England - Hit or miss?

I do not often agree with Stan Collymore, in fact I think he is a total wa... ahem, you get the point! Although I did find myself agreeing with, on the whole, thoughts he had in one of his columns at the weekend - a column about the game against Brazil and who did their chances good, or not...

The former Villa man, who for me in the main wasted the talent that he had as a footballer - which might be another reason I dislike him, feels that from those that started ONLY Gareth Barry, Wayne Rooney and James Milner should be on the plane to South Africa.

Like I say, on the whole I agree - this is what I thought myself...

Ben Foster - undecided. I always had high hopes for the guy, but to be honest he has not lived up to them - if anything he has gone backwards and not forwards. This is quite simple for me though, if he cannot get into the Man United side he should not go to the world cup, let alone be the no.1. As it is, if I had to decide for sure I would leave him out as I cannot see him overtaking Edwin Van Der Sar at Old Trafford, unless the Holland keeper gets injured again?

Wayne Bridge - miss. I think the years of sitting on the Chelsea bench did him no favours! A move to Man City was meant to 'revitalise' his career, and whilst I might not see him week-in-week-out for City what I have seen has not been good enough, most certainly what I have seen of him for England in the past 12-months or so. Stephen Warnock should have been looked at for me...

Matthew Upson - undecided. I thought he was a 'shoe-in' for the squad, but given the chance - and without an experienced international alongside him - I think he was 'probably' found out, and made some horrible mistakes. Chances are he will still make the squad but I could not believe how slow he was, again not something I had previously noticed.

Joleon Lescott - undecided. Much the same thoughts as Upson to be honest, although I thought he covered well for Upson at times - his saving grace, as someone pointed out in the forum previously, could be the fact that he could be switched to an emergency right back if needed? For that, if his club form with City is much improved I think he would go...

Wes Brown - miss. Sorry to be harsh but the guy was poor - he made too many mistakes and these will be seriously punished at the world cup. He was beaten too easily and offered to little going forward. Thankfully he is only cover for Glen Johnson, who we have to hope stays fit! If we have another right back we can look at we MUST do this. Although it does not seem the case with Luke Young 'retiring' and Micah Richards out of favour?

James Milner - hit. Fabio Capello seems to be playing the Villa man everywhere apart from his most natural position as a right sided midfielder, but wherever he is played he does the job! He continues to impress me for England, and seems to get better and better. I am not convinced that 'versatility' is something that Capello looks at too much, and prefers round pegs in round holes, but he will make an exception for him as a players that CAN literally play anywhere.

Gareth Barry - hit. Barry is a shoe-in for the world cup, so long as he is fit he will go - not only that he will most probably start the games too.

Jermaine Jenas - miss. He was given a chance to impress and, despite the fact a recent Vital England poll had him as our '2nd best player' in the game I thought he did nothing and is not international quality...

Shaun-Wright Phillips - miss. This was a tough one, he has at times been used on the left by Capello recently but got his chance on the right and did not do a great deal. He had a few decent runs but the final product was not there. With, I would say 4 or 5 other right sided players as competition I think he will do well to make the squad if all are fit.

Wayne Rooney - hit. He started the game brightly, but like most others struggled on the whole but he is a dead certainty to be in the squad and start every game - only injury, God forbid, will prevent this.

Darren Bent - miss. It was hard for the Sunderland striker as he was not really getting any service at all, although I would say that he was also not looking that interested! He wanted a chance, he got this and a start but in his 55 minutes he did little to suggest that he will threaten Jermain Defoe's place in the squad, and assuming the likes of Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole are also fit that puts him at the back of a 5 man queue, already behind Rooney - making him the 6th name with only 5 striking places, at best, available.

All in all if these 'stand-ins' are the best we have to offer we will be in trouble in South Africa - all being well though the first choice, and the other second choice players that missed out will be fit though and those that failed to impress will be jetting off in the summer, just not jetting off to the world cup!

Left, right and central defensive options are areas that I feel Capello REALLY needs to be looking at in the months leading up to a 'probably' friendly with Italy in March, he also needs to hope that key personnel remain fit, and others that could figure become fit and get enough games under their belts - if they are not then others force their way to the front of the queue to be the next in line...

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