Gosling Call Up Too Early?

24 August 2011 18:12
Former Newcastle defender Stuart Pearce has selected Dan Gosling for the England Under-21 squad to face Azerbaijan and Israel next month. Gosling has not figured for his country since suffering a knee injury in March 2010 while playing for Everton, which restricted him to just one appearance for The Magpies last season.But the midfielder is now fully fit and, following an impressive pre-season, came on against Sunderland on Saturday - almost scoring moments after his introduction.He turned 21 in February and could now add to his two England Under-21 caps in the games on September 1 and September 5.The Three Lions face Azerbaijan at Watford's Vicarage Road in the opening fixture of their 2013 European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign, before taking on Israel at Barnsley's Oakwell in a friendly.The 27-man squad named for the two games is:Goalkeepers: Ben Amos (Manchester United), Jack Butland (Birmingham City), Declan Rudd (Norwich City).Defenders: Nathan Baker (Aston Villa), Joe Bennett (Middlesbrough), Matthew Briggs (Fulham), Steven Caulker (Swansea City, loan from Tottenham), Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion), John Flanagan (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Martin Kelly (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool).Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Dan Gosling (Newcastle United), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Emmanuel Frimpong (Arsenal), Henri Lansbury (Arsenal), Josh McEachran (Chelsea), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool).Forwards: Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Marvin Sordell (Watford), Martyn Waghorn (Leicester City), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Connor Wickham (Sunderland). NEXT GAME ... Thursday 25th August - 8.00 ko  SCUNTHORPE U. v NEWCASTLE U. NEWCASTLE UTD 2011/12 PREMIER LEAGUE SUNDERLAND 0 NEWCASTLE  1 (R Taylor)Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Williamson 85), Barton, Obertan (Gosling 85), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi.Subs Not Used: Harper, Lovenkrands, Ba, Best, Marveaux. NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 0Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Barton, Cabaye (Lovenkrands 81), Tiote, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 73), Ba (Obertan 46).Subs Not Used: Forster, Williamson, Gosling, Sammy Ameobi. PRE-SEASON FIXTURES: NEWCASTLE 0 FIORENTINA 0 (Ab 63 mins)Krul (Forster 46), Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gosling (Ba 46), Cabaye, Vuckic, Jonas (Marveaux 46) Lovenkrands (R Taylor 61), Best (Shola Ameobi 46).Subs: Sammy Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier, Williamson. LEEDS UTD 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (S.Taylor, Vuckic)Forster, Cabaye, Williamson, Barton, Simpson, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Taylor, Tavernier. Subs: Krul, Taylor, Best, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett. COLUMBUS CREW 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Ameobi, Coloccini, Vuckic)Harper; Tavernier, S Taylor, Coloccini (Dummett, 54), Enrique; Gutierrez (Abeid, 85), Tiote (Smith, 62), Gosling, Marveaux (Vuckic, 76); Ameobi (Best, 75), Ba. Subs not used: Forster, Krul. ORLANDO CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0Forster; R Taylor (Enrique, 26), S Taylor, Coloccini, Tavernier; Gosling (Vuckic, 71), Smith (Abeid, 74), Tiote, Gutierrez; Best (Ba, 74), Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 74). Subs not used: Krul, Harper. SPORTING KANSAS 0 NEWCASTLE 0Krul, Gosling, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor, Marveaux (Tavernier 46), Tiote (Abeid 46), Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Ba (Best 72), Lovenkrands (Smith 46). DARLINGTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Barton, Sammy Ameobi)Forster; Simpson (Dummett), S Taylor (Tavernier), Williamson (Henderson), Ferguson (R Taylor); Barton (Abeid), Guthrie (Cabaye, Donaldson), Smith (Gosling), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi); Ben Arfa (Richardson), Best (Ranger). Subs not used: Soderberg, Newton. THE WEEKEND'S FIXTURES: Saturday 27th August 2011      Aston Villa      v      Wolverhampton Wanderers     12:05Wigan Athletic      v      Queens Park Rangers     12:30Blackburn Rovers      v      Everton     15:00Chelsea      v      Norwich City     15:00Swansea City      v      Sunderland     15:00Liverpool      v      Bolton Wanderers     17:30 Sunday 28th August 2011      Newcastle United      v      Fulham     13:00Tottenham Hotspur      v      Manchester City     13:30West Bromwich Albion      v      Stoke City     15:00Manchester United      v      Arsenal     16:00

Source: FOOTYMAD