Ruddy in NO Holt

[Aggy 747]

Have I actually given my opinion on who I think should be going? I don''t know why I would want to fudge the stats to support my point when I couldn''t really care less about Carroll going.

Your point is fair. I''d agree - if you''re going purely off this season, then Holt hands down has to go. Not really even up for debate. Even if I do still think that Carroll has looked stronger in the air and more of a physical threat throughout the season, based on this season alone, yeah no arguments against Holt going in place of Carroll. I''ve said all the way through the thread that I''ve got no argument against Holt''s record this season being better than Carroll''s.

My point is simply this. Holt hasn''t been picked, instead Carroll has. Why is that? Well, maybe it has something to do with the fact that, before this season, Carroll showed immense promise. He was 21 (or 20, whatever), and was scoring at a goal every 1.7 games. Ever since he''s been in the Newcastle side properly - so the season Newcastle got relegated, the championship season and the half season back in the premiership - he has been scoring at either just under, or just over the rate that Holt has been going at, but in the most recent period before his move, he was scoring at a rate that, for someone so young, is pretty remarkable. If Hodgson agrees with me that Carroll is, even when not scoring, an extremely good target man who is very good in the air and a massive physical presence, and Hodgson has seen Carroll''s form in the last three or four games and thinks he may be returning back to that form, and he knows Carroll is still only 22 instead of 31, then that is probably the reason that Hodgson has picked him and not Holt.

That''s what I''ve said all the way through. I''ve not given my opinion on who I think should be there. I''m not paid to make the decisions; it was always going to be hard - do you pick the most in form striker, or someone who has shown that he potentially has more talent than the in form striker and is a decade younger but is currently out of form? Hodgson''s decision to make, I''ve just tried to suggest a reason as to why he came to the decision he did.

[Firedawg 3]

I would have no problem if woy had dropped all the old dross of the supposed ''golden generation'' and gone with more youngster''s, then Holt''s age would have gone against him . But.... Gerrard, Lampard, Terry etc etc. I would have chosen Crouch over Carroll if you are including all the oldies.

[tele 0]

I''d have loved to have seen Holt selected, but taking off my yellow and green specs, I think Crouch had a stronger case than Holt or Carroll. And how Downing has got into the squad is completely baffling.

[tele 0]

Oh - and well chuffed for Ruddy. Really well deserved.

[Pyro Pete 1,886]

Congratulations to John Ruddy! Thoroughly deserved.He''s been superb in the Premier League, keeping out some of the best attacking players in the world (and Emile Heskey).

[Phillip J Fry 0]

Fu**ing Stewart Downing!!!!???

[Aggy 747]

[quote user="Gareth"]Fu**ing Stewart Downing!!!!???[/quote]

I think that''s something we can all agree on!

[drurys testamonials V 15 0]

Great news for Ruddy.Disappointed over Holt but kinda expected it. We are just not glamorous enough for our stikers to get picked.Amazed no Crouch.

[drurys testamonials V 15 0]

[quote user="Eric Pickles Pie Supplier"]I just cannot see why people like Terry, and Gerrard are in.  But you cannot have it both ways . It''s not fair to grumble about their age and then get all resentful because a 31 yo striker with no international experience at all is omitted.

 [/quote]

Have to say both games against us he was class. Guess that''s why he''s in. Hard to believe he''d only just come back from injury at Anfield when we played there.

[blahblahblah 2]

In may 12, we are all rightly disappointed that only one of our team is in the England squad.

This is less than 3 years since we lost 7-1 to colchester in league one.

Thank you Paul Lambert.