The team for Japan isn't just experimental, it is positively weird. The side in full reads:
David James, Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Theo Walcott, Tom Huddlestone, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, Wayne Rooney, Darren Bent.
To begin, what is the point of starting with Rooney? We know what the guy can do and, on his own admission, he is feeling jaded and in need of rest. Capello, himself, has said that the team have to learn how to play without Rooney and yet Capello starts him every game. What happens if Rooney is injured tomorrow? How stupid would that be? Why risk him? Why?
Then there is the selection of David James. What is that about? We know what he can do too and he is hardly in need of the experience. Hart, on the other hand, looks the best of the three keepers but still has only 90 minutes of international football, spread over two games, under his belt. Surely he should have started this game ahead of Calamity?
But what is really strange is the inclusion of BOTH Lennon and Walcott. We know Lennon can't play on the left, he's about as effective there as Stanislas and Spector, so what is going on? Can we expect to see Walcott and Lennon switching flanks? Very, very weird.
And then there is Huddlestone. He isn't a midfield anchor man but that's where he is playing! If we picked this team against Brazil or Spain, we would be ripped apart.
No Parker and no Upson either; it's looking like Green will be the only Hammer on the plane. And if Upson is left out, he will only have himself to blame. To describe his season as average would be unfair to the word average. Looking after himself for the World Cup may be about to bite him on the arse big time!
Capello has made some strange decisions recently.
ReplyDeleteShould have started: Hart, Carragher at RB to give him a feel, Adam Johnson, Parker.
Looks like he's considering taking Huddlestone, which is just a joke.
Upson deserves everything he's gonna get.
Looks like CAPELLO is starting with a near first team.I think he already knows his 23,he is just fine tuning his starting 11 .
ReplyDeleteRumor is that he will drop Joe Cole too. Against Mexico England would have lost by a middle of the table Premiership team. I don't see how this England team can have any other fate than that of those of the last 40 years or so. It doesn't even compare with any of the big four (Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Italy).
ReplyDeleteWith respect, that's nonsense Sav. England may have struggled against a full strength Chelsea, Arsenal or Man Utd, but Jose has already said that the top club sides would beat any international team.
ReplyDeleteThe important point is that England keep winning. It will all come out in the wash but, if we keep Rooney fit, I'm still expecting us to win the World Cup.
With respect I can think at least of 7-8 teams that are clearly better than England. Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland, possibly still France and also Portugal. We can all dream, but reality is something else.
ReplyDeleteThat would be Portugal who struggled to qualify, selected Boa-Morte and recently drew 0-0 with Cape Verde? And Argentina who struggled to qualify and are managed by crack cociane addict Mardona? And Spain who went out of the last year's warm up to South Africa to the USA and who needed a last minute goal the other day to beat Saudi Arabia? And Brazil who struggled to beat South Africa and were two goals down to the USA? And Italy who struggled in qualification and whose Champions didn't feature a single Italian in the first 11 in the Champions League Final? And Holland who always implode in major Championships? And Germany who we beat with a reserve team and who recently lost their captain to injury? Yep Sav, we should be terrified of that lot!
ReplyDeleteOops, I forgot France! Runners up in their group and needed a hand ball to get past a very ordinary Ireland over two legs!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are right and I am wrong. We'll soon find out.
ReplyDeleteIndeed we will Sav. With your name, are you a Greece fan too?
ReplyDeleteOf course! But the situation with Greece is even worse than with England. The last time we played against Argentina in the World Cup we lost 5 or 6 zero! But, you never know. Who would have thought that Greece would have won the Euro in 2004! So, miracles do happen.
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