The time to pick Noble was way earlier in the season anyway, give him a couple of games for England and see if he would be able to contribute, so from that point of view it's not a surprise he's not in the squad.
Ingerlund Squad
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Absolutely, I'm just saying that West Ham fans have a reason to be aggrieved.
No murder and mayhem from me for that, Foxy. I certainly don't trust the England regime over Sturridge's fitness, but I'm hopeful that he's in a much better place now than he was when that ga-ga old goat and his staff got their mitts on him before, and he does love playing for England.
Like a Gareth Barry, Scott Parker type, he's an unfussy CM who can tackle. You probably wouldn't learn much by trying him out, arguably, but hie total exclusion from the England set-up is a bit strange. Bit like Steve Bruce back in the day.
I'm no massive Defoe fan, but given his goalscoring record this season surely he should be higher on the totem pole than Marcus fucking Rashford.
This was my first reflection on seeing the squad. I mean, I think I knew it had become a problem position for us, but the stark realisation that its perm 2 from 3 of Cahill (appalling season, got better at the end), Stones (all kinds of promise at beginning, woeful throughout, looks to have technical and character flaws - perhaps just an age thing) and Smalling (not quite as shit as all Utd fans said he had become) ain't exactly an embarrassment of riches.
I've always liked Jermaine Defoe and I would certainly have put him in the squad, although Rashford has done pretty well, albeit he hasn't played that much football at the highest level.
Rivalry aside, I can understand that Hodgson selected Rashford.
I very much doubt that he'll make the final squad but he's the future.
It's definitely more warranted than when SGE picked Walcott from a Championship team.
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I presume Rashford is picked to allow him experience being a part of the international set up and camp. Defoe did have a great end to the season but he isn't going to get playing time ahead of Kane, Vardy and Sturridge anyway.
We're not really in a position where we have the luxury of bringing people along for the ride though, if this is the case. It wouldn't surprise me though. Actually forming a cohesive, winning squad seems to be far down the list of priorities for an England manager below picking a captain and giving glorified testimonial send-offs to players who have played a lot for England but have been part of a collective woeful underperformance.
Hart, Clyne, Smalling, Cahill, Rose, Wilshere, Milner, Delph, Rooney, Kane and Vardy would be my bet.
Isn't that a bit top heavy?
Will be interesting to see.
Possibly. I suppose the alternative would be Kane and Rooney up front and then the choice of Delle Ali or Barkley as the tip of the diamond.
Rashford won't make the final cut so this is more than likely an experience thing for him.
He's injured isn't he?
ahaa
In other international news, Lovren has been left out of the Croatia squad for 'looking down on the other players'.
"I haven't closed the door on Lovren for good," said Cacic, who took over for Croatia's final two qualifiers.
"He can return one day if he realises that he has to be a team player."
He added: "When it dawns on him that he can't look down on his team-mates, the staff and the coach, he will perhaps find a way to get back in."
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric and Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic have been included by Cacic for the tournament in France, which starts on 10 June.
"These are the best players we have at our disposal," said Cacic, who must submit his final 23-man squad by 31 May.
Hardly a surprise he's peed the manager off but it's a bit mad to weaken your squad like that - if the Dutch had such a policy in the past they would've ended up with Kuyt and maybe two other players for tournaments!
"I haven't closed the door on Lovren for good," said Cacic, who took over for Croatia's final two qualifiers.
"He can return one day if he realises that he has to be a team player."
He added: "When it dawns on him that he can't look down on his team-mates, the staff and the coach, he will perhaps find a way to get back in."
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric and Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic have been included by Cacic for the tournament in France, which starts on 10 June.
"These are the best players we have at our disposal," said Cacic, who must submit his final 23-man squad by 31 May.
Hardly a surprise he's peed the manager off but it's a bit mad to weaken your squad like that - if the Dutch had such a policy in the past they would've ended up with Kuyt and maybe two other players for tournaments!
I've never understood this "inside information" concept. Most sport is played in public, where anyone can watch it.
For argument's sake, what "inside info" could Lovren give about Liverpool players?
"Yeah, Lucas. He's quite slow. Can be exploited by running at him. Sakho is prone to coughing up possession in dangerous areas."
What could he tell anyone that isn't entirely obvious already?
Definitely not on an international level.
Well, our scouts seem only to watch games we are playing in, given our long transfer strategy of buying players who have the performance of their lives against us.
Maybe there is an assumption that other teams are as inept?
Milner looks swole in that picture.
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