This week saw Roy Hodgson’s 23 man England squad for the upcoming European Championships announced. This has been a hot topic across the press over the last 24 hours, but is it possible that this selection just highlights a lack of talent on our shores?

Social networking website Twitter, just minutes after the squad announcement saw Stewart Downing trending across the country. It’s fair to say this wasn’t for the right reasons. The 27 year old Liverpool winger has played 36 games for The Reds this season, and with 0 goals and 0 assists, many were outraged as to how Hodgson had the audacity to call him up to represent the country in Poland and Ukraine this summer.

However, in the surprise selection of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, we see a young, exciting talent that many fans were happy to see included. In his press conference, Hodgson stated that he was particularly impressed by the 18 year old’s performance against AC Milan in the Champions League tie at The Emirates.

Let us go back to England’s 2010 World Cup exit. Fresh from an embarrassing 4-1 defeat by Germany, fans everywhere were calling for a complete overhaul of English football. Starting from grassroots and ending with the International team, there were cries for a turnover; out with the old and in with the new. People wanted to see young, exciting players who would give everything for their country; providing what it takes to make England into a force to be reckoned with. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is surely an example of this. A talented, passionate individual who can strike fear into opponents. Arguably there are further examples of this in Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young or Phil Jones, all who have impressed with Manchester United this season.

But beyond that, there is very little cause for excitement forEngland fans ahead of Poland and Ukraine this summer. Stewart Downing is precisely the kind of player England fans were not in favour of post World Cup 2010. The spine of the team also remains the same. John Terry, Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson still remain in the first choice back four, and the fostering of English talent comes in one example of Phil Jones. Is 1 example in 4 enough to suggest that there is talent in this country? Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry remain in contention for midfield, and Wayne Rooney and Jermaine Defoe are two strikers still being called up.

Whilst there is obviously reason to suggest that these players are good enough, and they are more than capable, there has been cause for concern in the past. Hodgson has not been prepared to give youth players a chance, and whilst he isn’t relying on all of those previous England managers have called up, such as Emile Heskey, Stephen Warnock or Matthew Upson, the squad selection is something of a mish-mash of those old and new.

How is it that England are still relying on the same individuals when since the last major tournament, anger was shown towards the who team? Maybe there just isn’t enough talent in the country to threaten the current squad.

Is this a rather pessimistic view of Hodgson’s squad selection? I would to love to hear what you make of it: @ultimate_dav