Why This Long-Serving West Ham’s Midfield Engine Deserve A Spot In The England Squad

Just when things were falling into places for West Ham United having finally been able to stitch some results together this season, they lost yet another game past weekend – against Everton – but the fact about them beating Chelsea in the League cup might cheer them up. One player who has done extremely well in the recent run of form for the Hammers is their midfield engine Mark Noble.

The 29-year old Canning Town midfielder has been with Hammers for close to 15 years now and was one of the most influential players for the side in their superb run in the Premier League last season. However, he is easily one of the most unluckiest players in the domestic arena for England and is yet to make it into the senior side.

But here is why he deserves a call up from the national squad in the next few months.

Having represented the country in the Under16, 17, 18, 19 and the 21 levels, the 29-year old is one of the most experienced players in his positions. The likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick took over the midfield duties for the side for most of the last decade and the mantle was then passed on to Jordan Henderson, Eric Dier and Dele Alli, a group of youngsters that are ruling the Premier League also at the moment. This has seen the West Ham man miss out on a place in the squad in the last few year.

But with the current situation with the national side, the 29-year old might just be the right man to bring back the balance in the side. At his age, Noble has more experience than any of the current midfielders in the squad and is a player who will make them stronger at the back. England have been able to brush aside teams in the qualifiers with their quality but have not been able to perform when it matters the most. Adding experience and mettle to the midfield in the form of Mark Noble can go a long way in changing the recent trend.

Gareth Southgate’s England side is one of the strongest in the world and is expected to compete for every Cup internationally. However, they have failed to find the right combination in the outfield and have not been able to field a balanced side for some time now. This is where the West Ham man can change the whole game. He is an excellent midfielder with plenty of energy and running and will make the England midfield a lot more organized. He will provide cover for the back four that will help them in crunch games and will also provide those late runs into the box at the other end that keep the opponents honest throughout the game.

He is a hard worker who will give his all in every game he plays and it is a shame that he is yet to be offered a place in the first team for England. At 29, he is still in his best years as a footballer and if England are to find enough stability to go on and win some trophies they will need someone of Noble’s caliber to take them through.

Do you think Mark Noble deserves to get into the England squad this season?