Crouch returns but no Owen (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Crouch returns but no Owen

11:17am Monday 6th October 2008 in

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Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch's brief international exile was brought to an end by Fabio Capello - but there was no place in the England squad for Michael Owen ahead of the World Cup qualifiers with Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Capello made four changes to his 23-man squad, two of which were enforced due to injuries sustained by Joe Cole and Paul Robinson.

But Owen found himself left out and there must be some doubt over the Newcastle striker's international future.

Capello hinted at Owen's omission in an interview with Sunday newspaper journalists, citing Newcastle's poor form, plus a need for strikers within his squad to do more than just score goals.

And so it has proved, with Crouch the man called upon to supply extra striking impetus now Cole is unavailable.

David Bentley's poor form for Tottenham has also contributed to him being left out, with Shaun Wright-Phillips gaining an immediate dividend from his move back to Manchester City, having left Chelsea for under half the £21million he made the move the other way for three years ago.

However, neither Wright-Phillips nor David Beckham, who keeps his place, can expect to oust Theo Walcott from Capello's starting line-up given the Arsenal man scored a superb hat-trick in the win over Group Six favourites Croatia in Zagreb a month ago.

Predictably, Steven Gerrard is back following a minor groin operation, with Jimmy Bullard's elevation to international ranks proving to be brief, while Scott Carson benefits from Robinson's absence due to a calf injury.