Hodgson Names Walcott & The Ox In Euro Squad

Stuart Downing???!!!!!!

@ julieloveshenry4ever "Stuart Downing???!!!!!!" ha ha! That's what everyone is saying.

I thought Gibbs would of been nailed on.....? With Wilshire fit that would of been 4 in the England squad.

Gibbs was never gonna make it with the established Cole and Baines. Be silly to take 3 left backs.

Gibbs over Baines? No chance

you can just see the 'Ruddy hell' back pages now..

Dont agree with Ox. Hes the darling of gooners coz of his nationality. He is good but hyped far too much. The same people are going to get on his back when he fails next season (whcih will invariably happen when expectations rise far too much).. this is like putting Theo in the 06 WC squad.. Stupid choice.

shewore - Not over Baines alongside him. If you had a choice of playing only one of either Downing or Baines on the left in a formation that allows it, i'd lay money you'd vote Baines. This is C***ly's last major tournament (thank god!) and someone much younger needs blooding, who else but Gibbs currently?

Yeah, but don't think he plans on playing Baines on the wing, would be interesting shout, but can't see it. Can't believe he's taking Downing straight up i'd prefer Heskey on the wing.

shewore - Heskey? LOL Jees, you really do hate Downing!

it's a real pity for Jack to have to sit out but I think if he had been available then it would have been at Oxs' expense. Looking forward to the next WC when the pair will be mainstays in the side, as will gibbo and wally. Not a bad contribution for a manager that supposedly hates English players yawn.

I hope Hodgson makes good on his allusion that he may use Walcott up front until Rooney is available. We've seen his finishing ability and his pace can be put to much better use playing through the middle.

Happy the ox got called up i think its a lot different to Theo in 06 considering the ox has played plenty of games and scored in premiership and champions league, cant see why Downing involved is such a shock fair enough had a poor season but when you look at the other options not much choices Johnson hasnt really played at all this season hopefully he sees he has to leave City now because really could be a top player but needs games, Lennon too similar to Theo, maybe Dyer might have had a chance but cant think too many more

I'm happy for the Ox and Theo. Theo shouldn't have been at Germany 06 but should have been at South Africa. For some bizarre reason Capello chose Lennon over Theo and Lennon was so terrible in the first game he got yanked and was never seen again. I don't have the squad in front of me, but I think Oxlade will be competing with Stuart Downing as back-up to Theo on the right and Ashley Young on the left of midfield. Really? Sometimes the game seemed to pass the Ox by, but he still got 2 goals in 6 starts. The game always seemed to pass Downing by- 0 goals in 28 starts (no 'assists' either). I don't think he will start any games unless there is an injury, but I fully expect him to make the bench ahead of Downing because he offers so much more- talent, vision, athleticism, intelligence, etc. Spuds will wonder why Theo over the fantastic, second coming of Pele Lennon. That's a no brainer. Five years ago they were similar- run fast, no end product. Now, they still both run fast, but Theo actually has some end product and decent numbers- Lennon, not so much. Lennon has actually regressed- I doubt we'll see him in an England shirt again. As frustrating as Theo can be, he offers a lot more than Lennon. And so does the Ox. On an unrelated note, I want Bayern Munich to win on Saturday. Yeah, if Chelsea park the bus and steal a win and it knocks the Spuds out of the CL qualifying round it won't be a total loss, but, and it pains me to say this, the Spuds deserve a chance to get knocked out in the qualifying rounds.

Spuds, behave yourself mate! Lennon is not better than Walcott unless you mean when playing on the right of a 4-4-2? In which case, Walcott's never played there for us because it's not our formation so there's no chance of comparison. Otherwise Walcott outscores and out assists him every single season he's been at Arsenal as a first teamer. Lennon just runs down the wing like a pregnant penguin! ;o)

Gotta disagree with you Scotchy, Lennon is & always has been a better winger than Walnut who relies soley on knocking the ball past & outrunning his full back, he couldn't sell a dummy to a thumbless baby mate. Walnut never played as right winger for your lot? Sorry mate, not buying that, I've read & heard lots of Gooners bemoaning his abilities in that area. As I said, Walnut is a striker, probably better playing off a lead striker which is where I'd like to see him play for England. If Le Whinger had played him off Adebayor (when he actually wanted to play for you!), he'd be a devastating striker by now, I think a lot of his years with you have been wasted because of that failure.

Spuds, he plays outside right. It might sound like semantics, but he's a wide forward and plays there, not right wing ala Lennon. Some Gooners don't know the difference (present company accepted of course guys and gals). I know you know your stuff and the same vice versa, just ignore the raving, foaming at the mouth Gooners who'll never appreciate the good Walcott does (as well as the bad) You're right, Lennon has better footwork and technique on the ball, but at the end of the day, Walcott doesn't play for us as a right winger mate and therefore any comparisons are only guess work rather than quantifiable evidence. I notice you didn't deny my description of Lennon's running style though ;o)

Before you use your "semantics" (aren't they an Irish folk band?), yes I concede that he was a totally different & better player than Azza!

Oooooooooh! Starting on Sir Robert of Pires is a risky game with Gooners mate lol

Walcotts footwork in the box is really good it's just out wide that he becomes too obvious to read. Hodgson did mentions Theos ability to play up front as one of the reasons he wasn't worried about Rooneys suspension.

Thanks No 10, really appreciate your clearing that up for me about the badge change, still prefer the old badge, that was classy.

I think you'll find a lot of Gooners with you on that.

You can't really say it affects the way you view your club on a day to day basis though. More a case of a thorn in a bears paws. rather than a major issue. In fact, thinking about Arsenal right now, that is actually 273rd on my list of things I want to see done at Arsenal this summer, just below getting rid of Almunia in 272nd and "No more bloody Carlsberg" in 271st....

Don't go there mate.....!

Stop it Wyn. EGG! What! You want better beer above a better kepper?

I'll take better beer over a battered kipper any day of the week.

I like statisticians cos when their recordings fail to conform, the search for a new sequence of stats continues. BAYERN WINS TONITE!

That being said, it is going to be fun knowing that the little Spuddies are going to be crapping themselves when the Chavs get a shot on goal. No such worries for us.

The chavs win and the Spuddies get to miss out on CL footsie; the chavs lose and we get a chance to fight to be the 1st London club to win the CL; plus Spurs get to be knocked out of CL anyway, in the qualifiers. Win-win!

Get the feck in there!!!!!

Damn! what do I know?

Well, thank god for 3rd place now! That was one of the most undeserved wins I've seen, the Chavs didn't start playing till the 85th minute, and they end up winning. Feel disappointed for Bayern, but their finishing was *****. I like Schweini as a player, and feel bad for him.

If we had a defence as disciplined as the chavs we'd be unstoppable. But they've also had huge slices of luck. Bugger.

oh well...sp*rs lol.

Just think though ned it could so easily have been us sitting there sweating through that crap tonight. Thank you Marton Fulop.

I hope redknapp has hired extra security down in sandbanks tonight, things turning even uglier than usual over there. Twitchy lynch mob.

It's a complete travesty for London football that Chelsea are the first to bring that famous European Cup here. It's at Wembley next year, if I remember correctly. Arsenal had better level the score soon. It's been a bitter night for me, but I cannot begrudge Chelsea their victory. We are Kings of London football, one CL trophy does not change that. We will show our class again eventually.

FIRST LONDON CLUB TO WIN CL!!!!!!!

NADH your right, I stand corrected Wembley is the venue for the final next season. I would weep tears of joy if Arsenal were to win it at Wembley.

love u too nikolaijns

I am not happy, I can't lie. Chelsea deserved nothing tonight but for the profligacy of Bayern strike force. This has placed added pressure on our team and Manager to deliver that trophy; considering we are seeking to break our "trophy less" run, that additional demand is something I am not sure we have the personnel to meet, unless Wenger gets his mojo back, somehow. It is all hands to the pump now.

How can he even think of celebrating something he tried to jeopardize.. ******** scumbag

It was only a matter of time before they ******** infiltrated this board with their shower of *****e. KNB should be out celebrating his team's win, instead is trawling on the Vital Arsenal board trying to wind up us Gooners. Pathetic.

Fans, just like the team. Rather than celebrating this win with his fellow chavs, this ******** tosser decides to lord it over Arsenal fans. Pathetic.

Well what other joy is there to be had when your owner is a gangster your captain is a racist and you play the kind of bus parking dreck that even feckin Allardyces Bolton would've blushed at? Plus he has no chelski mates wherever he's at to celebrate buying europe so the internet is his only friend.

Chelsea is like a gang with Drogba as the gang leader. It was that gang mentality that has seen them through to this stage and achievement. Players who understand the club's culture and mentality have been called up to perform for them and they have. Arsenal will need more of such big game men, as we had with the invincibles. No more excuses of youthfulness; time for our kids to grow up and fight!

Ah the joys of not giving a feck about witter...bliss :)

Praying for an exodus of players from Spurs. We should go in with a cheeky bid for RVDV to appease RVP. At least we can offer him C/L footer :-) That was a joke, but seriously hopefully Modric, Bale, VDV and Ade-payme-more do bugger off and ditch the Spuds.

Well, what do you think is going to happen at Chelsea? The question everyone asked - 'what will happen if the Chavs win the CL' will finally be answered over the next couple of months. This Chelsea squad needs an overhaul but Abramovich have the stomach to invest another fortune buying up another team?

Premiership. Bought. Champions League. Bought. My love for Arsenal is for life, but my love for football may never recover.

nikoljains you are a ******** feck off you gooner tosser,,,euro Champions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

little dutch you are a w a n k er

nikoljaijnsCHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS YOU PIECE OF S H I TE . any time W ank stain CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS