‘Peter Crouch should be in the Euro 2012 squad – not Andy Carroll’

Follow us on Google Discover

Should Stoke City’s Peter Crouch be in the England squad ahead of Liverpool forward Andy Carroll?

For once I’ll have to admit I’m glad the FA made a stance when Fabio Capello complained about the John Terry affair with the then England manager leaving his post.

So step forward Roy Hodgson, a man with a wealth of experience.

When he picked his Euro squad I couldn’t help feeling he got it wrong and I’m not even an England fan, I’m Irish.

Seriously, how can you take Andy Carroll in front of Peter Crouch?

It’s like replacing Lennox Lewis with Amir Khan in a heavyweight boxing match.

Take Part In Our Euro 2012 Predictor Competition – Free Entry, £4,000 Prize Fund

With Wayne Rooney banned for the first two matches, and Darren Bent injured, it’s vital England score goals and if that is left to Carroll all I’ll say is it’s risky.

Peter Crouch scored one of the goals of the season and finished on 14 goals, that’s an average of a goal every three games.

Andy Carroll has played 42 times for Liverpool scoring just six goals; that’s one in every seven games. So the form book has been thrown away.

So what Roy needs is experience so he picks Danny Welbeck as well as Andy Carroll; between the two of them their international caps don’t get into double figures.

Now I’m going to be told they need to gain experience; I agree but taking two as yet untested strikers to a tournament that is really only second to the World Cup is a huge gamble.

Don’t get me started on John Terry going. That’s the biggest joke of them all.

So Ireland haven’t got it easy but in Robbie Keane we have a striker that has proved he is more than capable of scoring goals at any level.

Richard Dunne always plays better against higher opposition and in Shay Given we have a world class goalkeeper.

I’d like to see both teams progress as far as they can but I wouldn’t be surprised if the boys in green got further.

Will Ireland out-perform England? Should Crouch be in the squad? Let us know your views.

image: © Alfonso Jimenez