News of Andros Townsend making this England squad will be greeted with a lot more enthusiasm than news of Moussa Sissoko’s inclusion for France after a shocking season – with only a handful of Newcastle games where he has done himself justice.
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Danny Welbeck’s replacement will be one of the main talking points when Roy Hodgson names England’s provisional party for Euro 2016.
The morning’s big footballing story is that England manager Roy Hodgson has named what is effectively his preliminary squad for the European Championships.
Andros Townsend’s late-season form has earned him a place in England’s Euro 2016 squad.
“We have seen this year a great example in Leicester City”, he said.
And with Walcott struggling for playing time at Arsenal, Hodgson plumped for the 24-year-old Londoner.
Hodgson will then submit his final 23-man squad to UEFA, ahead of the final pre-tournament friendly against Portugal at Wembley on Thursday 2 June.
Rashford’s United team-mate Wayne Rooney, who has endured his lowest-scoring season since his breakthrough campaign at Everton in 2002-03 with just seven goals for Manchester United this term, will captain the side in France.
I would like to tell the final 23 they are in the squad after the Australia game. “The type of player he is, the options he gives us with his play, when he got injured we missed that and will miss him”, said Hodgson, who has included Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson after their own injury recoveries. Michael Carrick has played regularly for us but has been unfortunate with injuries. If we take the view that Wilshere cannot be the deepest man in a midfield diamond, and he can only play alongside Dier, that leaves the two likely roles for Rooney, as either a No.10/attacking midfielder, or a centre-forward.
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Meanwhile, Leicester’s Danny Drinkwater, who impressed on his debut against Holland in March, is vying for a spot in the squad and will have done his chances no harm by drilling in the champions’ leveller as Chelsea were held 1-1.
