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Defoe cut from England squad

Jermain Defoe has somewhat surprisingly been named as one the 7 players cut from the original 30 man England squad to face France next week.

David James and Glen Johnson retain their places in the final 23 for the friendly in Paris on Wednesday but Defoe joins Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Shaun Wright-Phillips, David Wheater, Jermaine Jenas and Matthew Upson - who is injured anyway - in dropping out, while injury to Scott Carson has seen Paul Robinson drafted in to replace him.

Looking at the names left out and those included it would appear that Fabio Capello is merely looking to try a number of different options, with none of these players dropped being dropped for any other reason on the face of it. That said Defoe has been in fantastic form recently so his being omitted is slight odd…

This is the final squad:

Goalkeepers David James (Portsmouth), Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Kirkland (Wigan Athletic)
Defenders Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Wes Brown (Manchester United), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Joleon Lescott (Everton), John Terry (Chelsea), Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Owen Hargreaves (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), David Bentley (Blackburn Rovers), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)
Forwards Michael Owen (Newcastle United), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

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Writer: pompeyrug

Date:Saturday March 22 2008

Time: 10:26PM

Your Comments

For goodness sake Fabio! Defoe is good enough to be playing for England and is better than Crouch/Bent/Ashton - he should be playing! Hopefully he'll realize his mistakes eventually and Defoe will get the chance to play the role that he so obviously can!

The_Legend_Of_Zola

Defoe is settling in well but will never make it Internationally. Too limited and is not a team player as you guys will realise.

cockeril

Thats why Defoe looked so miserable earlier. True cockeril.

Real Deal

Not been a good week for JD. Does he deserve it? No but a hat-trick against Wigan next Saturday will put the smile back on his face.

eastneydave

Hes may not be a team player but still hes easily good enough to be in the 23!!! Defoe whos on fire out, Walcott in? Sounds familiar, when sven did the same to the world cup, and look how that ended LOL what a joke

HuddersfieldYiddo

Bit surprised because of the form he's in but given that Owen has just started scoring (well two) I half expected it.. Laso I though Fabio picked his squads on form .. which English prem striker has better form than JD over the laast six games ... ah well I'm sure James will play and hopefully Johnno will to .... he's been immense lately

Chix

he'll probably get the phone call that he is back in later today as with crouchy, rooney and walcott - if he even plays! - all involved today who knows what might happen to them, not that im wishing any ill fortune on them...

pompeyrug

I would have picked Defoe over Walcott but then I'm not the manager. I suppose he gives England something a bit different where as Defoe is pretty much in direct competition with Owen.

stillthewhizz

Defoe, an Englishman actually in form and scoring goals, makes sense to drop him doesn't it?

paultsmouth

Surprised is an understatement. Obviously, he has to score more on a regular basis for us to get another shout. Time is on his side.

storagematt

Walcotts selection is a disgrace, not so long agoWenger was looking to loan him out as he was playing so badly. Jermaine is scoring for fun, but plays for Pompey, he will have to get used to that. Crouch another bit part player gets the chance again!!

Owenspompey

To be honest, I don't know how much a striker needs to be a team player. Sometimes, you want strikers to be selfish. After all, if they're getting goals and being selfish, they're still doing their job. If they're being selfless, not scoring goals and the team are losing, he's not.

The_Legend_Of_Zola

Fabio said he was going to pick players on the basis of their form, and behaviour on and off the pitch. Jermain has scored 6 in 6 games - what else does he have to do? I thought he was certain to start. Owen has scored 2 in how many? Yet Ashley Cole is still in the squad. Keep to your word Fabio - Defoe has to start. I think Rug might be right about him getting a recall though, looks as if Rooney picked up an injury in the Utd/Liverpool match.

tracyc

the most succesfull english striker in the last two months cut!!! i suspect Rug has it right Capello knows JD will always get you goals and is trying new options

russellm

you have just got to look at most of the names cut and those that have been kept in to think capello must just be looking at his options? in all fairness defoe wasnt in last time as he wasnt playing for spurs was he, but then again walcott abd crouchy arent really playing yet they are in... i reckon that when it is 'the real' games tho you will see defoe in ahead of walcott, without doubt if walcott isnt playing.

pompeyrug

its *****!!!! defoe shud be in!! i think he will be back in a spurs shirt soon enough aswel, he loves us !!!!!

darrenn17

I cant really see him coming back and sitting on the bench again, i would think Ramos will bring in at least one striker he has managed from Spain, maybe to partner Berbatov and Keane, so Bent looks like being the odd one out again. Jermaine will find that Pompey is his spiritual home and be here for a long while.

Owenspompey

ive got to agree with you owens he will play week in week out here, the fans love him, the manager loves him and we can potentially go somewhere, spurs are a fantastic club but at this point in time they dont have any more chance of winning things than us, ok european football 'should' be a regular feature for them but they are not going to win the league any time soon, we have as much chance in the lge cup and fa cup as them so he has no need to go back, and nor would he...

pompeyrug

we would go back, believe me if he got his in his contract that he can start so many games he would come to us, believe me, he loves us!!! if he doesnt come back glad hes at a decent club with decent manager that will treat him rite, something we failed to do.

darrenn17

you've said it yourself tho he was at a club that failed to treat him right, so why go back? with oneday ramos in charge i cant see this ever being likely...
i dont doubt that he loved spurs, but trust me too it will not take him long to fall in love with this club too - he is already doing this, and once players do that it usually takes something - maybe a large amount of cash on offer for or to them - or someone to take them away...

pompeyrug

Forget it darrenn17, you didn't use him and he's moved on to bigger and better things now.

tracyc

great to see Defoe being talked about again. Numerous times we had the debate about Defoe on our site and we have mixed views about him especially with the debate with keane. Myself I wanted him to leave Spurs not becuase I dont like him but because i wanted him to get regular footy. He tried everything at Spurs but keane was favoured at many times unfairly. I just want him to play and have a chance to make England but unfortunately he has had another set back which I cant understand. owen is not in form and Walcott is not that good and Crouch hasn't been playing. What happened to selcetion on merit fabio!!!! Defoe deserves a chance and that is down to himself, Pompey and your manager for giving him the chance and beleiving in him. You will get the best out of Defoe because Rednapp beleives in him and will give him the chances he needs to establish himself as a top striker, regular football. lets hope fabio realises this and picks him for the next game. look after him guys and good luck for the season.

loz

By the way I think he did love it at spurs and he didn't want to leave. I think he would come back if we had a manager who beleived in him but ramos like Jol rate keane more! So he want be coming back and we have to move on. he as made a good choice in pompey though and I expect him to be happy with you for some time to come.

loz

Cheers lol, great of you to share your views, i hope he never comes back and that we keep him for a while, if you want to let Robbie go point him in our direction!! Good luck for the rest of the season, and well done on the cup victory.

Owenspompey

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