Before I get into this, I might as well comment on the defeat earlier today at the hands of Germany. We were thrashed, but at least we gave it a go - had the goal line incident been correctly judged, who knows what would have happened. Probably a defeat, but still respectable. I would much rather we lose with a performance that at least showed some attacking spark and get ruthlessly counter-attacked than limp out in ignominious circumstances, a la 2006.
In this blog I'm going to hypothesise the team for the World Cup in 2014, and I think it will be drastically different to this team. Firstly, likely survivors. From the defence, Ashley Cole and John Terry will both be 33, perhaps young enough, but it would seem unlikely. Glen Johnson would be 29, so still young enough to maintain the level he is currently showing, though his ability to compete even now at the highest level is questionable. Ferdinand, Upson and King will be gone, with the only possible survivor being Dawson, who I still maintain would have been the best partner for Terry. Midfield: Gerrard will be gone, likewise Lampard (played well today I thought) and Joe Cole, with Barry and Milner being the only two with a chance at 2014 - Barry because his position is less dependent on mobility which will decrease with age, and Milner because he is still only 24. Whether he is good enough is uncertain. Lennon will surely still feature, but Carrick and SWP will not be so lucky. Rooney is the only forward that will make the cut in four years time. So, on with the up-and-comers.
Joe Hart, Manchester City (GK):- Absolutely has to be given the #1 spot come the Euro 2012 qualification rounds. His class is undoubted and his position come 2014 certain, but he must be blooded and given responsibilty now. The real deal.
Ryan Shawcross, Blackburn (CB):- I am as yet unconvinced of his abilities, but many others rate him highly. At 22 he will be a good age in four years time.
Keiran Gibbs, Arsenal (LB):- Looks a good prospect and worthy of the comparisons with Ashley Cole. Was part of the England team that was thrashed 4-0 to Germany in the final of the 2009 u21 European Championship, which incidentally, contained four players that featured for Germany today.
Kyle Naughton, Spurs (RB):- Despite playing for my team I have only seen him in action once, but he looked pretty good. If he doesn't make the grade there's always Kyle Walker, also at Spurs, also originally from Sheffield, also called Kyle and also a right-back.
As for other top-class early to mid 20s Centre Backs, I can't think of any. We seem to be royally screwed in this department, but who knows what will happen.
Jack Rodwell, Everton (DM):- Having already chalked up a number of impressive appearances for Everton, it seems likely he will reach his considerable potential. He is able to play in many positions, but his best is yet be acertained. He will perhaps still be a bit young, 23 in 2014, which is more of a problem for defenders than attackers, so perhaps more of an outside bet, but his time will come.
Jack Wilshire, Arsenal (LW):- He'll only be 22 in 2014, but this lad looks the business. Impressive even at just 16, experience at Bolton will serve him well, and I am confident he can flourish at the highest level. If he's good enough, he's old enough.
Adam Johnson, Manchester City (LW):- Should have been on the plane this year, and will surely be a brilliant player in a few years.
Tom Huddlestone, Spurs (CM):- He's taking a long time to really develop his defensive game, but on the evidence of the latter half of this season he looks to have made huge strides. No one on the planet can play long-balls with as much accuracy as Thud, and he retain it on the floor too. Not to mention his mean shot, which frankly could take someone's head off. Keep the faith.
Danny Rose, Spurs (either wing):- it is likely he has already scored the best goal of his career, but that strike against Arsenal aside, his play was good for a player his age. Good enough for the world stage? Not convinced yet.
Theo Walcott, Arsenal (FW):- Notice I listed him as a forward, not a winger. Rightfully denied a place this year as a winger, but I feel he will eventually end up as a striker. He has poor passing and crossing ability, but his pace is fearsome and his finishing Owen-esque. I still rate him as a player, but please, Arsene, play him up front, or he will fizzle out.
Also seriously struggled to find striking quality in the 20-24 age-group from where players will likely be picked. Off the top of my head, Daniel Sturridge looks okay, but not good enough; likewise Danny Welbeck. Promising younger players like Victor Moses and John Obika won't be given a chance.
Conclusion: we're going to get stuffed. Sorry. Too many gaps to fill, not enough talent.
Sunday 27 June 2010
Monday 21 June 2010
It might be a comedy site, but there are some solid ideas in this article.
Our society would be a far better place if we were all taught these things in school.
Our society would be a far better place if we were all taught these things in school.
Sunday 20 June 2010
All-Star XI, thus far
I'm bored, so here's the best team so far in the tournament.
GK: No outstanding candidates quite yet. Enyeama did exceptionally to keep Argentina at 1-0, but gifted Greece a winner to all but condemn Nigeria to elimination. In that case,Valdimir Stojkovic gets the nod for saving a penalty against a German, only the second in history in open play.
RB: Easy, this one: Maicon. His apparent immunity to fatigue in combination with his intrinsic desire to overlap makes him a constant menace.
CB: Ryan Nelsen: heroic in keeping Italy out, aside from a wrongfully awarded penalty (that Nelsen wasn't involved in)
CB: John Terry. What! I hear you cry? Well, the US only had one real chance, and Algeria had none. We were hardly an attacking threat in both games, but that's not Terry's responsibility.
LB: Okay, so Phillip Lahm has played on the right for Germany, but as good as he has been there, he's better in his natural position. Outmuscled to allow the headed assist for Serbia's goal.
DM: Javier Mascerano as been brilliant at breaking up opposition attacks in his inimitable scuttling style.
RM: Dennis Rommedahl: the outstanding player in Denmarks decent squad, and the fulcrum for victory over Cameroon. A constant thorn in the Indomitable Lions' side, he created the first and scored the second thanks to a great touch and sublime speed. My man of the tournament thus far.
LM: Robinho was technically more of a left wing-forward, but I'm shoe-horning him into LM. Brought the usual bag of tricks, but also an end product - his defence splitter was the pass of the tournament.
AM: It's got to be Lionel Messi for, well, you know why. However, an honourable mention goes to Tse-Se Jong, who is playing more like Wayne Rooney than the real Wayne Rooney. Another honourable mention goes to Mesut Ozil, who orchestrated Germany's demolition of Australia, made especially impressive when you consider he's only 21...until you realise Messi himself is just 22.
CF: Gonzalo Higuain scored the first hat-trick since Pauleta in 2002. It's easy to dismiss all his goals as tap-ins (they were) but it takes a good striking brain to be in those crucial positions at the right time.
CF: Diego Forlan, the only other player to score more than one outfield goal (Gyan is excluded), is really the only other choice so far. Aside from the goals he is the most important member in an impressive Uruguyan side that put South Africa to the sword.
I'd love to hear your suggestions.
GK: No outstanding candidates quite yet. Enyeama did exceptionally to keep Argentina at 1-0, but gifted Greece a winner to all but condemn Nigeria to elimination. In that case,Valdimir Stojkovic gets the nod for saving a penalty against a German, only the second in history in open play.
RB: Easy, this one: Maicon. His apparent immunity to fatigue in combination with his intrinsic desire to overlap makes him a constant menace.
CB: Ryan Nelsen: heroic in keeping Italy out, aside from a wrongfully awarded penalty (that Nelsen wasn't involved in)
CB: John Terry. What! I hear you cry? Well, the US only had one real chance, and Algeria had none. We were hardly an attacking threat in both games, but that's not Terry's responsibility.
LB: Okay, so Phillip Lahm has played on the right for Germany, but as good as he has been there, he's better in his natural position. Outmuscled to allow the headed assist for Serbia's goal.
DM: Javier Mascerano as been brilliant at breaking up opposition attacks in his inimitable scuttling style.
RM: Dennis Rommedahl: the outstanding player in Denmarks decent squad, and the fulcrum for victory over Cameroon. A constant thorn in the Indomitable Lions' side, he created the first and scored the second thanks to a great touch and sublime speed. My man of the tournament thus far.
LM: Robinho was technically more of a left wing-forward, but I'm shoe-horning him into LM. Brought the usual bag of tricks, but also an end product - his defence splitter was the pass of the tournament.
AM: It's got to be Lionel Messi for, well, you know why. However, an honourable mention goes to Tse-Se Jong, who is playing more like Wayne Rooney than the real Wayne Rooney. Another honourable mention goes to Mesut Ozil, who orchestrated Germany's demolition of Australia, made especially impressive when you consider he's only 21...until you realise Messi himself is just 22.
CF: Gonzalo Higuain scored the first hat-trick since Pauleta in 2002. It's easy to dismiss all his goals as tap-ins (they were) but it takes a good striking brain to be in those crucial positions at the right time.
CF: Diego Forlan, the only other player to score more than one outfield goal (Gyan is excluded), is really the only other choice so far. Aside from the goals he is the most important member in an impressive Uruguyan side that put South Africa to the sword.
I'd love to hear your suggestions.
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Why I Cheered For 'Korea Democratic Peoples' Republic'
It was the greatest mismatch possible: Brazil vs the Korea Democratic Peoples' Republic, better known as North Korea. A team ranked 1st in the world, almost as well known for their teamwork as their individual flair, versus a team ranked 102nd, about whom very little is known. I truly despise North Korea and its consistent war-mongering, and I've had a good few laughs at the Korean's bizarre set-up. They train in a public gym, they hired Chinese actors to pretend to be North Korean supporters, their television networks have been told to edit the match so it casts them in a favourable light and their coach snapped at a journalist that dared refer to his team as 'North Korea'. I was hoping for a spanking, partly because it would be amusing trying to work out how the television networks would make their zero good moments into a highlights reel, and partly because I'm thirsty for goals after a worrying goal drought, as mentioned in the previous post.
However, my mind was changed even before a ball was kicked. Tae-Se Jong, the captain and only player to own a mobile phone, was seen in tears during the KDPR national anthem. Perhaps his belief in his Great Leader is woefully misguided, but there's no doubting the commitment. If English players could show half that passion we would be in a far stronger position than we are now.
As expected, the Brazilians dominated possession, but were face with a defence that was not just committed, but also surprisingly adept. Brazil simply could not find a way through, and resorted to long shots, relinquising possession and allowing the Koreans to counter-attack, spearheaded by the aforementioned Jong. He really was excellent, a constant thorn, and eventually provided the assist an astonishing goal. It was too little too late, with Brazil already ahead 2-0 by this point, but it was some reward for a disciplined yet often technically astute performance. Faced with a more impotent opposition (see Portugal and Ivory Coasts 0-0), they might just have a chance, and I would welcome it.
I will mock no longer.
However, my mind was changed even before a ball was kicked. Tae-Se Jong, the captain and only player to own a mobile phone, was seen in tears during the KDPR national anthem. Perhaps his belief in his Great Leader is woefully misguided, but there's no doubting the commitment. If English players could show half that passion we would be in a far stronger position than we are now.
As expected, the Brazilians dominated possession, but were face with a defence that was not just committed, but also surprisingly adept. Brazil simply could not find a way through, and resorted to long shots, relinquising possession and allowing the Koreans to counter-attack, spearheaded by the aforementioned Jong. He really was excellent, a constant thorn, and eventually provided the assist an astonishing goal. It was too little too late, with Brazil already ahead 2-0 by this point, but it was some reward for a disciplined yet often technically astute performance. Faced with a more impotent opposition (see Portugal and Ivory Coasts 0-0), they might just have a chance, and I would welcome it.
I will mock no longer.
Why Has The World Cup Been So Boring So Far?
There's no denying it: this World Cup thus far has been terrible. The ultimate sporting jamboree, a showcase of the world's best talent, and yet twelve games in only one team has scored more than twice, Germany with four in by far the most entertaining match. The Netherlands and South Korea are the only teams to score twice. There has to be a reason for this.
Altitude could be a factor. With less oxygen players are willing to run less, make runs, and generally have the courage to make an exhausting foray that will tax the lungs but probably not the opposition goalkeeper. However, not every stadium is at altitude, with a good few at sea-level, and there is no correllation between height and goals.
The atmphosphere, perhaps? Not the literal atmosphere, but the crowd-generated excitement: the roar that chases a winger down the flank, the gasps at near misses. I maybe sensationalising things a bit here, but it is an undeniable factor. 40 000 people shouting at a lacklustre player will get him moving. In South Africa, atmosphere of this kind has been sorely wanting. Stadia are dominated by vuvuzela-tooting South Africans; flights and ticket prices have mean there hasn't been a noticable worldwide presence, providing fans that actually know how to get a stadium rocking. Am I being unfair on the South Africans? No, I don't think so. It may be in their country, and it's good that a World Cup is in Africa, but they must surely realise that the entire world is being driven insane by the incessant buzzing. Imagine going to a dinner party only to find aggressive dubstep being played the whole time. It's not proper. South Africa have taken the role of setting an example for the whole continent, and while I think it should be distinctively African. But if this sets a precedent for the whole continent then it's hard to see other countries getting the vote in coming years.
As annoying as the vuvuzelas are, they cannot be entirely to blame; Jamie Carragher said he wasn't affected by them, though I would imagine his ears aren't great after spending a career playing at Anfield. Could the frequently slammed Jabulani be to blame? Are the Adidas boffins wrong in that impeccable roundness doesn't equal ease of use, or perhaps it's a good ball, just far too different to from regular footballs. The Jabulani was used for the past season in the Bundesliga, which resulted in the highest goals to games ratio of all the big European leagues. That could, however, explain why German have scored the most, while everyone else is struggling.
We are still in the early stages of the World Cup, but just 20 goals have been scored in comparison with 28 by this stage four years ago. 140% more goals were scored in 2006 than 2010. By the end of the first round of group matches 39 goals had gone it. No pressure on Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and Spain, then, who have to hit five a piece, which would result in an amazing 5-5 draw between Ivory Coast and Portugal.
Altitude could be a factor. With less oxygen players are willing to run less, make runs, and generally have the courage to make an exhausting foray that will tax the lungs but probably not the opposition goalkeeper. However, not every stadium is at altitude, with a good few at sea-level, and there is no correllation between height and goals.
The atmphosphere, perhaps? Not the literal atmosphere, but the crowd-generated excitement: the roar that chases a winger down the flank, the gasps at near misses. I maybe sensationalising things a bit here, but it is an undeniable factor. 40 000 people shouting at a lacklustre player will get him moving. In South Africa, atmosphere of this kind has been sorely wanting. Stadia are dominated by vuvuzela-tooting South Africans; flights and ticket prices have mean there hasn't been a noticable worldwide presence, providing fans that actually know how to get a stadium rocking. Am I being unfair on the South Africans? No, I don't think so. It may be in their country, and it's good that a World Cup is in Africa, but they must surely realise that the entire world is being driven insane by the incessant buzzing. Imagine going to a dinner party only to find aggressive dubstep being played the whole time. It's not proper. South Africa have taken the role of setting an example for the whole continent, and while I think it should be distinctively African. But if this sets a precedent for the whole continent then it's hard to see other countries getting the vote in coming years.
As annoying as the vuvuzelas are, they cannot be entirely to blame; Jamie Carragher said he wasn't affected by them, though I would imagine his ears aren't great after spending a career playing at Anfield. Could the frequently slammed Jabulani be to blame? Are the Adidas boffins wrong in that impeccable roundness doesn't equal ease of use, or perhaps it's a good ball, just far too different to from regular footballs. The Jabulani was used for the past season in the Bundesliga, which resulted in the highest goals to games ratio of all the big European leagues. That could, however, explain why German have scored the most, while everyone else is struggling.
We are still in the early stages of the World Cup, but just 20 goals have been scored in comparison with 28 by this stage four years ago. 140% more goals were scored in 2006 than 2010. By the end of the first round of group matches 39 goals had gone it. No pressure on Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and Spain, then, who have to hit five a piece, which would result in an amazing 5-5 draw between Ivory Coast and Portugal.
Sunday 13 June 2010
Some Positives
Okay, so 1-1 wasn't quite the result we were hoping for, but it's not all doom and gloom.
- Steven Gerrard played very well, scoring and making some crunching tackles. In short, he played like he does for Liverpool.
- We created chances. Argentina won 1-0 against Nigeria, but no one is complaining about their lack of goals. Had Rob Green not fumbled so horribly we would be in exactly the same position.
- It's unlikely that an error as glaring as that will happen again. Green made a decent save from Altidore, but by tipping it onto the post he made it look better than it was in reality. David James and Joe Hart are both more capable.
- There was some solid ball retention. One touch passing in the middle is something that England have seemed unable to do, but today they did it well.
- It's an obvious one, but America didn't win either, and at the end of the day its who has the most points. Our fate is very much in our hands. Algiera and Slovenia won't be easy, but if we can't beat these two, then we can't beat anyone.
Friday 11 June 2010
South Africa 1-1 Mexico - Match Report
All the build-up seemed to threaten the un-thinkable: that Mexico might actually go and win this one, ruthlessly crushing the sky-high hopes and dreams of millions of South Africans. The multitudes of interviews with jubilant men, women and children all loyal to the Bafana Bafana cause seemed to pessimistic me that a awful defeat beckoned, and the first ten minutes seemed to confirm my fears.
It was a good seven minutes before the first South African player actually managed to get that pesky Jubilani under control; Mexico were making South Africa look like they were doing their best to fulfil that old African football team stereotype: decent individuals but no idea how to pass and defensively naive. Mexico had a goal ruled out shortly after for offside, but then something strange happened. South Africa remembered how to pass, and although it came to nothing, they worked the ball with skill and speed down the left, and with just a touch more vision the left-winger could have been played through (sorry, I don't know any of their names, bar Pienaar and Mokoena. And Tshabalala, who I'll get to shortly). There was another interlude of erattic play from the hosts, before something similar happened again, and I thought, perhaps this team are decent after all. Half time arrived with the scores still 0-0, with Mexico looking increasingly impotent despite the endeavours of Giovanni Dos Santos, who looks and plays like Ronaldinho's younger brother.
After continuing very much in the same vein the first half finished for ten minutes, South Africa scored, and it was an absolute beauty. Siphiwe Shabalala was put through but a surgical daisy-cutter on the left, he took a touch and walloped it past Perez straight into the top-right corner; replays showed Shabalala making perfect contact. The din from the already infamous vuvuzuelas became intolerable, what it must have been like inside the stadium I hope I'll never know.
South Africa were unable to find a second, and Mexico finally did my eardrums a favour and scored in the 78th minute. Thank God for that, a bit of peace and quiet. South Africa hit the woodwork following a route one pass in the dying minutes, but with neither side being able to make the decisive move the game finished 1-1.
It was a good seven minutes before the first South African player actually managed to get that pesky Jubilani under control; Mexico were making South Africa look like they were doing their best to fulfil that old African football team stereotype: decent individuals but no idea how to pass and defensively naive. Mexico had a goal ruled out shortly after for offside, but then something strange happened. South Africa remembered how to pass, and although it came to nothing, they worked the ball with skill and speed down the left, and with just a touch more vision the left-winger could have been played through (sorry, I don't know any of their names, bar Pienaar and Mokoena. And Tshabalala, who I'll get to shortly). There was another interlude of erattic play from the hosts, before something similar happened again, and I thought, perhaps this team are decent after all. Half time arrived with the scores still 0-0, with Mexico looking increasingly impotent despite the endeavours of Giovanni Dos Santos, who looks and plays like Ronaldinho's younger brother.
After continuing very much in the same vein the first half finished for ten minutes, South Africa scored, and it was an absolute beauty. Siphiwe Shabalala was put through but a surgical daisy-cutter on the left, he took a touch and walloped it past Perez straight into the top-right corner; replays showed Shabalala making perfect contact. The din from the already infamous vuvuzuelas became intolerable, what it must have been like inside the stadium I hope I'll never know.
South Africa were unable to find a second, and Mexico finally did my eardrums a favour and scored in the 78th minute. Thank God for that, a bit of peace and quiet. South Africa hit the woodwork following a route one pass in the dying minutes, but with neither side being able to make the decisive move the game finished 1-1.
Saturday 5 June 2010
What the Hell happened to Muse?
The release of the incredibly unimaginative Neutron Star Collision has confirmed Muse as a band that can no longer be called 'Good'. Thing is, I didn't see it coming. Black Holes and Revelations was a step down from the previous two, sure, but it was still by no means a bad album: Map of the Problematique and Knights of Cydonia will be considered classic Muse in time to come.
Then about this time last year, United States of Eurasia was released, and I loved it - it promised the album I had been hoping for. The follow-up, Uprising was more...solid, but still quite good. And then there was the much-hyped Exogenesis suite. It was billed to be a culmination of everything Muse had done previously, but alas, it was rubbish. In a way Exogenesis sums up what went wrong: Muse over extended themselves, the majestic classical stylings of Butterflies & Hurricanes from Absolution gave way to pomposity, with classical pretentions that not even Matt Bellamy could achieve successfully. Exogenesis was very much Bellamy's own, and without his less-celebrated but nevertheless essential bandmates he fell flat.
Exogenesis wasn't the only mis-fire. Bellamy doesn't speak French; why then the ridiculous add-on "(Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix), and the full-blow Francophone singing? And the flute? WHY WAS THERE A FLUTE! On top of that Undisclosed Desires is comfortably the worst song ever released by Muse, not helped by the tragic hip-hop beat. I could rant for ages about the shortcomings of each individual track.
Is there hope for recovery? I really hope so, but somehow I'm doubtful. They're no less popular than before, if not more so, so it seems unlikely that Muse will suddenly refind that youthful energy that made them such an exciting live - and studio - band.
Then about this time last year, United States of Eurasia was released, and I loved it - it promised the album I had been hoping for. The follow-up, Uprising was more...solid, but still quite good. And then there was the much-hyped Exogenesis suite. It was billed to be a culmination of everything Muse had done previously, but alas, it was rubbish. In a way Exogenesis sums up what went wrong: Muse over extended themselves, the majestic classical stylings of Butterflies & Hurricanes from Absolution gave way to pomposity, with classical pretentions that not even Matt Bellamy could achieve successfully. Exogenesis was very much Bellamy's own, and without his less-celebrated but nevertheless essential bandmates he fell flat.
Exogenesis wasn't the only mis-fire. Bellamy doesn't speak French; why then the ridiculous add-on "(Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix), and the full-blow Francophone singing? And the flute? WHY WAS THERE A FLUTE! On top of that Undisclosed Desires is comfortably the worst song ever released by Muse, not helped by the tragic hip-hop beat. I could rant for ages about the shortcomings of each individual track.
Is there hope for recovery? I really hope so, but somehow I'm doubtful. They're no less popular than before, if not more so, so it seems unlikely that Muse will suddenly refind that youthful energy that made them such an exciting live - and studio - band.
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Why Fabio Made A Mess Of Our World Cup Preparation
It's not a complete disaster by any means: a decent squad will board the plane next week, but it's make-up is weaker than it could be, and preparations have been inadequate. Here's why:
The Players
My main gripes are the omissions of Michael Dawson and Adam Johnson. Michael Dawson played nearly every game in a Spurs team that clinched fourth place this season, and is now ready to step up a level. The rock in an ever-changing Spurs defence, was brilliant throughout the whole campaign, and was a major factor in achieving the lowest ever number of goals conceded in the Premier League era for Spurs. I believe only Chelsea conceded fewer goals. Speaking of Chelsea, Dawson is very much in the mould of their captain, John Terry. Both can be described as classic English centre-backs, gritty and determined, and while Terry still has the edge, Dawson has a bit of pace that all-too-frequently proves a costly flaw in Terry's game. Dawson also has the advantage of not being a bastard. But who should have Dawson replaced? Matthew Upson, the shoddy West Ham centre-back who, in a team with a good number of international players, only just crawled home 17th. With Upson we know what we're getting - a decent but nevertheless sub-international standard defender who suffered a poor season at a poor club and has never excelled when called up into the first team. Dawson is something of a wild card - but if we find ourselves shorn of Terry and Ferdinand, Dawson could just excell himself, particularly if he is pair with Ledley king, with whom he shares good communication.
Adam Johnson, the young Manchester City left-winger, is a similarly unknown quantity. He is a very tricky player, intelligent and swift, who can provide a touch of inspiration that the England team sorely lacks at times. He is more-or-less unproven at international level, but in the 10 minutes he played against Mexico he was sharp, certainly sharp enough to warrant a run-out on Sunday against Japan, but the call never came. Again, the question is: who should he replace? This is tougher one - all the England midfield seem to be sound selections - but I would argue drop a goalkeeper. Goalkeepers are unlikely to be injured or booked, so just the one back-up will suffice. If one gets crocked it is a risk to have no replacement, but to quote the Spurs motto "He Who Dares Wins". Drop James, take Johnson.
Preparation
The ru-up to the World Cup has been horrendously disjointed, with the likely first eleven having hardly played a game together. Fabio was split in two minds: do I give everyone a run out or do I stick with a team early and give them a few games to gel? He did neither, with a large number of the 30-man squad getting 45 minutes, or in Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson's cases, 10 minutes or less. That is not enough to establish whether they are good enough at the top level or will fit in the team. Players can take ten games or more to feel comfortable, and while I recognise that is an amount of time that Fabio simply didn't have, he should have decided upon a formation on a game-by-game basis, and given the unknowns time to show what they can do. What this chop-and-change method achieved is to leave the team in an uncertain position after the Japan game. Without any qualifiers for nine months the first eleven will possibly be strangers to each other, and since 45 minutes is not enough time to judge a player, replacement will be ill-judged.
Perhaps one element that Fabio can be forgiven is the lack of games played. England have played 3 internationals this yeah; Japan had played 6. However, if you look at the number of games each English player had played in comparision to his Japanese counter-parts it is clear that there simply isn't enough time to fit more internationals into an already packed schedule. Still, there's no doubting that Fabio could have made better use of the recent friendlies.
EDIT: Apparently it's against the rules to take only two keepers, but I still think Johnson should go, this time in place of Shaun Wright-Phillips. I quite like SWP but he has recieved a bit of a bashing from the press - he's direct, fast and can run through broken play perhaps even more adeptly that Aaron Lennon, but we need a left winger, and SWP can't play there. Without bothering to fully check, it appears that Ashley Cole and Stephen Warnock are the only left-footers in the team (not even sure about Warnock), and it is absolutely important we have that capability. Joe Cole can operate on the left, as he did last time round, but it is not his best position, likewise for Gerrard. SWP could be a lethal impact substitute, but it is more important to have a balanced team across the 90, instead of relying on a goal in the last ten minutes. SWP can't cross; Johnson can, so if our game plan breaks down, bring on Crouch and have the Johnsons and Lennon swing crosses onto his head.
EDIT 2: So Ferdinand is injured, Dawson gets a call-up!
The Players
My main gripes are the omissions of Michael Dawson and Adam Johnson. Michael Dawson played nearly every game in a Spurs team that clinched fourth place this season, and is now ready to step up a level. The rock in an ever-changing Spurs defence, was brilliant throughout the whole campaign, and was a major factor in achieving the lowest ever number of goals conceded in the Premier League era for Spurs. I believe only Chelsea conceded fewer goals. Speaking of Chelsea, Dawson is very much in the mould of their captain, John Terry. Both can be described as classic English centre-backs, gritty and determined, and while Terry still has the edge, Dawson has a bit of pace that all-too-frequently proves a costly flaw in Terry's game. Dawson also has the advantage of not being a bastard. But who should have Dawson replaced? Matthew Upson, the shoddy West Ham centre-back who, in a team with a good number of international players, only just crawled home 17th. With Upson we know what we're getting - a decent but nevertheless sub-international standard defender who suffered a poor season at a poor club and has never excelled when called up into the first team. Dawson is something of a wild card - but if we find ourselves shorn of Terry and Ferdinand, Dawson could just excell himself, particularly if he is pair with Ledley king, with whom he shares good communication.
Adam Johnson, the young Manchester City left-winger, is a similarly unknown quantity. He is a very tricky player, intelligent and swift, who can provide a touch of inspiration that the England team sorely lacks at times. He is more-or-less unproven at international level, but in the 10 minutes he played against Mexico he was sharp, certainly sharp enough to warrant a run-out on Sunday against Japan, but the call never came. Again, the question is: who should he replace? This is tougher one - all the England midfield seem to be sound selections - but I would argue drop a goalkeeper. Goalkeepers are unlikely to be injured or booked, so just the one back-up will suffice. If one gets crocked it is a risk to have no replacement, but to quote the Spurs motto "He Who Dares Wins". Drop James, take Johnson.
Preparation
The ru-up to the World Cup has been horrendously disjointed, with the likely first eleven having hardly played a game together. Fabio was split in two minds: do I give everyone a run out or do I stick with a team early and give them a few games to gel? He did neither, with a large number of the 30-man squad getting 45 minutes, or in Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson's cases, 10 minutes or less. That is not enough to establish whether they are good enough at the top level or will fit in the team. Players can take ten games or more to feel comfortable, and while I recognise that is an amount of time that Fabio simply didn't have, he should have decided upon a formation on a game-by-game basis, and given the unknowns time to show what they can do. What this chop-and-change method achieved is to leave the team in an uncertain position after the Japan game. Without any qualifiers for nine months the first eleven will possibly be strangers to each other, and since 45 minutes is not enough time to judge a player, replacement will be ill-judged.
Perhaps one element that Fabio can be forgiven is the lack of games played. England have played 3 internationals this yeah; Japan had played 6. However, if you look at the number of games each English player had played in comparision to his Japanese counter-parts it is clear that there simply isn't enough time to fit more internationals into an already packed schedule. Still, there's no doubting that Fabio could have made better use of the recent friendlies.
EDIT: Apparently it's against the rules to take only two keepers, but I still think Johnson should go, this time in place of Shaun Wright-Phillips. I quite like SWP but he has recieved a bit of a bashing from the press - he's direct, fast and can run through broken play perhaps even more adeptly that Aaron Lennon, but we need a left winger, and SWP can't play there. Without bothering to fully check, it appears that Ashley Cole and Stephen Warnock are the only left-footers in the team (not even sure about Warnock), and it is absolutely important we have that capability. Joe Cole can operate on the left, as he did last time round, but it is not his best position, likewise for Gerrard. SWP could be a lethal impact substitute, but it is more important to have a balanced team across the 90, instead of relying on a goal in the last ten minutes. SWP can't cross; Johnson can, so if our game plan breaks down, bring on Crouch and have the Johnsons and Lennon swing crosses onto his head.
EDIT 2: So Ferdinand is injured, Dawson gets a call-up!
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