England Squad Announcement
Roy Hodgson has revealed a 21-man squad England squad for the Euro 2016 qualifiers at home to San Marino on Thursday the 9th of October and then away to Estonia on Sunday the 12th.
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Man City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Ben Foster (West Brom
Defenders: Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka & John Stones (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain & Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling & Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Man City), Andros Townsend (Tottenham)
Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)
Roy Hodgson continues his rebuilding for the future with a number of unfamiliar faces in his squad, knowing a home win over San Marino is all but a given and Estonia away should pose few problems.
Youth is definitely the emphasis with Wayne Rooney now an unlikely veteran, but the assured performance in midweek of 33 year-old Ashley Cole for Roma against Manchester City will have given the England manager pause for thought.
Daniel Sturridge misses out through injury, leaving only a trio of strikers, although Danny Welbeck's hat-trick for Arsenal in the Champions League against Galatasaray last night will have comforted Hodgson.
After a miserable World Cup campaign in Brazil, England got off to the best possible start in their race to Euro 2016 by winning 2-0 away at their biggest group rivals Switzerland.
Six points from these two games will put The Three Lions in the driving seat in Group E as the other group opponents Lithuania and Slovenia are unlikely to give the F.A. sleepless nights.
(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile