I am not sure why Wilshere is being referred to as "half fit"

He played five matches for Arsenal in April and May and two for England and will play this week. Eight matches is about the ideal preparation, better than a 50 game season behind you and probably less susceptible to injury, particularly without the Arsenal medical team anywhere near you.

Did you see him the other night?
Puffing and blowing after 25 minutes, mind you the 40 a day cigarette habit won't help with that.

I think Wilshire is worth a gamble despite his fitness, a pity there aren't more Jack's than some of the 'average Joe's' we have.

GKs
Forster - 6 Caps
Heaton - 1 Cap

Defenders
Bertrand - 8 Caps
Clyne - 12 Caps
Rose - 3 Caps
Stones - 10 Caps
Walker - 15 Caps

Midfield
Alli - 7 Caps
Dier - 6 Caps
Barkley - 22 Caps
Henderson - 24 Caps
Lallana - 22 Caps

Strikers
Kane - 11 Caps
Sterling - 22 Caps
Sturridge - 17 Caps
Vardy - 6 Caps
Rashford - 1 Cap

How the hell anyone can say "same old, same old" or similar when you look at the number of caps the above have won (all have less than 25) is beyond me. Hodgson can't win no matter what he does. Since when has Danny bloody Drinkwater not going become a scandal? A player no one cared about less than 6 months ago is now supposed to be a mainstay?

I guarantee if he had been in the squad people would be saying he's not good enough and was only made to look good in the Leicester team etc etc.

Its about as adventurous a squad as has been named for many a long year.

Fair enough see you back here in a few weeks

Townsend, really? Well and truly scraping the barrel with him.

He is bang average at best.

I would rather play Forster then average Joe as well.

Well, we aren't really anymore.

Indeed. Don't forget too, those same people, pundits mainly, Chris Sutton for one of many were slaughtering Hodgson for not picking Jermaine Defoe, a 31 year old who has had ample chances for England instead of Rashford who could play for the next 15 years.

Despite having spent the previous two years requesting that we just "play the kids".

That said, personally I would not have taken Milner who I do like, but I cannot see where he figures in this squad. No matter whether you are looking to win a game or save a game there are three or four better options in either instance.

I wonder if this will be the farewell competition for Rooney or is he going to hang on for another 2 years for the world cup?

Unfortunately, when he's up against high level teams, he's coming short cause their defenders are top notch, and he just doesn't have the required skills to get past them. Nor is he finishing enough opportunities given to him.

I'd much rather Townsend have been taken than Rooney.

I wonder if there'll be an animated intro for the Euros? Chances are it'll feature cartoon Rooney, LOL.

Jack Wilshere is still only 24 so he should have no trouble regaining match fitness before the start of the Euros. Sturridge may not have played for England in 12 months but he has been playing regularly for Liverpool the past 4 months so he is fit althought still injury prone, but no doubt a risk worth taking, as in my opinion he is still our best striker probably even our best player when hes firing on all cylinders. I am a Liverpool fan and I agree Henderson we probably could have left at home. Rooney is still a class act and a tremendous threat, so I 100% would include him in what probably is his last tournament, lets hope he can be as good as he was in his first tournament

We've got the full house on England Squad Announcement Bingo in here, completed by the call to leave Rooney at home so that Andros Townsend can be selected.

Good post re the number of caps Stilton to counter the ' same old same old 'people.

I still reckon that Hodgsons mind was made up on who would leave out before the first friendly last week.

Think not selecting Drinkwater and Townsend is the wrong call

Two from Henderson, Wilshere and Sturridge should have been omitted

It must be soul destroying for any player who has had an outstanding season yet still gets rejected in favour of one who hasnt featured in every game. It seems to be the case that who you play for determines if you make it at international level. Rashford got picked because he plays for man utd. The same club who rooney plays for. Wilshere was picked because he plays for arsenal.

Drinkwater didnt make it because he had too good a season and plays for the premier league champions

Can england go all the way to the final and end 50 years of hurt. That remains to be seen. One thing is for sure something really stinks at the FA. But you just have to accept their decision. No matter what us mere football supporters think.

He hasnt played the full 90 minutes this year, so how can he be classed has match fit, always gets subbed early, unless he is going to be used has a super sub for the last 20 minutes of each match.

Why was Vardy selected then?



Drinkwater is unlucky but Hodgson is clearly a big Wilshere fan and Rashford is the striking wildcard to cover Sturridge.

Both Sturridge and Wilshere are good at International level if they can keep fit.

I'd suggest if anything Barkley is the lucky one..

Rooney was always likely to go - even more so as he can now fill a striking and midfield role it seems.

I'm really not getting the fuss over Drinkwater. Looked decidely average the other night and I do wonder how much of his good form for Leicester is down to having Kante next to him.

Why was Kasper Schmeichel not called up cos of big club bias that's why Tom Heaton got the callup I bet

Sterling is far more the lucky one than Barkley, as he has been a huge let down for City.

Its not "same old, same old" referring to picking the same players so the number of caps is irrelevent, its about the same old method of picking favourites and playing them out of position to fit star names in the team, picking players who are out of form, unfit or carrying an injury and hoping for the best, and picking players who may be the best individually but who do not necessarily make the best team - like Sir Alf said to Jack Charlton, he wasn't the best defender available, but he was the best bet for the job he was required to do.

I have never seen anything special in Wiltshire. He has always struck me as one of the players that thinks he is a better player than he actually is, going by his myriad comments in the media.

And to take a player who hasn't played a full 90 minutes this year is just plain stupid in my book. He is not Messi or Ronaldo for god's sake!

Not to take Townsend as a backup wide man means that if Sterling's poor league form continues at international level, then Roy does not have a plan B and we will struggle for width.

Exactly, Sterling should at best, have been the back up to Townsend.

I would still rank Stirling above Barkley, he has failed to get any better, full of promise but never comes up with the goods, cant score for toffee, gets caught in two minds what to do.