With the domestic football season now winding down to its conclusion, we’re left with just the scraps of international friendlies to spend our time talking about, which is never ideal.
On Saturday I went for a nine mile hike across Box Hill in Surrey and I spent a bit of time with a Chelski fan discussing the England team. It was a bit of a challenge because I had to feign vague interest in the England team, but as most people do right now, the Chelski fan took the time to tell me why it was madness to take Jack Wilshere to a European Championship when he’s not fully fit.
I found it hard to disagree that he looks anything other than rusty right now and although I didn’t watch all of the game yesterday against Turkey, I could see why people aren’t too convinced he can have too much of an impact. Jack did OK, had a couple of decent touches and got 66 minutes under his belt, but he does look short on match fitness and there’s only so much training he can do to get himself at his peak. That’s not going to happen in two weeks.
I do find it surprising though, that all of the media are judging Wilshere a little harshly. There are some people who I think are being a little over-critical because of his fitness, almost as if it doesn’t count that he’s trying to get himself back fully fit, he’s going to be judged and judged harshly because he’s taking up space another player could have on the plane.
Which brings me back to my conversation on Saturday. My Chelski compatriot was insistent that Mark Noble should have replaced Jack Wilshere. Both Steve and I – we were doing a group hike – dismissed the notion instantly. I personally have nothing against Mark Noble. He’s had a good season, probably deserves to have got a couple of caps more, is a great representative of West Ham and wears his heart on his sleeve.
But from a technical point of view, he doesn’t give you anything near what Jack can provide, he just isn’t on his level. Mark Noble will give energy, running, tackling and all the effort you could ever want. But the English mentality is that if you do that then it’s enough.
It isn’t.
It would never be enough. The reason England fail is because people think that blood, guts and thunder is a blueprint to success. But how many international teams have won tournaments with that approach? Germany in 2014? Spain 2012? Nope. These teams relied on the technical superiority of their teams over and above anything else, with drive and desire being important but only in collboration with a collective of players that have the skill to produce on an international setting. Mark Noble is a decent pro, but the Mark Noble’s of this world don’t get you deep in to international competitions.
That’s why Roy is taking a gamble on Wilshere. He knows that Jack has the ability to beat a man. He has the ability to spot a pass and in close, confined, quarters, he can wriggle out of difficulties or be a perfect player to knit together passing moves. Noble can’t do that.
If Roy Hodgson replaced Jack with Noble, he’d have another squad player replacing a potential first teamer, which to my mind would be pretty pointless. He has to take 23 players to the Euro’s. It’s unlikely all will play. In fact, I’d wager that he’d only use 16 players, 18 tops. So that leaves between five and seven players who won’t play. No offence to Mark Noble, but he’d most likely be one of those players who wouldn’t get any game time at all, so what’s the point in having a player like that at the tournament?
You’re far better off imagining that Jack is one of those players in position 18 to 23 and if he’s not shown enough fitness by the time England play Russia, use him as an impact player. At least then you’d have somebody who could potentially do something different.
For what it’s worth, I dont think England will get nearly enough of the best out of Jack, but then it comes down to the manager to make the right decisions on him and play him at the right time and with the right level of game management.
Right, that’s me done for a Monday, so enjoy yours.
Hammers fan here.
I totally agree with this, Jack Wilshere is the only world class midfielder England have.
I would say that Noble offer’s a bit more than effort now, he’s actually more skill full than people give him credit for. Also he has a good shot on him and Takes our pens (which is important for these comps, as practicing pens in training doesn’t reproduce the same pressure).
What I’m shocked at is that he didn’t even get a chance to show his skills and think it’s a mistake to take Henderson (most Liverpool fans say he’s rubbish) or Delph (who? Did he play at all this season?) instead.
To be honest I couldn’t stand Woy before and I can’t see us getting anywhere in the summer, so would prefer not to see our players have the chance to get injured anyway (Dean Ashton’s injury still hurts).
I get that sentiment and yes, I agree Noble should have at least been given a chance, especially if it was at the expense of some other players who are less technically gifted in the side.
Im a hammer and i do agree wilshere is on a different level and i would take him to the euros above noble. However, dont write noble off as being just effort and guts, he has turned into a classy midfielder who has time on the ball, picks a pass and dictates play. I would much rather have had noble this season (that could be because wilshere spent most of the season at home playing fifa).
Fair enough. The blog wasn’t so much about Noble, more about why I can understand Roy’s thinking, but I know he’s had a great season in West Ham’s midfield.
Also, does anyone know why Talk Sport Drivetime seem to have it in for Arsenal and Wenger?
It’s so annoying listening to the tw*t Durham go on about, it all the time when people just want to here proper football news.
Did Wenger or some Arsenal relation offend the show in some way?
No, I think he just knows there’s a lot of people out there to argue with, which keeps his show relevant. I don’t bother with it much these days.
Hammer fan here, Mark Noble has had a great season, probably his best, agree he is no Wilshere, but then again he does not break every 5 minutes. The main issue why Noble is not in the England team is simple, every single game he puts in 1 or 2 suicide tackles, he gets away with it in the PL, but in international competition he would be unlikely to finish the game, euro referees will not tolerate the 20 yd sliding tackle, simple as that.
As for taking a gamble on Wilshere, personally I feel you pick on form and fitness, and he has not had enough game time this season, but ultimately its all academic, no matter who is picked, the England back 4 is so weak, Joe Hart is going to feel like last cowboy at the Alamo.
England and international comps are a bit like Wimbledon, the nation get all revved up for a few weeks, people with little or no interest start waving flags and learning the names of players, and it all subsides in predictable failure.
Still only 3 months till the real football starts gain.
Totally agree with the England and Wimbledon comparisons. Agree on picking with form and fitness too, but when has that ever happened with England?? Bit of a joke really. It’s why I try not to get too emotionally invested in the national team.
If the reason for not picking Noble is his discipline then Alli would be staying at home.
Two words. You’re wrong.
Roy has no rationale for picking Jack other than reputation!
Serious make yourself England manager for a minutes would you pick a player who has almost played every game of the season, scored goals and made goals, and let’s face it put in two brilliant performances against us this season. Or a player who has played twice and spent the season on the treatment table and even though not playing got into the papers for the wrong reasons.
I know who I would have taken, Roy has not thought about it at all
Totally agree mate, even forgot there was a friendly on last night, they are even more turgid than full internationals
On the West Ham front, if you was going to pick any player, then as a raw talent, and a impact sub, Antonio all day.
The guy has pace to burn and an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time to score. There is one thing I have learnt, no matter who you are, how good you are, no defender in the world likes a ball player coming at them with pace and strength, it always creates issues, that’s why I am putting away the rose tinted specs,, this guy should have been in the squad on merit
Wilshire is a good player, perhaps under rated by many but seemingly a bit injury prone.
Noble has a good injury record and probably deserves a chance in the England set up as
he leads by example.
The thorn in the side of the England team at the moment is the totally lacking in Imagination Roy.
A sort of Pulis/Allardice character love him or hate him. I’m in the latter camp.
Even if wilshire starts every game at the euros by the time he is fully match fit and up to pace the tournament will be over.
I am a west ham fan and believe nobes should have had his chance before now but even putting that to one side woy has picked players on reputation not form.
Sterling ,delph and wilshire havent played enough or been good enough for their club teams .
You have to hit the ground running in tournament football its not a process for getting players fit or for finding form.
That’s a fair assessment John and I agree. But sadly the England manager – any England manager – seems to always pick reputation over form.
True mate,wouldnt it be refreshing though to turn up with a squad full of players who have had a great season,full of confidence and have a right go at winning a trophy.
This is such a bizarre conversation. Both Wilshere AND Noble should be in the squad.
Surely it’s the likes of FABIAN DELPH getting in the squad ahead of Noble which is Bonkers??
The last England manager to pick players on form was Joe Mercer in his admittedly short tenure.
It is an odd article as I don’t think it was ever an either or between Wilshere and Noble, my question about the team is why has Woy only picked Andros Townsend as a winger, Antonio should have been picked for his goal threat, athleticism and versatility, back on topic Noble isn’t going to be the future although he has had his best season at international level he is just too easy to play around, England are a second rate international team who can win all the games that don’t matter but very few that do mostly because the FA like most people with a modicum of power have an arrogance that outmatches their intelligence, Andy Carroll should also have been picked so that when we play all the teams better than us which is as soon as we get into the knockout stages we have two options and bring the long diagonal ball in, mind you seeing as the all but one central midfielders he has chosen have little passing ability you have question most of Woy’s selections, I wouldn’t have taken Wilshere because he is unfit and has a questionable attitude but who knows he does have the ability so maybe the wingless wonders might succeed where every other England team since 66 has failed.
Germany in 2014 a technically good team ? That was a joke eh ! They were a team that supported each other as usual and beat far better gifted teams by hard work only as a team. Unfortunately argentina didnt turn up but showed after when beating the germans the art of superior football as for noble agree his not england class we should be looking at although a hood player. And unfortuanatly we have a good squad of players young and gifted at present but are stuck with an out of date coach woy who for some reason once again gets picked to coach us by a out of date fa.