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No Walcott in England U-21 squad

Theo Walcott
Walcott celebrates his hat-trick against Croatia in 2008

Theo Walcott has not been included in Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad to play Greece next week.

Walcott's omission could see the 20-year-old Arsenal forward named in Fabio Capello's England squad for the Egypt friendly on Wednesday 3 March.

The winger had not played for Capello's England side this season due to knee, hamstring and shoulder injuries, though he has featured for the Under-21 side.

Wigan's Victor Moses and Aston Villa's Nathan Delfouneso are in the squad too.

"We just felt that Nathan has got a great commodity in his pace," said Pearce, ahead of the European Championship match against Greece which takes place at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium on the same day as England play Egypt.

"I've seen him play for the Under-19s and he can also play out wide as well as down the middle.

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"And Victor has the ability to go past a player and be a match-winner, so between them they give us something different."

Jack Rodwell, Lee Cattermole, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere return to Pearce's squad following injuries during the last international break.

"The last squad we picked, there were eight players who had played the previous Saturday," added Pearce.

"I've named a 24-man squad for this one and there are 14 players who played at the weekend, so we've got a bigger number who are getting first-team football.

"There are the likes of Jack Cork and Jack Wilshere, who have recently gone out on loan to Premier League clubs, while Victor signed for Wigan last month.

"Amongst this group there are those like Michael Mancienne, Ryan Bertrand, Scott Loach and Fabrice Muamba who have played a lot of first-team footballthis season too.

"So we have some experience there that can be very important for us."

In September 2008, Walcott became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for England in the 4-1 World Cup qualifying win over Croatia.


England Under-21 squad to face Greece at Doncaster on 3 March:

Fielding (Blackburn, on loan at Rochdale), Loach (Watford), McCarthy (Reading, on loan at Yeovil), Bertrand (Chelsea, on loan at Reading), Mancienne (Chelsea, on loan at Wolves), Naughton (Tottenham, on loan at Middlesbrough), Richards (Manchester City), Smalling (Fulham), Tomkins (West Ham), K Walker (Tottenham), Cleverley (Manchester United, on loan at Watford), Cork (Chelsea, on loan at Burnley), Delph (Aston Villa), Wilshere (Arsenal, on loan at Bolton), Muamba (Bolton), Gosling (Everton), Lansbury (Arsenal, on loan at Watford), Moses (Wigan), Cattermole (Sunderland), Rodwell (Everton), Carroll (Newcastle), Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Sturridge (Chelsea), Welbeck (Manchester United, on loan at Preston).



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see also
Wenger upset at Walcott pressure
22 Feb 10 |  Arsenal
Owen not expecting World Cup call
22 Feb 10 |  Man Utd
Walcott suffers hamstring injury
03 Dec 09 |  Arsenal
Croatia 1-4 England
10 Sep 08 |  Internationals
Walcott left out of England squad
04 Oct 09 |  Internationals
Walcott fit for England matches
30 Sep 09 |  Internationals


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