The England football team has reached a crossroads. The 0-0 draw with Montenegro showed that the team Capello is picking lacks vision, enthusiasm, determination, drive, ambition but above all else cohesion. Against Montenegro I saw a team that could struggle to qualify for Euro 2012, let alone reach the later stages of the competition. So is now the time to aim for World Cup 2016 and use the European Championship to follow in Germany's footsteps and throw our youngsters in at the deep end, giving them the opportunity to sink or swim.
If Capello spoke to the press today and explained to the fans that he is focussing on the future by naming a young squad for the 2012 qualifiers and the competition itself, I don't think anyone would argue. After the epic failure of the World Cup campaign and the way we have struggled in the 2012 qualifying matches against lowly opposition ranging from 17th to 80th in the FIFA rankings, the fans have clearly become despondent and with support for the team waning, something needs to happen to invigorate both the team and the fans.
Focusing on individuals –
Wayne Rooney - if anyone outside the golden 5 of Terry, Ferdinand, Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney had behaved the way he has off the pitch and played the way he has on it, they would have been dropped from the squad faster than they could take a breath, but for some reason Capello clings onto Rooney in the hopes he'll come good at some point. I ask how many more lacklustre, half hearted, ineffectual displays the fans have to be subjected to until Capello wakes up and realises that Rooney is not the messiah but is in fact a petulant child, performing well under par by his own standards, but also in comparison to other forwards praying for a chance of a starting place.
Glen Johnson - Whilst capable of the odd flash of skill a season he is simply not good enough. For club and country he has shown that he is not capable of providing any quality or any level of consistency. His continual mis-placement of passes and failed attempts at taking on players, leads not only to a loss of possession but in many cases, presents the opposition with a chance for a counter attack with our back line needlessly exposed.
Shaun Wright-Phillips - I don’t really need to explain this one in-depth, he is simply not good enough! He can’t get a run of games for Citeh, so why do we expect anything from him at an International level.
How about Capello making good on his post World Cup promise and start placing trust in the youngsters. Andy Carroll has shown form at club level and has lead the line for Newcastle scoring 4 goals in 7 league matches* so far this season. Jack Wilshere sitting on the bench, he’s 18, he’s hungry and he’s having a good run of games for Arsenal so why not throw him in? Injuries permitting, why are Keiran Gibbs, Gary Cahill, James Milner, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson and Jack Rodwell in and out of the squad, warming the bench only to be thrown on with a couple of minutes to go when the result is all but settled.
Can anyone honestly tell me that any of the above players would not get in the Montenegro team or Wales?
Why then, do we persist with the old guard that have proven themselves toothless against such opposition?
It’s time to give the youth their chance, would any fans boo a team lining up 4-5-1 consisting of
J.Hart, K.Gibbs, M.Richards, G.Cahill, P.Jagielka, T.Huddlestone, J.Wilshire, J.Rodwell, A.Johnson, J.Milner and A.Carroll
More to the point, does anyone think that the above team would struggle to compete against the teams in Englands Euro 2012 Qualifying group?
The current team needs to change their attitude and if dropping them in favour of the youth results in the current untouchables bucking up their ideas and fighting for a place rather than being given it on reputation, then England may be able to look to the future with a glimmer of hope.
*Correct as of 14/10/2010
