Walcott & Lennon in England squad http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/england/4983618.stm Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon are in England's provisional World Cup squad, but Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermain Defoe and Ledley King miss out. Arsenal teenager Walcott is one of only four strikers in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 23-man squad, alongside injured pair Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen. Darren Bent misses out, while Defoe is on a five-man standby list. Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing and Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves are other surprise inclusions. Chelsea winger Wright-Phillips, an England squad regular this season, does not even make the standby list, which includes uncapped West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker and Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson. Eriksson admitted he was taking a gamble by selecting uncapped Walcott, who is yet to make a first-team appearance for Arsenal after joining from Southampton in January. "It's a big gamble, I know it is. I am excited to see him, he's a big talent. And pace in football today is worth a lot," said the England coach, who will step down after the World Cup. "I spoke to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and he's excited as well, very much so. "For me it's a good squad, an interesting squad. There are some new players, some young players and it is an attacking squad with a lot of pace which is necessary in a World Cup." Asked how he came to the decision to omit the likes of Defoe and Bent in favour of Walcott, Eriksson confessed: "Probably not too logically. "Sometimes you do it on feelings as well and I am excited about Theo Walcott." Eriksson must name his final squad on Monday 15 May, but he has until 24 hours before England's first game on 10 June to replace any injured players. a big gamble . -- http://www.pixnet.net/Gronkjaer --

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