With just 7 weeks left in Premier League season’s finale, the focus will soon shift to Euro 2016 where all the attention will be on a young England side, who have looked promising in recent weeks.
It may have been friendlies but England have beaten France and Germany in their last two games and with emergence of Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Kane, England’s midfield and attack seems to have a balance which was missing for a long time.
Having said that, Roy Hodgson will also have to make tough calls by leaving out some of the players who have not played up to the expected standards.
With only few weeks away from Hodgson’s final team selection, we take a look at five players who do not deserve to be in England’s Euro 2016 squad.
Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
Sadly Michael Carrick’s best days are behind him and he is now 5th or 6th choice to start in England’s midfield. When Carrick was at his peak, somehow he did not get his chance and now he is no longer fit to start an International game.
Likes of Eric Dier, Dele Alli, James Milner and Jordan Henderson are ahead of Carrick and it would not make any sense to take the Manchester United man to Euro 2016 when Mark Noble is waiting in the queue.
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Arsenal fans might slaughter me for this but the harsh fact is that Jack Wilshere has not played any professional football this season and even if he is 100% fit, it would not be fair on others if Hodgson takes the Arsenal man to the Euros.
Wilshere has not played for England since the emergence of Alli, Kane, Dier and others so it will take him too much time to adjust to the new way of playing for The Three Lions.
If Hodgson decides to take an extra midfielder to France, he should ideally consider West Ham’s Mark Noble instead of Jack Wilshere.
Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
He may be a different kind of option to what England have in midfield but the reality is that he is not good enough to start or even be on the bench for England.
Shlevey’s confidence has been jolted after playing for Newcastle, who are battling relegation. And if The Magpies do get relegated, his mind would be occupied with a possible next transfer rather than focusing on the job in hand.
Thus it would not make any sense for Hodgson to take Shelvey to the Euros.
Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
Much like Michael Carrick, Theo Walcott’s best days as an England player are over. He is not able to nail down a regular place in Arsenal’s staring XI, thus he will be nothing but a baggage for England to carry at the Euro 2016.
Walcott’s X-factor was his speed, however, with Danny Welbeck and Jamie Vardy in the side, Hodgson will have enough impact players at his disposal and would not need an out of form Theo Walcott for England’s Euro 2016 squad.
Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)
Gunner fans must be looking for my address by now after Kieran Gibbs completes our list of five players who do not deserve to be in England’s Euro 2016 squad.
With Luke Shaw injured and Leighton Baines’ dip in form Danny Rose has become England’s number one left-back choice.
Hodgson would ideally look for Rose’s cover and he should look at Ryan Bertrand and Aaron Cresswell, who have played more regular and consistent football this season.
Amid Bertrand’s injury vs. Germany, Gibbs was slotted to get a call-up from Hodgson but by then the Arsenal man had already left for holidays and perhaps missed his flight to France for the Euro 2016 as well.
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