England squad.

[Gingerpele 0]

Osman called up at 31...

So pretty much the only ''good'' reason for not giving Holt a go in the friendlies at the end of last season has gone.

[Proper Charlie 0]

Too true.

 Don''t get me wrong Osman is playing very well this season, but it completely contradicts the whole lets "blood" the young lads and get some youth into the team.

[Yobocop 1,095]

I thought he was Turkish lol

[Gingerpele 0]

It wouldn''t be too ridiculous to suggest Osman could have been in the England squad before. He''s been a pretty good player for a while now. Nearly always overshadowed by someone else at Everton though, Arteta, Cahill, Pienaar, Fellaini, but he''s one of those players who has been touted for England for a while, so he deserves a go.

And I know were all bias, were Norwich fans. But Holt was second highest English top scorer last season, in a mid table side, and was on the bench for most games for a couple months early in the season so its not even as if he had 38 full games. What he did was pretty fantastic really.

I''m not saying he definitely should have gone to the Euros, but why couldn''t Hodgson at least call him up to the friendlies (he didn''t play Rooney anyway did he? ) see how he interacted with the squad, if he fitted in and given him some game time. As far as i''m concerned, no excuses now. Age was the final/only one I could just about accept.

[Thirsty Lizard 3,155]

I think those suggesting that Holt be called up for England are labouring under an outdated misapprehension about what a striker''s role should be.

Apparently these misguided souls think that a striker''s main role is to score goals.

After all, why should Grant Holt (3 Premier League goals this season) get in the England squad ahead of Wayne Rooney (2 PL goals), Danny Welbeck (1 PL goal) or Daniel Sturridge (1 PL goal)??

[Shack Attack 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"] As far as i''m concerned, no excuses now. Age was the final/only one I could just about accept.[/quote]Maybe Roy Hodgson just doesn''t rate Grant Holt. Why does he need an ''excuse''?There are varying opinions on his performances on here from week to week and we are all Norwich fans. We don''t know what set of skills Hodgson wants from a centre forward (I know people will just point at his goal scoring record but there is more to it than that) but maybe he wants someone who stays more central in the manner of a more traditional striker. Holty tends to get lumped in with the likes of Carroll, Zamora and Welbeck because of his size when people compare strikers but he spends a lot more time dropping deeper and wider to help link the play than either of those three. Maybe Hodgson doesn''t want his number nine doing that?Or it could be another anti-NCFC conspiracy just like the one where we never get any praise on MOTD [:^)][;)]

[Orford65 0]

Do we want him called up and risking injury? I think not.

[LinkNR9 0]

[quote user="Thirsty Lizard"]I think those suggesting that Holt be called up for England are labouring under an outdated misapprehension about what a striker''s role should be. Apparently these misguided souls think that a striker''s main role is to score goals. After all, why should Grant Holt (3 Premier League goals this season) get in the England squad ahead of Wayne Rooney (2 PL goals), Danny Welbeck (1 PL goal) or Daniel Sturridge (1 PL goal)??[/quote]

I really hope that someone attending the Roy Hodgson dinner at Carrow Road gives him some stick about this, or at least asks him why he''s not in the squad based upon PL goal return (as above). 

[Gingerpele 0]

Maybe he doesn''t rate him Shack. But there is no reason to not rate him. We all watched him last season, we know how good he is. Yes we are bias, but non-Norwich supporters in the media also suggested he should have been in the England squad. One or two point blank said he''s not good enough (although based on what i''m not sure) and a couple said no because of age.

And yeah he does get put in the bracket of other strikers his size, but the reality is he actually plays more like Rooney in terms of movement on and off the ball, positioning and work rate. Players like Carroll, Zamora, Welbeck even Crouch, Bent, Defoe. They are all ''traditional'' strikers who like to stay in the middle although they are different types of players, they all fit into that kind of group, and Holt isn''t really a part of that.

I''m not saying Holt should be in the squad now, that wasn''t my point. But I still think Hodgson has made some poor decisions with his selections from day one. I''ll always support England, but at the moment i''m finding it hard to bother watching them.

[Howson is now! 0]

I''d like to know the theory behind Wilshere walking straight back into the squad. He certainly hasn''t been picked on form as he hasn''t played for God knows how long. He''s had 3 games back for Arsenal and been sent off. Hardly international call up form.

[Gingerpele 0]

I''d assume the theory is Wilshere is very good, and will be a big part of the England team over the next decade if he manages to be as good as he''s supposed to be. And getting him in the England set up as soon as possible is good.

I read an article on why Augero was picked for Argentina even though he was unlikely to be fit to play much of a part, and basically international teams don''t have much time together, so even when players who are key aren''t 100% they manager still wants those players around to build a stronger team relationship. Something like that anyway.

[Crafty Canary 495]

Given his performances against Barcelona for Celtic I wonder if Fraser Forster will now get a call up?

[Crafty Canary 495]

Given his man-of-the-match performances against Barcelona I wonder if Fraser Forster will now ger a call up? Hart, Ruddy and Forster is a pretty strong trio of keepers.

[Gnasher 0]

He has been, Hart Ruddy and Forster are the three keepers for the Sweden match.

[TIL 1010 4,722]

Forster was also in the 23 man squad for the qualifiers v San Marino and Poland last month.

[Yobocop 1,095]

''Forster will now ger a call up...''

Freudian slip?

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

Grant Holt is his own worst enemy.

 

He needs to get a either mohican or a stylish sbs!!

 

OTBC

[Shack Attack 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Maybe he doesn''t rate him Shack. But there is no reason to not rate him. We all watched him last season, we know how good he is. Yes we are bias, but non-Norwich supporters in the media also suggested he should have been in the England squad. One or two point blank said he''s not good enough (although based on what i''m not sure) and a couple said no because of age.

And yeah he does get put in the bracket of other strikers his size, but the reality is he actually plays more like Rooney in terms of movement on and off the ball, positioning and work rate. Players like Carroll, Zamora, Welbeck even Crouch, Bent, Defoe. They are all ''traditional'' strikers who like to stay in the middle although they are different types of players, they all fit into that kind of group, and Holt isn''t really a part of that.[/quote]You are kind of agreeing with my point there maybe without realising it. When Holt wasn''t in the squad for Euro 2012 most of us moaned about the inclusion of Carroll and Welbeck and pointed out how many more goals Holt had scored than them. When he was interviewed a couple of weeks ago Holt himself picked out Carroll as his competition. But as we both know, and as you acknowledge above,  he is not really the same kind of striker so who is his competition? Wayne Rooney?I can''t remember which game it was (may have been their semi-final against Germany) but during the Euros the BBC had Vialli on for one game and he described Antonio Cassano as a ''nine and a half''. I think you could almost apply that description to Grant Holt. He has all the attributes of a traditional nine (strength, finishing, aerial ability, holds the ball up well) but he likes to drop deeper and wider into positions more regularly taken up by your number ten. He moves the ball well in those positions and at times he can link the play just as well as a pure ten like Wes. He is not a false nine in any way because he still spends plenty of time battling with the central defenders as our most advanced player but he does not stay there at all times like a Carroll, a Welbeck or even a Morison.I like ''nine and a half'' as a description for him but maybe Roy Hodgson doesn''t have room for one in his team?

[Indy_Bones 441]

It''s blindingly obvious that Hodgson is planning for the future in some cases, and just hasn''t got a clue in others.Take Sturridge''s call up, aside from a full 90 mins in the cup against Man Utd, he''s played a total of 128 minutes this season for Chelsea which is about 13 minutes per match (again taking out the cup game, 20 mins per game if you include it). There''s no form there, no dazzling displays, and very few goals (although with that limited time you can''t blame him too much). The only logic that can applied to the choice is based on his age and potential, but I''d rather take an in-form and fully match fit striker, than I would a 23 year old who''s struggled to get more than 10 mins a game this season...I agree regarding the Osman call up but for different reasons. I actually thought that he should have been given the chance years ago (I even covered this in an article about ''The Alternative England'' where I had Greeno in the net), but he''s probably missed the boat now and I struggle to see what impact he can make when we do have some very good midfielders to call upon already.We keep hearing about player not being called up based on their ages, despite the likes of Terry, Cole, Gerrard, Lampard and now Osman being given the nod, yet still Holt is precluded by some due to this. I personally think that Holt''s lack of selection isn''t based on his age or ability, simply that''s he''s very forthright in his manner, very direct in the way he approaches the games, and some of his play is right on the edge in this league and he wouldn''t get away with it in International games. When you''ve already got the risk of Rooney imploding and getting his marching orders, do you want to add another potential risk upfront as well? I think he deserves the chance but clearly Woy doesn''t.When the likes of Livermore, Shelvey and Downing get call ups, you really do have to question why players like Holt, Dyer and Graham aren''t being given the chance instead...

[Old Shuck 183]

I haven''t seen the latest England squad and don''t think I want to if Downing is STILL in it-please tell me he isn''t!

[Gingerpele 0]

Downing hasn''t been in the squad for ages has he? He isn''t now...

And shack, I''m not sure it has to be about direct competition. Personally I don''t know why these international managers can''t find a space for a player who is a little different. They get 23 players, surely they have room for one player who doesn''t quite fit the system but has the ability. Hoolahan is another example of that. But even ignoring Norwich players, like mentioned Dyer and Grahame, they deserve/d a call up as well. And there definitely isn''t an anti swans conspiracy :P

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

Osman''s uncle Russel scored for the scum when they won the FA Cup...

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]But even ignoring Norwich players, like mentioned Dyer and Grahame, they deserve/d a call up as well. And there definitely isn''t an anti swans conspiracy :P[/quote]Isn''t there?I''d argue that rather than it being anti-Norwich, Swansea etc, it''s anti-''big'' club.West Brom are in the top 6, yet how many of their players have had a call? Players like Ridgewell, Dawson and Thomas all either have plenty of top flight experience or good potential (i.e. Dawson), but they''ve never got a sniff outside of the odd U21 game or similar. I''m not actually saying I think any of them SHOULD be called up, but the point is that they''ve arguably done more than some other selections have, especially on recent form.The sad fact is that almost all international managers show a bias towards the ''big'' clubs in their domestic league, which is why even if for example Liverpool were rock bottom and had been playing like crap, players such as Shelvey, Sterling and Kelly would be getting calls regardless of this.Until we''re regularly in the top 6 or get taken over by a billionaire, our players (and those at similar stature clubs) will continue to be unfairly overlooked in favour of players who apparently have a higher profile because they play for the likes of Man Utd, Chelsea or Liverpool...

[Indy_Bones 441]

Anti-small club even...damn that lack of edit button...

[GJP 79]

I actually think it''s a pretty good squad.

 

It''s the best 3 goalkeepers we''ve had in a long time.

 

In defence you''ve got the inclusion of Caulker who looks like he could have a very good career infront of him, he''s been impressive since he was on loan at Yeovil when we were in League 1. Glen Johnson has been playing very well for England recently, Leighton Baines is a fantastic player who has been bang on form for a while now and you know what Gary Cahill is about. Jagielka won''t let you down and while Walker has still got a lot of improving to do it''s probably only Shawcross who isn''t likely to be good enough for that level on a regular basis.

 

There''s clearly quite a lot of potential in midfield. Wilshere, Shelvey, Cleverley and Sterling are in this time around and there''s Oxlade-Chamberlain to add to that. That is a lot of talent there and the sooner they get used to playing with each other the better. On top of that you''ve got the experience of Gerrard and Osman (though not at international level, obviously). Then there''s the pacey threats of Young, Walcott and Lennon who have all got years infront of them.

 

Upfront I think it''s a little light. I quite like Welbeck because he''s a handful and he does cause teams problems but he also needs to improve his finishing. Sturridge is perhaps a little lucky to be called up given that he hasn''t seen a lot of club football this season and there should probably have been a more in-form striker included alongside the 3 that have but then I suppose Walcott can play upfront too.

 

When you think of all the younger lads in this squad and take into account that there''s the likes of Jones, Smalling and Oxlade-Chamberlain to come back in I think there could be a reasonably bright future for England.

[ZLF 271]

There is certainly a big club bias,  with cleverly wellbeck and sturridge who I think would struggle to make the quad if they were playing here or at west brom for example.

 

On performance Graham def deserves a look at instead of wellbeck or sturridge - he is young enough too.

 

As far as holt is concerned he would do us proud,  but, as I did with Ian Wright, I just dont think he is international class overall.   And someone earlier made the accurate observation that he would conceed too many free kicks (crouch,  who has more goals that Grant,  is not in the squad either and was over penalised at international level too) - not sure I am concerned about his temperamant though - I think he would be ok there.

 

Crouch and Lambert on this years form also in the squad based on goals scored?   eg Defoe is prob top english striker so far - but I dont think he is good enough either.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="ZippersLeftFoot"]

On performance Graham def deserves a look at instead of wellbeck or sturridge - he is young enough too.

[/quote]

He''s young ish at 27 but he has only scored 1 league goal this season.

 

Though I am a fan and I think he''d have been worth a look.

[TIL 1010 4,722]

[quote user="Mungo Bumpkin"]Osman''s uncle Russel scored for the scum when they won the FA Cup...[/quote]

It was Roger Osborne who scored the only goal of that cup final.