Last week I saw an article on this very site stating what West Ham United players could receive that illustrious phone call from Roy Hodgson, the names that popped up were James Tomkins, Mark Noble and Matthew Jarvis., but what about a call up for our very own captain fantastic and current top scorer Kevin Nolan.
Nolan who is now 30 seems too old for a call up, but when you consider players like John Terry and Frank Lampard age Nolan is around the same age. Hodgson talks about how important that the “old guard” are to England. Just tonight the cool head of Lampard rescued a point for England from the penalty spot.
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The area of the pitch England struggled into was the final third, chances were created aplenty but when it came to finishing the ball just wouldn’t fall to the right player. Countless times the ball fell to Tom Cleverley playing the Kevin Nolan role for England tonight but the Manchester United youngster failed to make the most of his chance including one from 5 yards where he side footed
straight to the keeper. A chance that Kevin Nolan would gobble up week in week out, and before readers suggest I’m being biased you just have to look at the stats, West Hams number 4 has scored 10 or more goals in his last 3 seasons.
Although Nolan maybe a fantastic finisher, with age he has lost his speed, and at times he can go missing in games. If you want to be playing on the international stage you have to have speed or a great range of passing, you only have to look at Lampard, he may not be the quickest but he can produce that killer ball when it matters. At times you can forget Nolan’s on the pitch but then he pops up in front of goal and his ability to do this is second to none and boy could England do with him tonight. Having already bagged 2 goals this season who would bet against him getting 10 goals for a fourth consecutive season.
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Now back to my original point, is he good enough for a call up to back up his two under 21 call ups? He is a fantastic captain and a passionate player who is good to have around the squad, as well as his goal scoring record from midfield it is clear that he is a top Premiership pro. However with up and coming player like Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere (if he can ever get fit) and Tom Cleverley as well as the old guard like Gerrard and Lampard who are class personified, I just can’t see where Nolan can fit in. The only thing he can do if keep plugging away at the Boleyn and he may find himself sitting next to Raheem Sterling on the England bench.
One player however I think has been hard done by by Hodgson is Nolan midfield partner Mark Noble, West Ham’s number 16 has started fantastically this season and with confidence flowing through his veins Hodgson could do a lot worse than calling up the Canning Town man. With players like unproven Sterling and Lallana on the bench I just can’t see what Noble has to do to catch
Hodgson’s eye.
Come on you Irons!
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Totally agree I was having this conversation the other day as to why he hasn’t received many call up’s as his goal scoring record from midfield is as good as any at Premier League level. Though what I will say is his work rate does let him down at times (not all the time). But his leadership, goal scoring abillity and chicken dance celebration should more than warrant a call up.