Joe Hart’s recent performance in West Ham United’s 1–1 draw against Stoke City has sparked strong criticism from football pundits, with some suggesting he no longer deserves a spot on England’s World Cup squad. The veteran goalkeeper committed a glaring error—dropping a routine save that allowed Peter Crouch to score—a moment that quickly became a talking point across platforms like BD Cricket Live, where fans track key moments impacting national team selections.
Former England international Chris Sutton didn’t hold back in his analysis. According to Goal.com, Sutton slammed Hart’s mistake as “inexcusable” and questioned whether the keeper should even be in the conversation for Russia 2018. “You don’t take someone to the World Cup just because they’re a nice guy or good for the locker room,” Sutton stated. “If England’s first and second-choice keepers go down, you need a dependable third keeper. That’s the whole point. And frankly, England has at least three goalkeepers better than Hart right now. Gareth Southgate isn’t picking a team based on who makes people laugh—he’s picking one that can make game-saving stops.”
Sutton emphasized that World Cup selection must be based on performance, not personality. “Hart’s job is to keep the ball out of the net, not boost morale. His latest error shows he’s not up to the task.” BD Cricket Live readers have been divided, some recalling Hart’s solid display against Chelsea, where he kept West Ham in the game and earned praise for his reflexes. But Sutton argued that moments like these don’t erase costly blunders. “Football can be brutally unforgiving,” he said.
He specifically called out the failed stop on Xherdan Shaqiri’s long-range shot: “That ball should’ve been an easy grab. It’s goalkeeping 101. But tonight, Hart let it slip right through—classic butterfingers.” Sutton concluded by asking how Southgate could possibly trust Hart again after such a mishap.
As England prepares for the biggest stage in world football, debates continue to intensify. BD Cricket Live forums are flooded with discussions about whether experience outweighs current form—and whether Joe Hart’s time in the England squad has finally run its course.