with G.Johnson out.
ReplyDeleteIf Wes Brown can't get himself dropped, even after that 'performance' in the Brazil friendly, we might as well all go home if we get drawn against a team with a half-decent Left-winger.
A couple of years ago Micah Richards was being hailed as the next big thing, and put in some World Class appearances for England. A mystery what's happened to him since, and clearly Capello doesn't like him at all.
I share your concern. I would have Richards in there myself. There's also Jagielka who, when fit, could do a job there. How Brown keeps his place is beyond me - although he had Cole in his pocket on Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteUSHammer; I could not agree more, for me it is simple... in my eyes he is currently West Ham's best performer. If I had to choice a player for my team out of the entire West Ham squad it would without doubt be Parker.
ReplyDeleteUnofrtunately though, he seemingly has five players above him... Gerrard, Lumpolard, Carrick, Hargreaves, Barrymore.
I'd like to add, I feel Upson is a liability too often and given a run of say 7 consecutive games in the World Cup will inevitebly allow us to concede. I hope I'm proved wrong if he get in the XI.
Parker would receive too many red cards at international level. His booking against Hull said it all. On half way line, no threat to our goal, right in front of the ref, two bookings away from his second suspension of the season...crass. he also doesn't score enough goals. Why have Parker when you can have Lampard and Gerrard?
ReplyDeleteAnyone would think you were the 2-time La Liga Champion, Champions League Winner, 9-time Serie A League Champion and 2-time Coppa Italia Winner, and Fabio Cappello was just a two-bob blog author.
ReplyDeleteYoung agreed.
Cole has only just come back from injury so give him some league games first.
Foster is not playing regular 1st team football so cannot be considered.
Robinson... is he really better than Green, James and Hart?
They are certainly considerations, but GLARING OMISSIONS? Give over.
and please please stop re-naming players and clubs... Blunderland, Lumpolard, Barrymore.
ReplyDeleteIt is cringeworthy and utterly embarrassing.
Never ever used Lumpolard or Barrymore personally.
ReplyDelete