The beginning of the week sees football dominate the back pages again with Fabio Capello seeing his name splashed across the Monday papers after his squad selection has caused many talking points.
Goalkeepers:
Ben Foster
Joe Hart
Paul Robinson
The goalkeeping selection from Capello is an interesting one. Joe Hart, although has been around the England set up for a while has never managed to break into his clubs first team. However an excellent season last season proved to England fans that he can mix it with the best and rightfully has his spot in the squad. Ben Foster has finally left Manchester United, after never really looking like taking the number one shirt there and has joined Birmingham, this move will help him the long run to stay around the England squad which he has flopped in and out of so often due to not playing enough. The last selection by Fabio was Paul Robinson, who then promptly announced he wasn't content to play third fiddle. This hasn't come as a shock really to many people who respect his decision with it being obvious to many that Hart and Foster are the two goalkeepers England will probabaly be looking at long term.
Defenders:
Gary Cahill
Ashley Cole
Michael Dawson
Kieran Gibbs
Phil Jagielka
Glen Johnson
John Terry
Wes Brown *
The defending situation within the international scene for England was shown up to be in lacklustre condition as Germany stuck four past England in the second round of the world cup, and with long term choices, Rio Ferdinand, seemingly permantley injured, Fabio Capello has looked elsewhere for a partner to John Terry. Gary Cahill has been playing at Bolton for a number of seasons now, and although never spectacular has managed to prove he is a solid centre back in the premiership, whether he is good enough to step it up another level is questionable however. Ashley Cole came home from the World Cup as one of only a few England players who could say they played to a reasonable standard. However, he may have to be content with a place on the bench on Wednesday night if Capello is looking to blood youngsters into the team. Michael Dawson managed to get his spot at the World Cup, and then was promptly ignored by Capello for three weeks before flying home again having not even set foot on the field. Dawson has a lot to prove to Capello to show him that he is not just a filler player, and that he can command the centre back position for England.
Kieran Gibbs is the first real youngster that Capello has selected for this squad, having only played in a few games last season before breaking a metatarsel, it remains to be seen how good Gibbs is. Capello will use this to game to bring him into the fold, but is unlikely to judge on the game, as he will be looking to make sure that Kieran can hold down the Arsenal left back spot before being selected for England in future. Phil Jagielka is a player who many thought that England should have taken to the World Cup, having only won 3 caps before, Jagielka is likely to get his next cap for England on Wednesday having not played for England since Feburary 2009. Jagielka will also possibly be looking to put himself about with Arsenal looking for him to join them. Glen Johnson and John Terry have also both been selected, which were pretty obvious choices to most, however it is hoped that Capello limits both their playing time, with mistakes from Terry in particular costing England at the World Cup. Wes Brown was the last selection for the defence, however, he soon followed Paul Robinson in telling Capello he doesn't want to play for England anymore, due to being left out of the World Cup squad.Midfielders:
Gareth Barry
Steven Gerrard
Adam Johnson
Frank Lampard
James Milner
Ashley Young
Theo Walcott
Jack Wilshere
Midfield has always been a touchy subject with England fans, with so many different options and formations tried and discussed, none ever really utilising the two players who shine most for their clubs, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. The midfield squad for the Hungary game can be split into three: The Obvious; The dubious and the newbies.
The obvious selections into Capello's squad were the four that he took to the World Cup. Capello has become very enamoured with James Milner following his season of performances at Villa, however this has hampered his captain who is playing on the left hand side now, Steven Gerrard himself has said he will play anywhere for the team, but knows he plays best through the middle. Leaving England with a problem, as the other two "obvious choices", Lampard and Barry, although different players are also both central midfielders, and if Capello wants to be able to play at least three, he is going to have to move away from his standard 4-4-2, or carry on playing his best players out of position.
The dubious selections for this squad include the two names of Ashley Young, and Theo Walcott. These two have been picked for England before and played well before in fits and spurts. But there in lies the problem with both of them. Capello never knows who is going to turn up with them, with Young having a mediocre season at Villa compared to previous outings, and Walcott not getting enough game time still at Arsenal, it could be argued that these two although young are almost coming up their final chances with the England squad whilst Capello is manager.The two new boys who have been selected are Jack Wilshere and Adam Johnson. Both are relative new kids to the squad, with Johnson only being selected on the back of his good end of 09/10 season, and Wilshere being selected on potential talent he might bring out in the next few years. The hope is really that one, or even both by 2014 will have forced their way into the first team and will be commanding the centre of the England midfield.
Forwards:
Darren Bent
Carlton Cole
Wayne Rooney
Bobby Zamora
The forward line for England against Hungary can be described as weak. However I feel that in all honesty, I cannot remember a weaker set of strikers going into an England game. Darren Bent has pulled out of the squad due to an injury, leaving Capello with three strikers.
Wayne Rooney, who was one of his worst performers at the World Cup, should have a lot to prove, but doesn't because of his almost guarenteed spot for England, which in a way hinders him I feel, as with competition for his spot, the game we see him play so well for Manchester United might come out more often for England. Carlton Cole is a very take it how you see it sort of player, he will be the big man in the partnership if Capello decides to stick with 4-4-2, and although he can score goals, he just isn't good enough to threaten a world class defence. Bobby Zamora is the last selection that Capello has made, with Zamora having had such an excellent season last season for Fulham it makes perfect sense to try and fit in him to the squad, however, where can he fit into the England system is the key question he needs to answer himself. If he is to be selected on a more regular basis, England will most likely need to change their style of play around him so they have a more tangiable threat from him, than their current style of play.
The squad Capello has selected is a strong one, however is it the best one? No. Probabaly not. Is it the one teeming with youngsters like he said he wanted to do? Well, not really that either. The problem he has created for himself by picking this squad is that it's not enough one way or the other. Hopefully on wednesday night we will see a rejuvanted England team come out, play some good football with some new players involved and gain a nice comfortable win. However, even if that happens, the question will remain, where are the other talented youngsters who already play for their clubs week in, week out, such as Jack Rodwell for Everton.
In other news today within the world of football, Martin O Neill has finally up and left from his position as boss of Aston Villa. Whilst many fans think that this is the end for Villa, I feel that for them it is probably for the best. Aston Villa have hit a ceiling within the premiership currently which by playing as MON does, it is unlikely that they will be able to break through it spending over exaggerated amounts on English talent. Although he has his plaudits, I feel that many could do just a good job at Villa as he has, and I hope that someone can come in and dig them out of the hole he has left them in before the start of the season.
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