THE RIGHT WINGER PT6 – WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
Shaun Wright-Phillips is an interesting case. The former Chelsea player has always been there or there about when it comes to the England squad. He doesn’t seem to be Cappelo’s first choice right winger but how far down the pecking order is he? Beckham seems to have secured a place in the squad. Walcott has been injured for a while so hasn’t been picked. Aaron Lennon has been starting the last couple of games. So does that leave SWP only fourth? And therefore without a plane ticket…
There are certain players who when they get the ball, fear is visibly installed in defenders. Spectators want them to get the ball because they are exciting to watch. Their job is to run at defenders, whip in crosses, and cause chaos.
SWP doesn’t really do that for me. I sometimes think the defender should just let him run to the byline because when he tries to cross the ball, it will go out for a goal kick.
He does have ability; there is no doubt about that. I feel that his final ball however isn’t great. Sometimes his first touch can let him down and being small he can be easily pushed off the ball. I think many teams in the premier league would like to have him on their books because he is a talent. Perhaps, for me, just not world class.
Read ‘Part 1-5′ here:
THE RIGHT WINGER PT5 – LENNON
Possibly the hardest thing about being a writer who has decided to remain neutral, is to in fact remain neutral!
Now I don’t want to be too harsh on anybody. Neither do I want to over sing someone’s praise.
I do however find it very hard not to sing the praise of Aaron Lennon!
To me Lennon is the future for England. Fast, tricky, confident, fast (yes I said that twice), he can run at and beat defenders, get crosses in and most importantly he scores goals – good ones!
On top of that he creates goals, that he and others can score. Some wingers may score the odd goal but it’s a case of right place, right time.
This boy can do all the hard work and put the ball in the net at the end.
Once again our good friend Sven, I think was on to something when he picked him to go to the 06 World Cup. Even then he was being primed as Beckham’s successor and that’s exactly what I think he should be.
Lennon had a rough season last year with a whack to his confidence, but (as with most of the Hotspur players) the arrival of Harry Redknapp has brought the best out of him again.
At still just 22 years of age, Lennon has plenty of years ahead of him to mature even more and become possibly one of the best wingers in the league and England’s main wide man.
I certainly think he has the potential to do so! Aaron Lennon could become a name and player talked about all over Europe and I wouldn’t be surprised if ‘bigger’ teams come knocking!
Let’s just hope he doesn’t go to Liverpool – it didn’t work for Crouch and Keane.
Read ‘Part 1,2,3&4′ here:
ENGLAND: ARE YOU THINKING WHAT I’M THINKING CONTINUED…
Well after my post yesterday about England I thought I better say something today.
A good 3-0 win against Belarus (as should be expected).
I think there were some positives and some negatives. Let’s have a look.
Negatives:
It’s terrible to start with the negatives but there are only a few so I figured we’d get them out of the way.
- David Beckham’s beard… what is he doing?
- Johnson – I’ve given my opinion about him already. I thought he was good on attack but a bit shaky on defence. I think other teams can see him as the weak link and expose the space behind him.
- Lennon – getting subbed again. I don’t know why Capello keeps playing Wright-Phillips, nor why he leaves him on for the whole 90mins.
- Wayne Bridge – was not convincing at all. Ashley Cole is the first choice left back hands down. There doesn’t really seem to be anyone else who could come in if he gets injured. Although James Milner didn’t do a bad job, it was only for 12mins though.
Positives:
- Referring to my post yesterday again, Crouch scores goals. Heskey doesn’t. I’m not sure why Capello can’t see that. Why pick a striker who can’t score?
- Agbonlahor – great pace, set up Crouches first goal. Perhaps not a world beater yet but is really playing well and gives England some exciting options.
- Beckham did have that silly beard but came on and really made a difference. He can still whip in a cross like no other! I don’t know if he will ever start again but his presence in the squad and in the team is incredibly influential! The commentator put it well – “a country should retire a player not a player retire from a country” – Beckham still has a lot to offer England! Man of the match.
- Rio – had a much better game. He’s had some poor form after coming back from injury but seemed to be getting back to his best in this game. Probably because of the whipping Capello gave him…
- Foster has had a terrible time of late. His confidence has taken a pounding! I believe this boy has great talent! A clean sheet would have done him the world of good and he made some outstanding saves! He may be dropped back on the bench for United this weekend with the return of van der Sar which would be a pity. I would like to see him get some good game time under his belt!
Having done some browsing through the internet and the wealth of opinion that mine adds to, it seems that many people agree with a lot of what I’m saying (especially regarding Johnson). There are however plenty of people out there who don’t. What do you think?
Read ‘England: Are you thinking what I’m thinking’ here:
ENGLAND, ARE YOU THINKING WHAT I’M THINKING?
Every team has about a million managers. One gets to sit on the sideline, pick the team, buy new players… all the fun stuff.
The rest get to sit on the couch, throw chips at the players, buy replica shirts, call the manager a ‘tool’… you know, all the fun stuff.
It is possible that if one of the ‘chip-throwers’ were given the ‘team-pick’ rights they would find it harder than at first anticipated.
The chances of that happening are slim however and we therefore continue with our ‘tool-calling’ merrily.
I have not won anything with the team I manage. The only reason for that though is because I don’t manage a team – which also means I have never lost… So I could just be the most successful manager ever. My record reads: losses – 0, draws – 0, wins – 0.
That’s a 100% record! (And I’m consistent).
Enough with the tom-foolery! My point? Capello has a proven record! I don’t.
I still think that he could learn a thing or two from me though.
There are a lot of ‘good’ player in the world as there are a lot of ‘excellent’ ones.
Then there are the ‘brilliant’ ones. The world class chaps – the Rooneys, Gerrards etc.
Unfortunately I think England have one or two too many good/excellent players and are missing a couple of world class guys – in pretty key positions.
I’m not convinced Heskey does enough. Sure he ‘holds the ball up well’ like everyone says he does – but last time I checked you don’t win World Cups by holding the ball up.
Barry is a solid midfielder, but I just can’t help but wonder if he is dynamic enough.
Glen Johnson is great on attack, not terrible in defence but doesn’t cut it as a ‘world class’ fullback for me.
Wright-Philips doesn’t convert enough chances – the final ball is poor (and what’s the point of running past everyone and then kicking the ball out for a goal kick?)
Matt Upson is just too slow. Solid! But slow…
Capello does have a couple of injuries to players who could possible knock some of these guys out the squad; Woodgate, J. Cole etc. There are others who are fit who perhaps should be there now. Crouch springs to mind.
All in all there are players I like to call ‘squad players’, guys who can give you some good solid minutes but wouldn’t be in the first 11. Clubs especially need these guys. The best example I can think of is Man Utd’s John O’Shea. Great squad player – I wouldn’t start him however.
Back to the World Cup – there are more than enough ‘world class’ players in England to bounce the ‘good’ ones out of the squad. World class squads win trophies. Good ones lose at the semis.
Some changes I would make:
| OUT: | IN: |
| Heskey – all together i.e. not in the squad | Crouch – start, Agbonlahor – squad |
| Barry – drop to squad | Hargreaves (when fit)/Carrick |
| Upson – all together | Woodgate/Cahill |
| Johnson – to squad | Micah Richrads – to start |
| SWP – all together | Walcott, Beckham, Lennon, |
| Green – all together | Robinson/Hart/Foster/Kirkland even |
I will be very interested to see what happens tonight – who Capello plays and how they do.
I’m happy to be proved wrong. In fact I would rather they all return with a trophy, than for me to be proved right!
THE RIGHT WINGER PT4 – WALCOTT
Possibly the fastest winger in the premiership, Theo went from zero to “who the hell is that?” to “this boy’s got talent” to “saviour of England” to “needs to mature – but great potential!”.
My personal opinion is that he should be a striker. In a brilliant display, Walcott scored a hat trick against Croatia last September all three of which, I feel where more classic ‘striker’ goals than ‘winger’ goals.
However with his improved crossing ability and desire to run at defenders – and easily past them – this boy is a real threat out wide.
Where he ends up on the pitch for England long term remains to be seen.
Fast, attacking, full of tricks and confident – that’s what you want in a winger and Theo seems to be everyone’s first choice.
I say even if he isn’t your first choice – take him. You get a decent winger and an extra option up front for free.
Read ‘Part 1,2&3′ here:
ASHLEY COLE: WHICH BOOTS DO YOU WEAR?
I was watching England play the Ukraine tonight and noticed something rather strange.
Ashley Cole.
Now Ashley isn’t strange (well…) – but his boots were interesting.
Mr Cole has worn Adidas for the most part – F50’s especially, but he hasn’t worn those since his contract with Adidas ran out. Lately he has been wearing Puma’s. Sticking with speed boots, he has worn mostly the V1.09’s.
Bring us forward to tonight and we see him in a pair of… Nikes!
Yip. Maybe he is trying them all out? Who knows? The most interesting part of it all was that he wasn’t wearing their speed boot, but the new CTR360’s.
Could Nike be starting a revolution?
It does seem that more and more players are opting for this boot.
Hmmm… interesting.
THE RIGHT WINGER PT3 – BENTLEY
100% brilliant. 100% difficult.
Go back and take a look at the goal he scored against Arsenal last October. It’s no wonder Fifa 09 has him rated as the best English winger. This boy is good.
If David Beckham has a challenger for “Cross King” I reckon Bentley is him.
He is not so much about pace and tricks but is more in the Beckham mould. Bentley should be feared. Some poor decision making and possibly an ego, add that to a poor spell at Hotspur and Bentley has fallen out of favor in the England squad. Now South Africa seems unlikely.
But pick an England 11 on Fifa 09 and you are dumb to leave him out.
I think DB could be the next… DB. Personally, I hope so.
I do think however, that he will be catching a tan in Spain and not charging down the flanks in South Africa come World Cup time.
Read ‘Part 1&2′ here:
THE RIGHT WINGER PT2 – BECKHAM
Love him or hate him. Mock or respect him. Whatever you do, you can’t deny that David Beckham is brilliant!
If there is a player who can consistently send accurate crosses and free-kicks into dangerous areas more then Beckham, I’m not sure who it is.
Sure he is slower than he used to be. Maybe on the other side of his prime. But with his experience, tactical brilliance and leadership quality (providing he is fit and playing) Beckham, even as a squad player is a must!
He may no longer be a starter and may sit unused on the bench at times but his presence in any side is invaluable!
If for nothing else Beckham should be in the squad because he still has the ability to win you the game with a single kick. Ask the Greeks, he only needs 1 minute…
The fact is England is a better side when Beckham is around!
Pack your bags Golden Balls, I reckon you’re going to Africa.
Read ‘Part 1′ here:
HARGREAVES – SAME OLD PLAYER, BRAND NEW KNEES
Manchester United had midfielder Owen Hargreaves back at training today for the first time in just over a year. He made only 2 appearances in the 08/09 season, before tendinitis problems forced him out. Now returning from the US, Hargreaves will be looking to join the rest of his team mates at Carrington and to find full fitness. United have missed a solid midfield enforcer and Hargreaves will be an invaluable addition to the squad – especially in Europe!
If all goes to plan we could see England’s favorite Canadian against CSKA Moscow on 3 November.
Let’s hope his knee problems are over for good, for United and England’s sake!
THE RIGHT WINGER PT1
Who is the right winger?
The World Cup in SA draws closer every time we get out of bed in the morning, which means that competition for plane tickets is getting fiercer.
So who should be buying sun cream and packing their bags to make the trip to the tip?
This series will profile teams and players as we search for the right “Right Winger”.
We start straight away with England. And there is a good pool for Capello to choose from!
Here’s the list of the possibilities:
Beckham – LA Galaxy – 81
Bentley – Hotspur – 82
Walcott – Arsenal – 79
Lennon – Hotspur – 80
Wright-Phillips – Man City – 81
Milner – A Villa – 80
(Young – A Villa – 83)
(Cole – Chelsea – 84)
Those are the most likely candidates. The number after their club is their rating on Fifa 09.
It’s interesting to note that the two players with the highest rating (Cole and Young) are actually used mostly as left wingers for their clubs and countries. This raises a whole new debate as to whether England are producing enough –if any- world class left footed players.
Now if we went on Fifa 09 recommendations the 1st choice starter would be Bentley with Beckham and SWP warming the bench. But it just isn’t that simple is it.
Over the next few blogs I’ll look at each player, their strengths and weaknesses and whether or not they should be the ones to head south and take part in the world’s greatest show in the world’s greatest country.
