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Has Mr Hodgson got a backbone?

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comment by TEMPLAR (U5027)

posted on 20/5/12

im serious guys and as for Downing i was surprised by hes call up as he has been out of form and so as Carroll thanks to Dog-leash but Downing is an natural left footer so i do see why hodgson picked him. i would prefer Adam Johnson myself.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 20/5/12

Adam Johnson = Not even in the City squad for the title deciding game.

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And still had a far better season than Stewart 0 goals, 0 assists Downing. Also Johnson is in the team with the biggest and best strength in depth. He'd start every game for Liverpool.


Micah Richards = When the going got tough, Zabaleta replaced Richards.

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Maybe it was down to rotation? It's quite irrelevant what Mancini thought anyway, it's quite obvious to anyone who's been watching over the course of the season that Richards should have gone.

posted on 20/5/12

Spot on. Of course Richards should have gone looking at the whole season. It's also ridiculous for anyone to knock the fact Adam Johnson doesnt always start for City as part of a world class squad full of internationals in top teams i.e. he's competing against non-englishmen in the leagues best team.

Even not starting regularly he was still miles more productive than Downing in assisting and scoring goals, is far more skilful and has far more potential.

I also find it strange for anyone to say that Richards shouldnt go because an Argentinian was chosen in favour of him in the leagues best placed team towards the end of this season. How does that possibly mean Richards can't be good enough to compete with english players from teams lower down the league, especially when a number of other defenders like Walker are injured or not considered fit enough.

I'd also think the fact Richards can play RB and CB would have been quite handy, especially given he plays alongside a player quite likely to start at CB.

posted on 20/5/12

I dont think the reasoning that Barry and Lampard had better seasons than Carrick was decisive.

Carrick has had a stellar career since he came to Utd winning 4/6 PL (losing one by a point and another by GD) making it to 3 CL finals and for most of that period Gareth Barry has been chosen over him it was never gonna be a decision based on this seasons outcome. Barry Lampard and Gerrard are nailed in England starters and no form, medals, CL experience from Carrick was gonna change that he obviously tried for all these years and realised it was never gonna change so he figured if he's role is to make up the numbers then its best for a young lad to do it than him.

posted on 20/5/12

Also Johnson is in the team with the biggest and best strength in depth
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Squads have a maximum of 25 players, City do not have many u-21s. Don't think this is true.

As for rotation for Richards? Do you really rotate out your best rb in the run in? Richards was dropped, simple as.

posted on 20/5/12

Just to add... on what basis do you think Sturridge is so greedy and selfish that he shouldnt have gone to the Euros? He's played out of position wide all season for the team, and yet still scored more than 10 in 30 games and got assists as well.

You also say dont pick him because after his first full year playing regularly he didnt play as much right at the end of the season, and Bertrand got picked over him last night, but if you dont know why Bertrand was picked last night then that says a 1000 words

As for Carrick he told the FA months ago that he didnt want to be a back up player any more, NOT that he didnt want to be picked, and Hodgson wanted to take the likes of Parker ahead of Carrick, which is wrong imo. Carrick has been great this season, playing a vital role for a team getting 89pts, and deserves to be ahead of Parker comfortably, and certainly should be competing with Barry for a starting spot, as well as Gerrard or Lampard. Hodgson said he didnt want to put Carrick on standby given what he'd said to the FA, and that's why he wasnt mentioned.

Re Rio Ferdinand. Hodgson said his ability to play in quick succession was NOT the reason he wasnt taken. It was mainly because he'd only played a few times for England since 2010. An excuse made to look ridiculous when Gerrard was picked after 34mins in 19 mths and made capt.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 20/5/12

I'm still annoyed that Hodgson hasn't needed to justify Downing's inclusion. The whole of that press conference thingy related to the Terry/Ferdinand situation zzzzz.

He's said he's picked players for form reasons and yet Downing is the most out of form player you could pick. There's got to be some kind of agenda going on between him and Liverpool. Every Liverpool player included has got in over a player in better form.

posted on 20/5/12

As for Carrick he told the FA months ago that he didnt want to be a back up player any more, NOT that he didnt want to be picked
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So Carrick seems to think he can dictate the England managers team selection?
What an arrogant fool. Happy that Hodgson didn't beg him, he has never performed well enough for England to be making such demands.

posted on 20/5/12

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni ** Laughing at the Shadow Dwellers again... (U1137)
posted 1 minute ago

Do you really rotate out your best rb in the run in? Richards was dropped, simple as.

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And your point is? Even if an Argentinian full back was picked over Richards in the worlds most expensive squad for the final games in the title tace, how does that mean he therefore can't make an England squad of the top 8 or so defenders?

That's like saying Nasri couldnt get in the England squad because he was on the bench for a lot of this season, or Dzeko wouldnt be good enough for an England squad just because Aguero and Tevez were picked ahead of him during the run in. It's a total nonsense argument.

posted on 20/5/12

comment by Tottenham Hotspurns 13 point lead (U1608)
posted 4 minutes ago
I'm still annoyed that Hodgson hasn't needed to justify Downing's inclusion. The whole of that press conference thingy related to the Terry/Ferdinand situation zzzzz.

He's said he's picked players for form reasons and yet Downing is the most out of form player you could pick. There's got to be some kind of agenda going on between him and Liverpool. Every Liverpool player included has got in over a player in better form.
__________________

It struck me as a big Liverpool PR thing. He knows most of the City hate him, and almost went out of his way to pick their players to show he holds no ill will and to try and get the City on his side. To be fair even many of the Pool fans think he was crazy to take Downing.

posted on 20/5/12

And your point is? Even if an Argentinian full back was picked over Richards in the worlds most expensive squad for the final games in the title tace, how does that mean he therefore can't make an England squad of the top 8 or so defenders?
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I think it is a clear indication of the Man City managers view on how much he trusts Richards in important games.
It is not as if he was dropped for one of the worlds best RBs, he was dropped for a utility squad man.
Out of form, out of first team.

I personally would have picked him, as Phil Jones is very very limited as a player, but I can fully understand Hodgson not picking him, same with the others.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 20/5/12

D'Jeezus any half decent player is going to struggle to hold down a starting place in that City team. It's silly to try and rationalise Downing being a better pick than Johnson just cause Johnson doesn't play as many games.

As for Richards, who the hell knows what Mancini's reasons are for keeping Richards out the squad. Richards along with Walker has been the best right back this season, there's nothing more to it than that.

posted on 20/5/12

Richards and/or Walker should be going.

posted on 20/5/12

Walker is injured.

posted on 20/5/12

any half decent player is going to struggle to hold down a starting place in that City team.
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Exactly. Half decent. Like I said, I would have picked Richards, I would not have picked Downing or Jones either.

But we are not talking about great players missing out, we are talking about average players missing out to other average players, and it is not worth getting angry about.

posted on 20/5/12

D'Jeezus Mackaroni ** Laughing at the Shadow Dwellers again... (U1137)
posted 2 minutes ago
Walker is injured.

Hence the and/or. I would have taken both over Johnson and Jones on this seasons form.

I think Jones purely got in because he has played at rb and cm this season, we only have 4 central midfielders in what will probably be a 3 man midfield.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 20/5/12

Sweet Little Pea - It's sad but probably true. If it is then he doesn't deserve the England job. To take advantage of the England squad selection for a major tournament and use it to stroke Liverpool's ego, shows he doesn't have the best interests of England in his head.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 20/5/12

D'Jeezus. Johnson for me is above average. Good but not great. Downing on the other hand is a plain donkey in a hideous bout of form. He isn't even average he's the tier below.

England will suffer for not bringing the right players.

posted on 20/5/12

busby, the use of and/or suggests you are considering taking an injured player and/or Richards. He is injured, so why would you consider Richards and/or Walker.

posted on 20/5/12

Just stick to the subject smartarse.

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