Considering Chelsea’s Frank Lampard and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard are not considered the future, why are they still in the squad? Around Roy Hodgson’s whole selection in fact, there is a worrying lack of depth.
With several players who can’t guarantee a start for their clubs, and plenty more who are on their umpteenth chance with England, can you remember a worse 25-man squad?
Much of the focus on the announcement of the England squad was over who would replace John Terry in the defence, especially whether it would be Rio Ferdinand. In the end Ryan Shawcross was called up to Hodgson’s team, but the real distinguishing feature of this squad is just how lacking in talent it is.
England’s “Golden Generation” is clearly on its last legs. Instead of the hope of success resting on the shoulders of Premier League giants like Lampard and Gerrard we instead rest it on the shoulders of…well Lampard and Gerrard, both now several seasons past their best.
In amongst the very old stars we have a batch of players who cannot break into their club’s first eleven, yet are staples of their national side’s starting line-up. My count gives 6-7 players likely to start for England, who have been in and out of their domestic side: Cahill, Lescott, Cleverley, Lampard, Milner, Walcott and Welbeck, though I guess the latter probably won’t start for England.
These aren’t bad players, but in the past the stars of the English team would be the stars of their club sides, something that clearly isn’t the case anymore. Of the current line-up, only Joe Hart, Leighton Baines, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole are real standout players in their domestic side, with Walker, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gibbs likely to be so in the future.
It is telling that three of the most exciting players we have in the squad are left backs. How many of this current squad would be coveted by Europe’s elite clubs?
There are players absent who will improve the squad, most of all Jack Wilshere, but even with these back the current squad lacks excitement, but more importantly, lacks talent.
The team is probably good enough to get us through the qualifying stages for the World Cup, though if the terrible performance against Ukraine at Wembley is repeated this may be closer than we think.
The only hope for any success beyond that is if Hodgson can impose the defensive solidarity shown at Euro 2012, and then add in a little more composure when taking penalties. There may be plenty more frustrating years for England fans ahead.
image: © Mick Baker
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
