Today Steve McLaren named the England squad for the upcoming Euro 2008 Qualifying games against Estonia (October 13th) and Russia (October 17th).
The squad includes Michael Owen who is supposedly ‘fit to play’ in double quick time after his double hernia operation and an out of form Frank Lampard despite not having played since August 25th after sustaining a thigh injury.
Why doesn’t McLaren use this opportunity to let Lampard know that he doesn’t have a safe place in the centre of midfield? Gareth Barry and Steven Gerrard played exceptionally well together in his absence. And with the inform striker Dean Ashton joining, Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Alan Smith and Andrew Johnson all being fit to play, why risk including an injury prone Michael Owen?
If I were paying Michael Owen’s wages at Newcastle United, I would be fuming at the thought of him playing for England where he may sustain another injury and find himself playing more for his country than his club.
England squad: Robinson (Tottenham), James (Portsmouth), Carson (Aston Villa), Richards (Manchester City), Brown (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Campbell (Portsmouth), Neville (Everton), Shorey (Reading), Lescott (Everton), Bentley (Blackburn), Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Barry (Aston Villa), Downing (Middlesbrough), Young (Aston Villa), Smith (Newcastle), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Johnson (Everton), Defoe (Tottenham), Rooney (Manchester United), Ashton (West Ham).
1 comment so far
1 weenie // Oct 8, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Owen looked surprisingly sharp against Everton this weekend - perhaps not fit enough to play a full game but he’s got to be an option for McLaren. I agree though. Lampard shouldn’t be guaranteed a starting place.