Paul Robinson Not Even On Bench Tonight

<span style="font-size: 11px">England v Croatia
Wembley, London
Wednesday 21 November
Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: Live on BBC One &amp; BBC Radio 5 Live (commentary on BBC Sport website for UK users only); Coverage on BBC Sport website
</span>

Paul Robinson will play no part in England's vital Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia on Wednesday after being dropped by coach Steve McClaren. </p>

BBC Sport understands that Aston Villa's Scott Carson will play instead of the Spurs man, with David James as the goalkeeper on the Wembley bench. </p>

Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips is expected to replace David Beckham. </p>

Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard complete a five-man midfield, with Peter Crouch up front. </p>

</p><div class="avinline">News conference: England manager Steve McClaren </div>

</p>

McClaren has stuck by Spurs keeper Robinson throughout a rocky Euro 2008 campaign, but gave Carson his first start against Austria last Friday and keeps faith with the 22-year-old Aston Villa number one. </p>

BBC Radio 5 Live football correspondent Mike Ingham said: &quot;Steve McClaren is still confident enough despite being without his first-choice back-four to finally drop the man who has been in goal for the last three years, Paul Robinson, preferring Scott Carson. </p>

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="208" align="right" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 5px"></td><td class="sib606"><div class="sihf">606: DEBATE </div><div><div class="mva">I would give David Beckham his 99th - and final - cap on the right
</div></div><div class="mva"><div class="mva">BBC Sport's Phil McNulty</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></p>

&quot;He is still confident enough to exclude Owen Hargreaves in favour of Gareth Barry and most unexpected of all perhaps he is backing Shaun Wright-Phillips ahead of David Beckham </p>

&quot;So whatever the outcome this evening McClaren can hardly stand accused of shying away from bold and tough decisions.&quot; </p>

Former England goalkeeper Nigel Martyn feels McClaren is right to leave Robinson out completely. </p>

Martyn told 5 Live: &quot;Paul is not going to be in right frame of mind to go on if Scott gets injured or sent in the first two minutes. </p>

&quot;Imagine Paul's frame of mind if he's going out there. It would be incredibly difficult for him, after having the disappointment of not playing in this game, to then be suddenly thrust into it. </p>

&quot;David James will be ready and able mentally, if needed, to come on and play.&quot; </p>

The back four is tipped to be Micah Richards, Sol Campbell Joleon Lescott and Wayne Bridge. </p>

England need a point to seal qualification for next summer's finals in Austria and Switzerland, and a big win could see them overhaul group leaders Croatia. </p>

And the spirit in the camp is determined. </p>

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="208" align="right" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 5px"></td><td class="sibStdQuote"><div><div class="mva">There has been a great uplift with the players coming in on Sunday and especially with John Terry coming in and training with the boys
</div></div><div class="mva"><div class="mva">Steve McClaren</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></p>

England captain Steve Gerrard said: &quot;We can't afford to have any slip-ups. We've got to give everything we've got and die out there for the result.&quot; </p>

McClaren said he would tell the players his starting line-up on Tuesday at 1830 GMT. </p>

&quot;I know my team and I have done since the weekend but I am not going to reveal it and I am not giving any clues,&quot; he said. </p>

McClaren did say he valued experience - but not necessarily in the starting line-up. </p>

&quot;Experience is key in big games - not just playing but on the bench and around the team,&quot; he said. </p>

One player who will definitely not feature is John Terry, although the England captain did take part in training on Tuesday. </p>

&quot;There has been a great uplift with the players coming in on Sunday and especially with John Terry coming in and training with the boys,&quot; said McClaren. </p>

&quot;It's always important to have all the players together. We'll have John, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney with us on Wednesday. </p>

&quot;We've started together and we'll finish together.&quot; </p>

</p><hr />

England squad: Carson, James, Richards, Campbell, Brown, Bentley, Ashley Cole, Shorey, Neville, Downing, Barry, Young, Wright-Phillips, Hargreaves, Lescott, Bridge, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Joe Cole, Smith, Defoe, Bent, Crouch.
</p>

 

I don't get that ................

......... Robinson isn't in the right frame of mind to come on if Carson gets injured or sent off but David James is ............ well I can understand Robinson being fecked off being dropped, but why won't James be equally fecked off with being over looked when he was the No.2 and Carson has come from nowhere to get the shirt before him?

For what it's worth, I don't really care which one plays cos they are all capable of having a blinder or dropping a bollock, and they all should want to play for England whenever they are needed, no matter whether they have been dropped or over looked.

Over paid, over rated morngy gits the lot of 'em