Tuesday, March 23, 2010

England's World Cup Squad Crisis deepens

I wrote a post about a month ago detailing England's issues ahead of the coming world cup, since then things have got even worse. I have included the post in full bellow,
But here is how it has got even worse, (also some things I missed the first time) Also note my prediction "So many issues so little time, expect one or two unforseen major injuries as well." has come to pass.

David Beckham is out. Big Achillies Injury.
Michael Owen (an outside bet) is out - hamstring injury.
Wes Brown has a broken foot.
Wayne Bridge, it turns out is not willing to play in the same team as John Terry and he is injured.
John Terry has been out of form.
Steven Warnock got mullered by Valencia in the Carling Cup.
Joleon Lescott has an injurywith hamstring injury.
Jermain Defoe is injured.
Wayne Rooney has a lingering knee injury.
Also the chief excutive of the FA has resigned after a row with Phil Gartside the Bolton chairman
And all the best American footballers seem to have recovered from serious injures and found form ahead of the world cup.

I'm sure more things will go wrong of England before the world cup, I will keep you posted.


England's World Cup Squad Crisis
Goalkeepers:
1. Joe Hart - the best English goalkeeper on current form.
2. Rob Green or Paul Robinson - Neither great, but both seldom injured and play week in week out.
3. David James or another, if James plays till the end of the season he goes, probably the same with Ben Foster. If neither play and one of the two above have issues then prehaps someone out of leftfield like Scott Loach.
Right Backs:
1. Glen Johnson - If fit, hasn't played in a while so uncertain as to whether he makes it.
2. Wes Brown - His best form for Manchester United was at right back in the Champions League winning season, though it is a position he needs a run of games to adapt to. He can also play as a centre back where he has played a lot for Man U this season.
Backup - Gary Neville - has been more fit this season, he is at best though when attacking as he lost some pace since the serious injuries. Can also play as a centre back. After Gary Neville there arn't any notable options, which is a concern given Glen Johnson's fitness. n.b. - I lied I forgot Micah Richards who is having some what of a rebirth under Mancini.
Left Backs:
1. Ashley Cole - not perfect but very good, can get caught to high up the field which is an issue if Glen Johnson is playing as well. - His place at the world cup however will be determined by the media, He has a big tabloid target on the back of his head.
2. Wayne Bridge - if he is willing to play in the same team as John Terry and Ashley Cole and is fit, he is probably going to go.
Backup - Leighton Baines prehaps - not a great deal of choice in this area.
Centre Backs:
1. John Terry - The biggest tabloid target in Britain right now, he has six months of mud slinging by the papers if he is to make the squad, there are also concerns regarding his relationships with other players, notabley Wayne Bridge. Still a long time to go and the scandals surrounding him still have plenty of legs. A big wait and see here.
2. Rio Ferdinand - If he is fit he goes - a potentially big if however given a series of injuries this season.
3. Mathew Upson - form is a bit erratic of late, he is a favourite of Capello, and by no means a bad player, should be on the plane.
4. Joleon Lescott - Two issues here - 1. Fitness, 2. Will Mancini like him, he was a big money signing of Mark Hughes, Given that city have players like Toure, Kompany, Onuoha, Boyata, Richards it is by no means certain that he will be playing for the rest of the season.
Backup - Cahill is out for the season, King and Woodgate have serious fitness concerns. Dawson prehaps maybe even Shawcross at Stoke.
Midfield: a difficult area to call - I'm going to start with the certs and work outwards.
1. Steven Gerrard - only issue is fitness, not been in his best form this season but if fit he goes.
2. Frank Lampard - Again pretty certain to go, has to like all Chelsea players watch their back for the tabloids, but he is considerably cleaner that Terry and A Cole.
3. James Milner - Great form for Villa, can play anywhere, good tournament experience with the Under 21s, has played well for the senior team- must go.
4. Gareth Barry - Good form for City can play in a variety of positions, no issues here.
5. David Beckham - Has experience, playing regularly for Milan - issue here is age.
6. Michael Carrick - A good centre midfielder, playing well for Manchester United, more of a deep lying player which England will need two of. Also has been among the goals this year.
7. Aaron Lennon - unplayable before he got injured, if he is fit he must go. Saddly this is a big if though.
8. Who can say, Ashley Young a very good player, though inconsistant for Villa this year, Stuart Downing - doing allright for Villa though not at his best yet, Theo Walcott, Strugglled with injuries andwhen he has been fit he hasn't been in form. David Bentley has been playing allright for Tottenham the last couple of weeks, but will he get in Tottenthams team if Lennon is fit. Shaun Wright-Phillips hasn't palyed well on the occasions hes played under Mancini - Adam Johnson was brought on ahead of him for City against Hull and Mancini was instantly impressed with Johnson so maybe hes an outside bet. N'Zogbia now qualifies for England and he has been pretty good this season so you never know.
Strikers:
1. Wayne Rooney - 23 goals already for United this season, brilliant for England in qualifying. Churches up and down the country are packed to the rafters with England fans praying he doesn't get injured before the World Cup.
2. Jermain Defoe - must go 20 goals already for Spurs this season and has been scoring in his last few international runouts, offers very little other than goals, but as we all know goals win games.
3. Peter Crouch - only 10 goals this season so not a bad return, at international level he scores goals for fun, also when he was at Liverpool he was more prolific in Europe. Without wanting to sound jingoistic, he must go becuase foreign defences can't handle him.
4. Emile Heskey prehaps, who knows, has played well for England but has less goals in him than Crouch, - hard call this one. - Carlton Cole - not prolific but was playing well for west ham before he got injured. Darren Bent has 15 goals so far this season for Sunderland, very similar player to Defoe but Defoe is more prolific. Gabby Agbonlahor - 12 goals for the season so far, has pace movement, but unlikely to go unless he scores 20-25+ this season. Other options include Michael Owen - but only if he gets a Rooneyesque run of goals. and my outside bet would be for Matt Derbyshire - who since his return from injury has been banging them in for Olympiakos.

So many issues so little time, expect one or two unforseen major injuries as well.

No comments:

Post a Comment