The England thread

[IAceI]

Good. Not because I want Wales to struggle, but if they were marginally ahead then Faroe Islands deserve it. (And I think I got my pots a bit mixed up with groups.)

It's good for the Faroes because it gives them a winnable match possibly against a bottom pot team - unless they get drawn into the final group with 1 team less, or if they get drawn with Wales - but say they get San Marino and beat them home and away. That's invaluable for a team like the Faroe Islands. So, good on them.

[IAceI]

0952: FOOTBALL - New West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster will only consider ending his current England exile if an injury to Joe Hart prompts a call from Fabio Capello. Foster, signed on loan from Birmingham, opted to put his international career on temporary hold towards the end of last season after injuries to his back and thumb.

So basically, "If I'm going to play, I'll come along - otherwise I want nothing to do with the squad?"

Within his rights to do so or not? Personally I think he's got a nerve and if he isn't willing to operate as part of the squad he shouldn't be considered for a call-up if Hart goes down injured. I'm not one for chest-thumping Ing-ur-lund but if Stockdale is willing to join up with the squad a day after his wedding, knowing full well he won't play, then he's committed to the team - and should Hart go down injured, Stockdale should be played assuming he's the number two. Don't see why someone like him should go as a bench warmer/number two and train with the squad but if Hart is injured and released from the squad suddenly Foster is allowed to replace him and shoot straight in at number one.

[Plubby]

Maybe the injury isn't 100% cleared up yet? There could be a progression here - "Can't play" to "Will play if needed" to "Available to join in the squad fully"

He doesn't necessarily need to be doing it for bellend reasons.

[Lineker]

Probably is bellend reasons though.

[Matt]

I don't really care too much about the England team but it should be one or the other: either you'll play for England or you won't, not "I'll play when it suits me".

[Twist]

Maybe the injury isn't 100% cleared up yet? There could be a progression here - "Can't play" to "Will play if needed" to "Available to join in the squad fully"

He doesn't necessarily need to be doing it for bellend reasons.

You mean like he's too busy filming for Emmerdale?

[Lineker]

Manchester United defender Phil Jones has been included in England's provisional 30-man squad for the friendly with Holland next Wednesday.

Jones, 19, moved from Blackburn to United for £17m in June, having played only one season in the Premier League.

There is still no place in the squad for former captain David Beckham, despite his impressive recent performances for LA Galaxy.

Manager Fabio Capello is due to reduce the squad to 23 players this weekend.

The provisional squad is not formally announced. The Football Association simply call all the players included, and their clubs, to ensure they are available for England duty.

Capello has decided that now is not the right time for major changes to the squad, as the domestic season has not even started.

However, he was highly impressed by Jones' performances for at the recent Under-21 European Championships and has decided he merited inclusion in the provisional squad for the seniors.

Capello and England's general manager Franco Baldini have been busy watching England hopefuls in action during pre-season.

Capello will watch striker Andy Carroll in action for Liverpool against Valencia on Saturday, while Baldini will attend the Everton v Villarreal game at Goodison Park.

England play European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales next month.

[IAceI]

I wonder what prompted his sudden call-up, hmmm... tough one...

[Colly]

It's embarrassing really. I know he's probably good enough to make a provisional squad, but its clear the move has made Capello or Baldini or whoever take notice. It's crap really as it clearly affects the domestic game, particularly with Darren Bent last season. Scoring for fun for Sunderland, no call up. Slow start at Villa, have a cap. Andy Carrolls gone from 'yeah, he's alright but he got all his goals in the Championship, he's no better than Crouch' to automatically in the squad based on what? Thanks for keeping the playing field level England.

[Summers]

Bent got 9 goals in 16 games at Villa, which is two more than he scored for Sunderland last season. He also scored two in his first three games (a winner against Man City and one against United). Slow start?

[EddieG]

Took this from the Dutch equivalent of the BBC.

Selectie Nederland

Doel: Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht) en Tim Krul (Newcastle United)

Verdediging: Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Hoffenheim), Jeffrey Bruma (HSV), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Erik Pieters (PSV) en Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax)

Middenveld: Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Wesley Sneijder (Inter), Kevin Strootman (PSV), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur) en Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV)

Aanval: Eljero Elia (HSV), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Dirk Kuijt (Liverpool), Robin van Persie (Arsenal) en Arjen Robben (Bayern München)

Doel = Goal, Verdediging = Defense, Middenveld = Midfield, Aanval = Strikers, I'm sure that was pretty obvious by the players though.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Eddie F'n G

[Colly]

Bent got 9 goals in 16 games at Villa, which is two more than he scored for Sunderland last season. He also scored two in his first three games (a winner against Man City and one against United). Slow start?

Look at his goals to games ratio at Sunderland over two seasons whilst being ignored and tell me the reason why he suddenly got a callup was that a consolation goal against Man Utd pushed him over the 'you can play for England now' threshold.

[Matt]

England in calling up player based on being at a big 4 club shocker. Surely the number of caps Wes Brown has shows that this is nothing new :/

[Jimmy]

Bent being left out of the World Cup squad despite being The Premier League's second top scorer was stupid. Taking Heskey over Bent, who was scoring goals for fun, really irked me at the time.

Then again, it was probably 'cos it was Heskey.

[therockbox]

Because we already had one pacey but one dimensional striker in Defoe. Heskey, in theory at least, offered something different. The choice was between Defoe and Bent.

[Liam]

They should have gone for Bent over Defoe anyway

[Lineker]

To be fair to Defoe, he did have a great season in 09/10. Not that Bent didn't! Wish we kept hold of him. He'd go perfectly into our side now.

[Jimmy]

Yeah, you're lacking a player like Bent. Tottenham really just need to buy a striker who you can rely on to score goals - and Bent's a guy who is just that.

[IAceI]

They should have gone for Bent over Defoe anyway

100% true. And if they'd identical seasons at the opposite clubs, then Bent would have gone.

[Lineker]

In other lol, England news:

England have qualified for the knock-out stages at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia despite not scoring a goal in the group stage.

Defeats for New Zealand and Uruguay on Friday mean England will go through as one one four third-placed teams.

England have drawn all their group matches 0-0, and finished third in Group F behind Argentina and Mexico.

England last qualified for the knock-out phase at the Under-20 World Cup in 1997 in Malaysia.

Head coach Brian Eastick said after Thursday's clash with Mexico: "I would be disappointed for the players more than anybody if we don't go through to the next round.

"For a side that was thrown together three weeks ago, they have worked so hard to come through what I believe was the toughest group in the competition unbeaten."

England, who have also faced North Korea in the group stage, will not discover their last-16 opponents until the group stage is completed on Saturday, with either Spain, Nigeria or Saudi Arabia lying in wait.

England's best finish at the Under-20 World Cup was third in 1993 - they lost to Ghana in the semi-finals before beating Australia 2-1 in the third-fourth play-off.

The England team of 1993 included Nicky Butt, Nick Barmby, David Unsworth and Julian Joachim.