Should these three West Ham stars have been included in Roy Hodgson’s England squad?

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Andy Carroll

The former Newcastle and Liverpool striker picked up 23% of a Sky Sports fan poll to determine who could seal the position for England’s fifth striker alongside Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge.

Despite his efforts during the 15/16 season, which saw him convert nine goals and two assists in his 27 appearances for West Ham, young Marcus Rashford of Europa League rivals Manchester United pipped him to the squad.

An attacking aerial threat from set-pieces, Carroll previously proved his ability to Roy Hodgson during the Euro 2012 campaign, in which he opened the scoring against Sweden in the group stages with a powerful header to contribute towards a 3-2 win. 

When compared to England’s selected strikers in terms of aerial ability, the 27-year-old is a clear-cut favourite, but the injuries he has suffered in recent seasons may have hindered his chances of selection in Hodgson’s 26-man preliminary squad.

A knee ligament tear Carroll suffered last year against Southampton saw him side-lined for the rest of the 2014/15 season after it was reported that he underwent surgery. The 6ft 4in striker picked up another injury during this year’s campaign, this time a groin problem whilst in pre-match training in December.

Arguably, if Andy Carroll retained his fitness to a higher level over recent seasons, his chances of retaining a reputable candidacy as an England striker could have led to a secure national team spot as our dangerous impact substitute to snatch a late set-piece goal.

How many of the aforementioned West Ham players do you think should have made it into Roy Hodgson’s squad, and who should they have replaced? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.