Fraser Forster

It's obvious that it can't be that bad if Celtic can beat Barca and give them a test away from home, you have to be a class player to play for them actually.

If the league had better players, it'd be much better to keep up with. But they are clearly good players and are CL class so why is it underrated so much, who knows.

Forster has improved a lot since he has signed for us. His shot stopping is immense and he rarely makes major errors that cost us.

The areas that let him down however, are his kicking and coming to take crosses. His kicking has got worse recently, he always elects to punch and rarely comes off his line. I'd love for him to get an England cap but he needs to improve in those areas first.

Although I don't know how Hart is compared to him as most of the time I see him on MOTD and you don't tend to see crosses being caught and successful kicks, just good saves and blunders.

He does fit England's style well though for me.

Hodgson likes to play possession and passing, which Forster's kicking obviously isn't needed and punching could fall kindly for a break away or distribution to the full backs/center backs.

He will come for most in the 6 yard box if required which is all he needs because England's CB's do sit quite deep actually and will clear up in the box with the midfielders/full backs potentially completing the job.

I think he'll fit in now really and improve his skills as he trains with better players.

Hodgson has forced himself into this situation, not only with Fraser Forster but also with John Ruddy and Jack Butland where their inexperience means he simply cannot afford to risk them.

I do not think he would have had any qualms about dropping Hart, had the other goalkeepers been given experience. But England have played numerous friendlies where the likes of Forster, Ruddy, Butland etc could have been bedded into the team and given their chance to settle.

Let's not forget, Ricky Lambert's debut only came about because there were injuries to a few forwards: Defoe, Sturridge, Carroll and also Wayne Rooney was just coming back. What happened? He won the English the game against the Scots.

Hodgson is a conservative and that's why he's not the man to take England forward. He will persist with players he already knows because he's not even willing to test new players in meaningless friendlies.

He is a great manager for countries that aren't expected to qualify directly and his ability to get points in away games is crucial for them. But if the opposition themselves are sitting back and saying "you are England, you will have to come and attack us" he is quite clueless.

His team won't lose many games, it's just they won't win enough either.

I personally think Forster is a cracking keeper. The guy is a giant in the goal and makes top draw saves all the time. Playing as a GK for Celtic may help as he usually doesn't have much to do all game and then has to make that save.

I can think (with time) countless times that he's made superb saves/double saves etc. Just class goalkeeping.

Joe Hart is overrated.

Agreed.

"Joe Hart is overrated."

It's going to take a fluck up by Hart playing for England to change Hodgson's mind. He's already said he's still England's No 1 i.e he will start the first of the two games and they'll see how he gets on.

Forster has undoubtedly improved since he's come to us. Hard to believe he was third or fourth choice keeper at Newcastle and wasn't rated by Pardew

He's even been spoken about by the quality European sides (Benfica/Barcelona) as a transfer target. Benfica had a bid refused in the Summer. Victor Valdes had a word after the game during the week to say "Well Done"

As for England No 1, let's see how Hart gets on. As somebody said, Hodgson should have used recent friendlies to give the other keepers experience but he didn't and he's lumbered with Hart until he has another shocker.

The more errors the better for Forster if he keeps this form up.