England: No room for Lambert despite injury to Defoe

4Feb 2013

Betfair

Two players are out of the England squad with another potentially following, but there is no room for Rickie Lambert...

The cherished tradition of England friendly withdrawals piling up within hours of the weekend action concluding persists. Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick pulled out of the glamour clash with Brazil - which they are 3.35 to win - and Phil Jones and Raheem Sterling are among the Under-21 evacuators.

Defoe hobbled out of Tottenham's 1-0 victory at West Brom with the game still goalless due to damaged ankle ligaments that Andre Villas-Boas predicts will rule him out for two or three weeks.

The onset of Carrick's hip injury is less clear after he lasted the entirety of Manchester United's win at Fulham, while it is rumoured that Daniel Sturridge could also depart with a thigh injury that saw him subbed just before the end at Manchester City.

The regularity with which this scenario plays out raises the question of why Roy Hodgson and his predecessors are encouraged to publicise their picks around a week before matches, with the final squad often unrecognisable from the original selection.

Italy, for instance, didn't unveil their party for Wednesday's friendly with the Netherlands - an away one that presumably requires greater organisation - until Sunday night, by which point it was easier to ascertain who was still available.

Their coach Cesare Prandelli gets a lot right when compiling squads. His policies include a code of conduct forcing the omission of any ill-disciplined players (Leonardo Bonucci is out this time for insulting a ref) and a meritocracy offering chances to those impressing at less illustrious clubs (like Sampdoria's Daniele Gastaldello and Bologna pair Alessandro Diamanti and Alberto Gilardino).

Rickie Lambert evidently wishes the latter approach was replicated in England having expressed disappointment at again being ignored despite 11 goals in 22 starts for Southampton in his debut Premier League campaign.

The 30-year-old is the top English scorer alongside Theo Walcott yet, even with Defoe now absent, Hodgson isn't expected to name a replacement. A Sturridge withdrawal may alter that but at present the Liverpool newcomer, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Walcott all remain as forward options.

Meanwhile, captain Steven Gerrard was crowned England player of the year for 2012. The Liverpool midfielder has struck five times in his last 10 club appearances and is 6.2 to net against Brazil.