Source: Team_Talk
Quartet get first England calls
Andy Carroll, Jay Bothroyd, Chris Smalling and Jordan Henderson have all earned first England call-ups for Wednesday's friendly with France.[LNB] Fabio Capello has handed the quartet their opportunity as part of a much-changed squad to tackle the 2006 World Cup runners-up at Wembley.[LNB]Although Carroll and Henderson had been heavily tipped for inclusion, it is more of a shock that Bothroyd and Smalling have been picked.[LNB]In total, there are nine new faces from the squad Capello initially announced for last month's Euro 2012 qualifier, including Manchester City full-back Micah Richards, who has never played a game for the Italian.[LNB]Arsenal duo Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs have been selected, while some big names miss out, including Joe Cole, although Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson has only just recovered from a groin injury.[LNB]Kevin Davies has also been omitted, which seems a bit harsh on the Bolton skipper, who made his debut against Montenegro last month and excelled in front of Capello against Tottenham last week.[LNB]However, Capello has decided to go with youth for the first of two friendlies before England's next competitive game, against Wales at the Millennium Stadium on March 26.[LNB]And that would mean a return home for Bothroyd if he were to be involved as the striker presently plays his club football for Cardiff in the Championship.[LNB]Not since David Nugent - then of Preston - scored in a 3-0 win over Andorra in Barcelona in March 2007 has a Championship player been capped by England.[LNB]However, the first hints that Bothroyd was under consideration came a couple of weeks ago, since when the 28-year-old, who has previously played for Coventry, Charlton and Wolves, and also had a short spell in Italy with Perugia, has maintained his impressive form.[LNB]The Islington-born player has now scored in Cardiff's last seven games and took his overall tally for the season to 15 with a double at Scunthorpe this afternoon.[LNB]Yet the mere fact Capello is having to dip into English football's second tier - even to a club that seems bound for the Premier League - is an indication of how weak his depth of strikers is once injuries take hold, as they have done this time around with the absences of Wayne Rooney, Darren Bent, Jermain Defoe and Bobby Zamora.[LNB]Carroll would certainly appear to be a better bet for the future and Capello saw the burly Newcastle man score the winner at Arsenal last weekend.[LNB]"It would be a very proud moment for this football club," said Magpies boss Chris Hughton earlier today when asked about the 21-year-old's impending selection.[LNB]"For a young man himself, to have the opportunity to represent his country, particularly with the amount of quality strikers there are around, then it would be a very proud day for him and the club."[LNB]Given Capello's preference to lead the attacking line with a bigger striker, Carroll has a decent chance of starting on Wednesday, where he would probably be supported by either Gabriel Agbonlahor or Steven Gerrard.[LNB]There was also joy in another part of the north-east as the progress Henderson has made with Sunderland was recognised.[LNB]It would appear Capello has received positive reports from Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce about both Henderson and Smalling, who has enjoyed an impressive first few months at Old Trafford, even if being introduced as a substitute striker at Aston Villa this afternoon must have been a first.[LNB]On the day he publicly complained about the lack of recognition he has received from Capello, Richards now gets a chance to add to the 12 caps he won under Steve McClaren, even though he has lost his first-team place at Manchester City.[LNB]The same is also true of Joleon Lescott. But the former Everton star keeps his place and with Phil Jagielka also available after impressive performances in England's opening two Euro 2012 qualifiers in September, the make-up of Capello's defence on Wednesday will be interesting as Rio Ferdinand and John Terry have also been picked.[LNB]Full squad: Foster (Birmingham), Hart (Man City), Green (West Ham); Gibbs (Arsenal), Cole (Chelsea), Terry (Chelsea), Jagielka (Everton), Lescott (Man City), Richards (Man City), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Smalling (Man Utd); Walcott (Arsenal), Wilshere (Arsenal), Young (Aston Villa), Gerrard (Liverpool), Barry (Man City), Johnson (Man City), Milner (Man City), Henderson (Sunderland); Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Bothroyd (Cardiff), Carroll (Newcastle), Crouch (Tottenham).
